[Zigûr]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I was using the Akallabêth, which states that when a bolt of lightning struck the temple devoted to Sauron's temple:

That's a fair point and one I hadn't considered. We must remember however that, apart from this moment of hysteria (in the absence of the King) Sauron was generally regarded by most of the population and the administration as the High Priest of Melkor (or "Arûn-Mulkhêr" as I believe the Númenóreans called him) and not a god himself.

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I wonder though if simply waiting a bit longer, maybe for the death of Pharazôn, might not have actually given Sauron the sceptre. Or coud he not have possibly arranged for Pharazôn to give it to him? After all, Pharazôn had no heir, apparently.

I suppose I don't find Sauron being legitimately made King of Númenor to seem like a particularly likely scenario, although I don't really have much to base that on besides the fact that he was not a Man or descendant of Elros. I assume from prior contact with the Elves, especially the warning of Gil-Galad, that the Númenóreans knew or at least had some idea of what manner of being Sauron was. Additionally, Ar-Pharazôn wished to rule the world. Might not some of his potential heirs (even if he lacked a direct one) have held similar desires which would obstruct Sauron's potential ascension?

Númenor had become a murderous, barbarous society in which "men took weapons in those days and slew one another for little cause; for they were become quick to anger, and Sauron, or those whom he had bound to himself, went about the land setting man against man, so that the people murmured against the King and the lords, or against any that had aught that they had not; and the men of power took cruel revenge." It seems to me that this was a society where it would not necessarily be easy for Sauron to centralise power in his own hands, having instigated so much unrest.

I think we also have to remember that Sauron did not actually intend for Númenor itself to be destroyed, nor did he expect Eru's intervention. At least, my interpretation is that those elements loyal directly to the King would attack Aman and be destroyed by the Valar, leaving him in control of a remnant so that he could return to Middle-earth and resume his wars against the Elves. I think he must have known that, partially with his help, Númenor had become too powerful for him to control directly, and while there he had abandoned his kingship in Middle-earth (I assume he had left the Nazgûl in charge in his absence). Again, I think to some extent Sauron must simply have lusted for the destruction of a nation and people who had repeatedly thwarted his plans and humiliated him.