Just How Powerful Was Sauron Really?

How powerful was Sauron, really? Drift off to a calm, lore-accurate journey through the whole life of the Dark Lord. We start with a spirit in the halls of Aulë and follow him as Morgoth’s lieutenant, as Annatar the Lord of Gifts and as the forger of the One Ring, through the fall of Númenor, the Last Alliance and the War of the Ring. Along the way we weigh him against Morgoth, the Valar, Gandalf, Galadriel and Tom Bombadil, to find out where he truly stands among the powers of Middle-earth. Where would you rank Sauron? Tell me in the comments.