Quote:
Originally Posted by Inziladun
I can't see Gandalf having any idea of Saruman's ring being in any way connected with the One. Saruman was as well-versed in ring-lore as any in Middle-earth, if not more. Why would he of all people, desiring to usurp Sauron, have fashioned a ring that potentially could have placed him under the power of the wearer of the One?
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The question is if there was a way to make a ring of power independent of The One. On one hand we know that The Three were made without Sauron's direct involvement and still they were subdued to The One's Master. On the other hand, we don't know if the power of The One was established over the lesser rings made by the elves of The Second Age, which is likely but not for sure. The matter if Saruman's ring was of any power is a subject of speculation as well as the question whether it was under the dominance of The One if it was indeed a ring of power. Again, if Saruman's ring was a total fiasco, why would he wear it? But if it was of any power, why Gandalf was not concerned with it after Saruman's defeat?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inziladun
My feeling is that Saruman's ring was a failed attempt at his own Ring of Power, though made differently from the One. That could account for its apparent impotence.
Again, Saruman knew all about Sauron's intent behind the making of the One, and the vulnerability that the existence of it had created for him. Why would Saruman knowingly have made that same mistake?
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Saruman could consider the drawbacks Sauron suffered due to the creation of The One not as a mistake but as a misfortune. Sauron's enemies were too strong and even in that situation he almost conquered the west of Middle Earth. Saruman, I believe, could think that Sauron needed to stay in disguise for much longer in order to induce such enmity between races that would have made any interracial alliance impossible. Or he should have convince Ar-Pharazon to conquer Middle Earth instead of launching attack on Aman and later rob kings of their power in one or other way. Achieving goals in disguise was Saruman's own tactic for a while.