What is the Eye of Sauron?

[Butterbeer]

Originally Posted by gordis

No, Butterbeer, I am afraid you are wrong. The WK would have been VERY EASY to stop. Sauron had only to make a short trip to Orodruin and throw the Witch-King's ring there. Then the WK would die - go off to Mandos and beyond - forever. The nazgul existed while the 9 Rings existed.

And I think that even "IF" was impossible. I am doubtful that the WK would have been able to master the One without his own ring. Without their rings, the nazgul were "incomplete", part of their power contained in the 9 Rings. Far away from the rings they were much weaker. And I doubt that even the possession of the One could have shielded the WK from the primary control of his nazgul ring.

Anyway, Sauron (who knew all about the Rings) has preferred sending the Ringwraiths to the Shire instead of sending any mortals, even very loyal mortals (Mouth etc.). Therefore he believed that the WK was an impossible candidate for the new Ringlord.

IMO, the minute Sauron took the 9 rings from the nazgul, they lost all hope to ever be free in ME. They could not even die, as long as the 9 existed and had power. Therefore they tried hard to escape beyond by "helping" to destroy the One.

Well you seem very set in your ways for someone taking an investigative historical perspective on Middle earth!

This is not to say your'e wrong: you are much better read than me (and the bulk of my reading was long ago anyway):for me this is just a what if question but i find it odd in terms of all we appear to know of the rings of power and the heirachy Sauron intended and the avowed purpose and powers of the One, that the witch king (IF) mastered the One containing sauron's greater part of power, and wearing and wielding the One ring, the master ring, the ring to rule all the other rings,

A) would suddenly die wearing and master of THE ONE because a lesser ring was destroyed

B) IF the WK had mastered the One he controls the nine ( i think you would be pushed to argue against that? - he says tongue in cheek)
and also if sauron is wearing any of the rings controls him through the rings:if he takes off all his rings then the WK would be too powerful wearing and wiedling the full mught of the One and presumably with full control of the other 8 mounted Nazgula and their Morgul troops could quite possibly stop Suaron destroying the Nine rings anyway.

IMHO poeple like the Mouth and most other captains in Mordor would very soon see which way the wind is blowing and re-align to support the Ring lord: sauron would have (potentially) big trouble destroying the Witch King's ring: but as i said above i believe (and this is the BIG IF) IF he had mastered the One: destroying the WK's ring would be ineffective: else what power does the One have???