In most cases, ranking creatures like wizards in fantasy worlds in terms of strength can be a subjective endeavor, or has to be simply taken as gospel from whatever the author or creator says. However, J. R. R. Tolkien was known for his fastidious nature and planning, so even though he never formally declared which wizard in The Lord of the Rings was the most powerful, it’s possible to come up with a more objective list than you would with most other fantasy worlds. If you’re a fan of Middle-earth and have always wondered which magical being was the one with the most power, then read ahead for our guide to the strongest wizards in Lord of the Rings!
Methodology… kind of
While Tolkien was certainly a man who paid attention to detail, we still need to look into just what we mean when we’re talking about who the most powerful wizard was. If we’re going by status, then Gandalf the White was probably the strongest wizard in the series, as he usurped Saruman once the latter had gone over to Sauron’s side. Wizards, like much of Middle-earth, had a strong hierarchy, so it’s simple to put them in this order.
However, we think it’s more fun (and relevant) to rank these magical beings on sheer power alone. This also allows us to move beyond a rigid conception of wizards, as that might only apply to certain characters in the series, despite others showing similar and occasionally more powerful magical abilities than the robed, staffed wizards we know of. So, by this method, even in his Grey form, Gandalf was always more powerful than Saruman (according to an off-handed remark by Galadriel, anyway). However, even with this caveat, it’s clear that under our methodology, Gandalf doesn’t take the number one spot.
6. Radagast the Brown
A friend and companion of Gandalf, Radagast the Brown appears in The Hobbit and was one of the Istari sent down by the Valar to help keep the evil of Morgoth and Sauron at bay. He’s able to shapeshift and also possesses a great knowledge of magical herbs, as well as an affinity with the animals of Middle-earth, with whom he can communicate. Like Saruman, he failed in his task to keep evil at bay, but this wasn’t because he was corrupted like his lead companion, but because he became too entangled in living in nature.
5. Gandalf the Grey
Alongside Saruman, Radagast the Brown, and the Blue Wizards, Gandalf the Grey is technically an Istari, which is a kind of Maia sent by the Valar to help other creatures defeat Sauron in the LOTR universe. Unlike the other Istaris, Gandalf took more of an interest in the various races of Middle-earth, growing close with even seemingly insignificant creatures like Hobbits, which led to his adventures in The Hobbit, and later, LOTR.
Also known as Olórin, Gandalf is incredibly wise and learned how to inhabit a world where he’s mentally and magically superior to others, as well as picking up additional knowledge that his fellow wizards didn’t bother to try and learn. With that said, he also spent a lot of time in the gardens by the Lothlórien Forest. His main role throughout his time in Middle-earth has been stopping Sauron, and even as a Grey wizard, he had some incredible powers. However, as we learn through the course of LOTR, we see he’s nowhere near his magical potential, despite showing off some truly astounding power.
4. Saruman the White/Saruman of Many Colors
Also known as Curumo, Saruman was the chief of the Istari sent to oppose Sauron in the aftermath of the damage Morgoth caused. However, as we saw in the LOTR trilogy, he was seduced by the power of the One Ring, and after luring Gandalf the Grey to Isengard, he managed to defeat him in combat, showing his superior strength. Gandalf was only able to survive thanks to being helped by the eagles, all while Saruman used his powers to create an army of ultra-strong orcs known as the Uruk-hai to aid Sauron. It was at this point he lost his white moniker, having failed in his mission to save Middle-earth, instead embracing evil.
3. Gandalf the White
After defeating the Balrog, Gandalf the Grey was returned to Middle-earth in snazzy new white robes, symbolizing his rise up the order of Istari, usurping the position that Saruman once held after the latter’s corruption. Although he lost a kind of life in his battle with the Balrog, it transpires he was reborn and given previously lost memories while in the Halls of Eru.
While he is the same spirit as Gandalf the Grey, he is a more actualized version, no longer worried by some of the doubts that clouded him in his less evolved form. In fact, in the book version of The Two Towers, he is explicit about this, also mentioning the fact he’s become what Saruman was supposed to be:
‘Yes, I am white now. Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been.‘
As a result of his newfound status, he becomes an effective leader in the war against Sauron and the orcs. The fact he is less bound by his previous mindset also means he has tapped into deeper levels of power and is able to defeat his former superior Saruman in battle. He also maintains a wisdom that allows him to remain as a counselor to other creatures without desiring dominion over them — so perfectly independent, while still having a large role to play in the future of Middle-earth.
2. Ilmarë
This will probably be the most controversial entry on this list as we technically don’t have concrete examples of Ilmarë’s abilities, but there’s no doubt she was one of the most powerful beings in all of Tolkien’s mythology. Ilmarë was a major Maiar and handmaiden of the Varda, which in turn made her a guardian spirit of the stars. Although Middle-earth’s cosmology is a bit confusing, she’s seen as the main goddess to the elves too, which only furthers the claim that she’s one of the most powerful wizards Tolkien conceived of (if we’re counting all Maiar as wizards, and not just Istari, which for the purposes of this article, we are).
1. Sauron
Although he ends up being defeated, there’s almost no doubt that Sauron is the most powerful magical being in the LOTR world aside from the godlike Valar — after all, it takes practically every race in the world pulling together to defeat him. The evil wizard began life as one of the mighty spirits of the Maiar, and a servant of the Gods of Valar like the Istari. However, Morgoth (the original source of evil in Middle-earth and antagonist to the Valar) corrupted him with promises of power and eventually made him his second in command.
Using his incredible power, Sauron crafted the One Ring, and with it was able to control legions of creatures in Middle-earth, utilizing the same seductive techniques Morgoth had used so effectively on him. However, as we know, he was eventually defeated in battle, although his spirit lingered on in the Ring.
His loss marked the beginning of Middle-earth’s third age (in which the events of The Hobbit and LOTR trilogy take place). He hid in Mordor during this age, building his power for centuries and biding his time until he was ready to try and take over once again. However, as you undoubtedly know, he was eventually destroyed when Frodo was able to throw the Ring into Mount Doom.
While Sauron isn’t a wizard in the sense that the Istari are, he is definitely a creature with immense magical power and has the ability to use it seemingly at will like a wizard, so he is included in and tops our list.
