Do you think there should have been a contrivance to pre-empt the Eagles question?

[Marwhini]

Originally Posted by denethorthefirst

It really surprises me how often this question crops up, because to me it makes absolutely no sense. As the others have already mentioned using the eagles isn't exactly subtle. Although eagles are able to fly very high, Sauron would still be able to spot them miles away, long before they would even reach the black gate, and take the appropriate counter-measures. And how would the Eagles "land" the ring? I mean they can't just drop it, what if they miss? So they have to either land or at least come very close to the mountain. Sauron will then be able to shoot them down, if he hasn't already brought them down with his fell beasts. And another thing: who's to say that the Eagles would even be able to mentally complete the task? It could very well be that the group of eagles tears itself apart well before reaching mount doom, fighting over the ring. And even if the Eagles reach the mountain, the ring-bearing eagle would at this point probably refuse to drop the ring, just like frodo and isildur were not able to harm the ring (and isildur was only in possession for several minutes, the eagle would be exposed to the ring for at least several days)!

It isn't just a case of "landing."

The Sammath Naur is INSIDE Orodruin.

They have to land, and then squeeze into a hole where they would have to then drop the ring into the lava at the bottom of the Sammath Naur.

All Sauron would need to do would be to put a gate on it, or wall it up.

Why he didn't already is a question that needs to be answered. Arrogance? That seems to be the go-to for Sauron, but I think it likely another reason that isn't so simple of reductive.

But your point remains, only more complicated and worse than even you have described.

Although it is likely they would have send Frodo atop one of the Eagles, carrying the One Ring. That doesn't change the situation a great deal.

MB