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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rothe" data-source="post: 3357933" data-attributes="member: 39813">Well said.  There is a constant thread through JRRT's work that points to limits on how directly the Valar and Maiar can use their power to intervene in the affairs of men, who are intimated as the only creatures with true souls.  There is also a strong thread of free-will and that the lesser races will have to do for themselves and cannot count on the Valar and Maiar to solve all their problems for them.IIRC from the Silmarillion, it was men elves and dwarves that trusted Sauron and let him make the rings in the first place.And lastly as CrusaderDave pointed out, I think, the one rings power increases as it nears it's master, and I think it is safe to postulate that should Sauron turn his attention to the ring in his own domain that power would be irresitable.  Hence, anyone entering Mordor with the ring that gained Sauron's attention would instantly put the ring on, and likely be driven by the hubris (and the ring) to take Sauron on directly.  That is exactly what Sauron wants, IMO.  Another part of it is that although Sauron may intellectually recognize self-sacrifice, he cannot grasp it and has a hard time thinking of plans where someone would willing sacrifice themselves to save others even if the chance of saving others is slim; recognize the Christian parallel?I beleive that it is clear from the LOTR that the main reasons Fordo and Sam made it was Sauron: (1) thought Sauruman might have the ring but obviously not, so the ring is not with the hobbits but Gandalf, I mean who else could resist its power and it is silly to think an artifact would be in the hands of some 0-level NPCs; (2) had to focus on destroying Minas Tirith; (3) adventurers never split up the party so the ring is likely with the party and Gandalf who is heading to Minas Tirith; (4) once the battle at Minas Tirith is won a large army sets off for Mordor before Sauron has time to gather his thoughts and even notice what is going on in his own back yard (logical to conclude Gandalf has the ring and they are coming to attack sauron why he is weakened, it's what Sauron would do; otherwise marching on The Black Gate is suicide); (5) giant eagles were probably already on their way for the battle at The Black Gate further distracting Sauron; and (6) their plan was so ridiculous that a BBEG would never have thought of it.    So even for a Maiar such multi-tasking has got to be distracting let alone dealing with being incoporeal, getting the men of the east to not fight with your orcs, writing your victory monologue where you ask Gandalf to join with you to destroy the Valar after you expalin how you are really not that different from each other.  It's hard being a BBEG, especially speech writing when your incoporeal. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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