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Originally Posted by Formendacil
Because, I must confess, I see no reason why Gandalf should have been able to use the Ring, and not Saruman.
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I would agree with this, although it is a delicate balance. Saruman the White, I should think, would be able to because Saruman the White is on par with Gandalf the White. However, by 'The Voice of Saruman' chapter, before that even, Saruman has long forsaken the 'White' of his name, and that is how Gandalf is able to break his staff.
Gandalf himself says that he IS Saruman when he re-appears. That would also suggest, I believe, that if Gandalf could master the Ring, so could Saruman.
In addition, Saruman's ring-lore must be considered, and I would imagine that he knew more than Gandalf or any other of the Wise (save possibly Galadriel?). At the beginning of his research, Saruman would have looked into the matter with good faith, and not with the intention of having the Ring for himself. He is very learned in ring-lore, and I would imagine that this knowledge would help him master the Ring for himself, and even though he was, in effect, a puppet of Sauron (though a particularly independent-minded and treacherous one), as soon as the opportunity came for him to challenge his 'master', then he would.
The Ring would be the only way for him to challenge Sauron, and if it came to him I really should think that Saruman, wise as he is, would make sure that he did not waste that opportunity.
So I think Saruman could have mastered the Ring, and done so well. I also think Gandalf and Galadriel could have, but that's another threadsworth of debate
