The Power of Isengard

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

Any thoughts?

Yes.

Originally Posted by Eomer

... why would Sauron be destroyed and sundered from the Ring forever if he lost a fight to the Ring-wielding Gandalf? I had thought the survival of the Ring meant the survival of Sauron.

I think that you are right to an extent. The spirit of Sauron (or at least that part of it which he imbued in the Ring) would continue to exist and would exhibit itself in the actions of a Ring-mastered Gandalf. However, what Tolkien seems to be saying is that, even though the Ring would master Gandalf, Sauron himself would by then have been sundered from it and would therefore no longer be capable of assuming a physical manifestation in Arda.

Nevertheless, in this light, the Ring might be seen as a "win-win" option for Sauron. As long as no one else claims it and defeats him with it, then he reamins secure. If someone does claim it and is able to defeat him with it (and only Gandalf is portrayed as having any reasonable chance of doing so), he might be "destroyed", but his works will live on. The new Ringbearer becomes, in effect, his heir. And he doesn't have to worry about anyone destroying it, because the only place where this can be done is in his backyard and it is impossible for anyone willingly to do so anyway. Of course, he didn't bargain for Eru changing the rules ...