Sauron: The Origins of Middle-earth’s Dark Lord

Sauron of Middle-earth didn’t always have a giant flaming eye vibe. Before his whole world domination phase, he was just a Maia, you know! Basically, a powerful spirit with some serious crafting skills. His story in The Silmarillion is a tale of good intentions gone bad. Well... Let’s take a look at how a well-meaning spirit became Middle-earth’s biggest headache.

The Sauron’s Origins

Long before Sauron started wreaking havoc, he worked under Aulë, the Valar, known for making cool stuff. Think of Aulë as the divine blacksmith and Sauron as his enthusiastic apprentice. Sauron loved order and structure, maybe a little too much.

Then along came Morgoth, the original Dark Lord. Morgoth sold Sauron on the idea that the best way to keep things orderly was to control everything. And Sauron, thinking that sounded pretty efficient, bought in. Not his best decision. Oh Boi!

Sauron’s Role in the First Age

In the First Age, Sauron became Morgoth’s right-hand guy. He managed Angband and Morgoth’s fortress of doom. He also ran things like the Island of Werewolves. Yes, that’s a real thing. To no one’s surprise, he wasn’t exactly making friends.

When Morgoth was finally taken down, Sauron conveniently disappeared rather than face the music. Unlike Morgoth, who loved destruction, Sauron still wanted control. And now, with Morgoth out of the picture, he saw a golden opportunity.