[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Nuranar

The bit about Saruman's power possibly exceeding Sauron's caught my eye, and I wanted to know more what you thought, but since I don't think power and treachery are the same thing, I was confused. Are you saying that since Sauron didn't have full control, Saruman may have been greater? Or that Saruman's greater power is displayed in his masterful treachery? Or something else entirely that I missed?

I am thinking of how Saruman is able to fool both the White Council and Sauron. It is said that through the Palantir Sauron has managed to poison the thoughts of Saruman, but if he really has managed this, then surely Sauron would also realise the breadth of Saruman's knowledge about the Rings and their whereabouts? This suggests to me that Saruman's power must in some way be equal to or even stronger than that of Sauron. Of course, both use powers of deception to great advantage.

Saruman's knowledge of Sauron is welcomed by the White Council in driving Sauron out of Dol Guldur:

Saruman has long studied the arts of the Enemy himself, and thus we have often been able to forestall him. It was by the devices of Saruman that we drove him from Dol Guldur.

Saruman also deceives Gandalf and so learns something of the Ring's whereabouts. But not everything. It appears that the Istari in general have strong minds. This is what Gandalf says of Radagast and how Saruman knew he could not be drawn into treachery:

'At first I feared, as Saruman no doubt intended, that Radagast had also fallen. Yet I had caught no hint of anything wrong in his voice or in his eye at our meeting. If I had, I should never have gone to Isengard, or I should have gone more warily. So Saruman guessed, and he had concealed his mind and deceived his messenger. It would have been useless in any case to try and win over the honest Radagast to treachery. He sought me in good faith, and so persuaded me.

'That was the undoing of Saruman's plot. For Radagast knew no reason why he should not do as I asked

As to the potential power inherent in the Istari - and I would include Gandalf here, along with Saruman, Elrond says the following:

Its strength... is too great for anyone to wield at will, save only those who have already a great power of their own. But for them it holds an even deadlier peril. The very desire of it corrupts the heart. Consider Saruman. If any of the Wise should with this Ring overthrow the Lord of Mordor, using his own arts, he would then set himself on Sauron's throne, and yet another Dark Lord would appear.

To me, this says that despite Rings of Power or other objects, some do have an inherent power, including Saruman. And though the Ring would only ever be able to be used for ill, there is still the potential that a figure such as Saruman could overthrow Sauron with it, and usurp his place as the Dark Lord (or would he be the many-coloured Lord?).

Ultimately, I think Saruman is easily the match of Sauron in his mastery of treachery. His 'term' in Middle Earth has been shorter and so he has not been able to build up the forces to match those of Sauron, but his knowlegde and skill are a good match. Saruman's great failing lies in the fact that although he believes his 'broken' or 'many-coloured way' is a new way, there is only one 'true' way in Arda, and that is the way of Light.