10 Most Hated Lord Of The Rings Characters

Gandalf is often thought of as the greatest wizard throughout Middle-earth. He led the Fellowship as far as he could go and rescued them from a Balrog, before turning the tide at the Battle for Helm's Deep, and taking command at Minas Tirith. However, his power was outmatched by that of Saruman, the leader of his order.

Had Saruman the White helped to protect the world from the wrath of Sauron, as he should have done and as Gandalf did, the war may not have lasted as long as it did. Instead however, he was an integral part of the Lord of the Rings' plans.

Not only did he keep Gandalf as a prisoner in Orthanc, he turned Isengard's power over to Mordor, he drove the Fellowship from Caradhras into the Mines of Moria, and usurped the mind of King Théoden of Rohan through Wormtongue.

He was supposed to be a wise wizard, but when the time came to fight, he betrayed Gandalf and his order, and abandoned reason for madness. How could someone who was so easily swayed by the promise of power rise to the rank among his peers as he did?

In reality, Saruman the White was a greedy coward who burned former friends, and safely fought battles from his behind an army of 10,000 Uruk-Hai.