As you know, Sauron was Melkor's right-hand dude, Melkor being the main Bad. But I wanted to read into this further, and here's what I've found:
Melkor was actually the first being Eru, the Creator, created, and the most powerful. This is interesting in and of itself - how can a being produce another being with its own will; a will that is separate from the original will? More importantly, why? After all the other Ainur were created, they proceeded to make the Great Music that would form the world. The whole mess started when Melkor had his own ideas for things - he created dissent. Everyone else, including Eru, were against him. So Eru chastised him and made him ashamed. THAT'S FUCKED UP. Why would a being create another being with its own will and then chastise it for dissenting? Anyway, this went on - every time Melkor wanted to make stuff his own way, all the other Ainur would work against him under the guise of "it's not in harmony with Eru." So naturally Melkor becomes bitter and hateful towards his kin and creator. Who wouldn't? He was brought into a world that has worked against him from the start, and he was supposed to just deal? I certainly don't blame him for growing hate inside of him.
Along comes Sauron, who at the start was the most powerful of the Maiar, "good" and "uncorrupted" by Melkor. He was a Maiar of crafting. The Artist, if you will. He desired order and harmony in his work - who wouldn't? I totally relate to that as an artist - achieving a singular, pure vision is definitely something I care about a lot. Here's where it gets hazy - I read that Melkor seduced Sauron and "corrupted" him to his "evil" ways somehow, and that's how Sauron became the Bad and so on and so forth. We know where it goes from there.
But what was that exchange like? What did Melkor say to Sauron that made him join his side? Here's my take:
Melkor and Sauron would talk about art - after all, Melkor participated in the Great Music that made the world - the Ultimate Art. Sauron posited that the best art is in harmony with Eru. Melkor posited, on the other hand, that the best art is actually in harmony with the will that created the art. Otherwise, what would be the value of existing? If Eru wanted art that he liked, why didn't he just make it himself? Why create beings with free will and trust them to make art you like? Melkor argued that the only way to give proper tribute to the fact that you exist is to make art that is wholly and purely of you and you alone. Sauron saw the merit in this and joined him.
And all it takes to make them villains is to constantly threaten to take away what they hold most dear, and after thousands of years of this, the Ainur eventually created beings of pure hatred and malice.
Obviously you can see the biblical parallels here - this isn't anything new. But I think this would be cool. After all, what is evil but dissent?
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