Highlights
- Gandalf possesses one of the rings of power called Narya, the Ring of Fire, which gives great strength and endurance.
- The three elven rings were made independent of Sauron's corruption and were kept free from his influence.
- Dragons have the potential to destroy the Rings of Power, and it is believed that the four lost Dwarven rings were consumed by dragon fire.
In The Lord of the Rings series, the main antagonist, Sauron, uses his rings of power as a ploy to try and dominate Middle Earth. He gave nine to the kings of men, seven to the dwarf lords, and three to the elves. However, he kept one for himself. It is this ring that holds most of the Dark Lord's power over the others.
The main narrative in Tolkien's work is centered around these rings, but there are some key points that many fans do not know about them. All Lord of the Rings fans know that the One Ring is the most important and must be destroyed, but what about the others?
7 Gandalf Has One
Narya, The Ring of Fire
- The ring was given to him upon his arrival in Middle Earth, as revealed in The Silmarillion.
- It stayed with him until he leaves for the Undying Lands in The Return of the King.
It would seem strange to think that Gandalf is one of the keepers of one of the rings of power. Nonetheless, one of the three Elven Rings was given to Gandlaf by Cirdan the shipwright when the wizard first arrived in Middle Earth. Cirdan was the keeper of the Grey Havens, and had no business leaving those shores. As such, he believed his ring would be better used by a wanderer like Gandalf.
LOTR: Who Are The Gods of Middle Earth?
Middle-earth has its own mythology, as well as a whole pantheon of deities to go along with it.
Narya is the Ring of Fire and is said to give its bearer great strength and endurance. It is first hinted that Gandalf possesses such an object in his confrontation with the Balrog. He claims to be the 'wielder of the sacred fire,' which many fans believe is in direct reference to his Ring of Power.
6 The Eleven Rings Were Kept Free From Sauron
The Dark Lord Couldn't Control All the Rings in Middle Earth
- The three elven rings were kept free of Sauron's influence.
- It is mentioned in The Fellowship of the Ring that these rings were made independent of Sauron's corruption.
It may seem odd to some Lord of the Rings fans that powerful forces like Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf still wear their elven rings of power. Surely these items would make them vulnerable to the enemy. Fortunately, the elven smith Celebrimbor was able to forge the three elven rings without Sauron's influence.
Once it became clear to the wise in Middle Earth that the Rings of Power forged by Sauron were being used for a darker purpose, they decided to craft weapons of their own to counter the evil Rings of Power. That is why the three elven rings are free of Sauron's control.
5 Four Were Destroyed By Dragon Fire
Mount Doom Isn't The Only Place To Destroy a Ring Of Power
- The dwarf lords used their rings to seek more riches
- This leads Gandalf to posit to Frodo that some of the lost dwarf rings were consumed by dragon fire.
At the council of Elrond, the elf lord reveals that the only place in Middle Earth with fires hot enough to destroy a Ring of Power is Mount Doom. However, that isn't strictly true. In Gandalf's search for the One Ring, he makes a decent attempt at finding the others. Since four of the Dwarven rings cannot be found, he reasons that they were lost to dragon fire.
Lord Of The Rings: 8 Most Mysterious Creatures in Middle-earth
Tolkien's Middle-earth is full of strange and mysterious beings. Here are just a few mentioned in the Lord of the Rings and other works.
Since dragons are not a natural creature in Middle Earth, it makes sense that their fire would have the potential to destroy these magical rings. Morgoth created the dragons in the first age to withstand the magic of the elves and their creators. As such, anything created by a lesser being isn't going to stand up to their impressive heat.
4 All Ring Bearers Left Middle Earth
Everyone Who Departs With Frodo Has Carried a Ring of Power
- The destruction of the One Ring marks the end of the third age in Middle Earth.
- Everything preserved by the three elven rings was free to die, so their bearers were free to leave to the Undying Lands.
Once the One Ring is destroyed at the end of the Lord of the Rings saga, all the magic of the other Rings of Power was diminished. This meant that anything that was currently being protected by the elven rings was free to change and die. As such, the bearers of the Rings of Power were free to leave Middle Earth and sail to the undying lands.
That is why Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf join Frodo on his journey in leaving Middle Earth. Both Frodo and Bilbo are given passage to Valinor as a reward for their help in bringing the fourth age into fruition. As a result, no living ring bearers are left in Middle Earth once the third age ends.
3 Sauron Reclaimed The Nine Rings First
The Kings of Men Were First To Be Corrupted
- Sauron's plan to dominate the world of men succeeded with his corruption of the kings of men.
- These nine men became the Nazgul.
Sauron's gift of nine rings to the Kings of Men was clearly a ruse. As the race in Middle Earth with the weakest will, these men were the first to fall under the sway of the dark lord. His One Ring allowed him to use the kings as puppets, dominating the world of men from afar.
These kings gradually faded into spirits who had no free will of their own. They became the Nazgul, the chief servants of Sauron. As a result, they were more than happy to give the Dark Lord their Rings of Power when the time came.
2 The Last Dwarven Ring Was Captured During The Hobbit
Gandalf Learns This In His Battle With The Necromancer
- The remaining Dwarven Rings of Power were gathered by Sauron.
- The last one was only taken sixty years before the War of the Ring, as Gandalf tells Frodo.
Long before Sauron could take physical shape once more, he took up residence in the shadowy fortress of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. Using the name the Necromancer, the Dark Lord was able to corrupt much of the forest and gather old allies in this form. However, the white council learns of this treachery. This is what prompts Gandalf to leave Thorin's company during the events of The Hobbit.
It is during his investigation of Dol Guldur that Gandalf learns the Necromancer's true identity and finds the last lost Dwarven Ring of Power. It did belong to Thrain II, but Sauron was able to take it back while torturing the dwarf in his dungeons.
1 Invisibility Is A Power Granted To Hobbits
Why Do So Many People Fight Over A Ring That Turns The Wearer Invisible?
- The One Ring is more powerful than many fans know.
- Gandalf tells Frodo that the One Ring bestows power based on what the bearer wants most.
During the books and movies, the only thing that fans see the One Ring accomplish is turning people invisible. Why, then, do so many people want its power? The One Ring will turn people like Bilbo and Frodo invisible because that is what hobbits desire most. Their race is unassuming and do not crave great power. They are so unassuming, in fact, that many in Middle Earth do not know of their existence. That is why the One Ring heightens this power by turning them invisible.
A great warrior or king will have their powers extended if they had the One Ring, It is why both Gandalf and Galadriel fear what they would become if they possessed it. It is also why Sauron is at his most powerful when wearing the One Ring.
