The return of Sauron

[alatar]

Originally Posted by mormegil

The problem with the majority of these theories is the lack of a central evil figure.

One thing that I've noticed/inferred from reading Tolkien is that the age's highest level baddy has leave the stage for the next act to occur. Melkor, then Sauron, then...who knows, but whomever or whatever it would be would presumably have to be less in power than Sauron.

So one would ask, who is left in the Fourth Age that is less in power than Sauron yet in command of enough power to create up some big time problems? The Blue wizards fit the bill, as one would assume that they were less than Sauron. And if we can have a Witch-King that is equal to Gandalf , then we could have some person of Black Numenorian blood that, in possession of some evil artifact, could seek to conquer ME.

And in regards to civil wars etc, haven't those taken place even with the threat of Morgoth and Sauron present? It is assumed that the Enemy (whichever) is ultimately behind the troubles, it being part of the strategy to weaken the forces of good from within. Yet sometimes it's just those simply yielding to the former contents of Pandora's box.