9 most powerful wizards and magic users ranked

in The Lord of the Rings, There are five main wizards that are mentionedBut fans of the movies are most likely familiar with only two of them: Gandalf and Saruman. While the wizards in Middle-earth are actually ancient beings known as Istari, meaning they are servants and powerful beings of the gods of Middle-earth, they took the form of wizards. Although there are technically only five wizards in the series, there are other magical beings in Middle-earth who function similarly in terms of power.

The most powerful wizards in The Lord of the RingsAs well as other powerful magical beings from Tolkien’s works, are A fascinating group of characters who all find different uses for their magical abilities. While some are pure of heart, others are corrupted by power and choose a dark path. There is much mystery surrounding magic and wizards The Lord of the RingsAnd fans have dedicated meditations on the power levels and histories behind the magic users of Middle-earth.

9

Wormtongue

Saruman’s stooge has power of his own

Grima Womrtongue is a secondary antagonist in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers And The return of the king. He is Saruman’s lackey and responsible for Helm’s Deep almost falling. However, while the movies made it out as Grima was only a conduit for Saruman’s power during the time Theoden was under the White Wizard’s influence, There is likely a reason Saruman specifically chose Grima.

Although Wormtongue isn’t actually a wizard, there are clearly things about him that point to him having a connection to dark magic. As the spy and agent of Saruman, he was close to all of Saruman’s wizards, and he was often used to help in this. He was essential in helping Saruman with the possession spell he placed over Théoden. so, Although he may not be a wizard in the traditional Middle-earth sense, it is not that unlikely that he would have tried to learn from Saruman.

8

The Blue Wizards

The pair of missing Istari

All of the five wizards, or Istari, rank among the most powerful magic users in JRR Tolkien’s stories, although the two missing Blue Wizards are the most mysterious. They arrived along with Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast in Middle-earth together in TA 1000. Although, the exact date changes slightly depending on the book and the source. They were sent to Middle-earth to aid the fight against Sauron.

While Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast are prominent in both The Lord of the Rings And the habit, There were two blue wizards who were briefly mentioned in the series. Their names are not super clear, but there is one mention that they are named Alatar and Pallando. Not much is known about these two wizards, but they get their names because of the color of robes they are said to wear.

Unlike Radagast, Gandalf and Saruman, the two blue wizards were sent to oppose Sauron’s forces in the East instead of the West. Each of the wizards had a certain mission and some of them were to play in fighting Sauron. However, it is heavily implied that the blue wizards did not complete their mission but failed. The biggest evidence for this is in Unfinished Tales When Tolkien wrote this, “Indeed, of all the Easters, only one remained faithful.” This was about Gandalf. Tolkien also suggested that they were likely founders of magical cults with followers.

7

Radagast the brown

The wizard with a druid presence

As one of the most powerful beings in The Lord of the RingsRadagast the Brown is one of the five wizards who came to Middle-earth on a mission to oppose Sauron and was a friend of Gandalf in the series. However, he is not as powerful as Gandalf (as the Gray or the White) or Saruman. That said, Radagast also has a specific focus for his magic, and it’s entirely possible that he could best be one of his Istari kin if a conflict were to take place in a forest where the brown wizard could best utilize his unique skills.

Instead of focusing his energy on helping the humanoid creatures of Middle-earth, Radagast turned to helping plants and animals instead. Because of this, even though he had powers, he was no longer able to help in the War of the Ring. He was clearly powerful, but not as much as other magical beings. Gandalf described Radagast as particularly adept at shape-shifting, a trick neither Gandalf nor Saruman displayed during The Lord of the Rings (Although they are probably capable).

6

Gandalf the Grey

The quintessential Tolkien wizard

in both The Hobbit And The Lord of the RingsGandalf is introduced as Gandalf the Grey. Although this form is not the peak of Gandalf’s power, he is still a force to be reckoned with among the various magic users in Middle-earth.And it’s clear to see why his reputation came to him when he traveled the country. It was Gandalf the Gray who earned the respect of the likes of Elrond and Galadriel after all, and who was pivotal in stopping the Necromancer (a hidden form of Sauron himself) in The Hobbit.

As the Gray Wizard, Gandalf is clearly powerful, defeating a Balrog before succumbing to his wounds, and is also quite adept at hiding a lot of his power. However, by this point, he had not reached the full height of his powers yet. Gandalf is one of the wizards most committed to the mission of stopping Sauron, so even at this early stage, he is still at work wandering around trying to accomplish this mission.

5

Saruman the White

The original White Wizard

Before Gandalf returned in the two towers, Saruman the White is considered the most powerful of the Istari, and among the strongest magic users in Middle-earth. Throughout most of the time that Gandalf knew Saruman the Whites, they were allies. however, Saruman eventually chooses to side with SauronAnd it is a testament to the White Wizard’s power that Gandalf is instantly afraid of the alliance.

He knows that Saruman will not just be another one of Sauron’s henchmen, but will significantly increase Mordor’s chances of achieving victory. Saruman was originally the head of the wizards, as well as the head of the White Council that was formed to fight against Sauron.

He was more powerful than Gandalf in those stagesAnd his learning of dark magic that turned him to support Sauron also gave him even greater abilities. But before he turned to the dark forces, he was a very powerful wizard. His magic is shown during his duel with Gandalf, and it says a lot that Gandalf loses and is even afraid to fear Saruman.

4

Ilmare

An angelic presence

The mythology of Middle-earth is quite complex and includes a lot of powerful magic users beyond wizards. What’s more, the Istari themselves are also connected to Eru Iluvar, The closest being in Middle-earth to a representation of GodAnd the angel Varda. While the Istari were among the most powerful magical beings sent to Middle-earth by Eru Ilúvatar, they were not the only ones.

The Varda are essentially angelic beings or demigods of Middle-earth, depending on each reader’s specific interpretation, and they have many servants and helpers. The historians were a kind of slave. Ilmare was a different kind. She was the maid of Varda and a guardian of the stars. She was also one of the leaders of the Mayors, a group to which the historians also belong. And, as such, ranks higher than many of even the most powerful wizards in The Lord of the Rings.

3

Saruman of many colors

The final form of Saruman

As far as the most powerful forms of magic in the writings of JRR Tolkien, it is not always light magic that is the most powerful, and Saruman best embodies this fact when it comes to the wizards of Middle-earth. While Saruman may have been the most powerful wizard when he was still on the good side, he grew in power and might as he followed the teachings of Sauron.

Of course, this ultimately leads to his downfall, but even still, he is strong in this form. Although it is not really elaborated on much in the story itself, Saruman the White had a Gandalf-like name change of his own, and chose to be known as Saruman of Many Colors. Like Saruman of Many Colors, he abandoned his mission in Middle-earth and instead tried to gain as much power as possible.

However, not only did his refusal of the name given to him by the Valar have symbolic meaning, it also showed his belief that his powers now surpassed literally every other Istari on Middle-earth to the point he could perform any magic they were capable of. .

2

Gandalf the White

The resurrected gray wizard

The transformation from Gandalf the Gray to Gandalf the White can easily be read as a resurrection story of sorts. Gandalf was a powerful wizard before, but he goes from somewhat powerful to the height of his power after he battles the Balrog. The transformation also marked Gandalf effectively taking Saruman’s place as the chief wizard.

Gandalf is the only one left who is still looking to finish Sauron and the transformation gives him even more power than before, ultimately leading him to victory. When comparing the two White Wizards in lord of the rings, It is important to note that Gandalf is much more powerful than Saruman despite the fact that the two share a title.

This is because Gandalf the White was sent back to Middle-earth by the Valar with the specific purpose of helping to end Sauron once and for all, and removing Saruman was part of that wider quest. In no uncertain terms, Gandalf the White was specifically created to be more powerful than Saruman. While The Lord of the Rings Movies never showed a direct duel between them, if they faced head-to-head Gandalf the White would have no problems with Saruman.

1

Sauron

The great evil is a master of magic

While the various wizards in Middle-earth represent some of the most powerful magic users, they are not the most powerful magic-wielding beings conceived by JRR Tolkien. When it comes to the lord of the rings The most powerful magic user is inarguably SauronThe great evil that prevails over Murdur. Sauron had a lot of spells and magical abilities at his disposal, and these were factors in much of what he did from creating the Rings of Power to taking the form of the Great Eye of Mordor.

Although not technically an Istari, Sauron is an extremely powerful character who has a lot of magical abilities In the same way the likes of the Middle-earth wizards. There is a reason for the similarities though, and an explanation for why Sauron is able to wield magic like Gandalf and Saruman.

Sauron, much like the Istari, is one of the Maia. Although he may not technically fall under the wizard category, his magic and power is vast. His mastery of dark magic is unrivaled, and while he may not claim the title of one, in practical terms he is easily among the most powerful Wizards in The Lord of the Rings.