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.
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.
Rather than cast magic at Sauron, Galadriel opts to challenge him on the spiritual plane; she resorts to her Wrath form to penetrate Sauron's mind and break his will. She obviously succeeds, as Sauron audibly cries aloud as he flees.
Would Sauron be able to taint and subsequently command Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf through the use of their own elven rings, like he does with the Ringwraiths? In theory, yes. It would be possible for him to control them using the ultimate ring of power, in the same way that an alpha wolf controls its pack.
Why Was Galadriel so Powerful? Middle-earth Explained
Why is Sauron afraid of Galadriel?
In his notes, Tolkien remarks that Sauron saw Galadriel as his equal. Add that to the fact that she's untrusting of Sauron (yes, even when he's in his Annatar guise) and an unwavering, single-minded force, and it's more likely than not that Sauron feared Galadriel — or the potential she held to upend his plans.
Contrary to assumptions that Sauron would likely be the one to offer Galadriel the biggest challenge, Clark instead revealed that she felt that the High Elf Glorfindel would be the only one capable of beating her.
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.
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.
There could have also been a darker reason that Galadriel didn't want to confess the deception. The events of the Lord of the Rings proved that Galadriel wasn't above temptation, further reinforced by The Rings of Power.
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.
Characters who can easily defeat Sauron are; his Creator Eru Ilúvatar, his old master Melkor, and the Valar. Others who could overcome him would be Ungoliant who physically dwarfed Morgoth, and some great Maiar of Valinor described as almost as great in power as the Valar themselves.
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.
Though wizards are technically Maiar, they do not possess all the same abilities in their wizard forms. This is why, despite Balrogs and Sauron also being Maiar, Gandalf wasn't evenly matched in his wizarding form—especially as Gandalf the Grey.
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.
Galadriel in Rings of Power Bears Little Resemblance To Her Lord Of The Rings Character. The Rings of Power showed Galadriel as bitter and impatient. She was driven by a desire for revenge. Her father and three of her brothers has been killed by Morgoth.
For those that haven't read Tolkien's work, it's easy to see why many audiences suspect Gandalf and Galadriel are in love. After all, many of their interactions in The Hobbit trilogy practically scream romance. However, their relationship remains purely platonic in Tolkien's source material.
Through her great-grandmother, Idril, Arwen was a descendant of King Turgon of the Noldor. Through her mother, she was the granddaughter of the Elf-queen Galadriel of Lothlórien. Through both of her parents, Arwen was a direct descendant of the ancient Elven House of Finwë.
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.
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.
Finally, Galadriel possessed exceptional strength of will, which enabled her to resist the temptation of the Ring. She was able to recognize the allure of its power but chose to reject it, knowing that it would ultimately lead to her destruction.
All of the Elves that fans meet in the Lord of the Rings series are powerful and wise people. However, Galadriel may be the most powerful and wise Elf in Middle Earth, at least in the Third Age.
