Sauron is one of the world's greatest villains, but the identity of Sauron, one of the world's greatest villains, it only just touched on the demonic Morgoth and his actions.

The Silmarillion explored Middle-earth's history. While The Lord of the Rings covered a Third Age story, The Silmarillion dived into the Second Age, the First Age, and the days before that, including Morgoth's ascendancy in the Elder days. Even compared to Sauron, Morgoth was a destructive power that knew few limitations. As such, his impact on Middle-earth was profound and resonated through the ages. Morgoth was the original villain of The Lord of the Rings, setting the stage for Sauron's rise to power.

Who Is Morgoth In The Lord Of The Rings? Middle-Earth's Original Villain Explained

Morgoth Was The First Rebel

Morgoth was one of the 15 Valar - Tolkien's demigods. Second only to the One creator, Eru Ilúvatar, in power, the Valar shaped Arda - the world in which Middle-earth is just one continent. After Ilúvatar had provided the Flame Imperishable, it was the Valar's job to make their vision of Arda a reality. The vision had been created by many like the Valar. This race, the Ainur, sang a great theme directed by Ilúvatar, called the Ainulindalë, which visualized the plan for Arda. Morgoth had been singing discordantly in this hymn, immediately causing trouble in Arda.

Morgoth was singing discordantly because of his desire to input his own, independent ideas. He had been seeking the Flame Imperishable, which was Ilúvatar's alone to give and constituted the breath of life itself. Ilúvatar's unique ability to create life was, in many ways, what defined him as the One God of Tolkien's world. Morgoth was dissatisfied, lacking the ability to make life, and resultantly, rebelled in his discord and his unholy input to the shaping of Arda. Morgoth continued to subvert the Valar's work in Arda, destroying what they made.

What Are Morgoth's Powers & What Is His Goal

Morgoth Was Increasingly Destructive

If Eru Ilúvatar is Middle-earth's God, the Valar are its archangels and the Ainulindalë is Middle-earth's creation myth, Morgoth is its devil. Tolkien was clear that The Lord of the Rings wasn't an allegory, but he also confirmed that it had allegorical elements. In this capacity, Morgoth certainly represented a Father of Lies, a Satan figure sowing the seeds of corruption into the world from its very start. Like Satan, Morgoth's pride led him to seek Godhood, and once he realized he couldn't have this, he turned to destroying and dominating life instead, in rage and envy.

Among other skills, Morgoth could control the elements, shapeshift, and communicate telepathically with forceful suggestions.

Although Morgoth just wanted to create life originally, Morgoth's ensuing descent into darkness saw him become increasingly violent and tyrannical. The pride that led Morgoth to seek to create life itself began to manifest itself as an arrogant desire "to have subjects... and to be called Lord, and to be a master over other wills" (The Silmarillion). Morgoth's methods were Machiavellian, to say the least. He destroyed the Lamps of Arda and the Two Trees, also poisoning the Noldor against the Valar. Among other skills, Morgoth could control the elements, shapeshift, and communicate telepathically with forceful suggestions.

What Happened To Morgoth After The First Age

Morgoth Was Defeated

Morgoth was eventually defeated at the end of the First Age. Morgoth's struggles to wrest control of Arda from the Valar after they had all entered into it at first was known as the Battle of the Powers in the lore of the Elvish Eldar. The awakening of the Elves marked the start of the First Age. Morgoth resented and envied the Elves, bestowed as they were with such power in Arda and the Valar's protection. This enmity between Morgoth and the Elves drove many of the Battles of Beleriand, which culminated in the War of Wrath, which Morgoth lost, ending the First Age.

When Morgoth lost the War of Wrath, he was cast into the void, outside Arda. There was only one way in and one way out, and that was the Doors of Night. Elrond's father, Eärendil, was key in the War of Wrath, defeating the mighty dragon Ancalagon and taking up the mantle of guarding the Doors of Night. Tolkien worked on the Dagor Dagorath - a final battle, in which Morgoth returned - but he didn't conclude these drafts. Morgoth is not a threat, for all intents and purposes, but the possibility of his return exists, in the vaguest hinterlands of canon.

How Morgoth & Sauron Are Connected In The Lord Of The Rings

Morgoth Was Sauron's Master

Sauron was Morgoth's follower before their relationship became more complex. From his discord onward, Morgoth corrupted many Maiar - a lower order of Ainur than the Valar. Sauron was one of these, although he was originally "of the Maiar of Aulë," one of the good Valar (The Silmarillion). Sauron "remained mighty in the lore of that people," so he obviously spent a long time as a perfectly normal and good Maiar of skill. Morgoth exploited Sauron's love of order and distaste for "wasteful friction," promising him an efficient route to his goals (Morgoth's Ring).

Sauron "had adored" Morgoth at first, according to Morgoth's Ring, and their partnership worked for them both.

This was ironic because Morgoth was actually "a spirit wasteful and pitiless" (The Silmarillion). This deception was really at the heart of Morgoth and Sauron's relationship. Sauron "had adored" Morgoth at first, according to Morgoth's Ring, and their partnership worked for them both. However, their goals were very different, and Sauron wanted to rule what Morgoth was happy to ruin. After Morgoth was trapped in the Void, Sauron contemplated repentance but eventually fell back into darkness, and eventually declared himself Morgoth returned in the Third Age of The Lord of the Rings.