Who's the most powerful character in the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Often considered the most vivid and expansive fantasy world ever devised, it's no surprise that J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is filled with formidable warriors and fearsome entities. Though Tolkien's overarching message is how those who may appear weak and insignificant can topple even the scariest of villains, Frodo and Sam couldn't have vanquished Sauron without the aid of powerful allies belonging to the races of men, elves, dwarves and beyond.
Taking into consideration all of Tolkien mythology, Iluvatar the God is Middle-earth's most powerful character. He's followed by Manwë, Morgoth and the other Valar, and then the Maiar beneath them, all of whom are divine entities. Then there are the ancient Elves such as Fingolfin (who managed to injure Morgoth in battle) and early men like Beren and Huor, who sit far above Aragorn's ilk. However, none of these characters feature in The Lord of the Rings itself. Who can be considered the strongest figure solely within the confines of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, from The Fellowship of the Ring to The Return of the King?
Even at a fraction of his full strength, Sauron is undoubtedly the strongest character in The Lord of the Rings. As a Maia, there's a good reason the people of Middle-earth fear his return, risking their lives to destroy the One Ring and prevent Sauron from reclaiming his former glory. Sauron might lack physical form in The Lord of the Rings, but his power is overwhelming nonetheless. The villain corrupts the minds of Saruman and Theoden while commanding massive armies of orcs and men. The Witch-king of Angmar is a vastly powerful enemy in his own right, but Sauron's command of the Nazgûl proves the cavernous gulf between master and servant. Manipulation was always Sauron's greatest power, and while he's not able to assume a fair form and earn others' trust like in the old days, his ability to corrupt is still unrivaled in The Lord of the Rings.
Before losing the One Ring, Sauron could attend the battlefield personally, and he proved nigh-on invincible. Only the combined might of the strongest elves and men finally toppled him. Sauron is undoubtedly weaker without the Ring, but Gandalf confirms that none surpass the Dark Lord in Tolkien's The Two Towers when the wizard (now leveled-up to his White incarnation) says to Gimli "I am more dangerous than anything you will ever meet, unless you are brought alive to the seat of the Dark Lord." This line confirms that, even deprived of the One Ring, Sauron's ability to inflict pain and bend the will of others makes him The Lord of the Rings' most powerful character.
However, Gandalf's words also reveal the wizard as Middle-earth's second strongest during this era. After Sauron, the Lord of the Rings power scale narrows greatly, with Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel and Elrond all making a strong case. Not only is Elrond a mighty warrior in battle, he's also a potent healer and a Ring-wielder able to influence nature, as seen on the River Bruinen. His lineage comes from Melian, who was a Maia married to an elf king. However, Elrond is eclipsed by Galadriel, who The Silmarillion confirms as the mightiest of elves. Logic suggests Saruman the Maia sits above Galadriel the elf, but wizards are forbidden from showing their full strength, leaving room for interpretation. Nevertheless, it's clear that Gandalf the White surpasses both of them; not only is he wiser, but Gandalf remains free from corruption, whereas Saruman decays until even the Hobbits can beat him.
Throwing a spanner in the works is Tom Bombadil. This book-only character is shown to possess virtually limitless power in his woodland realm - he simply has no interest in using it. Bombadil holds mastery of nature, but Tolkien implies that these abilities only work within Tom's land. The source, nature and extent of Tom's magic are left entirely unknown and this ambiguity means he could surpass Gandalf, and perhaps even Sauron. Then again, if Tom's meddling only works within a localized area, can he truly be considered The Lord of the Rings' most powerful?