That makes it feel unlikely that any one character could ever be powerful enough to take him down. However, in both the movies and the books, there are a handful of characters who could have had a chance. Here are the top 5 Lord of the Rings characters who would actually have a shot at bringing down the titular Lord of the Rings, based on their powers and stories.
Elendil and Gil-Galad
Before the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sauron had already been defeated—or, at least, temporarily defeated—which left him in the state he was in by the beginning of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. That defeat of Sauron, like the events of the original trilogy, was no easy feat, and it required epic battles, some of which are described and/or shown at the beginning of that movie.
As is shown in The Fellowship of the Ring, in fact, it was Isildur who cut the ring from Sauron’s hand. By doing so, Sauron was separated from the power of the ring, which spelled his demise for the time being. However, it wasn’t Isildur who had managed to incapacitate Sauron so that he could cut the ring from his hand. Rather, that was Elendil and Gil-Galad.
Granted, Elendil and Gil-Galad still rank low on the list of the top 5 characters who could have taken down Sauron, as they ultimately died in the fight. Even so, it’s impressive enough that the duo was able to do this much harm to Sauron, who was obviously one of the most powerful beings to ever exist in The Lord of the Rings.
Lúthien
Although she is not depicted in the Lord of the Rings movies, Lúthien is among the franchise’s most powerful characters, and she could have given Sauron a legitimate challenge at the height of his power. Lúthien was an immortal elf princess of Doriath, and she possessed incredible powers, including the ability to enchant others through singing.
In fact, it was through song that Lúthien actually became one of the beings who defeated Sauron at various points throughout Middle-Earth’s Ages. Lúthien specifically fought Sauron alongside Huan, who took the form of a werewolf during the confrontation.
While they didn’t destroy Sauron outright (clearly, as he went on to threaten Middle-Earth centuries later), they did manage to force him to admit defeat, with Lúthien enchanting Sauron with her song and Huan grabbing Sauron by the throat. Sauron ultimately realized he had been defeated, acquiesced, and fled.
Notably, Lúthien and Huan weren’t fighting the version of Sauron that audiences of the movies, and even viewers of the Prime Video show The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, have become familiar with. Rather than a fight at the height of Sauron’s power, Lúthien and Huan were fighting Sauron before he had become a true Dark Lord.
At that time, Sauron was only the servant of a powerful being named Morgoth. Lúthien and Huan’s defeat of Sauron must therefore be contextualized, but the fact that they were able to force his surrender, even if it was before he became a formidable Dark Lord, suggests that they would have a shot at stopping him.
Melkor/Morgath
As mentioned, earlier in Sauron’s Lord of the Rings story, he was the servant of a being named Morgoth, who is likewise among the characters who could defeat him. Morgoth, who was originally called Melkor, was one of the Valar—divine, angel-like beings in the Lord of the Rings franchise who were mainly explored in stories that have yet to hit the big screen.
Far from a kindly angel, however, Morgoth began singing evil and ultimately became a very dark character, effectively serving as the equivalent of the devil in The Lord of the Rings. Although Sauron is unequivocally the ‘big bad’ of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, Morgoth is largely seen as the biggest bad of the entire franchise.
Given Morgoth’s extensive power, his status as arguably the biggest bad, and his history as Sauron’s master, it seems safe to say he would be able to defeat Sauron, likely even at the height of his power. After all, it took all the Valar together, with the help of the elves and other allies, to defeat Morgoth.
Gandalf The White
Gandalf the White will be the most easily recognizable name of any on this list for those who are only familiar with the Lord of the Rings movies. Gandalf has played a massive role not only in the original trilogy movies but also in the trilogy of movies based on The Hobbit and, as shown in the season 2 ending, The Rings of Power as well.
In fact, Gandalf is even confirmed to be returning in the next Lord of the Rings movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. This is more than Gandalf simply being a beloved character, though. Gandalf is as critical as he is throughout the franchise because he is one of the most powerful beings in Middle-Earth.
Particularly when Gandalf is in his Gandalf the White form—as White Wizards are the highest rank—he would have been one of the greatest threats to Sauron in a more direct battle. Arguably, though, Gandalf already proved himself as a being powerful enough to destroy Sauron. No, he didn’t do so single-handedly, but without Gandalf’s help in the original trilogy, Sauron would never have been defeated.
Tom Bombadil
Although he was not in the Lord of the Rings movies, Tom Bombadil is perhaps the single most powerful being in the franchise, and he would have the best chance at defeating Sauron. Who or what Tom Bombadil actually is remains largely mysterious in the books, but the implications are certainly that he is not a mortal man/being.
Regardless, he wielded immense power, and he is believed to be the oldest living being—older even than the Valar. While Tom rarely got involved (although he did save the hobbits on more than one occasion), had he wanted to, he almost certainly could have defeated Sauron. Perhaps that incredible level of power is why he’s been largely kept out of Lord of the Rings movies.