Did Saruman Believe He Could Master The One Ring?

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Fordim

Sorry Sauce, but I think that Mister Underhill has carried the day here.

Now you know that there is no more effective way of drawing me back out than saying something like that ...

If he had questioned you, then and there, almost certainly you would have told all that you know, to the ruin of us all. But he was too eager. He did not want information only: he wanted you, quickly, so that he could deal with you in the Dark Tower, slowly.

That dark mind will be filled now with the voice and face of the hobbit and with expectation: it may take some time before he learns his error.

It has been suggested that Sauron was quite aware that Pippin was not the Ringbearer but nevertheless wanted him brought to Barad-Dur because he wanted information from him.

But Gandalf says that Sauron did not want information only.

So why did Sauron want him, if not only for information? And why did he want him so quickly? Simply to indulge in a little bit of torture? Perhaps, but I don't see any reason for the excessive eagerness or the urgency if that was the case. Why the excitement over the prospect of torturing an unimportant creature of a race that he had barely heard of and attached no significance to other than in connection with the Ring?

No, Sauron wanted Pippin brought quickly to Barad-Dur because he believed Pippin to be the Ringbearer (thus enabling him to obtain the Ring) and because he wanted to "deal" with the Ringbearer, slowly. The fact that Pippin would no doubt have information that would be useful to him was another reason for dealing with him personally, but it was the prospect of torturing the Ringbearer (and, of course, retrieving the Ring) that prompted the urgency and eagerness.

I can understand Sauron getting excited at the prospect of "dealing" with a creature who was (illegitimately, to his mind) in possession of the most precious thing in the world to him rather more than I can understand him getting excited at the prospect of "dealing" with a mere Hobbit with some useful information.