‘And even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally).’
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No 144, dated 1954
The power of the Ring over all concerned, even the Wizards or Emissaries, is not a delusion - but it is not the whole picture, even of the then state and content of that part of the Universe.’
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No 153, dated 1954
So Bombadil in general and his immunity to the ring specifically are meant as reminders that there’s more to this world than meets the eye or is explained in history and legend.
From Sauron’s perspective, the fact that others would be able to wear the ring might be considered an advantage as well. Frodo, for instance, did not have the native power to usurp him, but by putting on the Ring revealed himself to Sauron and his lieutenants. Those who might have been able to become Dark Lords/Ladies themselves were good/wise enough not to take the Ring (except for Saruman, whom Sauron played like a fiddle).
And by changing size, the Ring, which contained much of Sauron’s malevolent will, could betray its wearer by slipping off a finger at a key moment (as implied in the book and made explicit in the “Fellowship of the Rings” movie).
Got nuthin’ to add, but some posts did remind me of that Easter egg on the extended edition of “Fellowship”, wherein Jack Black does indeed hide the One Ring in(on?) an unusual place.
It’s an odd-numbered day, so my official position is that No Such Movie Was Ever Made. But I’m going to ignore that rule because I also notice that it’s 7 years to the day since the Fellowship was released, and I’d never have read the book if it weren’t for being dragged to that movie by my friends.
Well of course the One had more “oomph” than the Nine, being the Master Ring. I just wonder if it’s not a plothole, basically, that in putting the bearer into the Unseen World, it thereby renders the wearer invisible to mortals and most Elves (but for the faint shadow cast in direct sunlight), including his clothes and gear.
When you get right down to it, it’s for the same literary reason that the Invisible Girl in the Fantastic Four has to have her clothes disappear with her (except for the very noble and praiseworthy purpose of seeing Jessica Alba nekkid for a few scenes before the mechanism to do that is figured out in the story). Otherwise, it’s not a very invisible invisibility feature to have in the storyline, is it?
That said, you can still make arguments and fanscuses about how it all works. For example, when Frodo wears the Ring on Weathertop and thereby sees the Ringwraith’s forms and faces, doesn’t he see a crown on the helm of their Captain? It’s not explicitly written that he hadn’t seen the crown until putting on the Ring, but it is mentioned right after he notices their pale faces and keen eyes, that he had not seen without the Ring.
(This is in contrast to the crown he wears when proposing to enter the gates of Minas Tirith, which everyone could see glittering upon no visible head after he throws back his hood.)
Oh, and the point I was leading up to: maybe it’s that when you go all ringy-wraithy into the Unseen World the stuff you wear goes with you due to contact, and in the case of the Ringwraiths it’s what they were wearing at the moment of their enwraithing that Frodo sees?
The Nazgul were rendered permanently invisible by wearing their rings for so long. Their robes are visible because during the RingWar, Sauron held their rings, and they put on additional vestments to make it possible for them to interact with persons in the physical world.
Not likely. That would have been the Ring of Thrór, Thorin Oakenshield’s grandfather, but it was taken by Sauron (as “The Necromancer”) from his (Thrór’s) son, Thráin, while he was captive in Dol Guldur.
I’ve always thought it odd, though, that Sauron didn’t take the map of the Lonely Mountain from Thráin before tossing him in his dungeons to rot. He didn’t think it to be of much importance, I guess. Still, that little omission arguably set in motion the chain of events that led to his downfall. Truly, even the very wise cannot see all ends.
