Considering that Tolkien poured a lot of time and effort into his worldcreating and seeing all the (known) character intentions and actions, I wouldn't dismiss a logical approach to the Lord of the Rings.
When I wrote that logic doesn't belong to Tolkien's works, I was referring to the best and 'purest' meaning of the matter :)
We shouldn't approach the texts, both the 'completed' ones and the unfinished ones (with many contradictions and multiple versions of the history and the very existence of some characters), as if we were reading a math essay, characterised by pure logic and always-true statements.
There is obviously a general logic behind all the mythology and lore, fictionally represented by the Plan of Ilúvatar, from the arrival of the Ainur in the Universe, to the very End, a plan that even the Valar don't totally know and understand; and it's also obvious that Middle Earth in the Third Age, the 'setting' of LOTR, is deeply tied to the Past, the events that occured from the Great Journey of the Eldar to Aman to the beginning of the War of the Ring, and had their natural consequences on the World.
But one of the most 'magical', wonderful and impressive elements of Tolkien's Literature is also this apparent 'suspension of logic' that permeates the events of Arda and determines all the small, unexpected and apparently surprising events (Bilbo and the One Ring, the task of Frodo, the death of the Witch-king by the hand of a woman,...), that, as Galadriel says, can change the course of the Future; there is always a general logic behind them (the Hobbits' nature, the prophecy of Glorfindel,...), but it is kind of hidden, and not very similar to the greatest one of the plot line and whole mythology.
Tolkien, as a professor, also wrote some essays on fairytales (we are talking about myths and ancient tales of course), of which Surprise, Mystery and Obscurity are fundamental parts, where often small events and 'humble' characters decide the fate of the manichean battle of Good and Evil that violently takes place, giving the whole 'picture' (plot line) multiple, multiform, beautiful and different colours.
Lothlórien, as a realm, is much more important than you think in the 'geopolitics' of Middle Earth ;)
it is probably the only protected, safe and blessed place left beyond the Misty Mountains, guarding the passing of the Anduin and, thus, a possible entry for Mordor to Rohan or Eriador.
Galadriel has not the right and the power to challenge directly Sauron, or gather an army in front of the Black Gate, because her might is connected to Endurance, Protection and counseling the Free People in the fight against Evil, since the great burden of battle and 'military' actions would have mostly been borne by Men; thing that she clearly does when she helps the Fellowship, gives it her advice, refuses the One Ring for the sake of the World and shelters the reborn Gandalf.
Galadriel was always able to see through Sauron's mind and unveil his evil plans for Men, Dwarves and Elves, while her mind was always closed for him.
I strongly believe that the words of Haldir (Tolkien) are very accurate, meaningful and significant, not only for the way they are written, but also for his (of Haldir) wisdom and for his understanding of the World in the Third Age.
Also, Galadriel tells Frodo almost the same thing, talking about her 'telepathic' clashes with Sauron (that she always wins :P) and her role in Middle Earth (Light against Darkness, Lothlórien against Dol Guldur and Mordor).
Can you give some specific examples for Galadriels power actually increasing (except for the stuff she did with Nenya)? I haven't thought about this before, and it sounds a bit counterintuitive at first. Weren't the elves supposed to dwindle in the Third Age, getting weaker and leaving Middle-earth? The last big bastions of elvendom (Rivendell and Caras Galadhon) were protected by the powers of their elven Rings Vilya and Nenya, but they could only stop or slow down the decline, not reverse it.
The destiny of corruption of Arda is ineluctable, and, yes, the Elves are doomed to diminish and get weaker and more tired of Middle Earth, and to sail to Aman, if they want to preserve their Grace; but the answer is simple, Galadriel is not a 'common' Elf 8-)
Galadriel was born in Valinor during the Years of the Trees and was blessed by the holy Light of the Two Trees (that was forever captured in her hair, giving Fëanor the inspiration for the creation of the legendary Silmarils, the fundamental elements of the First Age and the main reason of the tragic and epic War of the Jewels), she was considered already in Aman as the fairest and mightiest elf-maiden of the Noldor, and one of the mightiest Elf in general; she had been dwelling with the Maiar and the Valar and personally taught by them for more than 1000 years, when she chose to leave Valinor for her legitimate desires of ruling a realm on her own.
She was a scholar of the Maia Melian in Beleriand for almost 500 years, improving her already existing 'telepathic' and mind revealing capabilities; at the end of the First Age she was the only one of the mighty and mythical 'Royal Family' of the Noldor that survived the war and the destruction of Beleriand.
In the Second Age, she decides to remain in Middle Earth to rule some of the remaining Noldor and Sindar, with the permission of Gil-galad, and rejects Annatar (Sauron in disguise), unveiling his ambiguous intentions; but, most importantly, she was entrusted Nenya by Celebrimbor and tied her destiny in Middle Earth to her ring.
After the defeat of Sauron by Isildur, Galadriel was finally able to openly use Nenya (that had definitely begun an essential part of her, the 'item' with which she, since then, would have channeled also her other powers) to establish a timeless and enchanted realm, that endured for more than 3000 years, slowing and almost nullifying the action of Time in Lothlórien for 3 millennia.
In the Third Age she is the only being of Valinor and the remnant of its splendour left in the World, a bright and ethereal Elf that had become matter of the legends of Men and also 'grey' and young Elves of that time; the most similar being to a Maia and the 'de facto' queen of the Elves.
A holy light is more visible and brighter in a dark and disenchanted place, which was Middle Earth at that time.
The point is that she increased her powers in time, during her more-than-7000-year-old permanence in Middle Earth, and her might remained untouched, untainted and never suffered any loss; the opposite thing about Sauron, who was repeatedly defeated in the Past and lost twice his body, with tragic consequences for his essence and powers as a Maia.
Yes, I think that Galadriel is the most powerful being in the Third Age for her unaltered essence and powers, obviously not necessarily related to military strength or the task of saving the World :)
(http://tolkienilu.chez-alice.fr/epopee/illustrations/seigneur_des_anneaux/fotr/miroir_de_galadriel_lee.jpg)
Waw, I think Adamin nailed it xD
All hail the Dark Lord winner of "Strongest in Middle-Earth: The 2015 edition"!! [uglybunti]
Darkness will never prevail :P
I've started second round, second poll. ;)
According to first poll we know, that The Dark Lord (althought without the One ring) is the most powerful being, with a considerable distance. 8-) The second place belongs to Lady of Light for now.
But the new poll and mainly discussion might bring the new point of view. :P
Results of the first round:
Necromancer/Sauron 25 (50%)
Galadriel 9 (18%)
Gandalf the White 7 (14%)
Saruman of many colours 1 (2%)
Smaug 4 (8%)
Balrog 1 (2%)
Elrond 0 (0%)
Glorfindel 2 (4%)
Witch king of Angmar 1 (2%)
Total Members Voted: 50
Sorry Walküre, I'm going with Gandalf the White for the second one. xD
[Gimli: ...]"I thought Fangorn was dangerous."
"Dangerous!" cried Gandalf. "And so am I, very dangerous: more dangerous than anything you will ever meet, unless you are brought alive before the seat of the Dark Lord. And Aragorn is dangerous, and Legolas is dangerous. You are beset with dangers, Gimli son of Gloin; for you are dangerous yourself, in your own fashion."
- The Two Towers: The White Rider -
I assume you will never be part of the #TeamGaladriel :)
I wouldn't say that we have cookies, but surely some delicious Lembas (as you may know, an original recipe kept preserved by Melian herself, and passed to Galadriel) :P
AND, if we wanted to do some nitpicking, Gandalf says that he is more terrible than anything Gimli will ever meet; BUT, will Gimli ever witness the true power of Galadriel, or, has he ever seen all the deeds of Galadriel in the Years of the Trees or in the Elder Days?
NO :)
SO, the match is always open ;)
Galadriel, defending Middle Earth since the year 1 of First Age (more than 7000 years) after her exile from Aman (forget the 16th century armour) 8-)
(http://imagegecko.net/upload2/Galadriel,%20Warrior%20Princess.gif)
Normal White, Sublime or Seaweed? :P
(http://imagegecko.net/upload2/Dama%20Galadriel%202.gif)
(http://imagegecko.net/upload2/Galadriel%20entranced.gif)
(http://media.moddb.com/cache/images/members/4/3141/3140794/thumb_620x2000/Galadriel_in_BOTFA.jpg)
And, maybe another one, I would say :)
Noldorin Princess/just-arrived-in-Beleriand-with-her-brothers/Helcaraxë-survivor/longing-for-realms-and-revenge-against-Morgoth 8-)
(http://imagegecko.net/upload2/Galadriel,%20the%20Warrior%20Princess.jpg)
http://askmiddlearth.tumblr.com/post/57884455906/most-powerful-in-middle-earth (http://askmiddlearth.tumblr.com/post/57884455906/most-powerful-in-middle-earth)
By the way, we can say that according to poll and our opinions, the most powerful being in the Middle-Earth is Dark Lord Sauron.
Concerning second place - (according the first and second poll) - I have no problem give that place to Galadriel and Gandalf the White together, as beings equal in power.
Third, four or fifth place is irrelevant, because both polls were primarily about three persons mentioned above.
Ok, I finally managed to find the famous passage/line of Haldir, while he is escorting the Fellowship to Caras Galadhon through the forests of Lothlórien :)
As you will notice, one of the most impressive things is the linear and yet hermetic usage of words of Tolkien, that here, instead of long and accurate descriptions of places and realms, chooses very significant few words full of fundamental meanings and references.
Here are the exact words of Haldir (Tolkien) 8-)
Frodo looked and saw, still at some distance, a hill of many mighty trees, or a city of green towers: which it was he could not tell. Out of it, it seemed to him that the power and light came that held all the land in sway. He longed suddenly to fly like a bird to rest in the green city. Then he looked eastward and saw all the land of Lórien running down to the pale gleam of Anduin, the Great River. He lifted his eyes across the river and all the light went out, and he was back again in the world he knew. Beyond the river the land appeared flat and empty, formless and vague, until far away it rose again like a wall, dark and drear. The sun that lay on Lothlórien had no power to enlighten the shadow of that distant height.
`There lies the fastness of Southern Mirkwood,' said Haldir. `It is clad in a forest of dark fir, where the trees strive one against another and their branches rot and wither. In the midst upon a stony height stands Dol Guldur, where long the hidden Enemy had his dwelling. We fear that now it is inhabited again, and with power sevenfold. A black cloud lies often over it of late. In this high place you may see the two powers that are opposed one to another; and ever they strive now in thought, but whereas the light perceives the very heart of the darkness, its own secret has not been discovered. Not yet.' He turned and climbed swiftly down, and they followed him.
A very important and meaningful comparison, yet very direct and intuitive, also because it comes from the mouth of a recently-introduced character like Haldir is in this chapter.
The Darkness of Dol Guldur (where it is said that the Evil has returned eight times stronger) poisoned all its surrounding area, making the trees wither, a perennial dark Sky be upon the fortress and everything rot; a Darkness that can't even be pierced by the Light of the Golden Wood.
Lothlórien is, instead, always protected by its enchantment, caused by the Magic of Galadriel and Nenya, always preserving its holy aura among the Shadows of the World in the Third Age and, thus, creating a sacred place where the Light, the Bliss and the Joy have never been darkened by any kind of malicious will; the Ring of Water also almost completely removes the Action of Time in the realm, releasing all the hearts of its inhabitants by the sorrows of the decaying Middle Earth, making everyone (especially the strangers) feel like in a sort of timeless dream, or in a beautiful 'song' (as Sam had previously stated).
Galadriel will later personally 'admit/confess' to Frodo that the courage, the chants among the trees and the bows of the brave people of Lothlórien are clearly not enough to fend off the evil from her realm and preserve it; she thus finally shows Nenya openly to Frodo and calls it the 'Secret' of the Safety and Protection of the Golden Wood that Sauron always wanted to discover and starts to suspect.
But the fundamental passage of Haldir's line is his reference to the two sensational Powers (Galadriel and Sauron) that continuously fight each other in an eternal 'telepathic' battle (fact that Galadriel will admit as well later) to discover each other's intentions and plans, being both respectively the embodiment of Light and Darkness; the Light succeeds in piercing the Darkness and revealing its evil purposes, while the Darkness doesn't :)
Having stated these pivotal facts, returning to the matter of this thread, I would say that Gandalf the White could have never resembled or replicated what Galadriel did with her powers: embalming a vast realm with her powers and Ring, protecting it for more than a millennium from any form of evil and making it a legendary place even for the very Wood Elves; we must also consider that her more-than-8000-year magical Knowledge and Strength, native of the Blessed Lands beyond the Sea and of the legendary and forgotten times of the Two Trees, is quite an unmatchable trait of her, that none of the other Elves or Istari could reach 8-)
And I would also say that Sauron and Galadriel are the only ones in Middle Earth (also Elrond and the Witch-king on a minor scale) capable of modifying so deeply the realms in which the live in with their Magic and Essence, and manipulate so greatly the Weather (Nature) of the World according to their will (maximum display of Magic in Tolkien's Universe), the former by creating an eternal dark Sky of ashes upon Mordor and the latter preserving a neverending calm and sunny Sky upon the Golden Wood.
Gandalf the White isn't clearly able to accomplish such great magical abilities on a very large scale.
Of course one could say that the powers of Gandalf the White are much more 'direct' and destructive, and that he has had a far more active and important role than Galadriel in the Fall of Sauron, given his Destiny of a guide for the Free People, and in the War of the Ring in general (leading the Defence of Minas Tirith and the confrontation with the Witch-king); he also, as Gandalf the White, is more closed to its essence and spirit of Olórin the Maia than he had previously ever been (still always remaining an Istar).
In the end, we could say that both of them, Galadriel and Gandalf the White, have powers that the other doesn't have, and a different role; Gandalf the White is able to directly use his powers for the Free People of Middle Earth, while Galadriel has certainly more authority as an extremely old and powerful High Elf and Guardian, since she established herself the White Council and had the power and authority to indicate Gandalf as its leader, if not the Grey Wizard had not refused her offer.
So, as you wrote, Tiberius, they both well deserve the second place in the poll :)
(http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4uboufEAt1rw52vbo1_500.jpg)
P.S. I hope we can agree on that, Adamin :P