# How would you have gone about more successfully toppling Sauron ?



## KL70 (Nov 9, 2006)

What (serious or humorous) strategies would you have used (or would like to have seen used) to go about successfully toppling Sauron (either with or without the use of the Ring) that would've been different or superior (in your opinion) to what Mr. Tolkien used in his trilogy.


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## Varokhâr (Nov 9, 2006)

In all honesty, were I in Tolkien's Middle-earth (and I had a choice about the matter), I'd be Gondorian, most likely with Faramir's Rangers or at the garrison at Osgiliath, so my strategy would've been no different from the standard tactics Rangers or armed cavalrymen would've employed. I'd know little or nothing of the Ring, and if I did know, I'd be either tempted to take it or would prefer either trying to strongarm it to Orodruin or use a company of Rangers to help Frodo sneak in and out.

Personally, I'd be inclined to handpick a few men and try to slip into Mordor unseen.

But would either ploy work? As much as I'd want to trust the stealth and skill of Faramir's men, would the temptation overwhelm any of them? I fear that it would.


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## Mike (Nov 9, 2006)

I would have fought him single-handedly and cast him from his tower so that I, Mike, would become the new Dark Lord!

Barring that, flying an eagle to Mt. Doom would've worked just as well. I know there's problems with this, but anyone mighty enough to challenge the dark lord would surely be able to use his/her skills to avoid the dangers while flying there...


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## YayGollum (Nov 9, 2006)

Ah, well, easily and first to brain comes my idea of using Dwarves. A primary concern in their creation was incorruptibility. Mel, a much scarier concern than some magical ring thing, was never able to mess with them. Why send the untested strength of a bunch of nasssty hobbitses? 

Another possibility, not as cool, though: Head over to that Valinor place, tell the gods to quit prolonging pain by easily fixing the things that they don't like, then inform them that most of their ilk seem to enjoy setting up flattering religions to themselves.

And, as a matter of course, give poor Smeagol back his security blanket. He easily evaded detection and lived quietly and peacefully with the Ring Of Crazy Power, better than anyone else seemed capable of. As to leaving the Sauron dude around with scary armies, what, you think that the good guys wouldn't have won eventually?


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## Varokhâr (Nov 9, 2006)

YayGollum said:


> Another possibility, not as cool, though: Head over to that Valinor place, tell the gods to quit prolonging pain by easily fixing the things that they don't like, then inform them that most of their ilk seem to enjoy setting up flattering religions to themselves.



Good one; I've tried that for years in the real world - might as well try to throw the Ring into the Pit of Doom from Bilbo's roof 

And the idea about employing the aid of the Eagles is good - sure cuts a lot of the shinola out of it


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## chrysophalax (Nov 10, 2006)

Now if Gandalf had only been nice and flattering to Smaug, imagine the ally he might have been...providing he was given a suitable souvenir for his hoard, of course. Why does no one ever think to trust a Dragon, hm??


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## greypilgrim (Feb 14, 2007)

Rifles, mortars, grenades, tanks, helicopters, and jets.

But seriously, why not just fly the fellowship the border of Mordor (on eagles), saving time and avoiding risks? Boromir would still be alive, at any rate.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 14, 2007)

KL70 said:


> What (serious or humorous) strategies would you have used (or would like to have seen used) to go about successfully toppling Sauron (either with or without the use of the Ring) that would've been different or superior (in your opinion) to what Mr. Tolkien used in his trilogy.



I would have made him watch King Kong 10 times in a row...

Barley


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## Greenwood (Feb 14, 2007)

Barliman Butterbur said:


> I would have made him watch King Kong 10 times in a row...



But that would have added another whole Age to the history of the world!


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## Jaberg (Feb 16, 2007)

I would've used a nine iron, a bucket full of golf balls, and a substantial element of surprise....


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## baragund (Feb 16, 2007)

One thing I would have at least _tried_ before sending a ridiculously under-equipped Fellowship on an insanely unlikely quest would be to try to destroy the Ring safely in Rivendell. Think about it. Between Gandalf, Elrond and the Dwarves, there was a lot of power and a lot of know-how. Why not bring Galadriel up so they could all combine their respective powers to try to unmake the Ring. Worth a try, don't you think?


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 16, 2007)

I see your point to some extent, baragund, but doesn't someone in the book (probably Gandalf, perhaps Elrond as well) say that the Ring cannot be unmade save in the fires where it was forged? I tend to think they had reason enough to believe that, though I'm not sure if they would have tried to actually undo the Ring during Frodo's stay in Rivendell.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 16, 2007)

baragund said:


> One thing I would have at least _tried_ before sending a ridiculously under-equipped Fellowship on an insanely unlikely quest would be to try to destroy the Ring safely in Rivendell. Think about it. Between Gandalf, Elrond and the Dwarves, there was a lot of power and a lot of know-how. Why not bring Galadriel up so they could all combine their respective powers to try to unmake the Ring. Worth a try, don't you think?



Well, if you take the movie as anything, it was Elrond who said, after Gimli broke his axe on the thing trying, said something like, "None of we here have the power to unmake this thing." I forgot what he said in the book exactly, but Tolkien made it quite plain that the only force that could destroy the ring was the fire in the heart of Mount Doom — period. 

Barley


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## Noldor_returned (Feb 16, 2007)

Well, there are several strategies that could be used. Here they are:

Be hax and use no clip/god mode. Just walk through walls and become invincible. Pretty much guaranteed to win.
Challenge Sauron to anything except a staring contest. You're pretty much not going to win that.
Get Superman into the Fellowship.
Throw the Ring into the Reactor Core of the Death Star and blow the thing up, causing the ring to be lost in space. On the other hand, just kidnap Sauron and throw him into the vacuum of space.
Amass every body able to fight in Middle-Earth, and draw Sauron's armies out after defeating Isengard. Similar style to Last Alliance. Then, once his gates open, sneak in and destroy the ring.
Invest in an invisibility cloak.


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