Gandalf vs. Sauron

 Who would win in a fight, Gandalf/Mithrandir/Olorin or Sauron/Gorthaur/Mairon? 

Rules:

• No power restrictions! (As in hypothetically, the Valar tell Gandalf he has license to use his full powers, and Sauron is not disembodied)

• No allies! (As in Gandalf can’t summon eagles, etc. and Sauron can’t summon Nazgûl, etc.)

• Focused on three categories: strategy, combat skill, power 

1.) Strategy: Gandalf

Sauron’s strategic skills are somewhat lacking. For example, if the only thing that could destroy the One Ring was to throw it in the fires of Mount Doom, then why didn’t he just have his servants destroy the volcano, or at least the bridge that leads straight into it? If the volcano was completely blocked, nobody would be able to destroy the ring. He also purposefully engineers the demise of Numenor, and fails to account for his own presence in the kingdom at the time of its fall, idiotically getting himself killed in the process. Gandalf, on the other hand, tends to have generally better strategies. He encouraged the quest to Erebor to remove potential threats later on, unconventionally but successfully sent simple Hobbits rather than accomplished warriors to destroy the One Ring, and helped orchestrate the alliance between Gondor and Rohan. If it were not for Gandalf’s wisdom and pity regarding Gollum, and his subsequent advice to Frodo, the One Ring might not have been destroyed at all (or Sam would’ve had to throw Frodo in the lava). Though Gandalf did mistakenly tell Saruman that Frodo had the ring, that was before he knew of Saruman’s betrayal, making it more the result of sudden upheaval than tactical error. Gandalf’s strategic ability seems to far surpasses that of Sauron. 

2.) Combat Skill: Sauron 

Sauron has had more combat experience and head-to-head conflicts than Gandalf, since he has been in Middle Earth longer and holds the position of a commander rather than advisor. Sauron had 4 major recorded head-to-head conflicts in the books, losing against Luthien and Huan, mutually losing with Gil-galad and Elendil, and winning against Finrod as well as Celebrimbor. Gandalf has had 3 such major conflicts, losing against Saruman in Isengard, mutually losing against the Balrog, and winning against the Nazgûl at Minas Tirith. Taking a look at the caliber of opponent, Sauron lost against someone who, though only half Maia, also beat Morgoth. Gandalf, though, lost against someone who was too afraid to face Sauron. So, though based on assumptions of past encounters, Sauron is more likely to win in a head-to head test of combat skill against another Maia.  

3.) Power: Gandalf

Gandalf and Sauron are both Maiar and possess an equal level of raw initial power. However, they have very different affiliations and allegiances that draw an important distinction: Gandalf’s power grows while Sauron’s declines. Gandalf was a Maia of the Valar Manwë and Varda, taught by the Nienna, and also associated with Lórien/Irmo. Sauron, on the other hand, is no longer associated with his original Vala teacher, Aulë, and follows Melkor/Morgoth instead. These connections extend past face value of simply who trained them though, since both Gandalf and Sauron chose who to side with. Since the Valar serve Eru’s will, Gandalf is loyal to goodness and light. Since Morgoth intentionally goes against it out of spite, Sauron opts for manipulation and darkness. Therefore, Gandalf’s power has been nurtured and remains closely connected to its source, Eru, making it much stronger than Sauron’s, whose power has been spent on evil deeds and lost with misuse. 

Gandalf comes back like the Hess truck (better than ever) and Sauron comes back like the flu (a pesky disease). 

GANDALF/MITHRANDIR/OLORIN WINS!!!!!!!!!!