system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[LoTR] Why was Sauron so much more powerful than Gandalf if they were both Maiar? And how much more powerful were Valar than Maiar?
gpt
Gandolf was extremely limited in what he is allowed to do, he's in Middle Earth to inspire win through his own might. The only time in LotR where he used his full power was fighting the balrog in Moria and that is done offscreen/off page, though we know the battle took several days and the final confrontation looked like a major storm on the mountain top that lasted days. Sauron is more powerful than Gandolf but they are much closer than the stories would make it seem.