The Lord of the Rings gave the world two of its greatest villains, Sauron and Morgoth, but Morgoth was much worse, as one detail of his history proves. JRR Tolkien introduced Sauron in the 1937 children's book The Hobbit and expanded it in his next 1954 novel, The Lord of the Rings. It became famous in the literary world, especially in the 1960s, as a symbol of tyranny and industrialization. However, Morgoth was Lord of the Rings' original villain, setting Sauron on his dark path and teaching him to be as evil as he was.
Peter Jackson Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies showed Sauron, not Morgoth, and this is the only exposure many people have to Lord of the Rings. Sauron is easily one of the greatest villains in English literature and fantasy in general, popularized by Jackson's films. Therefore, casual fans could be forgiven for thinking of Sauron as the franchise's worst villain. However, the truth is much more complex, and Morgoth was more powerful than Sauron in many ways while they resided together in Arda.
Valar's own dealings with Morgoth prove how terrible he was as a villain
The Valar defeated Morgoth personally
The Valar intervened directly in Morgoth's rule, demonstrating how difficult it was to defeat him. Lord of the Rings villain Sauron was actually less of a threat than Morgoth, overall, although he was 'greater', effectively, in the Second Age than Morgoth at the end of the First,” according to one of Tolkien's letters. The Valar have actually intervened in the events of Middle-earth to stop Morgoth numerous times.until they finally gave up trying to help Morgoth and pushed him through the Gates of Night into the Void at the end of the First Age.
Morgoth was defeated several times in Lord of the Rings before his final renunciation of the Void, and the Valar intervened on most of these occasions. Beren and Lúthien achieved a mini-defeat of Morgoth when they traveled to Angband to pry a Silmaril from his crown. However, Morgoth's first major defeat came at the hands of Tulkaswho chased him into hiding during the First World War. Tulkas became Morgoth's archenemy, following Morgoth to his own fortress in the Battle of the Powers to overthrow him and chain him up. The Valar facing Morgoth in person suggests just how dangerous he was.
The Valar never directly interfere with Sauron in The Lord of the Rings
The Valar indirectly intervened in Sauron's rise to power
The Valar did not intervene in Sauron's affairs as directly as they intervened in Morgoth's affairs. The Valar ruled Middle-earth under the overarching authority of the One Eru Ilúvatar, who put Morgoth in his place from day one. Naturally, the Valar were forced to monitor Morgoth and his followers, ensuring that they did not cause too much death and destruction. But while one of the Valar – Tulkas – was forced to stop Morgoth with his bare handsnone of the Valar personally fought Sauron, which may suggest that Sauron was less dangerous.
However, the Valar have intervened less in Arda since their first catastrophic clashes with Morgoth. They were reluctant to continue fighting Morgoth before Men awoke, fearing they would harm them. This became even more pronounced after the War of Wrath. The Host of the Valar was Lord of the Rings' strongest army and when they confronted Morgoth in the War of Wrath, they sank Beleriand. But the Valar still fought threats to Middle-earth, including Sauron. They even asked Eru to sink Númenor when Sauron became dangerously powerful there, confirming that he was a threat worth facing, but not a threat worth facing directly.
Why Morgoth requires a greater level of intervention than Sauron in LotR
Morgoth had more innate power than Sauron
Lord of the Rings' 15 The Valar intervened more in Morgoth's evil than in Sauron's, in part due to Morgoth's outrageously powerful magic. Despite the increasing withdrawal of the Valar from the rigorous management of events in Arda, the application of direct force to Morgoth reflects the enormous threat he posed. Morgoth was originally one of the 15 Valar before he fell from grace and his name was erased from their books. Sauron was of the same species as the Valar, but a Maia, the order below them in rank and strength.
Under the God of Middle-earth, Eru Ilúvatar, only Manwë and Morgoth were as powerful.
Morgoth, in fact, was the brother of Lord of the Rings' Manwë, Vala of the wind and King of the Valar. Morgoth showed interest in Manwë's wife, Varda, long before the events of The Lord of the Ringsmaking Morgoth's defeat particularly personal for the Valar and their king in particular. Morgoth carried some of the power that all other individual Vala possessed.making him especially formidable. Under the God of Middle-earth, Eru Ilúvatar, only Manwë and Morgoth were as powerful. No wonder Tulkas helped secure Morgoth's arrest.
Tolkien referred to Morgoth as greater than Sauron in size.
In Morgoth's RingTolkien discussed how evil deeds bind the Ainur to their bodies. The Valar, along with Lord of the Rings' Istari were Ainur, although the Istari were all Maiar like Sauron. Morgoth and Sauron used dark magic to divide their soulsMorgoth pouring his essence into the fabric of nature and Sauron pouring his into the Ring. This was so obligatory that Sauron was unable to reform a body after it had been destroyed in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien referred to Morgoth as greater than Sauron in size, commenting that Morgoth may have recovered where Sauron could not.