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Originally Posted by littlemanpoet
When has there not been a highly corrupting mythological incarnation of evil, whether real or imagined, throughout the history of the Seven Ages?
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Well, the Third Age seems to be the last one that had any:
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Originally Posted by Notes on motives in the Silmarillion, iii, Myths Transformed, HoME X
Sauron, however, was a problem that Men had to deal with finally: the first of the many concentrations of Evil into definite power-points that they would have to combat, as it was also the last of those in 'mythological' personalized (but non-human) form.
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You will recall that after Gandalf fell into Khazaddûm with the Balrog, it was Aragorn of Gondor who said, "Then we shall have to do without hope."
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I believe that the reason for this is the awareness of dealing with far superior foes, another Nordic motive. However, after the Third Age, it is pretty much a level playing field between good and evil, so no such despair would be called for.