Is the One Ring Sentient?

[@mellowboba9298]

Ring- “I must return to my master!” Bilbo- “ i’m gonna wear you and screw with the neighbors.” Ring-“…… actually that sounds pretty fun.”

[@thegamingsociety4440]

😂😂😂

[@CanadaBoardGame]

Ring: Once this hobbit is of no more use to me, I'll just slip off his finger. Bilbo: Puts the Ring on a chain.

[@MisterOcclusion]

😂😂

[@Skibbityboo0580]

@@CanadaBoardGame Ring: F'n Hobbits, man!

[@duewhat9815]

Well if you think about it, it left it's other owners for the reason that it was strategically advantageous to do so, with bilbo sure he remained in the shire but unlike Gollum bilbo remained social and the potential that the ring may continue on it's own quest still existed where'as with Gollum there was no perspective advancement of it's quest. On top of that it also left Gollum strategically, it left when it knew Bilbo would find it ensuring that it would never be in the position where someone coming across it was pure happenstance like when Deagol found it.

[@ВладимирХарченко-з2т]

Imagine One Ring making its way from Misty Mountains to Mordor by continuously expanding and shrinking, crawling like a very determined little worm. 😊

[@zlosliwa_menda]

I'd imagine its strategy would have been to drop itself from some height, hoping to finally land sideways. Then it could start rolling by continuously shifting its weight. I'm pretty sure the second law of thermodynamics is broken somewhere along the way.

[@philkugler2429]

The little ring that could

[@chrstfer2452]

​@@zlosliwa_menda there wouldnt be a second law in a world of magic, it would be a second suggestion

[@daniels7907]

How would it know where Mordor was or how to get there? Even Sauron wasn't there throughout the entire Third Age. He spent considerable time in the East and hiding out in Mirkwood as the Necromancer. Even if the Ring had a Locate Sauron feature, which it didn't appear to, the poor thing would have been crawling along for millennia, blind, deaf, and dumb, eventually to end up in the Anduin.

[@richardwallis9374]

I think you’ve unlocked a new strategy…

[@exharkhun5605]

I've always thought of it's "behavior" as that a cheap Roomba with a Sauron compass. It prefers to move towards Sauron and if it bumps into anything it'll rely on random chance to get moving again.

[@brodok4252]

I was wondering why Sauron didn't make the ring to remain a fixed size, but then I remembered that he used to shape change pretty freely.

[@daniels7907]

Exactly! When he made it he often wore a fair form as an Elf. The whole armoured Dark Lord thing didn't come until after the Fall or Numenor.

[@bbgun061]

He had to fit it over the knuckles of his gauntlets somehow...

[@nupersu6307]

Turing test for the One Ring

[@lmr4403]

Tu1ring test.

[@Jeff-tt7wj]

@@lmr4403👏🏻🎉 very, very good sir.

[@itsacityofapes]

6307, you win the internet prize of the day for that comment.

[@zenopoli8376]

@@stan-lamb oh yes, the Turambar machine, able so solve runic calculations... it reminds me of the Bohren's principle of indetermination

[@daniels7907]

Can't be performed if the Ring can't communicate.

[@Shiftdougler]

“Into it he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life”

[@JamesPerkins]

@@Shiftdougler This was one of Tolkien's classic lines. It is succinct yet so immense, relevant, and charged with emotion and mystery.

[@exharkhun5605]

I used to know a bartender like that in Amsterdam.

[@kaiserjoe2316]

@@exharkhun5605 A bakehouse worker in my world. Failed chef methinks.

[@exharkhun5605]

@@kaiserjoe2316 Horrible. Though the overweening pride, self-aggrandizement, bitterness and nihilism in a failed chef remind me more of Morgoth himself.

[@roystem]

Does that mean he would have been really friendly and laid back when the ring was off?

[@mattmccartney5996]

Hate is a burning thing. And it makes a fiery ring. Bound by wild desire. I forged that ring of fire.

[@BITSANDBYTES927]

Sauron cash

[@mortimerbrewster8575]

@@BITSANDBYTES927the man in black eh?

[@ObiwanNekody]

Heh. This is great.

[@bottwaandcalover]

Don't talk to me about the ring of fire. I had taco bell last night...

[@BITSANDBYTES927]

@@mortimerbrewster8575 the ring of fire

[@inquisitorgarza312]

The One Ring sure does feels like an entity of its very own.

[@tempestwolf067]

Of Course. The Ring Is Sauron. He Is Not a body. He Does Not wait In Mordor. He Is Not the Wraith Who wore the Ring and Started a War. He Is Not the Reason For the hordes of orcs Or Why Saruman Chose Another War. Sauron Is The Ring. The Ring Is a Promise. That Is All He Left.

[@sandhilltucker]

It's essentially a Horcrux

[@Not_Ciel]

@@sandhilltucker But a Horcrux that can influence events ever so slightly in it's favor. Tom Riddle would be intrigued.

[@toby6638]

Video idea: Why did Bilbo never marry? You'd think returning with all his treasure and heroic stories would make him the most eligible bachelor in the shire, and it would seem the obvious choice to have made Frodo his son rather than nephew. Was he keeping himself unattached in the hope of more adventures? Was he shunned as a trouble maker who might whisk his wife away to fight trolls and dragons? Did the ring's influence lead him to a more reclusive life style as it had with Gollum? I'd love to hear if there are any references to this I've missed or letters about it.

[@CKN215]

My guess is the Rings’ influence, because also why didn’t Frodo? Sam did because he liked Rose before he briefly had the ring.

[@CKN215]

My guess is the Rings’ influence, because also why didn’t Frodo? Sam did because he liked Rose before he briefly had the ring.

[@chronoscat3371]

Maybe he just wasn't interested in romance/marriage/etc. Not everyone is.

[@toby6638]

@@chronoscat3371 This does seem like the most likely answer. But also the least interesting to speculate on.

[@jtbDDOepMNNVIpk]

I’m really enjoying these videos. They are like little LOTR snacks. 😋

[@highlandoutsider]

"But what about 2nd video?😮" 😅

[@stevegignac]

I love you taking a moment to correctly say the ring isn’t a macguffin just to help a few more people learn how misused that term is.

[@TriggerJim88]

This is really interesting. I never thought of putting the ring on a chain as 'outsmarting' it, but it makes sense.

[@BalonKai]

I don't think that had any effect on the thr ring influencing it affecting Frodo myself

[@Not_Ciel]

Literally putting the dog on a leash lol

[@cesargonzalez4146]

It was already tempting and influencing Frodo, debilitating his mind and body, creating friction between Frodo and Sam, offering power and domination. The ring is pretty much a character in itself, he may not have dialogue, or a traditional arc, but according to how long the story progresses its tactics and influence grow. I think that the failure of Frodo is the main evidence of the arc of the ring, at that moment Frodo was utterly defeated, no power on Arda would have make him destroy the ring, and only the ring itself would have the option to leave Frodo's side when his utility was up.

[@micklumsden3956]

@@cesargonzalez4146 very well put.

[@DavidRutten]

If Sauron poured his malice (or at least a large chunk of it) into the ring, does that mean he was less malicious when divorced from it?

[@DrLicuid]

Perhaps in comparision to his second age menacing domination strength. Still without mercy, still full of desire to hold, but the vessel became smaller and could envelop either less under the shadow, or the cloak of willpower was thinner. Went from a whole tanker of malice to a full barrel of hate.

[@blipbloups1466]

He may be an undefatigable source of malice, much like humans are sort of an unending manufacture of emotions. Maybe he just recovered it with time, just the way he did his strength (sort of).

[@kezia8027]

@@blipbloups1466 That's certainly the impression I got. Sauron used up a huge portion of his energy in creating this, and then recovered over 3000 years to (presumably) a similar level that he was at before. Only now his form was limited.

[@jeread5193]

Na he just emptied his malice bladder

[@sr71silver]

@@kezia8027 just to point out that his form being limited has no connection to the ring. That was a punishment placed on him for the corruption of Númenor.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

The power of the ring is a curious thing Makes one man meek, makes another man king Change to hate from a want to love More than a feeling, that's the power of the ring

[@differous01]

The power of the Ring is Power itself. Meek are those who reject that thing, be they man, wizard or elf.

[@esquilax5563]

Don't take mithril, don't take chains Don't need no goblin's bane to ride this train

[@hunterhatfield7157]

It made Gollum sneaky and cruel sometimes But he might just save your life. That's the power of the ring!

[@flamencoprof]

I see what what you did there, Huey. 🙂

[@NoFormalTraining]

"Valk, are you telling me you made a cover song, out of the One Ring - To Rule Them All?"

[@dromankass8655]

Despite the chain Frodo had the Ring on, it still managed to come off his neck while they were crossing the Misty Mts, to be picked up by Boromir, so it still seemed quite determined to get free and seek out those most susceptible to it's influence.

[@dandiehm8414]

Thats only in the movies - made up by Peter Jackson. It never happened in the books.

[@bulletsquier]

​@dandiehm8414 but the ring did manage to get off of frodo's neck. It was worn by sam for a brief.

[@dandiehm8414]

@@bulletsquier But Sam loving removed it. It was the doings of a selfless hero, not the Ring's betrayal of its owner.

[@CanadaBoardGame]

@@dandiehm8414 The Ring did, however, use that opportunity to reveal itself by tempting Sam.

[@AmericanWolf40]

I wonder if the ring felt a sense of "Oh shit" like panic when Frodo was holding it over the lava flow within Mt. Doom.

[@andres983265]

It was seriously working double time to corrupt and change his mind in those last seconds before he was going to drop it into the lava, lol 😆

[@asmooshi9752]

Yup thats why frodo is fully corrupted right there

[@Not_Ciel]

@@andres983265 "If he drops me into this lava, what's left of my soul is going to be SO pissed!" -The One Ring probably

[@347Jimmy]

Regarding the Ring's awareness of its surroundings: It certainly seems to be telepathic/telempathic. My impression is that having no eyes or other sensory organs, awareness of the environment would come through others. The Ring can't see, but it can feel through whomever is around (particularly the Bearer). If this is the case, the time spent at the bottom of the river would have been a vague darkness, with occasional senses of fish swimming past. It's certainly interesting to think "what was the Ring's perspective of this scene?"

[@Daniel-rd6st]

The ring probably mostly exists in the spirit world, which is why it blazes like a wheel of flame to those who have the ability to sense that world, like the Nazgul for example (and i suppose thats how Glorfindel found the party). And its the place it transports someone to, when making him "invisible". Thus, it can probably perceive the spirit/souls of people/animals nearby. And it is telepathic of course, though with limited range, otherwise it could have just called Sauron from a distance.

[@fungeneer]

I'm now imagining the ring beginning to corrupt some fish that swam too close to it for too long. Some asshole trout was out there just being a schizo dbag to the other fish outta nowhere, maybe flashing a little monstrous fishy face.

[@bman5988]

That’s it, we need a “LOTR From the Ring’s Perspective” video!

[@347Jimmy]

@@bman5988 that would be great, but I'm still waiting on "LotR from the Hungry Ork's perspective" video When did he realise that there wasn't any meat, and when did he notice that Merrin Pippin look fresh and tasty?

[@VOID_WARRANTY]

@@fungeneer That's how the ring got closer to Deagol 😋

[@Jefafa824]

I like to think of The Ring as the same idea that a Horcrux comes from. I kinda think that part of Sauron’s soul was placed into The Ring which is why it constantly wants to go back to him and why he is less powerful without it.

[@evekurocieru]

It's just like JkR is a hack who copied so much from Lotr...

[@CanadaBoardGame]

Thanks for these videos, Robert. This one just showed me more Catholic imagery: The Ring being a metaphor for us investing too much of our lives on the material things of this world.

[@wescobb8071]

The artwork at 6:45 is amazing - one of my favorite scenes in the book and one I’ve never seen illustrated before.

[@GeorgeLucas1138]

This channel is the girl I tell my wife not to worry about

[@StolenTheif]

Idk why but I never realized that gollum crawling into the mountains and hiding away was the one ring hiding itself

[@GregMcGregsen]

you open youtube, you see a thumbnail with a green corner, you start the video and after a few seconds you hear the words "hi everyone this is Robert welcome to indeep geek on this channel we cover tolken legendarium in full as well as other great fantasy worlds Like A Song of Ice and Fire And The Witcher, welcome" life is good.

[@jmcooney2000]

go to bed ;)

[@GregMcGregsen]

@@jmcooney2000 I did :)

[@bennynutts16]

i wish the ring was a character and in the movies it had the voice of Audrey 2 from little shop of horrors "FEED ME FRODO"

[@ahtaimo]

I will never forget this image!

[@roderickfemm8799]

I like to think that the ring was, in effect, fooled by the trajectory of its travels after leaving Rivendell, and didn't per se fight Frodo from taking it closer and closer to Sauron. Like Sauron himself, the ring wouldn't be able to "believe" that anyone would want to destroy it. Stuff happened outside the ring's power to affect, such as Shelob's attack; and Gollum's lust for it was left over from earlier in his life and was not particularly useful to Sauron's or the ring's desire for reunification. This idea is just a small bit of delicious irony that I like to consider.

[@gildedbear5355]

I was thinking along similar lines. The ring probably wouldn't try all that hard to escape Frodo simply because Frodo was going in the direction that the ring wanted to go. Though it probably would have preferred to be in the hands of the orcs of moria instead of a Hobbit 😄

[@kwest9747]

Fittingly the ring doesn’t have a character arc, rather a closed character loop (or ring!) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Deagol) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Smeagol) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Bilbo) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Frodo) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Sam) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Frodo again) “ but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a hobbit” (Gollum again) Fin

[@greeb666]

I've always thought that JK Rowling got the idea for Horcruxes from the Lord of the Rings. If you think about it, Sauron put most of his soul into it, and when it was destroyed, it ended him. It also was semi sentient just like the Horcruxes.

[@BalooSJ]

Horcruxes seem more like a lich's phylactery (Soul Cage these days) in D&D than the Ring. They preserve Voldemort's life force, such as it is, but I do not believe they increase his power as such.

[@dandiehm8414]

@@BalooSJ The Ring never increased Sauron's power. He had exactly the same power after he created The One Ring than he had before he created The One Ring.

[@andres983265]

@@dandiehm8414 That’s not exactly true, the one ring allowed Sauron to project his power of will and dominance over the other bears of rings of power. Which was the whole point of forging, the one ring in the first place. It may not have necessarily gave him a power boost, but it allowed him to extend his power to, and over, the people he originally planned to try and dominate.

[@Dogod2]

Voldemort wasn't killed by the horcruxes being destroyed - in fact he didn't even notice. He only found out anything was wrong when the report came in that the cup was stolen, and then he went and looked for all the other horcruxes.

[@hoodatdondar2664]

@@dandiehm8414 What does that get him?

[@GeroniMomartinezMG]

Thinking of lotr as one very extensive escort quest where your escort wants to corrupt you is quite a new way to think of it lol

[@omarbinno4390]

LOL @ "mythological rabbit hole." Great topic.

[@ClockMonsterLA]

It could be said that the One Ring was imbued with a kind of magic that worked much like a (very complex) software algorithm would today. Modern "smart" weapons can be programmed to exhibit all kinds of useful behaviors, but missiles and bombs are not sentient. Even when they are (eventually) given fully autonomous functionality, they still won't be sentient. The One Ring was simply doing what it was (magically) "programmed" to do, including changing size and other subtle physical qualities; a product of its magical hardware design, if you will.

[@andres983265]

So, you’re saying that it’s more like a machine programmed to accomplish one goal by using all of the “magical“ tools at its disposal to try and do so? In a sense, capable and functional, but not sentient.

[@BrettCaton]

I noted it doesn't seem to shrink to stop people who it regarded as bad masters. It has a limited intelligence at best, but feelings and emotions, so perhaps a reptile or similar.

[@7yep4336dfgvvh]

​@@andres983265 yes. And sauron was a software and hardware engineer

[@narkfly]

Why would the ring turn down an opportunity to dominate the will of any new bearer? If it is an extension of Sauron's own will to dominate, and Sauron seeks to dominate all of Middle Earth - the corrupting power of the ring having the ability to corrupt and dominate anyone and everyone (with the exception of Tom Bombadil) seems to suggest it wouldn't turn down any opportunity. Moreover: if a potential bearer has the wherewithal to know what a bad idea taking and wearing the ring would be, it would mean the ring would be in very capable and powerful hands - and therefore would result in the corruption of a great adversary, thus also ultimately leading to the subjugation and domination of a great deal of the Free Peoples of Middle Earth. All of that is a win for the motivations of the One Ring. Also, once the new bearer becomes completely corrupted by the ring, they will in all likelihood eventually bow to the will of Sauron himself - and return the ring to its master. After Sauron saw Aragorn in the Orthanc, he thought Aragorn was bringing the ring straight to him in the form of a direct confrontation - as Aragorn would have been compelled by the ring to do, if he had it. Similarly, Saruman was corrupted by the allure of the ring alone, having never even possessed it himself - and ultimately became Sauron's minion. If the ring could not dominate the will of its bearer for them to return it to him, the ring would betray its bearer, causing them to be ended by its next potential victim. Anyone capable enough to overpower a ring bearer would have a greater will to dominate, and thus be a better fit to be corrupted by the ring. All of these are favorable outcomes for the ring. All roads lead back to daddy Sauron. Frodo makes it all the way to Mount Doom, his ultimate objective, and is turned by the ring at the last moment. Without fateful intervention, it would have been in the heart of the Dark Lord, right where it wanted to be.

[@Loreweavver]

Having agendas does not make an inanimate object sentient. You hear that, Al?

[@andres983265]

Oh, it hears you all right, it’s always listening, lol

[@hoodatdondar2664]

**{{ yes }}**

[@aegorbittersteel2154]

Amazing video choice.

[@kevinstillman974]

The One Ring is aware enough of its bearer to present each a unique temptation to each - particularly the garden world it showed to Sam. But, being a part of Sauron it could not comprehend anyone’s greatest desire would not center on welding power, and enforcing one’s own idea of order onto others.

[@Art-is-craft]

The ring has no awareness.

[@hoodatdondar2664]

Good thought. It just offers power to all. Maybe not as a conscious choice, it’s just programmed that way. Cause the programmer thinks that way.

[@TheNicopy]

Amazing narrative. Amazed by the Blue Singing Shards reference

[@wolfyboy]

I always thought it was in a way controlled by sauron, as a preprogrammed machine. Like a drone, "return to signal source". It behaves like it is sentient, but is actually just preprogrammed to SEEM sentient.

[@short11000]

Thank you. You make these so exciting to listen to you.🤗😊👍

[@ScythosMusic]

My brother once called it a stringless puppet and I generally like that take

[@OublietteTight]

Another excellent break down. Thank you. 😊

[@johns1625]

Gurthang, formerly known as Anglachel, is 100% for sure sentient. It feels grief and knows justice and remembers past events.

[@ultramaximusreviews]

I always presumed since it was part of Sauron it was trying to reconnect to complete itself.

[@dotdotlar]

I never thought to wonder before this video -- why didn't Elrond sense the ring when Bilbo & Gandalf passed through Rivendell on the way back from the Lonely Mountain...

[@dandiehm8414]

Why would he be able to sense The One Ring? He wasn't a Nazgul.

[@Art-is-craft]

The rings design may have been of pure deceit.

[@luxdalet]

Always a delight to watch your Middle Earth videos! Fantastic work!

[@mokeish]

Yes but only the powerful can hear it's external voice. Sam heard it, it mainly operates on it's internal force or drives without need of direct communication.

[@nthgth]

- will pursue its goal any way it can - cold, calculating, unfeeling - questionably (but technically not) sentient - existential threat to the world as we know it - Can't be reasoned with - Doesn't feel pity, remorse, or fear - absolutely will not stop - only defeatable by falling into molten pool Bruh, the One Ring is a Terminator

[@Levacque]

Oh, when you put it that way, Saurin definitely seems like either inspiration for liches and phylacteries, or a major part of the continuing narrative of such things.

[@jeffhallam2004]

Tolkien creating the One Ring as a character was brilliant!

[@kwest9747]

Ronald Ring was always my favourite middle earth character. Ron Ring to his friends.

[@michaelkhalfin690]

While I agree with you about the ring essentially being unchanging and having only one motivation, I disagree about the extent of its capacities to act upon the world. In the story, we also have numerous examples of the ring being able to become heavier and more difficult to bear as Frodo neared mount doom. More importantly, the ring was able to extensively manipulate the thoughts and motivations of its bearers in order to try and make them serve its purposes better, not only in the sense of not abundoning it, but also by turning their hearts to evil. These things imply to me an even greater level of awareness than what is described in the video.

[@nigeldumas434]

In the films it really does chant dark speech at times.

[@ShadeMeadows]

It's basically Sauron's will. It's not connected to the original Sauron, but it is Sauron. The part of 'im in the ring wants to become whole.

[@davidseligman6445]

The ring was equivalent probably to 60 pounds around a human neck on that chain by the time he was close to Mt. Doom. The chain had cut down into his body as he wore it. So I wouldn't say easy to outsmart it with a Chain..... but it is your video. Good job. Liked it

[@andres983265]

Well, outsmarted it in a sense that the ring could no longer use one of the magical tools in its arsenal. Although it still had the whole changing weight thing, and borrowing into the mind of its wearer.

[@zoranvucenovic3824]

Interesting, Frodo did say, "...the ring is getting heavy." It may be the ring cannot change it's density, but it can play tricks on the mind to make it "feel" heavy...

[@hoodatdondar2664]

@@zoranvucenovic3824 yes, I thought it was a mind effect.

[@giggityguy]

The creators of the Jackson trilogy did set out to make the Ring more of a character, attributing a lot of thought and intention to it. As a filmmaking concept I think it makes a lot of sense, but it's important to remember that that is just one interpretation among many.

[@Raggmopp-xl7yf]

Well, it "whispered" to whoever had it, right?!!

[@RobCastleton]

I've always thought of the ring as an extension of Sauron's character. It's the active aspect of his character that we see most throughout the story.

[@qashmonie]

I wouldn’t grace it with sentience but “the ring has a will of it’s own”

[@mxc0bbn]

Robert, one of the things you said made me remember something you didn't mention in this video. To paraphrase, you said that the ring acts to return to its master "within its physical and magical limitations". One of those being changing size to stay on or fall off the finger of its wearer. You also noted that Frodo thwarted it by simply putting it on a chain. But then I recalled that when the fellowship is climbing the slopes of Caradhras, the ring manages to fall off Frodo's neck. Separately, at one point Frodo says "And I'm so tired. And the Ring is so heavy, Sam". So, I wonder if it not only had the ability to expand and contract in size, but also change its mass to try to free itself or tire the wearer out to the point that they would drop it. In general we tend to think of greater size being equal to greater mass, but that's not always the case with rings as you can resize them without necessarily changing its overall mass. So, if this is actually what is happening, can it be said that the ring had enough sentience to determine that changing size was not going to work while it was on the chain, but making itself heavier would? Just a thought 🙂

[@DBProds96]

the ring has got tiny arms and legs and tries to run back to Sauron but keeps getting found by randoms

[@awesomehpt8938]

Yes. “The ring yearns to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the ring and the dark lord”.

[@randomnerd9088]

This does not make it sentient.

[@blipbloups1466]

@@randomnerd9088 Indeed : " the electron yearns to return to the proximity of its proton. They are one, the electron and the fermion." Some things are driven by their nature or a force to it entwined more than they are by any sort of animacy. Question's legit.

[@mil_enrama]

Tolkien often used metaphorical language, like the infamaous description of the balrog's wings. In such metaphorical terms, you could just as well describe the force of gravity as "yearning to fall to the ground". I think the ring's yearning is like that.

[@smitty1647]

it's part of sauron and shares his yearning. to call it sentient i think would require a separate will from sauron's

[@enoughothis]

The One Ring can be understood to be a kind of phylactery, a soul jar used by an evil spellcaster to preserve themselves from death, though in truth, this would have been pointless for an immortal Maiar such as Sauron. Yet it did hold a portion of his power and spirit. It was meant to be used as a tool, a focus, to dominate the mind and will of the other ringbearers. I recall one instance where the Ring itself spoke, through Frodo in this case, near the end of the quest where Gollum attacked the Hobbits and Sam sees Frodo as a "figure robed in white, but at its breast it held a wheel of fire. Out of the fire there spoke a commanding voice. Begone and trouble me no more. If you touch me ever again you shall be cast yourself into the fire of doom" It's ambiguous but to me this is clearly the Ring speaking to Gollum directly.

[@hoodatdondar2664]

Could be. I thought it was Frodo, powered up, but you make a point. Maybe, at some point, they merge.

[@laser8389]

The way you phrased it at the end gave me a new thought: the Ring is Sauron's malice and power and will and whatnot in physical form (or at least encased in a physical form). When the Ring is destroyed, had Sauron survived, would he have become less evil? If he had put enough of his evil attributes into the Ring, would he have been fully "cured" of them on its destruction?

[@SurferJoe1]

I think of it as being like a magnet- imbued with qualities that draw it in a certain direction. Its destructive influence makes its host less able to control it, as does its erratic quality of changing sizes, eventually enabling its path back to its source. As Sauron gathers strength and shape, he is more able to draw it to him and it becomes more active.

[@mandogundam5779]

Great vid! Movie only fan here, had a chat with my wife recently that it seemed as though the ring left sauron and chose gollum as its ultimate master. It spent centuries alone with him after all. And Sauron was at his weakest point lacking physical form, so maybey the sentient ring took an early retirement. And the fight between golloum and frodo was as though sauron was "controlling" Frodo and the ring was controlling Gollum. I know its probably some BS but it popped in our minds, at least about the movie.

[@JobiWan144]

IMO, the One Ring bears some similarity to a couple objects in the world of Harry Potter. The Elder Wand chooses to abandon or remain loyal to its users, albeit for different reasons. (To a certain extent, all wands choose their users, but I haven't heard of another wand choose to abandon its current user in favor of another.) Even more similar is a Horcrux, which contains a part of its creator's soul. Tom Riddle's diary exhibits the most sentience IIRC, but even the locket tries to deceive the heroes in an attempt to save itself.

[@Nathan-vt1jz]

This is similar to my theory on the origin of the Orcs. When Morgoth forged himself into the world and then crafted orcs, animated not by a true soul but by the soul, power, and malice of Morgoth. This is why the orcs are inherently evil and destructive. Think of it like the creation of the dwarves, but without their own souls given by Illuvitar. Whether by beast or stone the Orcs were molded using what already existed and animated in mimicking mockery of life. (I know Tolkien speculates several different origins of the orcs).

[@hoodatdondar2664]

Something to think about, in relation to that theory. Good post.

[@walatalalaw]

The ring is like a roomba, it doesn’t think or feel but senses when it’s going nowhere and changes directions

[@rageofinfinity2032]

I just want to point out that when Sauron wears the ring, his hands are continuously clenching it. I feel this is important. The ring would even betray Sauron, if he were not mindful. The will to dominate all life is in the ring. The ring will betray anyone who does not possess that same will... I.e. anyone who is incapable of the presence of mind and will to dominate the ring itself. At the end of the day: Wearing and keeping the ring as per ones own will requires them either being or becoming as Sauron, and anything short will lead to the ring's betrayal.

[@xina968]

Amazing as always! Love your videos ❤

[@H47Ronin]

I like the idea that the one ring can and does use the subconscious minds it influences to plan out its escape plans.

[@Matthewwithers33]

My brother and I were talking about this topic the other day and I mentioned that at mount doom it wasn’t Frodo who threatens gollum but the ring itself using frodos voice. Showing there was a level of sentience. Because right after gollum bites off frodos finger he “trips” and falls in the fire (in the book/ in movie Frodos pushes) but it’s exactly the threat that the ring as Frodo gives to gollum

[@lucasjames7524]

I never really thought of it before in that exact way, namely that by having a piece of Sauron in the ring, Bilbo, Frodo, and the Fellowship quite literally had Sauron with them the whole time. He was there in the green, happy Shire for decades. That's kind of crazy to think of, but it makes a lot of sense.

[@nickroberts9603]

My take is that The One Ring is similar in how we regard viruses. They have a goal and the ability (though somewhat limited) to go about achieving said goals, but don't necessarily meet the requirements for life/sentience

[@GeraldM_inNC]

Nice analogy!

[@Art-is-craft]

It is a better analogy to think of it as an item that carries out the will of the creator. And has no agenda of its own as it is not sentient.

[@the1celtictiger707]

I'd love to see it expand and reduce itself when Sauron is putting it on over his armour ha

[@SheosMan117]

You know what might be a good analogy? I could see that the One Ring is comparable to a Horcrux from the Harry Potter series. For that matter, when I first read Deathly Hallows, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione took turns wearing Voldemort's locket, and how it was making them irritable and angry at each other, I got One Ring vibes from the thing.

[@MalachiSouth]

Quite right. It seems pretty clear to me that the Horcruxes and Voldemort were likely inspired by the one ring and Sauron. But even the one ring is not original, as Tolkien himself was saying, it is a remarkably common trope for the evil lord to seal his soul away in an object to gain power or life or protection, even in old tales. So I think the ring is in a sense like the Horcuxes or a Lichs phalayctary in Dnd, just a more fleshed out and unique version of this trope.

[@steelmongoose4956]

Only insofar as it is an extension of Sauron’s will. Edit: In light of Tolkien’s statement, The Ring is a horcrux.

[@-yeme-]

So I had this theory or alternative reading of LotR a while ago, did the Ring itself bring about Sauron's fall, in the same way it betrayed, corrupted and destroyed everyone else who tried to use its power? Even though he made it, did he control it, or it him? Did the Ring really have a master at all, or is it the Ring's will to destroy anyone who would exploit it, including its own maker? Sauron poured the worst parts of his personality into the Ring, and, as far as we know, ONLY those parts. I don't think we're told that he put his patience or his caution into it, though he possessed those qualities in abundance. Is the Ring so unbalanced, so bent on dominion and destruction that even Sauron could not master it? What if the whole story of LotR was just the final chapter of the story of how the Ring inevitably abandons Sauron, and in doing so destroys him and itself because that's all it can strive for, given what it contains, and all it ever strove for from the moment of its creation, unknown to anyone in Middle Earth, even its maker? The Fellowship believes that the Ring is trying to get back to Sauron, but what if its really trying to get back to Mount Doom, and is exactly where it wants to be on every stage of its journey? Ultimately of course, the Ring was one note of Eru Iluvatar's greater symphony, one note in a movement which Sauron had only fooled himself into believing he had written and played on his own (And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me). So it should not be a surprise that there are designs above and beyond Sauron's, unknown to him, that are playing out in the story of the Ring.

[@cuniving7831]

Into it he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. If it can be cruel, malicious and carry his will I'd say it's probably sentient to some degree

[@ceejay0137]

The power and malice could certainly escape from the Ring and influence or corrupt the wearer. As Gandalf said to Frodo in 'The Shadow of the Past' (FOTR chapter 2): "When I at last got the truth out of him [Bilbo], I saw at once that he had been trying to put his claim to the ring beyond doubt. Much like Gollum with his "birthday present". The lies were too much alike for my comfort. Clearly the ring had an unwholesome power that set to work on its keeper at once." I'm not convinced that makes the Ring sentient in any real sense.

[@redfive5856]

3:35 “based on wether they will help it MEETS its own objective”

[@yorktown99]

I am reminded of how Gandalf described the Ring's effect on Gollum: "The ring had given him power according to his stature." One wonders then if there was a similar sort of effect on Bilbo. He certain rose to be a prominent hobbit of the Shire. Merry figured out the nature of the Ring and how Bilbo was using it in small ways (mostly to avoid Otho & Lobelia).

[@chandir7752]

I read Schopenhauer, so from the fact that it has a will I conclude that it is sentient.

[@apstrike]

I want to draw a contrast with Brandon Sanderson's cosmere where the power of creation, equivalent to Iluvatar, is fragmented across 16 shards representing an aspect of creation. Humans can serve as Vessels of the Shards, becoming the focus of their power, but like with the One Ring, however good or bad they were at the beginning, their intent eventually becomes the same as that of the Shard, if they are not rejected outright or broken by the experience of trying to hold the power of a god.

[@charlesbritzman501]

You could evaluate the Ring’s apparent sentience in rhe context of other physical items in Middle Earth that had once been “enchanted” and then left to run on “automatic” , such as the Western Door of Moria, or “The Watchers” of the high pass at Cirith Ungol. Since Sauron himself had imbued the Ring with the better part of his own malice and cunning, it had homing tendencies that could work across centuries, taking subtle chances whenever possible.

[@backwashjoe7864]

The One Ring is similar to a plant. It is aware of its environment, It does what it can to be in its preferred environment, and It can manipulate other creatures into helping It.

[@whoshotashleybabbitt4924]

I really like that assessment.

[@Art-is-craft]

A plant has zero awareness.

[@stevewebster5729]

It is a character- Sauron effectively... or part of him...

[@doltsbane]

Perhaps Sauron poured more than just his power into the One Ring. It was created to impose his will on others, maybe that required that some thread of his own mind be woven into it to connect him to those who were enthralled.

[@hoodatdondar2664]

And that made it unlike all the other rings. It had to be maxed out, for the power needed to control. Thing is, if he had just made a Ring of Power that enhanced himself, it might not have needed all that essence of his. So, having it destroyed might not have destroyed him. The control of the Three and the Seven was botched. Only the Nine worked as planned. Because he misread both Elves and Dwarves. Elves, for thinking they could not do without the power their rings, despite his control. The dwarves, for thinking he could control them at all. Men, I am sorry to say, he read well. This largely botched control project made him vulnerable, and in the end destroyed him So, evil ends up being ended by its own blindness and stupidity. Imagine that.

[@UlfMTG]

The Ring doesn't just grow or shrink to slip from its carrier in order to get to Sauron, I think it influences their very mind. I mean, Boromir's great idea after taking one look at the ring is "Let's use it against Sauron and basically hand it over to him in a silver platter!"

[@zoranvucenovic3824]

Hypothetically, if you were a ring, with a will of your own, how would you try to get away from Bilbo trying to destroy you? The ring changing its band size to try to "sneak away" makes sense...

[@wanderingrandomer]

I always imagined that it was Sauron himself acting and thinking through the Ring, or at least the part of him imbued in it. As someone else said, kind of like a Horcrux

[@rogercroft3218]

The ring is a mechanism rather than a character. It exists to focus Sauron’s power in a way that allows him command over the other rings. Its purposes and actions when separated from him seem to be more like a computer program: something along the lines of “while separated tempt and corrupt the bearer until they betray themselves to Sauron; if this doesn’t work within some reasonable period abandon or betray bearer and try a new bearer.” This allows it to display apparently purposeful action without actually having a mind or personality.

[@nathanbennett9999]

"If you think about it, the One Ring is a curious object." It's sentient if it's still curious when I'm NOT thinking about it.

[@dandiehm8414]

He means curious to the reader. Not that the Ring was curious about itself or its situation.

[@vladildikan]

​@@dandiehm8414 he was being punny.

[@TreiPani]

Good topic

[@p-ar1755]

I feel like the ring is like a magnet or a night bug that is attracted by a light source. It is uncontrollably attracted by Sauron, but doesn’t really know why.

[@DaNL-ly8zn]

Voldemort: no, pal.... this is NOT the way to make an Horcrux...hey.. do you hear me??

[@pullupterraine199]

The One Ring was the first Horcrux, the malice Voldemort used later. In fact, Voldemort was the late embodiment of Morgoth.

[@ringledinglebingle]

I think there’s something else which deserves mention in this video - The Ring itself, its own will, played a large part in its own destruction. Sméagol swore “on the precious” to protect Frodo; Frodo told him in no uncertain terms that the Ring would hold him to that promise. It’s never explicitly connected in this way, but to me, it seems clear that Frodo was right, and that the Ring’s punishment of Gollum was the very same action that led to its own destruction. It made sure that Gollum was punished for his actions against Frodo both at Cirith Ungol and in the Cracks of Doom by, respectively, tightening its hold on Gollum - forcing him to follow Frodo despite clearly fearing Sauron and Mordor - and then, for Gollum’s ultimate betrayal of Frodo at the Cracks of Doom, it ensured that Gollum got an equal treatment, by falling to his demise (as well as the Ring’s). It’s highly doubtful that this indicates sentience - one would think that the Ring, if it *could* choose, would rather choose to survive by holding off on punishing Gollum. But it’s an interesting thought experiment as well - did the Ring participate in those events as a sort of passive, compelled power, or did it, to some extent, *want* events to play out the way they did? It did end up closer to its master than it had been in a very long time, and one can also imagine that Sauron as a character would avenge an offense at his own expense, meaning that the Ring would likely share this trait. This also somewhat closely approaches the idea that had things gone differently, Sméagol would likely have sacrificed himself, along with the Ring, in order to resolve his two conflicting motives - protecting Frodo (redemption) and possessing the Ring. This was stated as a possibility in a letter by Tolkien; had Sam not been so cruel, Sméagol might have taken a completely different path, in a bid for redemption, despite being unable to resist the Ring’s will. This is all some of my favorite LOTR lore to speculate about.

[@lordstashly1278]

@DavidRutten that my friend is a very intriguing question 🤔

[@ankoku37]

I like to think of The One Ring in the same way as how The Magnus Archives describes the Entities: "Like a muscle, spasming on reflex."

[@scottmccrea1873]

Semi-sentient, at the very least. It was a piece of Sauron, after all.

[@LucaOrtolano]

Tha's what a non magic-user would say, probably in the same way that an AI looks almost sentient to non-tech. Instead I just see it as a "sensor". It can sense, and can react, but it's just built (forged) that way. Having energy (even Sauron's) and powers doesn't mean being alive or sentient. In addition, Sauron CANNOT create life, only corrupt it.

[@burgundian-peanuts]

​@@LucaOrtolano But if it can sense and react, doesn't that mean it's sentient? An interesting philosophical question. On the one hand, there are gadgets--like a touch-sensitive lamp--that can sense and "react" (in this case by turning the light on). One the other hand, being able to "sense" whether another person is likely to bring it closer to its master isn't like turning a light on. It's a much more complex judgment--something you'd expect only from a rational character. Also, we hear of the ring "abandoning" one creature for another. Does that mean the ring is making choices and decisions? Then again, maybe the ring just somehow senses the imprint of destiny (similar to how many creatures in LOTR have foresight), without ever being conscious of the process. I suppose in Tolkien's world, anything is possible.

[@SpottedHares]

Very least we can say the ring is alive, it reacts to and understand its surroundings. but much like a planet it is very limited in what it can actually do.

[@MLeoDaalder]

I would argue that the Ring does have something of a will of it's own. But it took until the slopes of Mount Doom for it to fully manifest itself. You know the scene, where the Ring places a curse upon Gollum that in the end causes Gollum and the ring to fall into the fires.

[@istari0]

That was the consequence of Gollum breaking the oath he swore to Frodo, not the Ring's doing.

[@MLeoDaalder]

@@istari0 I've looked up the phrase used, I posit that it was the Ring, not Frodo (or through Frodo), who said the following: "Begone and trouble me no more! If you touch me ever again. you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom." Both the breaking of the oath and this curse/promise led to the destruction of the Ring.

[@Daniel-rd6st]

@@MLeoDaalder Agreed, it was very much the ring acting here, but i think at this point it had formed a connection with Frodo. My guess is, that alone its incomplete, purely driven by instinct. But when it connects to a bearer it might become sentient, or at least half sentient.

[@istari0]

@@MLeoDaalder I don't agree with your supposition. We've never seen the Ring do anything like that. I believe Frodo's curse simply gave shape to how Gollum would be punished for breaking his oath, similar to how Isildur's curse shaped the punishment of the Army of the Dead. Also, at that point in time, the Ring would have wanted to leave Frodo; Gollum would have been a more suitable bearer for it returning to Sauron.

[@andres983265]

@@istari0 I don’t agree, right before that moment, the ring was finally fully able to corrupt Frodo and he was literally about to walk out of mount doom. If not for Sméagol’s actions, Frodo would’ve just been drawn to giving the ring back to Sauron. I think if Sméagol was able to escape with the ring, he would’ve just hidden away like he did in the Misty Mountains with the ring before.

[@Chronokatan]

I wish you would create a channel for Wheels of Time. I love your LotR channel.

[@-THE_META]

Most importantly, is the One Ring single?

[@istari0]

Well, it is called the ONE ring.

[@andres983265]

@@istari0ba-da-tsssss

[@kaiserjoe2316]

"Such a little Thing..." Not so "Thingish" as it was able to sprout little legs and scuttle off.🤣 Sorry. (Nod to John Capenter) Cool vid. The Ring's conduitive ability reminds me of the Three bearers ability to commune telepathically. Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf. With the One's binding it made sense of Galadriel and Gandalf's "nudges" toward Frodo in his times of desperation. His visions of Gandalf's imprisonment on Orthanc, and his ethereal "whack" when wearing the Ring upon Amon Hen. Fool of a Baggins...