The Lord of the Rings from Sauron's perspective

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[@InDeepGeek]

This is a revised and updated version of a video first published in March 2022.

[@AroAceGamer]

Knew I had a sense of deja vu...

[@tomspring20]

Wow. Perfect timing. I just watched all your other "Perspective" videos. And now i looked for the Sauron one and see this new video. Awesome

[@sockdivine6144]

Do you think you could upload the original as well? for comparison purposes

[@T.GLongstaff]

Good work outta you either you. Keep it up bud

[@dabaron7015]

So I just watched the old version and a few others this weekend and I was genuinely confused seeing this uploaded 23 minutes ago. I like these perspective videos, they make you change perspective for a bit and getting in the head of characters like sauron and gollum make you rethink villainy. If your villain's actions fall apart when viewed from their angle, you wrote them wrong.

[@RyPolecat]

I want my favorite comment from the original video to persist, it was something like "I thought LotR from Sauron's perspective would just be hours and hours of an angry lighthouse staring at a blank horizon, but this is much more interesting!"

[@PJMM]

Angry lighthouse actually made it into my standard description for talking about Sauron - so I absolutely agree, haha ☺️ Thanks for preserving that comment and thank you to whomever coined that term, of course :D

[@ezra3776]

Get over yourself, nobba.

[@ryvyr]

"Angry lighthouse" is such excellent distilled sarcasm yet works so well, cheers for that :>

[@MisterLambda]

I thought I had seen a few of these videos before, does anyone know why they are being reuploaded? Or are these remakes?

[@Crymetyme006]

@@MisterLambdaThese are basically remakes, Robert has said he’s wanted to update some videos with any new thoughts or theories as well as upgrading the audio, visuals, and editing

[@Bruced82]

Sauron: "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those meddling hobbitses!"

[@siroswaldfortitude5346]

😂

[@bennett420316]

Does Sauron talk like Smiegal?

[@andrewthomas891]

brilliant

[@joegardner851]

And those dumb eagles

[@jamesgravil9162]

Night King: "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling Targaryens!"

[@oneeyedking3]

If only Sauron had the foresight to put a door on Mt Doom

[@darktooth4576]

And all you need is the One Key to unlock it.

[@ThyartisDanny]

One key to lock them all.

[@markparris3890]

And in the darkness fumble about and try all the others first

[@nickcunningham6344]

Well, like the video explained, the idea that anyone would want to destroy the ring never even crossed Sauron's mind. To him, it'd be like turning down a million dollars. Why would anyone ever do that?

[@Brian-----]

“DO NOT COPY” 🙃

[@thegreenmercenary]

If LotR had been told from Sauron's perspective, the ending would be one of the greatest twists ever.

[@robertoprimordial2633]

Concordo plenamente

[@Zalied]

people would be so mad at it too, as a writer it would be a super fine line too obvious that the ring was somewhere else and its just waiting for it to happen, not obvious enough and its just an ass pull ending

[@rengsn4655]

"it wasn't just sauron who fell; it was his entire worldview" that captures the depth of this story and why it has a lasting impact across generations

[@lsu1992]

Was Sauron wrong? If Frodo succumbed to the ring at the end, greed won...but no! Gollum intervenes! ...out of GREED. Which is what led to the one ring's destruction. If he was wrong about anything, he underestimated the destructive power of greed, and he basically torpedoed himself.

[@crusader2112]

@@lsu1992 In the book Gollum gets the ring yes and celebrates and he slips but in the lore it stated that Eru Iluvatar intervened and pushed Gollum. So God won.

[@PelinalWhitestrake36]

@@crusader2112 TFW when god himself is like "Oh no you don't!"

[@joe9611]

Beaten by the power of friendship

[@lsu1992]

@crusader2112 Understood...surprised Tolkien went straight "deus ex" like that.

[@jackdavenport3151]

Reckon Sauron’s faith that his enemies wouldn’t destroy the Ring lies in observation, not just power-driven ego. When Isildur cut off the ring from Sauron’s hand, the Last Alliance had the chance there and then to destroy it. The fact that they didn’t - on the slopes of Mt Doom no less - probably reassured Sauron (& led him to think destiny was on his side).

[@SpottedHares]

Let’s not forget that though destroying the ring is the goal the actual plan was to take the ring to the crack of doom(where they knew it could theoretically be destroyed) and just hope something happens and it all works out for them. No one actually floated the idea of destroying the ring it’s power was that great.

[@pharaohsmagician8329]

Yep, maybe the God of that universe really did make that little spot on the ground infront of the plumment a little more slippery ​@@SpottedHares

[@kekero540]

Don’t forget Isildur only knew the ring was powerful. He didn’t know of how corrupting it was. For all he knew it was just a super powerful object the Ring had only ever been in Sauron’s possession at that point.

[@EricMustardman]

@@kekero540 But Isildur must have known what all mortals know: Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[@robnoel9306]

Well, in the end he was correct, they wouldn't destroy it.

[@lmr4403]

Imagine Sauron shouting to the Nazgûl "Fly, you fools!" when Sauron senses Frodo putting on the ring in Mount Doom.

[@scottmccrea1873]

"What the fk are you looking at?!? MOVE GODDAMMIT, MOVE!" for some reason Sauron sounded like Samuel Jackson when I wrote that.

[@brandon101996]

@@scottmccrea1873i laughed too hard lol

[@spinlok3943]

More like “FLY MY PRETTYS! FLY! FLY! AHAHAHAHA!”

[@stevenbrooks5429]

"Pretty fly for a dead guy" by the offspring

[@LordRambo]

Its like poetry, it rhymes!

[@daniell1483]

I can't help but imagine Sauron at the very end when he knows the One Ring is in Mt. Doom. His panic and confusion at seeing his ring moments away from destruction had to have been sweet to behold.

[@lukeroberson2115]

Yep. The book describes his immediate rage at sensing the Ring in Mt. Doom, and then subsequent fear as he realized what was going on.

[@jamieplatt1]

"And far away, as Frodo put on the Ring and claimed it for his own, even in Sammath Naur the very heart of his realm, the Power in Barad-dûr was shaken, and the Tower trembled from its foundations to its proud and bitter crown. The Dark Lord was suddenly aware of him, and his Eye piercing all shadows looked across the plain to the door that he had made; and the magnitude of his own folly was revealed to him in a blinding flash, and all the devices of his enemies were at last laid bare. Then his wrath blazed in consuming flame, but his fear rose like a vast black smoke to choke him. For he knew his deadly peril and the thread upon which his doom now hung."

[@lsu1992]

The animators did a Hell of a job showing SHEER PANIC in the eye as it fell. You can almost see the "Wait wait no no no!"

[@procrastinator9]

The "holy effing shit!" moment of Sauron is delicious in the book. This video does a good job of p.o.v. of the baddie and the last moment recognition of the folly of his investment in the pursuit of powah.

[@Nomihc]

One of my absolute favorite parts of the book is when Frodo puts on the ring in Mount Doom. Tolkien gives us a glimpse of Sauron’s perspective: “And far away, as Frodo put on the Ring and claimed it for his own, even in Sammath Naur the very heart of his realm, the Power in Barad-dur was shaken, and the Tower trembled from its foundations to its proud and bitter crown. The Dark Lord was suddenly aware of him, and his Eye piercing all shadows looked across the plain to the door that he had made; and the magnitude of his own folly was revealed to him in a blinding flash; and all the devices of his enemies were at last laid bare. Then his wrath blazed in consuming flame, but his fear rose like a vast black smoke to choke him. For he knew his deadly peril and the thread upon which his doom now hung.”

[@tvctaswegia497]

Thanks, I could remember the summary but not the exact text. It's a bit long but this would have been great to include in the video at the end.

[@connorscanlan2167]

I'm really surprised Sauron realized what was happening so quickly. I'd have figured he'd think, "Huh, that's funny. If it goes into the fire, it could be destroyed... I wonder what they're doing with the Ring there of all places... ... ... OH SH--"

[@jovetj]

Pretty awesome writing, really. I can really appreciate the greatness of this story.

[@ApocGenesis]

"...wait a second...I'm getting a signal...the Ring is in...SHIIIIITTT!!! SHITSHITSHITSHIT NO YOU FUCKING DON'T OHSHITOHSHITSHITSHIT!!!!!!!!!!"

[@TrueYellowDart]

Robert, one of your chief strengths as a writer/narrator is you have really strong closing lines to your videos. A strong conclusion that sums up the point often in a wonderfully worded way. Well done.

[@YoUtUbEhAnDlEsArEgReAt]

I wish I had that ability. It’s like…

[@katemangos1705]

Yeah, what he said.

[@mboettcher349]

I always assumed it was Caradhras itself since The Misty Mountains were originally raised up by Morgoth to hamper the first journey of the elves. I assumed that the evil he poured into the world would be especially strong in certain places, this mountain range being one. Considering how many bad things happen in the Misty Mountains, it still makes sense to me.

[@PowerMadLabRat]

It was kind of. Saruman and Gandalf both call out to Caradhras, in Sindarin/Quenya

[@rmsgrey]

My interpretation/head canon is that the One Ring itself stirred up Caradhras, prompting it to pay attention and express its ire against the puny creatures daring to attempt a crossing.

[@yomamma.ismydaddy216]

I like that idea, im and if that’s true it would make sense that those mountains would also be more willing to “collaborate” with Sauron and help aid in his desires

[@istari0]

It could be both. Sauron knew of Morgoth's works in the past and would use them to his benefit if he could so he could have reached out and, so-to-speak, egged Caradhras on.

[@mboettcher349]

What a delightful thread. Every idea reasonable, interesting, and polite. First time commenting on this channel. Not used to this level of civility.

[@Mallarkey]

Always thought the films didnt make enough of how Sauron was "helped" to think that Aragorn had The Ring. I know he uses the Palantir to show the Heir of Elendil is found, and the marching on the Black Gate is to keep the Enemy's eye fixed on him and blind to all else, but I had to explain to my kids when they watched it a lot of what Robert says about Sauron never imagining anything other than a powerful lord taking and using the Ring, and that was how he was blindsided.

[@adamthejester9718]

This video is a perfect response to "Why didn't the fellowship just take the eagles to Mordor"; because of the necessary secrecy of the quest.

[@lorentzt.5750]

"if youre new to the channel, welcome" def a pleasantly subtle change & i love the wholesomeness.

[@KulDeeSak]

well i don't.

[@Gongall]

@@KulDeeSak who asked

[@ShortArmOfGod]

@Gongall No one. Same people who asked you.

[@lucy.jba5]

@@KulDeeSakLMAO

[@danrobidoux]

Honestly the video was good enough that I would have subbed regardless, but I did very much appreciate not being badgered to do it.

[@apstrike]

Speaking as a member of a large bureaucratic organization, I find it really remarkable that whoever was running security at the Black Gate kept Gollum for further questioning. 'Oh yeah, mate, you had the boss's ring...?'

[@Mallarkey]

"...sure you did pal. And my warg swallowed a Silmaril. Move along, nut-job."

[@DefinitivNichtSascha]

Gollum had know about Shelob and where she resided, so I reckon he didn't go through the Black Gate but took the pass of Cirith Ungol.

[@gabe2349]

True, but he also looked a hell of a lot like a dude who’d been carrying the ring for a few hundred years

[@moritamikamikara3879]

Shelob is not party to Sauron. They didn't really interact beyond Sauron knowing she was there and tolerating her since her presence benefited him. It's even stated in the book I think that Shelob doesn't give a fuck about the ring, she just wants to eat.

[@RtB68]

I vividly recall reading LoTR and getting to that climactic paragraph "...And far away, as Frodo put on the ring and claimed it for his own the power in Barad Our was shaken to it's very crown...thick black smoke rose to choke him...he knew the peril by which his fate now hung" (yes, going from memory here, but it's been 40 years!). I simply loved the idea that his hubris had lead him to that moment of pure panic and fear...Sauron positively shat himself.

[@rhel373]

To be fair to him... he'd basically won. Like, it's not hubris if you're right lol. And he had absolutely zero reason to believe the ring would be destroyed before that moment.

[@RtB68]

@@rhel373 …yeah, maybe. But I just loved that existential terror he felt. He knew fear before the end.

[@connorscanlan2167]

"Sauron positively shat himself." Ah, Professor Tolkien, you wordsmith.

[@RtB68]

@@connorscanlan2167 to be fair, I did consider “shitted” but I heard the Prof whispering to me “shaaaat”

[@connorscanlan2167]

@@RtB68 It was "absolutely" that was really carrying that sentence. Le mot juste.

[@curtcoeurdelion]

Because of him having just one eye, Sauron‘s perspective was by design always not three-dimensional.

[@kod8933]

I think more realistically it's because two eyeballs would be very silly looking. 👀 🏯

[@VinnyUnion]

​@@kod8933but eight would look suddenly menacingly aesthetical.

[@spacemissing]

Uhhh... Who, exactly, declared Sauron had only one eye? Though Tolkien used the singular term, I doubt he meant it literally. We with two sometimes say things like "I have my eye on you".

[@goncalocorreia8401]

biblically accurate Sauron @@VinnyUnion

[@patriarch7237]

@@spacemissing He doesn't. Only in the films and the David Day bestiaries is Sauron a giant floating eye. Tolkein's intent was that he is a large humanoid sitting in Barad-Dur. The flaming eye is how Frodo perceives Sauron's attention and focus on the ring.

[@jeremywilliams5107]

I've often wondered if Sauron didn't think that the Hobbit carrying the ring had been bumped off in Rivendell so that a superior master could take its place. Seeing the hobbit in Orthanc (as he believed) has a slightly different message if this is the case. Either this means that Saruman has double crossed again and has managed to get himself elected as the one who will wield the ring, which is not good news, or Sauron is just after the hobbits for news of what has become of the Ring. But he never acts as though he thinks Saruman has actually got the ring.

[@Jorlem25]

The hobbit who was originally carrying the Ring dying in Rivendell wouldn't be too far a leap for Sauron to make. After all, that Ringbearer had been stabbed with a Morgul Blade, making said hobbit's survival quite unlikely.

[@robertoprimordial2633]

Compreendo sua visão. Sauron sabia que o anel estava com os Hobbits depois de Esmeagol. Teve ele tanta certeza de que um homem ou mago o teria faz dele um tolo. ​@@Jorlem25

[@antoinemonks4187]

This is exactly how I interpreted the books when I read them, bravo for your summation! Sauron is a brilliantly written character and a testament to how great of a writer Tolkien was that he could convey so much about his main antagonist without ever bringing him into the room.

[@EpicureMammon]

What I really like about your channel and these LotR videos is that you point out differences between the books and Jackson's films without suggesting any superiority among them or that someone who has only seen the movies is somehow "less than." It usually helps make sense of things in the movies that seem inconsistent or inexplicable by filling in the holes with the books. I like how they're presented as a sort of team. Anyway, I just really like your essays!

[@jeremywilliams5107]

After the ring gets to Rivendell, I wonder if Sauron expected that Elrond or Gandalf would take it and become an extremely powerful adversary, capable of wielding the One and the Three? Through Saruman he must have known that Gandalf was a Maia. Gandlaf +Ring = defeat Elrond + Ring = probabl defeat But he is planning for another war of Elves and Men, this time with the Ring on the other side - but he seems to be making the assumption that whoever the ring bearer was would not have the time to master it and he tries to precipitate things. Under those circumstances it would make sense to conduct an infantry War to try and make sure that at the last he would face the ring bearer and no army at all, rendering them vulnerable. I wonder if it was an existential surprise to him to find that he was up against not Elrond, nor Gandalf, but the descendant of Elendil with the same sword (and the Ring)? That's not quite as powerful as Gandalf with the ring, but it does have a subsidiary message of "the Fates are against you, boyo!"

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

There's also a fan novel called The Last Ringbearer which explores the idea of Sauron being the good guy.

[@scottmccrea1873]

Excellent video. I imagine Sauron in Barad-dúr watching the Army of the West matching into his jaws. He must've exulted. "At last! Victory is mine!" Since he had a body, he must've felt a shudder in his bones when Frodo put on the Ring. "Oh shiiiiiiiiiiit!"

[@rhel373]

Yeah, basically everything is going to plan, even losing at Minas Tirith is a minor setback at worst, he can just do it again. He knows it. The enemy knows it. He's won. And then it's all gone just like that.

[@annecarter5181]

So many details are highlighted. No matter how many times I’ve read these books, the story comes alive when Robert pulls it all together!!

[@BGSenTineL]

When I see In Deep Geek or Nerd Of The Rings upload a big smile appears on my face. My 2 favorite channels !

[@jonashammond498]

Check out Darth Gandalf, if you like those two, I think you’ll like him too

[@BGSenTineL]

@@jonashammond498 Just checked it out and it is a great channel. Immediately subbed ! Thank you

[@BGSenTineL]

@@jonashammond498 I checked the channel and it is great. Immediately subbed. Thank you for your recommendation.

[@brunofreitas9314]

Pitty that Nerd sold is soul to the dark forces, and was seduced by the gifts of the dark lord Jeff B.

[@paulprovenzano3755]

Check out ‘Men Of The West.”

[@sebastianschulz1950]

I really love the vivid way you talk about this. It could have just been a dry description but you add so much flavor and emotion - it is glorious.

[@MiljaHahto]

And yet not overly vivid, which would be exhausting.

[@nastropc]

When the Nazgûl arrived back in Mordor, soggy and empty handed, Sauron should have seriously reassessed his organisation’s personnel structure, not levelled-up their company rides.

[@pavelslama5543]

Well, they were OK, just a bit too slow and prone to damage by flooding. He solved both of those issues.

[@vineveer4358]

You never want to de-fund your security team because there's a security problem.

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

Goes to show what great bosses Sauron and Saruman really were. When his subordinates were bested by circumstances outside their control, he saw to it that they were more adequately equipped instead of blaming them and laying half of them off. Saruman didn’t take his underling orc foreman’s laments of their industrial incapacity for increased production as a slight on his own authority or as petty complaining; instead, he found a solution to their lack of furnace fuel in the forests of Fangorn. He ordered his foreman to cut them all down, empowering his workers with the resources that they had so eagerly needed and yearned for. No wonder so many wanted to work for these guys!

[@amyelnah8717]

@@jefffinkbonner9551 honestly, that fits with Sauron's ideal of trying to "improve" a world the Valar, in his mind, had abandoned. While he was a completely evil and tyrannical overlord, there REALLY is no point to destroy or harm what can still be of use to you.

[@frankphillips7436]

This is why corporate CEO’s need to rely on an HR department! One being cannot properly oversee everything and everyone, regardless of having an unsleeping eye!

[@anlumo1]

That's a pretty impressive behind-the-scenes concept for a battle plan spanning thousands of years for a language professor...

[@spicekai4486]

I'd say so

[@undercoverduck]

Can I just say that I really love the green banner in the top right corner of the thumbnails? It's instantly recognizeable in long playlists and gives the thumbnails a nice visual consistency

[@Havok259]

Agreed.

[@thoranderson9958]

Damn, pretty deep interpretation. Well done.

[@chrisstrovel]

Love it when you re-issue a show. My original version is still Mint-In-Box, and will skyrocket in value. ;)

[@honpolyo]

He might be 3'6" but that sythe charging through the corn was scarier than anything else.

[@shiddy.]

these 'other perspective' videos are excellent

[@billybubba8344]

This is one of your best videos, imo. And that is saying alot. The ending gave me chills. Thank you.

[@nick0875]

Sauron: Hacks! I call hacks! I am the great deceiver, you could not have deceived me! My plan was perfect!

[@eveywrens]

Worth watching Sauron's Perspective again.

[@ArchetypeGotoh]

13:02, “Woses” instead of “Huorns” made me smile

[@GamesbiteRtDL]

From all the villains I know, Sauron fell the deepest, literally and figuratively

[@antonvarhenmaa9462]

You are too good at narrating and your Voice and info is so interesting I struggle sleeping 🤙

[@Mallarkey]

British, ya see.😊

[@antonvarhenmaa9462]

@@Mallarkey love the brits:)

[@indalieco4599]

Love your videos mate. One listening can get a real glimpse into the love and passion you have for these fantasy worlds. I thank you for always delivering a goal with these.

[@CybershamanX]

I especially liked this one. Thank you for diving in. 😀☮️

[@DKC1011]

What an unbelievably good video, it answered so many questions I had even since I was a child regarding why Sauron did the things he did This video is so important to the tapestry especially when one only watches the films to explain things. Well done, truly.

[@rickythe2nd63]

You've done a masterful job as always!

[@strisselstudios3932]

This is my favorite of your videos. Thank you for updating it!

[@Randomcorpse]

Wonderful video and commentary. Though, I thought with the mentioning of Unfinished Tales, there'd be mention of the freshly dispatched (by water) Ringwraiths arriving at the gates of Orthanc. One of my favourite scenes. Saruamn putting his voice on the gates and telling the Nine that if he had the ring they would be calling him Master. Then a wonderful moment where they, while invisible, accost Wormtongue on his way from Edoras. Questioning and terrorising him. Unfinished Tales has a few wonderful 'deleted scenes' from the books,

[@LoveMusic-123]

I really loved this video. The editing, writing and narration were all excellent. Great job! ❤️

[@Neero_90]

the artwork used in this is amazing

[@PaulTheadra]

I teared up at the end, solid story telling

[@5764rich]

Sauron just wants lots of friends and to give everyone big hugs

[@Greg29]

and rings

[@5764rich]

@@Greg29”rings of friendship”

[@c.antoniojohnson7114]

Annatar Lord of Gifts,of course he really wanted to be generous.

[@kenofken9458]

He only ever wanted to dance the ballet, but his da called him a sissy and hit him with a piece of chain to "make a man out of him"!

[@hivesteel]

Thanks for all your hard work Robert, I’ve been enjoying your channel immensely as of late. Cheers.

[@chuckinshanks]

I love finding active channels like this!

[@jamieparry6420]

Some much needed Sauron apologia.

[@TheAmericanPrometheus]

Sauron did nothing wrong!!1!

[@ThommyofThenn]

Great word

[@jonathanyaloussa]

​@@TheAmericanPrometheus Is this your Tookish side talking?

[@paulbigbee]

You try to bring some order and industry to Peoples and this is how they repay your labor and generosity.

[@ThommyofThenn]

@@paulbigbee so Sauron basically colonial /imperialistic UK?

[@MrJinxmaster1]

Forget sending the nazgul a day earlier, one missed frodo's departure from bag end by a matter of moments and even if frodo had escaped such an encounter the nazgul would likely have been able to track him down far quicker than they did. Likely cutting the hobbits off before they reached the ferry or perhaps even the farmhouse.

[@samuel5591]

That was a beautifully presented, interesting analysis. Some of that artwork was amazing.

[@tahirsanli]

Very insightful indeed. Many thanks for this!

[@kevinelsken4275]

Great stuff. So well presented. Thanks.

[@OmNeOmega]

Well, the ring does possess people and changes their thinking. Its not like he couldn't comprehend someone planning on destroying it, he thought the ring would do its job and corrupt them. They then would want to use it.

[@djny25]

What a sharp and wonderful analysis. Bravo.

[@lknanml]

I think WOW about covers it........ Nicely done!

[@johnmorris1009]

It's interesting that despite the fact that good and evil are strongly defined in Tolkien's work, the powers of Evil were still ultimately corrupted powers, who had once been good. The likes of Sauron and Morgoth did not see themselves as being evil or necessarilg doing evil things. They believed they were right and acting in a reasonable way against their foes. It's a form of evil that resonates with real life evil that we see in today's world, and is far from being just a classical and unrealistic representation of "Biblical style Evil."

[@gerardskippon3099]

Thank you Robert, showing a new angle in this Epic which is always a good thing. Fascinating Cheers.

[@NowUndefined]

I love these videos, thank you

[@lunzie01]

I love your analyses of LOTR.

[@macwade2755]

Great video In Deep Geek!

[@owen4535]

This is an incredible video, nice one

[@AgonKLetsPlay]

I love listening to your videos while I work

[@jaykaramales3087]

As always,, Robert, your insights and analyses are very fulfilling.

[@ThatBernie]

Really interesting character study, the broader point about Sauron simply failing to understand that not everybody wants to take power for themselves is very perceptive, and definitely lines up with the cynical worldview that you typically find espoused by dictators and their lackeys around the world.

[@DsignMediaUK]

I really enjoyed this, thank you!

[@WrinkleRelease]

I frickin love this channel!

[@wolfen8622]

Love all your content! I always wondered what would happen if Sauron would get the ring back… Keep it up! 🤍

[@madcow3k]

Well done. Thank you.

[@linkzy2507]

Watching your videos for a while.. like the new intro! Keep up the work bro!

[@DavidCodyPeppers.]

I truly enjoyed your essay. 🕊️

[@Donathon-qx8kq]

You do know IDG. Your channel is incredible

[@boat1280]

Super interesting idea for a video actually. Love it

[@gabrielinague3026]

Question: If Sauron had a physical form by when the ring was destroyed, where exactly was him? Maybe inside Barad-dûr? I wish we all could've seen his final moments of despair.

[@jasonwarren9279]

Bravo! This is by far your best video.

[@KGTiberius]

❓ Why would Sauron be more powerful? He was Maiar (just like the wizards). Sauron’s power is seeking power itself (domination and control). Wizards are of the Istari order of Maiar (limited from using their full powers in middle earth). Was Sauron simply not limited by Eru Ilúvatar? 🔹 Eru Ilúvatar made the Valar. Valar made Maiar. Both Valar and Maiar are Ainur (magical/divine beings of Eru, simply greater and lesser power). 🔹 or was it that Sauron was never limited to a mortal form (such as the wizards)? I understand it that the wizards were sent in mortal form to limit their powers, and only allowed to hold as much power as the mortal form could possess, limited to only thier assignments and indirect power to influence/inspire. Thus, when Gandalf the Grey died, he was sent back in a new physical form (with more memory/experience) with the same mission/assignment. Using the remembered experiences, was able to take the Gandalf the White form that held reinvigorated purpose and (using the memories) held more/different powers. (As white, he also still retained Narya ring.) 🔹 Sauron was not encased in a moral form, thus was Sauron unlimited in power? What was Sauron’s assignment? What was his role in creation? 🔹 other Maiar were: Balrog, Melian, Aiwendil, Ossë and Uinen, Eönwë… (was Manwë ever on middle earth?). Were these Maiar limited in a physical form?

[@istari0]

Ilúvatar created both the Valar and the Maiar. None of them had their power limited when they entered Arda. Every Maia is an individual and as such has different abilities; some are stronger than others. While Tolkien never does anything like assign power rankings, you can get a decent idea of the overall power of some of them from the text. Sauron was one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, of the Maia. He was more powerful than any of the Maia who later became known as the Istari. When the Istari went to Middle-Earth, it was the Valar who limited their power and had them take the form of old men. After Gandalf the Grey fell in the fight against Durin's Bane, it was Ilúvatar who brought him back, restored much (possibly all) of his native power) and sent him back as Gandalf the White.

[@KGTiberius]

@@istari0 Of the Maiar, The Eight (Aratar) were the most powerful with Menwë as leader. The concept of Sauron not being limited to a mortal physical form comes from The Silmarillion and LOTR. Sauron possessed the ability to change forms (unlike the Ishtar order of the Maiar who were constrained by their physical forms as wizards). I’m not sure about the other Maiar I mentioned, thus an open question if they (like the Balrog) WERE the physical forms (or were they more like Sauron and able to take shape as they could).? Okay… about different Ainur creations with different powers/capabilities… I can appreciate that, just wasn’t certain. They could all be equals as Maiar, just with different focus/passions. Sauron apprenticed to Aulë, then to Melkor(aka:Morgoth). And those passions get to rebellion (Melkor and Sauron). Melkor was judged by the Valar and sentenced to The Void. No mention of why Sauron was able to remain… other than that his One Ring likely preserved him as an anchor to Eä (the non-void (actual universe)). Still… was Sauron judged by the Valar? With destruction of the One Ring, was Sauron finally fully banished to The Void?

[@ProxxRoxx]

Thank you for all this awesome Content! 👍

[@WhoIsCalli]

Great vid Robert, thanks for

[@MVNG0]

Masterwork of a video. Thank you for sharing!

[@Neero_90]

10:20 thats such a cool part of the story

[@IBVevo]

Great video, as always.

[@jonathangagne_tenor]

Lovely video! Thank you.

[@jonathanakehurst4489]

A very inspiring conclusion. 🙏🏼

[@JoeK1974]

This was great!

[@thecrispymaster]

The other useful thing about Gollum for Sauron's purposes is that while he would strive and seek to capture the Ring for himself, he has never shown much interest in wielding it as a weapon in the same way as many of the human, elven or other Maiar characters might. While Gollum has used the ring, its almost always been for survival puposes. He was quite content in his relatively humble life in a cave killing fish and the odd goblin. So Gollum was someone he could trust to seek the Ring without worrying that he might try to wield it against him.

[@rafaelgustavo7786]

In addition to being a great reformer who would bring law and order in a scenario of cultural decay after the War of Wrath, I think Sauron saw himself as a Promethean figure who would lift Humanity out of cultural prehistory and technological ignorance: The Silmarillion says that the men of the East and South built cities of stone and had access to metallurgical knowledge. And bringing economic benefits: he proved himself a good economist in Númenor by multiplying the Island's wealth. Furthermore, he had to see himself as a deity of a great world unification: a single theocratic government, a technocratic political-economic system and a religious reformer to bring true belief through dogmatic ideas. This religious engineering reminds me (in some ways) of Gnosticism: a liberating god (Melkor) to rid rational beings of "Archons" (Valar) from a "Demiurgic monster" (Eru) who imprisoned everyone in a world of war and death. Interesting that Sauron spoke this of Melkor in the Second Age, but later he claimed to be Melkor in the Third Age.

[@thedeadman8361]

The perfect watch while I eat my lunch!

[@DJSockmonkeyMusic]

Spot on, man. Great video.

[@Epic_BostonMobTales]

Very good video my guy!!

[@MiljaHahto]

An excellent analysis!

[@flawedperspective]

I get the feeling Sauron (or one of his lieutenants) is back in the 7th age, producing reality TV shows.

[@AW_DIY_garage]

This was a great video. Thank you

[@garycarter6773]

Excellent!! Thank you!! ❤❤❤❤

[@landmimes]

Something missing (though you've likely covered it in a previous video) is Sauron's perspective overall in relation to his motivations and why he wanted to do what he did (re Morgoth)

[@user-sd7ri9fy4i]

Nice work dude thanks

[@darrengallagher1134]

Great video. Thank you so much. Cheers from Australia