Just my opinion, but...<P>Faramir gets a good look at what the Ring did to Smeagol. "What did they steal?" "...my... PRECIOUSSS!! BLAAAAGH!!!!"<P>Then: contrast the two moments of Ring Exposure that Faramir witnesses. One occurs when Faramir has the ring on the tip of his sword, and Frodo (somewhat entranced) freaks out, snarls, and lurches away-- in a sort of Gollumish 'No, it's mine' gesture. But then, shortly after that, Frodo walks (entranced again but in a different way) dazedly up to a nazgul and waves the ring at him. Neither time was Frodo "in control" of the Ring; it was in control of him. I think Faramir saw that.<P>I think these two moments illustrate what Frodo told Faramir earlier: "The Ring cannot save Gondor; it has only the power to destroy." Destroy what? Isildur; Smeagol; Frodo; Frodo's relationship with Sam; Frodo's tenuous grasp on reality. And Frodo has no army to protect or command, he has only Sam; but he loses his grasp even on that, and waves the ring at the Nazgul.<P>So... "Okay, kid, you're right. Some secret weapon! It destroyed Isildur, it sure wrecked Smeagol, and it's destroying you. I'd rather it didn't destroy Gondor-- and me-- too. So go put it into the cracks of doom, if you can. And good luck lasting that long."
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...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.
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