What are the powers of the ring?

[The Wizard from Milan]

So the ring has the power to control other rings, but does it have any other power for which Sauron would want it?

The ring has other powers too (it make men-elves-dwarfs-hobbits invisible; can corrput people), but none of this would be relevant to Sauron.

So my question is, what is the fuss all about?

[durinsbane2244]

er, he put the most part of his soul into it, so, he's like, to quote rowling, "the meanest of spirits" and such things without it...just a minor point there

[The Wizard from Milan]

I understand that. But what about powers? Isn't Sauron referred to as sorcerer in several places? I think there is at least a reference of two to Morgul-spells, but nowhere it says what spells they are.

We know Gandalf can make fire spells, but what about Sauron? and his ring?

[King of The Istari]

it is mentioned many times in LOTR that the ring would give an enemy of souron the power to beat him and that armies would flock to the wearer maybe this is relevent to souron

I would suppose that wearing the ring he is unbeatable he was only defeated because Isildur happened to cut the ring off his finger, and as for armies flocking to the wearer this would be very relivent to souron for he would want as many things as possible to join his dark army

the ring probably has other powers as well but I can't think of any examples as yet

[brownjenkins]

I would suppose that wearing the ring he is unbeatable he was only defeated because Isildur happened to cut the ring off his finger

during the war of the last alliance, sauron was killed first, and then the ring was removed

i don't think the ring had any specific "great powers"... sauron was quite powerful in and of himself, and i don't think the ring increased his personal power... his reason for creating the ring was to control the leaders of middle earth as he did with the men and dwarves... he had hoped to do the same with the elves, but they just stopped using them 'till sauron was defeated the first time

that said, as far as the big picture goes, he may have been better off having not made the ring at all... in the end, it's ability to be used against him lead to his permanent destruction... if he had not made the ring he might still have been defeated by the last alliance, but he may also have eventually succeeded as time went by and more elves left for the west... by creating the ring, he made himself "mortal"

[CrazySquirrel]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

during the war of the last alliance, sauron was killed first, and then the ring was removed"

I think Sauron was not "killed" first, otherwise his body would have disappeared-like Saruman's or the Witch-King's in LOTR. Sauron's spirit would have fled carrying the Ring, as it carried the Ring from the drowning Numenor. I believe Sauron was wounded, literally "brought down", when Isildur rushed to him and cut the finger of the still physical present, breathing body.

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

i don't think the ring had any specific "great powers"... sauron was quite powerful in and of himself, and i don't think the ring increased his personal power... his reason for creating the ring was to control the leaders of middle earth as he did with the men and dwarves... he had hoped to do the same with the elves, but they just stopped using them 'till sauron was defeated the first time

I agree it had no extra power: it only received the portion of the power Sauron already possessed. But using the Ring, Sau could draw on the power of the 3, 7 and 9, which contained elvish powers, provided that these rings were wielded by someone. So in the Second age he had his power (part of it contained in the One) + the power of the 9 and the 7. Also, having the One, he prevented the Elves from using the Three. So, In general his power has increased with making the One.

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

that said, as far as the big picture goes, he may have been better off having not made the ring at all... in the end, it's ability to be used against him lead to his permanent destruction... if he had not made the ring he might still have been defeated by the last alliance, but he may also have eventually succeeded as time went by and more elves left for the west... by creating the ring, he made himself "mortal"

If he had not made the One, the Elves would have used their Three, Seven and Nine all through the Second Age. They would have made several "timeless realmes" and prospered, not faded. No emigration to Valinor. No counter-balance. All the ME would be ruled by Elves! BRR...
And Sauron would have been defeated but would not be able to reform his body. He would have become a mere powerless spirit without the One, anchoring him to the ME.

[arvedui_last_king]

Sauron was immortal. Even after the ring was destroyed he still existed. And even if Sauron regained the ring he could have been defeated, but not by any power that was in Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age. The ring did not allow him to do magic "spells", as Gandalf did with fire, it would greatly increase the power he had over his subjects, and it would allow him to control all ring bearers. The power of the Nazgul would also be greatly increased.

[MangoPi]

I have to disagree. From a simple ideological point of view; I don't like determinism as justification, just as much as I dislike dues ex mechina.

In the end, Frodo chose to bear the Ring from Rivendale, and then chose the keep it at Mt. Doom. Whether or not any other out could even exist, that is what happened. Frodo kept it.

I think that the ultimate message of that passage reads: the Ring was so evil that it destroyed itself. Frodo and Sméagol, under the influence of the Ring, fight for possession of it and because of this fight the ring falls into the fires of Mt. Doom.

So maybe I'll end up disagreeing with the author himself on this point, but eh, I can live with that.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Frodo and Sam do not fight for it, it is only in the film that Frodo fights for it. In the book Smeagol hits Sam on the head with a rock, and jumps on the invisible Frodo before biting his finger off. Then Frodo just givesup while Gollum falls in to the fire.

[Serenoli]

Originally Posted by TD

Frodo and Sam do not fight for it, it is only in the film that Frodo fights for it. In the book Smeagol hits Sam on the head with a rock, and jumps on the invisible Frodo before biting his finger off. Then Frodo just givesup while Gollum falls in to the fire.

But they do fight. After being knocked down, Sam gets up, to find Smeagol 'fighting like a mad thing with an unseen foe'. And finally, Gollum bites off Frodo's finger as the only way to wrest the ring off him... thats when Frodo gives up, and Gollum, in his victory dance, falls off.

BTW, that article that Jon S. gave was quite interesting, and I've myself never been disappointed in Frodo. In fact, seeing him succumb at last made me feel sorry for him, and admiration that he held out for so long...

[Jon S.]

Originally Posted by MangoPi

I have to disagree. From a simple ideological point of view; I don't like determinism as justification, just as much as I dislike dues ex mechina.

In the end, Frodo chose to bear the Ring from Rivendale, and then chose the keep it at Mt. Doom. Whether or not any other out could even exist, that is what happened. Frodo kept it.

From a *simple* ideological point of view, I would also have to agree. I've been thinking it over, though, and perhaps where our main disagreement lies is actually as to what is "determinism."

While itself imperfect, consider the Wikipedia definition:

"Determinism is the philosophical proposition that every event, including human cognition and action, is causally determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences."

I don't think this is what most of us are referring to in connection with severe addiction or compulsion. But even if it were, I'd argue that it would not negate the concept or possibility of free will.