Belling the Ring - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

alatar · 09-08-2005, 04:02 PM

Note that the following is written without the Books, a net or possibly a clue. Anyway...

We own a dog.

She's part Border Collie, meaning that she has psychological issues, but all and all, she's exactly what you would expect when you think dog. Long time ago my family *owned* a cat. I say owned meaning that we paid money for him, and we registered him with the county, and so we had documentation saying that we were his owners and were, in theory, responsible for his welfare.

But, as you might well know, you don't own a cat.

He stayed with us as it suited him. If the neighbors had put out a better spread, I think that we might not have seen him again. Cats are like that. You don't train them - they don't sit or stay - they play with you when it amuses them, and as far as they're concerned, you're there for their entertainment and pleasure. Unlike with 'man's best friend,' a relationship with a cat is like one where you're sitting by the phone all night, hoping that he/she will call, biting your nails as you know (though you're trying to hide it from yourself) that he/she is most likely out with someone else.

The One Ring was a cat.

I once thought that the One Ring was Sauron's, but more consideration makes me think that this just ain't so. It stayed with Sauron as it suited it, but was ready to changes hands when it saw a better owner.

Consider:

The Ring was no help against the Númenóreans. I'm guessing that the Ring saw a golden opportunity in Ar-Pharazôn, and just itched to get onto his hand. Sauron may have known this and so kept his hand in perpetual 'clench.' Then again, it might have preferred ME to the Land of the Gift, and after the War of Wrath, it might not be too smart to be that close to the Valar.

As the Ring could not be born by fish or the Valar, it made its way back to ME after the Drowning. One might think that Sauron brought it back with him, born on a dark wind or something, yet the Ring may have just followed. Back in ME, Sauron was its most familiar and best bet there, and so it returned to its so-called master.

The Ring did not help Sauron when he faced Elendil and Gil-galad. I think that it realized that the Last Alliance was going to win, and so decided change sides and to go after Isildur, leaving Sauron. Surely when Sauron's body was broken, it had no reason to stay, but if in the War of the Ring we are to believe that a disembodied Sauron can reclaim the Ring, then why didn't go with him to wherever he hid himself for the years between his defeat and reappearance?

It betrays Isildur at the Gladden Fields. Was it trying to get back to an evil being as it found its current bearer, the first it tasted of the mortal and good side, annoying?

The Ring immediately leaves Déagol for Sméagol, sensing in the later a blacker heart and more potential.

Finding no better bearer in Sméagol's village, it prompt him to leave for greener/darker pastures. Was Smeagol's spelunking into the roots of the mountain guided by the Ring, as it was trying to find a new bearer not unlike the Balrog hidden under Moria?

Finding no other worthy bearer, the Ring leaves Gollum for Bilbo. Not much else can be made from its journey in the Hobbit, except that Bilbo uses it to kills spiders, fool elves, betray his companions and bring about the downfall of a Dragon - which precipitated a war.

In Gandalf the Ring sees a great bearer, and so attempts to catch him. Was this what prompted it to go along with Bilbo, finding not only one who would carry it away from Gollum ("Enunciate properly or shut up already!") but someone who smelled of Istari? Was this why it allows Bilbo to walk away at Bag End, so that it can be free for the taking in the presence of Gandalf?

The Ring goes along with Frodo, knowing that his journeys may carry it to better choices. It goes for Bombadil, yet is rejected (first time for that!). In Bree the Ring puts out the call to anyone else. Aragorn? Bill Ferny? The squint-eyed Southerner? Was someone in the room willing to get it to Saruman? Orthanc or bust?

At Weathertop, the Ring could have stayed on Frodo's finger, yet somehow comes off. Did it still see Aragorn as a better bearer than to be returned to Sauron via the Nine? But Aragorn, like Gandalf before him, reject the Ring's affections - they're just not Ring-people.

From Rivendell to Parth Galen the Ring works poor Boromir hard. As no other of the Fellowship could provide such a good place to live - Minas Tirith - the Ring set upon him. Through Boromir the Ring would have gotten what it liked most - power and dominion. Surely the Gondorian army, led by the Ring-enhanced Boromir (he would have thrown out his father) would have attacked Mordor. Blood would have spilled, and that might have been enough to sate the Ring. Who cared if it were Boromir or Sauron's hand that held it? For the Ring, either would do, and the end would be the same.

Oops! In Lothlorien the Ring makes a play for Galadriel, and who could blame it? Through the Golden Lady it would have gained much power, but there's just something about those Elves that would have soured the grapes. Even at her worst Galadriel may have just embalmed ME, and where's all of the fun and blood in that? But again we see, as during Gandalf's trial, that the Ring could have willingly moved on, setting up a new Dark Lord in place of Sauron. The Ring knew no loyalty, and unless rebuffed by Gandalf, Aragorn and Galadriel, it would have used its new hands to overthrow Sauron, then set things up to its liking.

From Parth Galen onward, the Ring's pickings are slim. It could stay with Frodo, awaiting a better choice, or go with that nutter Gollum again. Frodo's plodding took it closer to its former home, and maybe that was okay. Sauron wasn't that bad, given the choices. Still, if an orc were to come close enough, and if Shelob had fingers...

So at Sammath Naur we finally see the stereotypical cat. The Ring is home as home it could be - like having returned to a fiery womb of sorts. Now, does it call out to Sauron? Nope. It stays with Frodo, prompting him to use it. Seeing this from Barad-dûr, did Sauron's heart not just break?

And so on...

_____

Anyway, all my ramblings above are just to suggest that the One Ring was not Sauron's, would have left him in a heartbeat for a better bearer, and was responsible in part for choosing its bearer and disposition.

09-08-2005, 04:02 PM	#1
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	Belling the Ring Note that the following is written without the Books, a net or possibly a clue. Anyway... We own a dog. She's part Border Collie, meaning that she has psychological issues, but all and all, she's exactly what you would expect when you think dog. Long time ago my family owned a cat. I say owned meaning that we paid money for him, and we registered him with the county, and so we had documentation saying that we were his owners and were, in theory, responsible for his welfare. But, as you might well know, you don't own a cat. He stayed with us as it suited him. If the neighbors had put out a better spread, I think that we might not have seen him again. Cats are like that. You don't train them - they don't sit or stay - they play with you when it amuses them, and as far as they're concerned, you're there for their entertainment and pleasure. Unlike with 'man's best friend,' a relationship with a cat is like one where you're sitting by the phone all night, hoping that he/she will call, biting your nails as you know (though you're trying to hide it from yourself) that he/she is most likely out with someone else. The One Ring was a cat. I once thought that the One Ring was Sauron's, but more consideration makes me think that this just ain't so. It stayed with Sauron as it suited it, but was ready to changes hands when it saw a better owner. Consider: The Ring was no help against the Númenóreans. I'm guessing that the Ring saw a golden opportunity in Ar-Pharazôn, and just itched to get onto his hand. Sauron may have known this and so kept his hand in perpetual 'clench.' Then again, it might have preferred ME to the Land of the Gift, and after the War of Wrath, it might not be too smart to be that close to the Valar. As the Ring could not be born by fish or the Valar, it made its way back to ME after the Drowning. One might think that Sauron brought it back with him, born on a dark wind or something, yet the Ring may have just followed. Back in ME, Sauron was its most familiar and best bet there, and so it returned to its so-called master. The Ring did not help Sauron when he faced Elendil and Gil-galad. I think that it realized that the Last Alliance was going to win, and so decided change sides and to go after Isildur, leaving Sauron. Surely when Sauron's body was broken, it had no reason to stay, but if in the War of the Ring we are to believe that a disembodied Sauron can reclaim the Ring, then why didn't go with him to wherever he hid himself for the years between his defeat and reappearance? It betrays Isildur at the Gladden Fields. Was it trying to get back to an evil being as it found its current bearer, the first it tasted of the mortal and good side, annoying? The Ring immediately leaves Déagol for Sméagol, sensing in the later a blacker heart and more potential. Finding no better bearer in Sméagol's village, it prompt him to leave for greener/darker pastures. Was Smeagol's spelunking into the roots of the mountain guided by the Ring, as it was trying to find a new bearer not unlike the Balrog hidden under Moria? Finding no other worthy bearer, the Ring leaves Gollum for Bilbo. Not much else can be made from its journey in the Hobbit, except that Bilbo uses it to kills spiders, fool elves, betray his companions and bring about the downfall of a Dragon - which precipitated a war. In Gandalf the Ring sees a great bearer, and so attempts to catch him. Was this what prompted it to go along with Bilbo, finding not only one who would carry it away from Gollum ("Enunciate properly or shut up already!") but someone who smelled of Istari? Was this why it allows Bilbo to walk away at Bag End, so that it can be free for the taking in the presence of Gandalf? The Ring goes along with Frodo, knowing that his journeys may carry it to better choices. It goes for Bombadil, yet is rejected (first time for that!). In Bree the Ring puts out the call to anyone else. Aragorn? Bill Ferny? The squint-eyed Southerner? Was someone in the room willing to get it to Saruman? Orthanc or bust? At Weathertop, the Ring could have stayed on Frodo's finger, yet somehow comes off. Did it still see Aragorn as a better bearer than to be returned to Sauron via the Nine? But Aragorn, like Gandalf before him, reject the Ring's affections - they're just not Ring-people. From Rivendell to Parth Galen the Ring works poor Boromir hard. As no other of the Fellowship could provide such a good place to live - Minas Tirith - the Ring set upon him. Through Boromir the Ring would have gotten what it liked most - power and dominion. Surely the Gondorian army, led by the Ring-enhanced Boromir (he would have thrown out his father) would have attacked Mordor. Blood would have spilled, and that might have been enough to sate the Ring. Who cared if it were Boromir or Sauron's hand that held it? For the Ring, either would do, and the end would be the same. Oops! In Lothlorien the Ring makes a play for Galadriel, and who could blame it? Through the Golden Lady it would have gained much power, but there's just something about those Elves that would have soured the grapes. Even at her worst Galadriel may have just embalmed ME, and where's all of the fun and blood in that? But again we see, as during Gandalf's trial, that the Ring could have willingly moved on, setting up a new Dark Lord in place of Sauron. The Ring knew no loyalty, and unless rebuffed by Gandalf, Aragorn and Galadriel, it would have used its new hands to overthrow Sauron, then set things up to its liking. From Parth Galen onward, the Ring's pickings are slim. It could stay with Frodo, awaiting a better choice, or go with that nutter Gollum again. Frodo's plodding took it closer to its former home, and maybe that was okay. Sauron wasn't that bad, given the choices. Still, if an orc were to come close enough, and if Shelob had fingers... So at Sammath Naur we finally see the stereotypical cat. The Ring is home as home it could be - like having returned to a fiery womb of sorts. Now, does it call out to Sauron? Nope. It stays with Frodo, prompting him to use it. Seeing this from Barad-dûr, did Sauron's heart not just break? And so on... _____ Anyway, all my ramblings above are just to suggest that the One Ring was not Sauron's, would have left him in a heartbeat for a better bearer, and was responsible in part for choosing its bearer and disposition. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it. Last edited by alatar; 12-12-2007 at 03:32 PM.