# Ring Banned in West



## Rangerdave (Mar 18, 2002)

Okay, time for the stupid question of the week.

I would like to hear your opinions why Manwe banned the Istari from bringing the One Ring into Valinor. I have a hard time believing that it would have any power over the Valar.

The only answer that makes sense to me is that Manwe feared an uprising of the Elves similar to Feanor's revolt after the theft of the Simarils. 

Any takers?
RD


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## Uminya (Mar 18, 2002)

I don't think Manwe really 'banned' the Ring from Valinor, per say. The Ring was a problem of Middle-Earth, and in Middle-Earth it had to remain because that is where it was forged.


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## Rangerdave (Mar 18, 2002)

*Banned in the west*

Dear Ciryaher: Emperor of Arnor

That sounds better to me
Thank you for your reply
RD


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## Úlairi (Mar 22, 2002)

I previously posted the same question Rangerdave. My thread was in the Silmarillion as to why the Valar did not receive the One Ring. The main opinion was that the Valar thought that the matter was for the peoples of Middle-earth to decide. Which another question arises, if they didn't receive the One Ring believing it was for the peoples of Middle-earth to decide then why did they send the Istari to stop Sauron if they weren't worried?


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## Úlairi (Mar 22, 2002)

By the way, my previous post was my 200th!!!


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## Lantarion (Mar 26, 2002)

I find this lack of interest in extracontinental affairs from the Valar strange. If the US didn't care about what went on in Europe, nothing would amount to anything! Even in the Middle-Ages (which the time of the WR, the 3rd Age, seems to be closest to) people in England knew what was going on in Persia, or in Italy, or in the Middle-East in general: and they acted upon it! Are the Valar too 'holy' to interfere with the lives of mortals? Or were they just playing it safe, making sure that there was no uprising or Elves against the Valar again?


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## Taran (Apr 1, 2002)

Maybe this will shed some light:



> "Then if the Ring cannot be kept from him forever by strength," said Glorfindel, "two things only remain for us to attempt: to send it over the Sea, or to destroy it."
> "But Gandalf has revealed to us that we cannot destroy it by any craft that we psses," said Elrond. "And they that dwell beyond the Sea would not receive it: for good or for ill it belongs to Middle-Earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it."



Hope that helps!

_Ash nazg durbataluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!_


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## Heruhim (Apr 2, 2002)

I've always found difficulty coming to terms with the non-interference policy of the Valar. Why overthrow Melkor and not Sauron?. I think we always expect some deus ex-machina, some divine intervention that will solve our problems. We also are used to greek mythology, where the gods and godesses kept meddling in mortal affairs (mostly out of fun and possibly boredom).

In the end I see it as (one of the many) moral counsels Tolkien passes on the books: "It's your problem, you postponed it till it got ugly, now don't go asking for help and face it" sort of thing.


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## Lantarion (Apr 2, 2002)

*Well..*

This is going to conflict with my above post, but heyy...

I suppose the Valar didn't want to help the peoples of ME all the time, and give them a chance to live and learn. The Noldor were the greatest of the Kids of Ilúvatar, but the Valar aided them more than once. 
Also Mandos and Manwë must have forseen the great rising of Men, and the diminishing of Elves in Middle-Earth. So they wanted to make themselves mysterious and divinely ignorant, so the Elves who they've always loved could have this great place, shrouded in light, where they could eventually go to.


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