Galadriel's power

[Boromir88]

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Then again, at Tol-in-Gaurhoth Sauron was still not humbled by having had his physical shape destroyed and could be assumed to have been stronger than his recently re-assembled 3rd age self.

Yep, each re-building that Sauron had to go ended up weakening him. So, technically if you were able to kill Sauron's physical form enough times there would be a point when he simply wouldn't be able to rebuild:

After the battle with Gilgalad and Elendil, Sauron took a long while to re-build, longer than he had done after the Downfall of Numenor (I suppose because each building-up used up some of the inherent energy of the spirit, which might be called the 'will' or the effective link between the indestructible mind and being and the realization of its imagination).'~Letter 200

Now as for Sauron and his forces , that is an entirely different question, isn't it? Which forces are we talking about now?

And there is the problem with simply trying to kill Sauron enough times...he's up in Barad-dur and Denethor rightly believes he's not going to be leaving any time soon. Sauron's got enough soldiers at his disposal to rule Middle-earth for him.

With Galadriel, it depends upon which one we are talking about. In UT: The History of Galadriel and Celeborn, Christopher says that his father expanded both Galadriel and Celeborn's power, and roles in his later writings. So, I would argue that the UT version of Galadriel is more powerful than LOTR-Galadriel...maybe that changes things, maybe it don't

[Mithalwen]

I am sure it says somewhere that Galadriel had the power to hold out against anything but Sauron in person.

[Gorthaur the Cruel]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Skip:

Yep, each re-building that Sauron had to go ended up weakening him. So, technically if you were able to kill Sauron's physical form enough times there would be a point when he simply wouldn't be able to rebuild:



And there is the problem with simply trying to kill Sauron enough times...he's up in Barad-dur and Denethor rightly believes he's not going to be leaving any time soon. Sauron's got enough soldiers at his disposal to rule Middle-earth for him.

With Galadriel, it depends upon which one we are talking about. In UT: The History of Galadriel and Celeborn, Christopher says that his father expanded both Galadriel and Celeborn's power, and roles in his later writings. So, I would argue that the UT version of Galadriel is more powerful than LOTR-Galadriel...maybe that changes things, maybe it don't

Could Sauron's slow reanimation of a new body also due to the loss of Ring? I believe he would have regenerated just as quickly if he had the Ring in his posession (no matter how many times his body gets killed). It may be that the Ainur can deplete their innate powers by doing such things, but Sauron found his loophole: One Ring. As long as he has it, the Ring would give him sort of like infinite magic points to spend (thus avoiding being utterly weakened like Morgoth). As for Galadriel, I'm referring to her version in UT. She is mightier there. In LOTR, Tolkien would always mention Elrond's name before Galadriel as if to depict that he is mightier than her, which isn't what I gathered from reading the trilogy.

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

I am sure it says somewhere that Galadriel had the power to hold out against anything but Sauron in person.

Yea, it's in ROTK, Appendix B:

"Three times Lorien had been assailed from Dol Guldur, but besides the valour of the elven people of that land, the power that dwelt there was too great for any to overcome, unless Sauron had come there himself."

So by the quote above, we can assume that even if Mordor's evil creatures are emptied from its lands and focused and poured over Lorien instead of Minas Tirith (avoiding Battle of Pelenor), joined by Dol Guldur's seven-fold strength (avoiding attack on Thranduil's realm), Lorien would remain victorious unless Sauron was physically there, right? Then can we assume also that Smaug would not be able to conquer Lorien, him being lesser than Sauron (And Galadriel being able to repel anyone lesser than him)? For though it is expected that the Elves diminish and dwindle, due to Mandos' curse (don't know if he lifted this after Morgoth's final overthrow), the Three rings were able to ward off that weariness, bringing only healing and rejuvenation. So methinks Galadriel (along with Elrond) and her subjects were sheilded from this curse of mandos so long as the Three lasted. So I don't think Galadriel (or her spiritual potency) became lesser than those who remained in Valinor.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Gorthaur the Cruel

Could Sauron's slow reanimation of a new body also due to the loss of Ring? I believe he would have regenerated just as quickly if he had the Ring in his posession (no matter how many times his body gets killed). It may be that the Ainur can deplete their innate powers by doing such things, but Sauron found his loophole: One Ring. As long as he has it, the Ring would give him sort of like infinite magic points to spend (thus avoiding being utterly weakened like Morgoth).

I think you may have something there. According to The Tale of Years the Downfall of Númenor, apparently the first example of Sauron's loss of body, occurred in S.A 3319. By 3429 Sauron was already launching attacks against Gondor, indicating to me a return to full strength.
As a contrast, after his defeat by the Last Alliance and loss of the Ring, it took over a thousand years for him to begin to grow to even a minor threat to the West again, with his occupation of Dol Guldur as the Necromancer, and over 1900 years before he declared himself in Mordor.
It appears from at least circumstantial evidence that the Ring may indeed have been a factor in his rebodiment.

[Gorthaur the Cruel]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I think you may have something there. According to The Tale of Years the Downfall of Númenor, apparently the first example of Sauron's loss of body, occurred in S.A 3319. By 3429 Sauron was already launching attacks against Gondor, indicating to me a return to full strength.
As a contrast, after his defeat by the Last Alliance and loss of the Ring, it took over a thousand years for him to begin to grow to even a minor threat to the West again, with his occupation of Dol Guldur as the Necromancer, and over 1900 years before he declared himself in Mordor.
It appears from at least circumstantial evidence that the Ring may indeed have been a factor in his rebodiment.

And in the Third Age, Gandalf said that Sauron has recovered much of his former might (perhaps his might comparable before he forged the One [it took 2 1/2 thousand years before he declared himself after all]) and may not need the Ring to conquer all of ME. He says something about Sauron becoming too strong even without the Ring. So his Ring, as along as it exist (while not in his posession), allows him to anchor on Arda as well as recharge to his former level of might. So then if he did retrieve his Ring with much of his native strength returned, then with the ring... he is twice as powerful (personally) compared to how he had been before its making (not to mention having control over other rings of power)! So hypothetically, if Morgoth had a One Ring, he'd be unconquerable. He'd not deplete himself no matter how severe he spends his spirit on his servants. He'd still be around, undefeated by the Valar. In this way, he was outsmarted by Sauron.

[ElanorFB]

There are cases of elves taking on Balrogs in the Silmarillion. Galadriel is certainly one of the top 3 most powerful elves in Middle Earth. I think against Sauron without his ring she could hold her own for a very long time. Perhaps Sauron with the 9 and the dwarven rings and legions upon legions could wear down Lorien, but he would lose a great part of his armies.