10 Most Powerful Maiar In The Lord Of The Rings, Ranked

Maiar are some of the most powerful beings in The Lord of the Rings—but how do they rank among themselves? There are very few of these beings in Frodo’s story, but Tolkien’s extended legendarium emphasizes how vital the Maiar were throughout Arda’s history. They took part in the creation of the universe and served under the higher-up Valar to help run the world. Maiar fought for good or evil, created and upheld beautiful features of Middle-earth, and one even fell in love with and married an Elf. However, not all Maiar were created equal.

The universe in The Lord of the Rings was created by a being called Eru Ilúvatar. To pull off this great task, he created a host of other beings—Valar and Maiar, together called the Ainur. The Valar were essentially gods, each with their own roles to assist Ilúvatar in running the world. Their angel-like servants were the Maiar, and though they were lesser, this wasn’t to say they weren’t powerful. There were dozens of Maiar, though not all of them are named or remembered in The Lord of the Rings. Still, a handful stand out as the most powerful.

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10

Ilmarë

Chief Among The Maiar

Ilmarë was the chief among the Maiar and served directly under Varda, the Queen of the Valar. Her fellows deeply respected her position and wisdom, and for this reason, Ilmarë was also feared. Her name means “Starlight” in Quenya, which is fitting since she is considered the guardian of the night sky. Ilmarë husband was Eönwë, the herald and banner-bearer of King Manwë.

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As a leader of the Maiar, there’s no question of Ilmarë’s power. However, her strength didn’t rely on the sort of traditional power demonstrated by some of the other Maiar. She is a being of love and music, not war and strength. However, Lord of the Rings demonstrates just how powerful the simple joys of life can be.

9

Ossë

Maia Of Ulmo

Ossë was the Maia in the service of Ulmo, the Vala of the sea. He had a preference for the islands and coasts and was considered a friend to the Elvish and Human mariners. During Melkor’s first turn to evil, Ossë was among the Maiar who followed him. However, he ultimately repented and was forgiven by the Ainur. From then on, Ossë remained loyal to his fellows and played a significant role in Middle-earth’s story.

Ossë’s strength and power were intimately related to the islands of the sea. He was the one who raised Númenor from the water, thus providing a glorious home for the High Men following the War of Wrath. In the early days, Ossë used an entire island to ferry Elves from Middle-earth to Valinor. All of this took great power, but Ossë was limited outside his realm of sea and coast.

8

Durin’s Bane

The Balrog Of Moria

Durin’s Bane is the name given to the Balrog of Khazad-dûm after he destroyed the Dwarf king, Durin VI. All Balrogs of The Lord of the Rings were originally Maiar, though they were distorted by Melkor’s darkness in the First Age. Little is known about Durin’s Bane when he (or she) was still a Maia living in Valinor. However, since this was one of the last surviving and active Balrogs in the Third Age, he was surely powerful.

Durin’s Bane remained unbeaten within Moria for endless centuries. All the powers that be knew where this monster was, but he was essentially left to his slumber. This has everything to do with the terrible power of Balrogs. They can be killed, but each time one has fallen, it took its conqueror with it. In the case of Durin’s Bane, it was killed by Gandalf the Grey, though the wizard was killed in the effort.

7

Olórin

The Wizard Gandalf

Called Gandalf (among other names) in Middle-earth, Olórin is the most known Maia in the Lord of the Rings franchise. He was also among the most influential since his efforts greatly aided in Middle-earth’s fight against the Dark Lord Sauron. Still, this had little to do with Olórin possessing a traditional kind of power. Instead, this Maia’s strength came down to his wisdom, intuition, and compassion.

Olórin was, at first, reluctant to come to Middle-earth since he feared Sauron’s power and thought stronger Maiar would be a better fit for the task.

Olórin served under several Valar, including Manwë, Varda, Irmo, and Nienna. He loved to learn and, therefore, sought the wisdom of as many as he could. However, Olórin was partial to Nienna, who taught him the value of gentle efforts. Of course, as a wizard in Middle-earth, Olórin could hold his own in a fight, and his power should never be underestimated. Still, he didn’t depend on this type of strength in the way that a Maia like Curumo did.

6

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Curumo

The Wizard Saruman

Curumo, called Saruman in Middle-earth, was a Maia of Aulë the Smith. This made him an excellent craftsman and artist, though perhaps not as talented as his fellow, Mairon (Sauron). Curumo was also known to be wise, which is part of why he was selected as the leader of the Istari, wizards sent to Middle-earth to guide the people against Sauron. He was respected by Radagast and Gandalf, both of whom considered Curumo to be their superior in the way of power.

He was respected by Radagast and Gandalf, both of whom considered Curumo to be their superior in the way of power.

As a wizard, Curumo had the power to influence people with his words. He could be an inspirational voice if he so chose, which made him a perfect candidate to guide the beings of Middle-earth. However, Curumo could use this power to do great damage. It’s a power similar to that of Sauron, though Curumo consistently proved himself less adept at it.

5

Gothmog

The Lord Of The Balrogs

Gothmog was the Lord of the Balrogs and was thought to be the most powerful among them. He was Morgoth’s lieutenant—more active in battle than even Sauron (though, perhaps, more disposable). Like all Balrogs, Gothmog would have begun as a Maia. It’s unclear what Gothmog’s initial role would have been or under what Vala he served. However, given his position in the War of Wrath, he might have been one of Melkor’s own Maia before he fell to evil.

Gothmog is known for destroying many of the Noldor’s most powerful Elves. He killed the kings Fëanor and Fingon and, later, laid a terrible siege on the Hidden City of Gondolin. Gothmog was ultimately defeated by Ecthelion of the Fountain. However, the effort to destroy this most powerful of Balrogs required Ecthelion to also give up his own life.

4

Melian

The Maia Who Fell In Love With A King

Melian served under both Vána and Estë and, in the beginning, her role was to tend to the Gardens of Lórien, where she taught the birds to sing. Melian had a beautiful singing voice, but her true power came from her deep love for the Children of Iluvatar. She was among those tasked with guiding the Elves to Valinor, though she only made the majority of the journey with them as she fell in love and married the Elf King Thingol.

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Melian’s time as Queen of Eglador is when her immense power was demonstrated. She had the gift of foresight and saw the terrible war with Morgoth that would soon plague Beleriand. With her power alone, Melian repelled the monster Ungoliant, considered one of the most powerful beings ever to plague Middle-earth. Additionally, Melian enacted a protective spell called the “Girdle of Melian” that kept anyone with less power than herself from entering her kingdom with ill will. It was only through a technicality (a Silmaril) that any villain passed into Doriath.

Melian is the great-great-great-grandmother of Arwen.

3

Eönwë

The Herald of Manwë

Eönwë was the herald of Manwë and served as chief of the Maiar alongside his wife, Ilmarë. He was powerful in the most traditional sense of the word and paired this with unmatched wisdom. Eönwë was permitted to carry the very sword of Manwë into battle and was nearly indestructible when he did. It’s believed that Eönwë was the one who defeated Morgoth in the War of Wrath—perhaps the most definitive testament to his power since Morgoth was a Vala.

The fact that a powerful Maia like Sauron bowed to Eönwë’s strength is certainly saying something.

After defeating Morgoth, Sauron begged Eönwë for a pardon. However, despite being the one to defeat the Dark Lord Morgoth, it wasn’t for Eönwë to pardon Sauron. Still, the fact that a powerful Maia like Sauron bowed to Eönwë’s strength is certainly saying something.

2

Arien

The Guardian Of The Sun

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Arien was initially a Maia under the Vala Vána and was known to have bright, beautiful eyes that were too much for the Eldar to look upon. Arien was tasked with tending to Vána’s gardens, but after Melkor and Ungoliant destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor, she was charged with carrying the sun through the sky. This is the job Arien maintained until the end of times.

Tolkien ranked Arien among the most powerful of the Maiar, initially placing her as the second most powerful. She was the essence of fire in and of itself, both beautiful and terrible. As the Guardian of the Sun, Arien was somewhat limited. She didn’t demonstrate power in the same way as Sauron or even Gandalf. However, Arien’s power is so great that she is essentially untouchable—a being that even the Dark Lord couldn’t think to challenge.

1

Mairon

The Dark Lord Sauron

Mairon, better known as Sauron, was a Maiar in the service of Aulë the Smith. Before his downfall to evil, Mairon was renowned for his skill at the forge. He was an artist, and the Valar themselves marveled at his creations. Mairon was good and noble, and he valued all that was balanced, fair, and perfect. He was regarded as the most powerful and beloved of the Maiar. However, his desire for greatness and perfection led him to Melkor’s service.

It was this power that Mairon funneled into his most incredible creation—the One Ring.

As Morgoth’s lieutenant and, eventually, the Dark Lord himself, Mairon possessed an unmatched ability to influence those around him. He could see into the minds and desires of Men, Elves, and Maiar alike and manipulate them into his service. Once a person had given Mairon their trust, it was nearly impossible for them to withdraw it. It was this power that Mairon funneled into his most incredible creation—the One Ring. If it wasn’t for this action of tethering himself to a great weapon, The Lord of the Rings’ Sauron might never have been defeated.

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The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

Movie(s)

The Lord of the Rings (1978)
, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Created by

J.R.R. Tolkien

First Film

The Lord of the Rings (1978)

Cast

Norman Bird
, Anthony Daniels
, Elijah Wood
, Ian McKellen
, Liv Tyler
, Viggo Mortensen
, Sean Astin
, Cate Blanchett
, John Rhys-Davies
, Billy Boyd
, Dominic Monaghan
, Orlando Bloom
, Christopher Lee
, Hugo Weaving
, Sean Bean
, Ian Holm
, Andy Serkis
, Brad Dourif
, Karl Urban
, Martin Freeman
, Richard Armitage
, James Nesbitt
, Ken Stott
, Benedict Cumberbatch
, Evangeline Lilly
, Lee Pace
, Luke Evans
, Morfydd Clark
, Mike Wood
, Ismael Cruz Cordova
, Charlie Vickers
, Markella Kavenagh
, Megan Richards
, Sara Zwangobani
, Daniel Weyman
, Cynthia Addai-Robinson
, Lenny Henry
, Brian Cox
, Shaun Dooley
, Miranda Otto
, Bilal Hasna
, Benjamin Wainwright
, Luke Pasqualino
, Christopher Guard
, William Squire
, Michael Scholes
, John Hurt

TV Show(s)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Character(s)

Frodo Baggins
, Gandalf
, Legolas
, Boromir
, Sauron
, Gollum
, Samwise Gamgee
, Pippin Took
, Celeborn
, Aragorn
, Galadriel
, Bilbo Baggins
, Saruman
, Aldor
, Wormtongue
, Thorin Oakenshield
, Balin Dwalin
, Bifur
, Bofur
, Bombur
, Fili
, Kili
, Oin
, Gloin
, Nori
, Dori
, Ori
, Tauriel
, King Thranduil
, Smaug
, Radagast
, Arondir
, Nori Brandyfoot
, Poppy Proudfellow
, Marigold Brandyfoot
, Queen Regent Míriel
, Sadoc Burrows

Video Game(s)

The Lord of the Rings Online (dupe)
, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
, The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum
, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

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Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment