[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

I can't find the quote, and I've dug for it quite a bit, but there's a place in the Silmarillion that says that the Princes of the Noldor outstripped the Sindar by as far as the Sindar were ahead of the race of Man, and that only Thingol who had seen the light of the trees could match them.

I think we're underestimating our princes of the Noldor. While Feanor and Galadriel were both called the greatest of the Noldor, Feanor was called the "Mightiest of the Noldor", a title I don't think he shared with Galadriel. Much of her greatness resided in her wisdom (something Feanor didn't always show)- yet wisdom might not avail in a contest of sheer wills.

I think we may also be overestimating Sauron. Sauron wasn't even at the height of his powers in the Third Age, he was separated from his Ring, and much of his former power had gone into it. Yet while he was at his full power, an (Middle Earth born) elf and a man defeated him. Surely with the Ring (regardless of the Ring's effects on the victor) Sauron would have fallen.

I've read that quote before, Legolas, but I don't have a copy of the Letters on hand right now. Is Tolkien talking about Gandalf using the Ring against Sauron, or about Gandalf defeating him in his own right? I couldn't tell from the bit you posted.

Given all of the above I think that Feanor with the Ring would have been a good matchup against Sauron. At the very least Sauron would have been nervous about getting into such a contest. I would also venture to place Finwe (who attempted to withstand Melkor), Fingolfin (whose wounds to Morgoth never healed), Earendil, and Luthien in this category. Melian as well, though I don't know that she couldn't have defeated Sauron without the Ring, provided he didn't have it either.

Sophia