Summary
As one of themost popular fantasy franchisesof all time,The Lord of The Ringsfeatures a world filled with original elements that make it a wonderfully complex immersive experience. With that, its storylines and characters have become popular cultural icons, being revered throughout the world and becoming a reference point of the fantasy genre.
In particular, one of the franchise’s biggest strengths comes from featuring one of the best villains of all time, Sauron, as he forged a magical ring and used it to take over Middle-earth. Yet, he is not the only antagonist in the franchise that deserves recognition, as there are manystrong and powerful villainswho have affected the series in their own malicious and perverted ways.
10Azog
Brutal And Ruthless Orc Hellbent On Revenge
The Hobbitwould not be the same without this ruthless Orc, hellbent on killing Thorin and all of his bloodlines with pure brute strength. Nicknamed The Defiler, there is a reasonAzogis feared as the leader of the orcs that took over Moria, driven by his thirst for vengeance.
As scary as he is, he dies earlier in the book, with his son succeeding him in the quest for revenge. However, the movie adaptations were able to make this villain even stronger with a blade for an arm and an obsessive, savage bloodthirst.
9Adar
Corrupted Elf, Leader Of The Uruks And Sauron’s Follower
Although theRings of PowerTV show had a polarizing reception, it was able to bring to life a uniquely strong villain, through an improbable elf turned evil. Tortured and corrupted by Morgoth,Adarrefers to himself as an Uruk, leading his army of orcs and following Sauron’s directives.
With many initiallytheorizing that he might be Sauron in the show, the character has a unique story that makes him such a strong antagonist. Even if he is not Sauron, there is no doubt that he poses quite a threat to Middle-earth.
8Lurtz
Strongest Uruk Who Separated The Fellowship
As one of the first Uruks made by Saruman,Lurtzwas created exclusively for the movies to serve as the face of the Uruk-hai army. A constant threat to the Fellowship, he hunts down the halflings and kills anyone who gets in his way; he was even able to kill a member of the Fellowship in Boromir.
Slaying Boromir in an epic and emotional scene, he reveals how strong he really is as he manages to break the Fellowship, making the Hobbits endure the rest of the journey on their own.
7Shelob
Giant Blood-Thirsty Spider With Her Own Goals
Shelobis one of the most distinctive villains, since she is not doing her evil actions because of Sauron, but for her own selfish, instinctive bloodthirst. She has all the aspects of apowerful and dangerous monster, with incredible speed and strength, and is capable of poisoning her prey.
In almost successfully murdering Frodo, it’s shown that Shelob’s strength comes from her stealthiness and her blind hunger, which seeks to feed on anyone who enters her domain.
6Smaug
Fire-Breathing Dragon With Insatiable Greed
There is a reason that dragons are big fear inducers in fantasy worlds, andSmaugproves why inThe Hobbit. Not only can he fly, but he also has sharp teeth and almost impenetrable scales that protect him from most weapons, making him a tough enemy to defeat.
The fire-breathing dragon’s strength not only comes from his size, but from his terrifying legacy and insatiable greed that has him killing mercilessly. Despite him not being the biggest dragon to have wandered Middle-earth, he was thestrongest dragon of the Third Age, and one of the most powerful antagonists in the franchise.
5The Witch King Nazgul
The Disturbing Leader Of The Nazgul, Drawn By The Ring’s Power
The Witch Kingis not only one of the most fear-inducing creatures in the franchise, but he is also one of thestrongest characters in the trilogy. With a disturbing appearance and a frightening presence, there is a reason this character is capable of making anyone feel unsettled.
As the lord of the Nazgul and Sauron’s henchman, he possesses a ton of power, constantly drawn by the call of the Ring. Even though he never fully reaches his potential, he is able to stab Frodo, kill the king of Rohan, and strike fear with just his presence.
4Durin’s Bane (Balrog)
A Flaming, Ferocious Demon And Tough Opponent
In terms of brute strength, thisBalrogis definitely one of the strongest of the franchise, especially when considering that it took Gandalf the Gray’s sacrifice to defeat him. Known asDurin’s Bane, take one look at this flaming creature, and it’s clear why he is one of the strongest antagonists inTheLord of the Rings.
This ancient evil demon can fly and is immune to most weapons and spells, making him a tough opponent to beat, which is one of the reasons why it was able to control Moria for so long.
3Saruman
Light’s Biggest Hope To Sauron’s Strongest Asset
As one of the greatest wizards to have roamed Middle-earth,Saruman’sfall to darkness makes him one of themost tragic characters, but also one of the strongest antagonists in the franchise. Initially the leader of the White Council and Middle-earth protector, there is no question of his strength, especially since his lust for power was his downfall.
His search for power and ambition led him to be corrupted by Sauron, becoming the villain’s strongest and greatest asset. With the ability to breed an Uruk-hai army, and being able to defeat and imprison Gandalf, Saruman proves more than once why he is one of the strongest characters in the franchise, even if his biggest weakness is his need for more power.
2Sauron
He Sees All And Is Behind All
There is no other villain that has affectedThe Lord of the Ringsuniverse likeSauron, who seeks and manages to rule Middle-earth for longer than should have been possible. Most villains in the series are acting at Sauron’s command, or have some sort of connection to the antagonist. He is the big bad, a fallen Maia responsible for the One Ring that has caused so much destruction and corruption.
He is not only thebest villain in the series, but he is also a contender for the strongest antagonist, as he controls so much at the same time, having an impact like no other character. By leading the orcs, tempting evil men, and corrupting forces, there’s not much that can stop him as he possesses a dark strength unparalleled in Middle-earth.
1Morgoth
The Mentor Of Evil Incarnate
Sauron may have impactedThe Lord of the Ringsfranchise like no other antagonist, yet he learned everything from his mentor,Morgoth, who manages to be even more powerful than him. In his prime, Morgoth’s strength was comparable to a god, as he is the source of all evil in the franchise.
Although The Silmarillion features many strong villains, for the purposes of this list, Morgoth represents all the antagonists in the mythic epic as the epitome of villainous strength. Morgoth not only played a huge part in Sauron’s rise, but he also spread his strength and influence across Arda, weakening himself but corrupting so many around him.
