Many fans know Sauron as the eponymous “Lord of the Rings.” He forged a magical ring and used its power to dominate much of Middle-earth. However, this feat isn’t the extent of his evil doings.

The Dark Lord of Mordor had many accomplishments before crafting the One Ring. Many of these acts were in service to the satanic Morgoth. After all, Sauron was his most capable servant. With his horrific gifts, he reaped untold misery on their collective enemies. In the process, he laid the foundation for future atrocities. Sauron left a long, black mark on the history of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy realm. Even once vanquished, his influence plagued the Free Peoples for generations to come.

5Became The Lord Of Werewolves

Taking An Island Watchtower Made It A Prime Home For Werewolves

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth 2

FranchiseThe Lord of the Rings
Platform(s)PC , Xbox 360
ReleasedMarch 2, 2006
DeveloperEA Los Angeles
Publisher(s)EA

Instrumental as Morgoth’s lieutenant, Sauron led the Dark Lord’s armies and managed his dominion in his absence. He even secured a few victories for his master. Particularly noteworthy was his conquest of Tol Sirion. This isle of Elves was a valuable strategic location, offering a view of the surrounding area and any passersby. Sauron recognized that value and led a legion of balrogs to capture the isle. He then renamed it “Tol-in-Gaurhoth,” made it a base for werewolves, and became their lord. In the process, he secured the supernatural creatures for Morgoth’s side.

This move showed admirable initiative on Sauron’s part. He wasn’t just a puppet ruler or stand-in. Rather, he made significant contributions to the campaign. What’s more, is that he was capable of leading both men (and monsters) into battle. In a way, Tol Sirion was the precursor to his later conquests.

4Killed Barahir

Trickery And Torture Led To The Slaughter Of A Mighty Man

Morgoth recognized that talent and tasked Sauron with killing Barahir and his family line. This house of Men became a stalwart ally of the Elven house of Finrod, buying them time to escape during a devastating battle. Ironically, Barahir’s own ally would be his undoing.

Sauron eventually captured Gorlim, a Man in Barahir’s service. Not only did he torture the prisoner, but he made Gorlim think that his wife was also a captive. The villain used this trick to make the poor sap spill the beans. Afterward, he sent a raiding party to slaughter Barahir’s company.

The tactic was a supreme demonstration of Sauron’s brutality and cunning. He proved unparalleled as an enforcer, resorting to any despicable act. It also indicated how dangerous he was, albeit in a different way than his master. He was more adept at solving problems through subterfuge than military might. Granted, Barahir’s son escaped the carnage, but not for long.

3Captured Beren And Finrod

These Heroes’ Adventure Was Over Before It Began

Taking Tol Sirion soon bore fruit. Beren, son of Barahir, enlisted Finrod’s aid in a quest for a Silmaril. Together, they donned disguises and tried to sneak behind enemy lines. Unfortunately, Sauron spotted them from his new watchtower and imprisoned them in the dungeon.

Once again, he proved his prowess. On one hand, this event rewarded his foresight. After all, he captured Tol Sirion for this precise purpose: to see approaching invaders. Beren and Finrod’s ill-fated raid only reaffirmed its value. In addition, the incident showed Sauron’s astute observation. His quarry’s disguises had deceived several other servants. This efficacy was likely due to both Beren’s time in the wild and Finrod’s Elven magic. However, Sauron saw through this trickery. Truly, he was one of the sharpest tools in the shed.

2Fooled Celebrimbor

Masterful Tradecraft Won Over The Realm’s Greatest Elven Smith

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

FranchiseThe Lord of the Rings
Platform(s)PS3 , PS4 , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , Linux , macOS
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2014
Developer(s)Monolith
Publisher(s)Warner Bros. Interactive

Sauron was also a gifted shapeshifter. He often assumed a fair form to trick people into trusting him. This ploy even fooled the Elves of Eregion. This place was full of renowned craftsmen. The Dark Lord soon ingratiated himself into their society, exchanging trade secrets and even securing the aid of their greatest artisan, Celebrimbor. Together, they forged the Rings of Power: mystical bands given to the lords of each race. Sadly, it was all a lie, as Sauron eventually forged the One Ring to gain dominion over all others.

The villain was a master of deception. Infiltrating an inner circle of elite artists takes talent and charm. The deed is especially impressive since Elves are usually wiser than other races. They should have seen this coming, but most of them didn’t suspect a thing until it was too late. The episode was a testament to how foolproof Sauron’s disguise was.

1Destroyed Numenor

Feeding Their Hubris Brought This Kingdom Of Men Crashing Down

In its day, Numenor was among the mightiest kingdoms in the realm. Thanks to their kinship with the Elves, the Men of this island became masters of countless crafts. Warfare was one of these disciplines, which they proved when aiding Gil-Galad’s forces against Sauron’s growing hordes. The Dark Lord knew he couldn’t best them in battle, so he opted for a different tactic.

Again, he showed his aptitude for deception. The villain offered himself as a hostage, stroking the ego of the Numenorean king. It wasn’t long before his smooth talk landed him a position of power within the court, which he used to turn them toward a dark path. The Numenoreans’ friendship with the Elves and the Valar had already waned; Sauron simply strengthened that strife. He encouraged their envy of their neighbors’ immortality and anger toward the Valar for robbing Men of that.

His efforts eventually convinced them to sail to Valinor and take what was “rightfully” theirs. That hubris earned the wrath of Eru Iluvatar, the father of all existence. He reshaped the world and sunk Numenor into the sea. Through underhanded means, Sauron had toppled the titans of Middle-earth.

The feat cemented his potent powers of perception. Not only did he possess enough worldly knowledge to impress the learned Numenoreans, but he brilliantly played on their desires. He knew exactly which buttons to push when bringing down a seemingly superior foe. Next to that, all the physical strength in the world counts for nothing.