LOTR Unveiled: The Hidden Mystery Behind Sauron's Avoidance of the Fellowship

Highlights

Had Sauron engaged in personal combat against the fellowship, his defeat would have been highly likely. This outcome could be attributed to Aragorn's possession of Narsil, as well as the formidable strength of the fellowship's warriors. Contrary to popular belief, Sauron's prowess as a fighter was rather lacking.

Within The Lord Of The Rings series, fans often ponder various scenarios and hypotheticals that could have altered the course of the story. Even minor alterations in key moments could have resulted in surprising deviations. One significant aspect that could have had a profound impact was if Sauron had taken matters into his own hands.

Sauron, the great evil of Middle Earth throughout The Lord Of The Rings, remains unseen in physical form after the prologue of the first film. Despite being one of the most powerful beings, fans have questioned why Sauron did not simply lead his armies to march and seize the ring from Frodo early on in his mission to destroy the One Ring.

Did Sauron Have A Body?

Contrary to the misconception presented in the original The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Sauron was not merely confined to the iconic flaming eye. The context from the books reveals a different reality. There are instances where various characters describe or mention Sauron's physical form, and it is revealed that he acted as a necromancer in Middle Earth long before commencing his final campaign to seize control of the land. Previously, he possessed the ability to manipulate his appearance to a significant extent, but that power was lost after his body was initially destroyed many years prior.

Sauron's large form in the prologue of the first film came about because he could no longer rely on his manipulative ways. Although being a massive and terrifying being had its advantages after his physical body was destroyed, it also meant that Sauron had to make bolder moves. By investing a portion of his essence into the One Ring, Sauron ensured that he could only be truly defeated if the ring itself was destroyed. This would diminish his power enough to prevent him from ever taking on a physical form again.

The presence of the large flaming eye, which is seen throughout the movies, symbolizes Sauron's influence over Middle Earth. This is mirrored in the novels by the symbol of the Eye of Sauron. When considering Sauron's immense strength, it can be assumed that the impressive Eye of Sauron atop Barad-Dur was simply another manifestation of the villain's formidable magic. It is possible that Sauron was lurking somewhere within his dark fortress throughout the trilogy, patiently waiting for someone like Aragorn to foolishly take up the One Ring and confront him directly.

What Was Sauron Doing During The Lord Of The Rings?

During the Third Age, Sauron, the evil lord, was incredibly busy, even during the events of The Lord of the Rings. Just before the movies take place, Gandalf and Saruman, along with others, confronted Sauron in an attempt to halt his increasing wickedness. Despite their victory, Sauron was prepared for their attack and retreated to Mordor, where he would then launch his final campaign for control, leading to the main conflict of the trilogy.

In the early stages of the War of the Ring, Sauron amassed his armies with great numbers and fierce adversaries. He relied on his Nazgul to recover the One Ring from Frodo, after subjecting Gollum to torture for the ring's whereabouts. While Sauron probably had a formidable army of orcs at his disposal, he sought to enhance his power by corrupting Saruman the White. Although the exact method of corruption remains unclear, it is likely that Sauron exploited the negative emotions already present in the wizard, possibly using the Palantir Saruman possessed.

With a powerful wizard like Saruman under his command, Sauron could relax and let the corrupted wizard continue bolstering his army. Information on the malevolent lord was scarce, until Pippin and Aragorn both faced off against Sauron using the same Palantir. It was at this very moment that Gandalf and the strength of Men outsmarted Sauron, taking a risky gamble that ultimately paid off and led to the eventual destruction of the One Ring in Mount Doom.

Could The Fellowship Have Beaten Sauron?

Determining whether Sauron could have defeated the fellowship requires careful consideration. It is highly likely that if Sauron had personally engaged in combat against the fellowship, he would have been decisively defeated. This is mainly due to Sauron not possessing the ring, Aragorn already possessing Narsil reforged, and the overwhelming strength of the fellowship members. Contrary to popular belief, Sauron is a significantly inferior fighter, having suffered numerous defeats in the past.

If Sauron had confronted Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir, he would most likely have faced defeat early on. This would have caused chaos within his army and weakened their resistance against Frodo's journey. Although the film trilogy may have shown a different outcome, the absence of Aragorn's sword, Narsil, would not have altered the situation significantly as it is just an ordinary, albeit finely crafted weapon. Sauron could have considered launching an attack with his army, but venturing beyond the safety of his stronghold in Mordor would have resulted in heavy resistance from everyone he encountered. Even if Amon Hen had taken place with Sauron present, he could have still sealed his own fate. If Sauron failed to locate the Hobbit carrying the ring, or ended up wounded or destroyed in his physical form, it would have become a mere race to Mount Doom. However, he couldn't have simply waited indefinitely for someone to bring him the ring if his aim was to conquer Middle Earth. Despite being a formidable being, Sauron would have faced limitations in terms of travel and combat options.

The Lord Of The Rings is available on Amazon Prime Video.