However, if Sauron had his One Ring and faced off in a battle against Galadriel, it's unlikely that there would be much she could do. He was considered the strongest of the Maiar for a reason, and his One Ring was even more of a threat.
In The Lord of the Rings, it is said that had Galadriel chosen to use her powers for evil instead of good, she would have been even more destructive and terrifying than Sauron himself. Galadriel was the greatest and most powerful of all Elves in Middle Earth in the Third Age.
As Tolkien puts it in one of his letters, the Ring's main deceit is to “fill minds with imaginations of supreme power.” Galadriel may not exactly have delusions of grandeur, but she probably isn't capable of defeating Sauron in combat, either.
Galadriel's powers were so vast that it's said that other powerful beings like Saruman or even Elrond could not fully comprehend them. The powers she did have were used for good, of course, such as protecting Lothlórien and even toppling Dol Guldur, a fortress that was enhanced by Sauron's magic.
Who is more powerful than Sauron in Lord of the Rings?
Morgoth Was Originally More Powerful Than Sauron
He made the Valar to help create and order the world, but the most powerful Valar, Melkor, turned out to be nothing but problems. Melkor decided that he wanted to be his own master and create of his own will.
Morgoth, the first to reign terror upon Middle-earth, was more powerful than Sauron and commanded an army of dragons and Balrogs. While both Morgoth and Sauron were cunning, Morgoth's rule and terror lasted longer and his corruption spread further, making him more formidable in the Lord of the Rings universe.
By becoming the true king of Gondor, he also gained access to subtle magic that allowed him to heal Merry and restore the Shards of Narsil to their true glory. He is easily the most influential and powerful Human in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
As previously stated, Gandalf is a Maia and is therefore superior to Elves regarding power. Still, this isn't to say that an elf couldn't develop enough skill and power to defeat a Maia. As a bearer of one of the Three Elven Rings (Nenya), Galadriel would have an edge against Maiar like Saruman and Radagast.
Though neither is someone you'd wish to annoy, Galadriel is generally considered more powerful than Elrond in Lord of the Rings. Not only is she older than her Rivendell counterpart, but Galadriel witnessed the light from Valinor's Two Trees, giving her a mystic quality.
Galadriel with the Ring would be a child to Morgoth. This is the Satanic figure of Middle-earth we're speaking here, the Dark Lord of Arda. Morgoth is an Ex. Vala, mightier than Sauron or any evil force of that matter.
In the final episode of season one we found out that Halbrand was, in fact, Sauron and has been manipulating Galadriel in order to access knowledge that only elves have.
Assuming the One Ring was destroyed, Galadriel's ring would also start to fade, causing Lothlórien to lose its glory and magic. So, when Galadriel refused the One Ring, she wasn't just sacrificing her desire to rule. She knew that she was sacrificing her kingdom and its well-being for the sake of peace in Middle-earth.
He will fight in the Last Battle against the Valar and their allies, but will ultimately be slain by Túrin Turambar, the Man he cursed. By finally defeating Morgoth, Túrin will avenge not only himself, but all members of the race of Men.
The outcome is that Galadriel is able to penetrate Sauron's mind and issues a single command "Go back to the void from whence you came!" Unable to resist her any longer, Sauron screams and flees with the Nine.
The majority of her powers come from her Ring of Power, Nenya, the Ring of Water. The ring, also known by the names the White Ring and the Ring of Adamant, is one of the three Rings of Power given to the Elves of Middle-earth in the Second Age.
Why didn't Galadriel face Sauron in Lord of the Rings if she was powerful enough to fight him? Because she was not. She could never win in a one on one fight against a prepared Sauron.
Galadriel is powerful, intelligent, and beautiful. But she's still just an elf. Was Galadriel more powerful with her Ring Nenya than Sauron without the One Ring? No, though she is able to contend with and resist Sauron, for as long as he does not hold the One Ring upon his finger.
While Glorfindel already one of the greatest of all elves as Ecthelion and Glorfindel are Gondolins greatest captains. So in the first age Feanor is the most powerful elf. In the second age it's Galadriel. In the Third age it's reincarnated Glorfindel.
There's no question that Sauron is among the strongest beings in Middle-earth, so powerful that even when defeated, he lay dormant and gathered strength in non-corporeal form. Sauron poured his power and will into the One Ring so that as long as it existed, he could never be truly defeated.
Thus, Galadriel's dark form in Jackson's The Lord of the Rings personified what would have occurred had the Lady of Lothlorien given in to temptation and taken the One Ring for herself. She would have succumbed to evil because the Ring was indomitable, even with her power.
Elrond is also well-known for his great wisdom and foresight. Additionally, he has many powers that stem from Vilya, the Ring of Air, which Gil-galad gifted to him. Elrond's Ring gives him the ability to enchant rivers, which helps him save Frodo during his journey with the One Ring.
In their prime, there can be no comparison. Morgoth is the more powerful of the two. Morgoth was the mightiest of the Valar, a group whose weakest member would outpace Sauron. However, there are some circumstances and eras in which Sauron would win the day.
Finally Sauron came out to fight Elendil and Gil-galad face to face. When Elendil fell, his sword Narsil broke beneath him. Isildur took up the hilt-shard of Narsil and cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand, vanquishing Sauron.
