You see! And who said discussing books wasn't fun! :D [img]tongue.gif[/img]

As I see it, Tolkien's 'Middle Earth' is created with great attention to deatail. There are possible flaws but they both have arguments for and against.

I'd like to point out that reference to the film here, is not much use as there were many changes in it, though most small. A large one being good ol' Tom Bombadil. One of my favourite characters from the book, who even had a book written about him, was discluded from the film and so it does not provide a true argument when referred to.

The whole argument about building a wall across the secret passageway is also pretty much invalid. For a start it's supposedly secret and so Sauron would not think that anyone would know about it, and he certainly would not expect the one creature that did know about it, to lead the ring bearer to it. Then there was Shelob. If memory serves correctly, from the Simarillion, we learn that Shelob was spawned from a creature which once defeated Sauron but let him go. Consequently, it would not be thought that anyone would be able to get past her. Then, there is the orc tower. Through which anyone must pass, before walking throught the whole of Mordor itself. What I'm trying to point out is, LotR is a book, and as with most books; things happen through circumstance and it was only through almost unbelieveable circumstance that Frodo made it to Orodruin and then only due to Gollum who, due to circumstance, had followed Frodo in order to get the ring, that it was destroyed.

There are plenty of other things that could be said to should have happend but the book wasn't written with those ideas in mind.

That's the best answer I've had thus far on the matter thank you.

I'm aware it is just a book/film, but when I was defending many of the misconceptions/"mistakes" of the film to my brother, I was unable to suggest a reason why Sauron hadn't simply constructed something preventing them from entering the place, or at least putting a Ringwraith or another creature/regiment of soldiers on PERMANENT guard of the Volcano.

Surely the thought of someone destroying the ring in order to "kill him" must have realisticaly crossed his mind.

But like you've said it's the same reason why Gandalf on an eagle doesn't pick up Bilbo with ring and all and drop him from 500 feet into Mount Doom...

There wouldn't be a story, at least not the one we all know and love now.

[ 01-13-2005, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: Sigmar ]

In the last part of the Silmarillion (Of the rings of power and the third age) it is said that Sauron guided the making of the elven rings, but when he put the one ring on the elves perceived him and took off their rings. Sauron could not perceive any rings when they weren't worn. The nine always wore their rings, so he could always see them. The dwarven rings were nearly all reclaimed or taken by dragons, yet he never saw the three.

Another question, in the end of the movie. Why does the elves still want to leave? Sauron already lost so there shouldn't be a reason to leave.

When the One Ring was destroyed all the other rings ost all of their power, so the elves had lost the power which still served them to create their safe havens in Middle Earth (Lothlorien, Rivendell, and the Grey Havens). The time of the elves in Middle Earth was over, but not all of them left. The household of Elrond which stayed behind went to Lothlorien and stayed there with Celeborn.

And that's Keleborn, not Seleborn. [img]tongue.gif[/img]