Morgoth, “Black Foe of the World” in Sindarin, was the big bad of the Tolkien legendarium before Sauron came on the scene, and if J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings are to be taken as canon, the big bad to close out the universe long after Frodo Baggins of the Shire ends the threat of Sauron in The Lord of the Rings.

Originally called Melkor, Morgoth was created in the Timeless Halls by the supreme being of the universe, Eru Ilúvatar, as the most powerful and knowledgeable of the Valar, Eru’s original 15 creations he made to help govern the world he intended to build. During this creation period, Melkor grew impatient and impertinent.

He sowed discord into the song of creation and was rebuked for his meddling by Eru, which shamed Melkor. This shame grew into hate and anger, and he was eventually driven to attempt to extinguish the great creation of life that Eru had made. Melkor became Morgoth, and though his hatred resulted in the fracturing of his strength, he remains one of the most powerful characters in the legendarium.

Tolkien’s universe of characters is not easily framed in a “who would win” hierarchy, like in something like Dragon Ball Z, but there are still vastly different levels of power in his world. Morgoth sits in the highest echelons of that power structure, but there are a handful of characters and beings who even he cannot hope to defeat.

Erū Ilúvatar

Erū Ilúvatar is the supreme being of Tolkien’s universe, a reference to the Christian version of God, and a stand-in for Tolkien himself. No one in the entire legendarium could hope to defeat Eru as much as an ant could hope to defeat the concept of being. There’s not even a power difference here; one is just separate from the other in every conceivable and inconceivable way.

That doesn’t mean Morgoth didn’t give it the old college try, though. From the very beginning of his existence as Melkor, Morgoth was trying to find out Eru’s secrets, including the location of the Flame Imperishable, the same Secret Fire that Gandalf references on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Morgoth sought all over the Void for the Flame, which was the divine power Eru used to create, but he did not know it wasn’t a flame one could take; it was a part of Eru himself. His attempts to sow discord in the Great Music that began creation were easily overridden by Eru, who explained to Morgoth that as an aspect of Eru’s creation, whatever Morgoth brought into the world would ultimately be created from Eru himself.

Manwë

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Manwë is the oldest of the Valar and therefore one of Morgoth’s 14 siblings. When Arda was formed, and Morgoth attempted to claim the world for himself, the other Valar elected Manwë as their King, as he alone understood Eru’s will more than anyone. While Morgoth was once more powerful than Manwë, Morgoth limited his strength by pouring his malice and strength into his efforts on Arda.

Unlike Morgoth, Manwë only wanted what was best for the coming Children of Ilúvatar, the Men and Elves, and so retained his mighty strength, which was associated with the winds and air. It was Manwë who ordered Morgoth imprisoned and helped subdue him, though not on his own.

It was also Manwë’s judgment that kept Morgoth imprisoned until he was given the chance to plead for mercy. In the final days of Morgoth’s evil reign, Manwë again interceded on behalf of the Elves and Men and led a massive force to defeat Morgoth and cast him into the Void, from which he will supposedly never escape until the end of time.

Tulkas

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Tulkas is another of the Ainur and the last of the Valar to descend to Arda. His name means “Strong” and “Steadfast” in the language of the Elves, and that gives a hint to his specialty in the Tolkien pantheon. Tulkas is not exactly the Valar of War, but he’s certainly the most suited to it.

In the First War, when Morgoth first went against the Valar on Arda, Morgoth held off his siblings alone. It wasn’t until Tulkas descended to Arda that the balance of power tipped and Morgoth fled from him. Later, Morgoth only returned when Tulkas fell into a deep sleep that he was not expected to awake from.

When Tulkas did awake, he personally wrestled Morgoth into submission, laughing in his face, and bound him with a magical chain called Angainor. Unlike most of the other Valar, Tulkas did not trust Morgoth, even after he repented to Manwë. When the Host of the Valinor arrived for Morgoth’s final defeat, Tulkas was among the Valar present, and while we don’t know who ultimately hammered Morgoth’s crown into a collar and thrust him through the Door of Night for good, I like to imagine it was Tulkas.

Túrin Turambar

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Túrin Turambar’s presence on this list might surprise some readers who are unaware of Tolkien’s writings about the end of his universe, which were not published in The Silmarillion, though they were described by Tolkien in notes and letters. For the most part, Túrin is an immensely tragic figure, whose family has had a curse placed upon them by Morgoth.

The tragic events of his life, most as a result of Morgoth’s machinations, led to Túrin becoming one of the few characters in the legendarium who takes their own life. However, the second prophecy of Mandos (which was taken out of The Silmarillion by Christopher Tolkien) concerns Túrin’s fate during Dagor Dagorath.

Dagor Dagorath is Tolkien’s version of Armageddon or Ragnarök. It is the final battle that is prophesied to take place at the end of Arda. After the world grows old and unrecognizable, an eternity after the events of The Lord of the Rings, Morgoth will finally find his way back through the Door of the Night and will wage war against all who remain and even those who have passed on.

In the prophecy, it is said that Túrin will at last slay Morgoth, once and for all, by running his sword Gurthang through Morgoth’s heart. After that, the world will revert, and a Second Music of the Ainur will begin.

Ungoliant

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Ungoliant, an ancient progenitor of evil creatures like Shelob, is a mysterious, corrupted being whose origins are mostly unknown but was in the service of Morgoth at one point. When Morgoth encountered her during the Years of the Trees, he found her ravenously and painfully hungry.

He lured Ungoliant with the promise of sustenance in the form of the Two Trees of Valinor and whatever else she desired if she helped him. After draining the life from the Trees and draining the Wells of Varda, Ungoliant became so vast and powerful that she no longer obeyed Morgoth and even terrified the Dark Lord.

When Morgoth refused to hand over the stolen Silmarils to Ungoliant, she wrapped him in her webs and likely would have killed him if not for the timely arrival of his lieutenants, the Balrogs, who chased the creature away. That Morgoth allowed Ungoliant to escape afterward suggests that this Lord of the Rings villain was only fearful of the creature for the short time after it had consumed the light of the Two Trees.

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J.R.R. Tolkien