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Originally Posted by PrinceOfTheHalflings
I'm not certain that Saruman's power was really less than Sauron's ... he was merely prohibited from using his power openly against Sauron. That doesn't mean he didn't have power - he just wasn't supposed to use it.
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Actually Saruman is said to have been a lesser sprit, as far as Maian hierarchy went, than Sauron. There are also a couple of other indicators that say Sauron was superior.
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....Saruman the White, fell from his high errand, and becoming proud and impatient and enamoured of power sought to have his own will by force, and to oust Sauron; but he was ensnared by that dark sprit, mightier than he.
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UT The Istari
Also, consider how Sauron was able to dominate Saruman through the Palantír of Minas Ithil.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PrinceOfTheHalflings
Trickier still is the question of what effect the One Ring would have on someone like Saruman - he's clothed in a man-like body (or hröa), but he has an immortal spirit (or fëa). Sure, you can argue that this is true for many of the Ainur, but they generally aren't tied to their hröa in the way the Istari are.
It's difficult to say how "powerful" Saruman could become. Gandalf felt that Saruman would always be inferior, but that is because Saruman was imitating Sauron - and imitations or counterfeits are never well-regarded in Tolkien's world.
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Gandalf still apparently considered that Saruman had at least a chance to vanquish Sauron and claim his throne, if he could obtain the Ring. And knowing the nature of the Istari as well as the power of the One, Gandalf was probably the greatest authority on the subject except for Saruman himself.