Ungoliant

Ungoliant

Ungoliant was an evil spirit in a form that greatly resembled a massive spider, who dwelt in Avathar prior to the First Age.

Ungoliant's origins are shrouded in mystery. It is thought that she may have been one of the Maiar, or a lesser spirit, whom Melkor corrupted long ago, but she is not listed among the Ainur. It is also said that she came from the darkness above the skies of Arda, leading some to believe that she may be an incarnation of darkness or emptiness itself. What is known is that during the Age of the Trees she had disowned Melkor and lived independently in Avathar.

After Melkor sowed discord among the Noldor and fled Valinor, he sought Ungoliant's aid in his attack on the Two Trees of Valinor. She helped Melkor infiltrate Valinor by shrouding both herself and her ally in webs of pure darkness. Once within Valinor, Ungoliant drank the light from the Two Trees after Morgoth wounded them with his spear. She also drained dry the Wells of Varda so that nothing remained of the Light of the Two Lamps save that of the Silmarils of Fëanor. After this terrible act, Ungoliant and Melkor fled to Middle-earth to escape justice at the hands of the Valar.

In order to gain Ungoliant's assistance, Melkor had promised to reward her greatly, and after their flight from Valinor, the Dark Lord indeed gave her many gems of the Ñoldor. However, he withheld the Silmarils in his right hand, having desired them too greatly to allow the Great Spider to devour them. In response, an enraged Ungoliant wrapped Melkor in her webs, and poised to devour him as punishment for his perceived betrayal. Having grown far larger and stronger than before by absorbing the light of the Two Trees, the Gloomweaver would have killed Melkor had not his cry of desperation been heard by his Balrogs, who took flight and saved their master.

Overcome by the Balrogs' fiery whips, Ungoliant fled to the Ered Gorgoroth in Beleriand. There, she had many offspring, including Shelob, which spread throughout the Ered Gorgoroth and gave it a reputation as a place of horror. Ungoliant herself eventually disappeared from history, but her final fate is not precisely known; it is said that she went into the forgotten south of the world shortly before the First Age, and some have said that she eventually let her ever growing hunger overcome her and devoured herself at last.

TL;DR
Ungoliant was possibly a Maiar, but nothing is certain of her true origins. So powerful was she after asorbing the light of the Two Trees that the Great Spider nearly destroyed Melkor himself. Her fate is unknown, though it is rumored that she devoured herself in an unending hunger.

Beren Erchamion: http://imgur.com/gallery/UfWEjzk
Elrond "Half-elven": http://imgur.com/gallery/5iXrjcV
Gandalf Greyhame: http://imgur.com/gallery/wYy1LsV
Glorfindel: http://imgur.com/gallery/srP6lSM
Gimli "Elf-friend": http://imgur.com/gallery/O2mz5PJ
Sauron: http://imgur.com/gallery/UyrzP6I
Tom Bombadil: http://imgur.com/gallery/p7xulbh
Smaug: http://imgur.com/gallery/thh14B0
Celeborn: http://imgur.com/gallery/XClY6Ls
Gil-galad: http://imgur.com/gallery/le7M2SL
Thranduil: http://imgur.com/gallery/DjiZDq5
Eru Ilúvatar: http://imgur.com/gallery/ckk42pI
Ecthelion: http://imgur.com/gallery/yVczEPY
Manwë Súlimo: http://imgur.com/gallery/g2R8aWM
Aragorn II: http://imgur.com/gallery/0p9lK3K
Witch-king of Angmar: http://imgur.com/gallery/pQbhyVA
Arathorn II: http://imgur.com/gallery/mjs7noE
Faramir: http://imgur.com/gallery/I0BgYUW
Fëanor: http://imgur.com/gallery/tz3EEoz
The Nine: http://imgur.com/gallery/Xl6E6nJ
Idril Celebrindal: http://imgur.com/gallery/Pj4SdIR
Gollum: http://imgur.com/gallery/OM3wb4O
Fingolfin: http://imgur.com/gallery/AFbMoin
Arwen Undómiel: http://imgur.com/gallery/a3aQake