Meklor does defeat Fingolfin who is supposed to be one of the most valiant elves. Also, his foot probably was not cut off (see another tread that discusses this), however he was injured. It is said in the Silmarilion that Fingolfin's battle was ultimately hopeless, which would not be the case if Meklor was not tough in battle. Sauron fights against 4 of the greatest warriors of the time at the end of the second age, and he defeats two of them before he falls. That sounds pretty tough. Gandalf does not look in the palantir because he knows that his spirit is no match for Sauron's (perhaps becsause of the handicaps placed on it from being an istari), and that were he to do so, he would run the risk of becoming ensnared like Saruman was.
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