The third dark lord

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

There have supposedly been three attempts by Melkor to dominate the world, and one still to come in the foreseeable future. There is the primal war at the start, in which Almaren and Utumno were destroyed; there is the war of the Jewels in which Angband was broken; and there is the campaign of Sauron, acting under Melkor's will and influence. Fourth is the attempt that is to culminate in the Dagor Dagorath. Ainur, Men and Elves are all represented in these wars.

Sauron, chief of the servants of Melkor in his corruption...

Sauron is the only one of Morgoth's Maiar to be mentioned in the Valaquenta. Now that he is gone, Melkor does not, I think, have any more 'dark lords' up his sleeve. With the Dominion of Men, it is not just the Elves that are to back down but all other beings also, the Ainur included. That would presumably include Melkor's servants. Men now dominate Arda, so the only 'dark lords' we now have are those among Men that are corrupted by Melkor's will themselves.

Until the Domionion is finished, and Melkor returns for the penultimate clash (Sauron perhaps resurrected along with him), no, there is not to be another dark lord except Men themselves.

[ June 19, 2003: Message edited by: Gwaihir the Windlord ]