As one of the most powerful Maiar, Sauron was created by Ilúvatar before the Music of the Ainur. At the beginning of Time, he was amongst the Ainur who entered into Eä. Here he became one of the Maiar of Aulë, among whose people he was deemed mighty and surpassed only by the Smith himself, and was known as Mairon.

Mairon's virtue was his love for order, planning and coordination, disliking confusion and chaos. But his obsession to order gradually overshadowed his love for the other intelligent beings of Arda, who would benefit from his planning; it became the sole object of his will, the end in itself. He started admiring Melkor' s power to realize his designs quickly and masterfully.

Early on he was ensnared by Melkor, becoming his greatest and most trusted servant. Thus he came to be known as Gorthaur by the Sindar of Beleriand and Sauron by others. Sauron initially wasn't as evil as Morgoth, as he was serving someone and not himself. Unlike Melkor, who wanted to unmake and corrupt the world, Sauron wished to rule it and do what he wanted with it.