Lord of the Rings Question

[MerHearted]

Ok, I really like the trilogy, but I have a question that's been bugging me for a while about it. I'm not a huge fan, I've never read the books, so maybe someone here who knows a lot about it can enlighten me. Ok, here goes.

What's so powerful about the ring anyway?

I know if it returns to its evil master, it will be the end of mankind and stuff and everyone wants it. But beyond the truly evil guys, why does everyone else want it? What does it do? All I've seen so far is that it makes you invisible and drives people who carry it crazy and makes them addicted to it. So why do say humans want to use it? Like in the first movie, the dude said they should use it against Mordor. How would you do that? What does it do? Does it shoot fireballs, summon lightning, grant immortality, what? Little help?

 

[darthdarrel]

ok I`ll try to explain it Vince, in the beginning 19 rings were made that promised great power, these rings were given to the Leaders of the Elves, dwarves and men, but what they did not know is that Saron, sorry I forget the spelling, Had made THE RING" which Gave him power over all the rings, that is where the saying on the ring comes in "ONE RING to rule the world, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. This gave him power over all who wore the other rings. Those leaders that wore the rings became Sorons slaves, Thus becoming the Ring wraiths. So he could control the leaders and thus rule the world.

 

[imagineer boy]

Originally posted by darthdarrel
ok I`ll try to explain it Vince, in the beginning 19 rings were made that promised great power, these rings were given to the Leaders of the Elves, dwarves and men, but what they did not know is that Saron, sorry I forget the spelling, Had made THE RING" which Gave him power over all the rings, that is where the saying on the ring comes in "ONE RING to rule the world, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. This gave him power over all who wore the other rings. Those leaders that wore the rings became Sorons slaves, Thus becoming the Ring wraiths.

I think the Dwarves and Elves weren't turned into slaves. If you look during the prologue where it talks about the elves getting the rings you can see that one of the elves in Galadriel, and she's not a ring wraith. I think the dwarves and elves threw their away when they heard about Sauron's ring, but the men foolishly kept them and thus, turned into Ring Wraiths. Also, there are 9 Ring wraiths and 9 men, so that makes sence.

 

[Legacy]

So in the Ring's destruction Sauron will lose control over the RingWraiths and the armies of Mordor? Is that it? If the Ring controls the other rings, how come Frodo can't take control of the armies of Mordor himself and lead a revolution against Sauron himself?

The fellowship's mission is more to keep the Ring out Sauron grasp than anything else?

I'm with Vince on this. I was never really entirely sure what the ring did.

 

[MerHearted]

Well, if the ring has power over the others, why can't Frodo control them? He has the ring. Even when he has the ring on, they still obey Sauron and try to kill him. I still don't get it. I still see no real power.

 

[darthdarrel]

Originally posted by MerHearted
Well, if the ring has power over the others, why can't Frodo control them? He has the ring. Even when he has the ring on, they still obey Sauron and try to kill him. I still don't get it. I still see no real power.

BEcause Soron is bound to the ring, that is why Soron can see Frodo when he wears the ring. and yes the dwarves and elves threw their rings into the fires of Mordor. and the Ring wraiths are the weak men.

 

[MerHearted]

Originally posted by darthdarrel
BEcause Soron is bound to the ring, that is why Soron can see Frodo when he wears the ring. and yes the dwarves and elves threw their rings into the fires of Mordor. and the Ring wraiths are the weak men.

Still... what makes it so powerful? It seems like the only one who can do anything with it is Sauron? Why does everyone else want to use it then?

 

[darthdarrel]

Originally posted by MerHearted
Still... what makes it so powerful? It seems like the only one who can do anything with it is Sauron? Why does everyone else want to use it then?

Because noone knows that only Soron can use it. that is why in two towers the one man wanted to bring the ring to his father so his father could rule the world and destroy soron, but Sam convinced Him that it is useless and that the ring must be destroyed, darn I can`t remember the guys name lol.

 

[imagineer boy]

Originally posted by darthdarrel
Because noone knows that only Soron can use it. that is why in two towers the one man wanted to bring the ring to his father so his father could rule the world and destroy soron, but Sam convinced Him that it is useless and that the ring must be destroyed, darn I can`t remember the guys name lol.

Faramir?

 

[Wilt Dasney]

OK, it's been a while since I read this, so my memory is a little fuzzy, but let's see if I can help...

The Ring contains tremendous potential power, but using it isn't like flipping a light switch. Using it to its full potential requires a good bit of knowledge about how it works. Sauron, as its maker, knows more about it than anyone. Frodo knows next to nothing about the Ring and the ways of magic, so it is rather useless to him.

Toward the beginning of the series, Gandalf tells Frodo that he must be the one to take the ring, because Gandalf doesn't want to be tempted with it. With all of his knowledge and wizard training, Gandalf could put the Ring to as much use as Sauron could.

Frodo doesn't use it to gain power because, as I said, he doesn't really know how, and aside from that, he has no desire for power. He sees how the Ring begins to poison his mind after mild exposure and sees what it did to Gollum, as well.

As for what TYPE of power the ring contains...well, that's never really explained, so your imagination can do the job. We know that Gandalf himself (who already possesses considerable power) quakes with fear at the idea of Sauron wearing the Ring and that, if Sauron gets it, it will usher in a period of total darkness which will likely never end. So whatever it does is pretty badass...I personally don't need to know exactly what that is; I find the way that Tolkien described it more effective than saying "Well, he'll shoot fire from his fingers and melt you with a glance and so on and blablabla."

Oh, and Darrell, aren't you thinking of Faramir, brother of Boromir?

 

[darthdarrel]

Originally posted by Wilt Dasney
OK, it's been a while since I read this, so my memory is a little fuzzy, but let's see if I can help...

The Ring contains tremendous potential power, but using it isn't like flipping a light switch. Using it to its full potential requires a good bit of knowledge about how it works. Sauron, as its maker, knows more about it than anyone. Frodo knows next to nothing about the Ring and the ways of magic, so it is rather useless to him.

Toward the beginning of the series, Gandalf tells Frodo that he must be the one to take the ring, because Gandalf doesn't want to be tempted with it. With all of his knowledge and wizard training, Gandalf could put the Ring to as much use as Sauron could.

Frodo doesn't use it to gain power because, as I said, he doesn't really know how, and aside from that, he has no desire for power. He sees how the Ring begins to poison his mind after mild exposure and sees what it did to Gollum, as well.

As for what TYPE of power the ring contains...well, that's never really explained, so your imagination can do the job. We know that Gandalf himself (who already possesses considerable power) quakes with fear at the idea of Sauron wearing the Ring and that, if Sauron gets it, it will usher in a period of total darkness which will likely never end. So whatever it does is pretty badass...I personally don't need to know exactly what that is; I find the way that Tolkien described it more effective than saying "Well, he'll shoot fire from his fingers and melt you with a glance and so on and blablabla."

Oh, and Darrell, aren't you thinking of Faramir, brother of Boromir?

That`s it! Thank you! and thank you imagineer boy also! :wave:

 

[imagineer boy]

Youre welcome darrel! BTW, Elijah Wood said in an interveiw that we should bring tissues to the new movie because it is really sad! This is interesting.

 

[no2apprentice]

It's been awhile since I read the books also, but I believe it describes that when Sauron made the One Ring, he placed a great deal of his "power" into the Ring. That's why it talks about how the Ring almost has a mind of it's own, that it wants to make it's way back to it's maker. With the One Ring, Sauron has all his power, and would be able to force his will on weak minded creatures (like he does already with Orcs), and others who can be manipulated by the promise of power (like Sauron did with Saruman).

It really doesn't explain this well in the movie, but both Wizards and Elfs are immortals. The Order of Wizards were in Middle-Earth to aid man, to advise, guide, and counsel. Saruman, who was head of the Order as Saruman the White, was manipulated by Sauron through the promise of power, even though Sauron didn't have the One Ring! If Sauron was able to do this with the head of the Order of Wizards, then you can understand why Gandalf and the Elfs fear the Ring being regained by Sauron.

Also, in the movies, it mentions how Gollum was once a creature similar to a hobbit. But as Gollum possessed the One Ring over time, you can see how the evil power of the Ring twisted and ruined not only his body, but his mind.

In the books, you begin to understand that it's not so much the "flashy fireballs" and "bolts of lighting" that are to be feared, but the power to control others that is the real danger.

Hope that helps. Better yet, read the books.

 

[MerHearted]

Gotcha! Thanks!

 

[NowInc]

The ring is also bound to souron...it has no other master

AND...gollum was in fact once a hobbit named Smeagel...they'll get into details on the 3rd movie (which by the way..was AWESOME)..but basically...the ring corrupted him and turned him into a murderer...etc etc...i wont spoil it for those whom havnt read the book or seen the 3rd one yet...

 

[darthdarrel]

Originally posted by NowInc
The ring is also bound to souron...it has no other master

AND...gollum was in fact once a hobbit named Smeagel...they'll get into details on the 3rd movie (which by the way..was AWESOME)..but basically...the ring corrupted him and turned him into a murderer...etc etc...i wont spoil it for those whom havnt read the book or seen the 3rd one yet...

Oh that`s it... Just Show off! :lol: :animwink:

 

[NowInc]

Also..fair to mention that for those who HAVNT read the books...the movies are QUITE different than the books. The movies left out a few characters and added more of a "love" theme over the whole aragon thing.