7 best villains from ‘The Lord of the Rings’

The Lord of the Rings introduces a richly built world filled with heroes and villains, all fighting to control the powerful One Ring. Peter Jackson’s film version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books features stunning visuals, strong storytelling, and memorable villains.

Set in the fantasy land of Middle-earth, the story follows the Hobbit Frodo and his allies as they try to keep the Ring from its dark creator, Sauron. Along the way, they face many enemies, from the Witch-King of Angmar to Durin’s Bane, leading to epic battles.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. Spoilers for The Lord of the Rings ahead. The list is in no particular order.

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Sauron, Saruman, and other best villains in The Lord of the Rings movies

1) Sauron

The eye represents Sauron's power (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Sauron is the obvious evil, but what makes him one of the best villains in The Lord of the Rings is his ability to sustain terror in his enemies. He is ruthless in his ambition to rule Middle-earth and is ready to go to any treacherous lengths to achieve it. His untouchable power is amplified because he controls swarms of other powerful creatures.

Sauron forges the One Ring to dominate the power of all other rings, and Frodo's quest to retrieve and destroy it makes up the crux of the movies. He doesn't have a full physical presence, but still manages to incite fear with his omnipresence. He evokes a gripping sense of doom without relying on anything but his raw power, which is both a visual and imaginative treat for the fans.

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2) Saruman

Saruman posed a formidable threat (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Saruman is the Fellowship's immediate threat before they face the looming presence of Sauron, and he proves to be no less frightening. The gravitas actor Christopher Lee brings to the role plummets the character into the best villains in The Lord of the Rings list. While his fated end is different in the movies, he invokes terror every moment he is on screen.

Packed to the brim with evil, his quest for power and unrelenting ways to get it make him a villain to watch out for. This, combined with his ways with sorcery that could corrupt minds and conjure storms, makes the lives of Frodo and the Fellowship intensely challenging. He also handles an army of Uruk-hai that answers his every beck and call.

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3) Gollum

Gollum is a morally gray antagonist (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Gollum lies in the sweet spot of moral ambiguity when it comes to the best villains in The Lord of the Rings. For starters, he isn't on Sauron's or anyone's side but his own, and his insatiable thirst to possess the One Ring powers most of his antagonism against Frodo and the Fellowship. The ring brings out his monstrous self, and he spends his whole life chasing its high.

The character struggles with his desire and greed, which makes him a more redeemable villain in the movie franchise. However, that doesn't absolve him of his many murder attempts on Frodo and Sam. It does make him a more relatable villain to fans and to Frodo himself.

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4) The Witch-King of Angmar

The Witch-King's armor (Image via YouTube/HBO Max)

The Witch-King of Angmar is one of the best villains in The Lord of the Rings franchise because he weilds both warrior skills and sorcery, making him an invincible force. His faceless presence only made him scarier, so he is the perfect fit to lead Sauron's army.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King shows a different version of the battle between Gandalf and the Witch-King, with the latter defeating the former before the Rohirrim come to scare him away. While this is a major plot inconsistency, it also shows his potential, chilling fans to the bone, thinking of what might have happened otherwise.

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5) Durin's Bane

Durin's Bane is a dangerous Balrog (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Frodo and the Fellowship cross paths with several minor antagonists, but what makes Durin's Bane one of the best villains in The Lord of the Rings is his raw, barbaric power. A giant, black creature covered in flames, the Durin's Bane looks and sounds like an erupting volcano, making fans and foes shake in their boots.

The Balrog manages to scare the goblins away by its sheer presence, and it is up to Gandalf to face it alone in a quintessential duel. The creature is almost defeated and sent plummeting through the chasm in The Fellowship of the Ring, but it manages to take Gandalf down with it. Although the wizard slays the beast, its abilities cannot be disputed.

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6) Gríma Wormtongue

Grima's manipulation knew no bounds (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

Grima's powers lie in his manipulative tendencies. As a secret henchman for Sauron, he channeled dark magic to corrupt King Théoden and weaken his rule over Rohan. His hunger and greed, along with his easily malleable personality, make him a dangerous enemy who almost helps usurp the throne.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, under Gandalf's leadership, finally manage to pin down the wily villain in The Lord of the Rings movie The Two Towers. So while he isn't the strongest by any means, he does provide a major roadblock for the good guys, hiding in plain sight and chipping away at an empire from the bottom up.

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7) Shelob

Frodo and Sam meet a gigantic enemy (Image via YouTube/Warner Bros.)

It is usually the unexpected antagonists who end up becoming the best villains in The Lord of the Rings, and Shelob fits that description. Frodo and Sam encounter the ruthless and gigantic man-eating spider after Gollum lures them into her cave. With her immense size and overwhelming speed, it is only luck that saved the duo from being dead meat in The Return of the King.

Anyone who crosses her path risks being trapped, paralyzed, and eaten, making her a truly dangerous foe. The duo manages to fight her off using the light from the Phial of Galadriel and escape, but her threat still lingers.

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Watch The Lord of the Rings and all movies in the franchise on HBO Max.