# The Ring and its power



## Ragnarok (Sep 8, 2002)

Who else could have had enough power to control it like Sauron?

Gandalf and perhaps Tom, I think.


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## In Flames (Sep 9, 2002)

Im sure Gandalf could use the Ring, but then he would become evil. So we don't want that. 
As for Tom the Ring did not affect him, i mean he didnt become invisible when he put it on. And returned it to Frodo without trouble. I think he had enough powers without the Ring.


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## Dwimmerlaik (Sep 9, 2002)

Dear Ragnorak,
I don't think any being in ME other than Sauron,could control the ring to anywhere near the extent that he could.The ring was an extension of himself-including both his power and malice.No other being in ME could fulfill this criteria to any degree,not even Saruman,though he came as close as anyone could.
The ring,you might say was tailor-made to suit Sauron.
Any member of the istari may have attempted to wield the ring,after all they were of more or less the same standing in the rank's of the Maiar.However none had experienced the long period of corruption and tutelage of Melkor that Sauron had.
Tom Bombadil was an especial case.He was the master of his own land,and thefore the ring had no power over him.Conversely,he had no power over the ring and nor could he influence the power that the ring had on other's.
Whilst Sauron lived,no being could wield the ring to the same potential that Sauron could.
However,as Sauron feared,any being in ME of sufficient power could potentially wield the ring(in a limited way)to challenge him,this would have only have been to a degree,and Sauron would have been forced to fight any battle on a more level playing field than would previously been the case.


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## Lantarion (Sep 9, 2002)

Can nobody write this name correctly? It's Rangarök!!


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## In Flames (Sep 9, 2002)

Yes all keyboards should have ÅÄÖ on them so they can write Scandinavian words.


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## Sivien (Sep 9, 2002)

I'm sure that Gandalf is just a bit too good to use the Ring, but what about Tom?
Tolkien never clearly stated if Tom was even a Maia, and it's certain that the ring could only be used (efficiently) by an Ainu. Therefore it's a bit unclear if Tom actually could use the ring. 
What about Saruman. Even though Gandalf banished him, he's still a full-blooded Maia. Couldn't he use the ring?
We'll just have to keep guessing...


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## In Flames (Sep 9, 2002)

I believe that both Gandalf and Saruman could use the ring.
But! As it is said the Ring would eventually betray them for its true master.


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## Ragnarok (Sep 10, 2002)

Well, Sauron is the most powerful Maia in Arda, and the only other things more powerful are the Valar, so do you think they could use the Ring to boost their powers?

Sidenote: Is it really spelled Rangarok? (I'm too lazy to add the dots above vowels.) I always thought it was Ragnarok.


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## In Flames (Sep 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Ragnarok _
> *Sidenote: Is it really spelled Rangarok? (I'm too lazy to add the dots above vowels.) I always thought it was Ragnarok. *



In the Nordic mythology it is spelled Rangnarök,(atleast here in Sweden)
but outside of that i have also seen the spellings Ragnarok and Rangarök, so i guess yours is also correct.


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## Lantarion (Sep 11, 2002)

'Ragnarök' is Norse, but I'm still pretty sure it's spelled like this in the Edda. 
Anyway, I think Saruman would have been corrupted by the immense power within the Ring, and eventually the Ring would have taken control over Saruman and through him it would have united all the armies of evil in Middle-Earth and turned them against the rest of the world (and eventually towards Aman). Saruman was far too weak to use the Ring effectively for very long. The Ring would have toyed around with him first, let him think he was in charge, and then it would ensnare his mind. WHAM!!


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## Theoden (Sep 12, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Dwimmerlaik _
> * ...I don't think any being in ME other than Sauron,could control the ring to anywhere near the extent that he could.The ring was an extension of himself-including both his power and malice.No other being in ME could fulfill this criteria to any degree,not even Saruman,though he came as close as anyone could. The ring,you might say was tailor-made to suit Sauron.
> *



Well said. It was evil... in and of itself. There was no good in it, and thus could never be used for the good of all. Anything that was done with it would have a dirty taste to it. Anyone else who tried to rule it would be placing himself in Saurons shoes... and that is a place where no sain person wants to be.

-me


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## Ceorl (Sep 14, 2002)

Perhaps none in ME could comtrol it as well as Sauron, however there were quite a few who would have the power to use it against Sauron; to his downfall.

Saruman, Gandalf, Denethor, Aragorn, Galadriel, Elrond, Cirdan, possibly Faramir or Boromir. All of them could have wielded it to destroy Sauron and succeeded. 



> For he fears which mighty one should come forth wielding the ring



If Sauron was afraid of 'some mighty one' who could have destroyed him then obviously there were numerous people with the power to overthrow him.


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## Lantarion (Sep 14, 2002)

No, I think Sauron didn't know whether there were such 'powerful figures' in M-E or not.


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## Ceorl (Sep 15, 2002)

Hmm guess it is a matter of opinion really. Personally I believe that those I listed could have defeated Sauron had they had the time to learn how to use the ring.


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## Dwimmerlaik (Sep 17, 2002)

Dear Ceorl,
If any of the person's that you mentioned had the time,power,will and self confidence to use the ring to their potential,I am sure that they could have had the power to dominate and defeat any of Sauron's force's on a local level.
This really was never a practical propisition as Sauron's competitor and enemie's were working to a very limited budget of time.
Sauron was not quite as omnipotent as his reputation would have some believe,he posessed of power's beyond the comprehension of most inhabitant's of ME,though he did have his limitation's.
He was certainly aware of the descendant's of Isildur,the istari and the steward's of Gondor.These worthie's certainly ranked highly on Sauron's danger list.
It was probably a combined appreciation of those enemie's strength's that he saw as a danger to his own person and the fact that the risk's involved in attacking them,may have led him to conclude that these enemie's were sufficiently powerful enough to wield the ring against him.
It shouldn't be forgotten that Sauron was never one to relinquish a weapon in fear of moral scruple's,and as such he expected other's to use the same method's in pursuit of their aim's.


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