Who delivered the final blow?

[bilbo_baggins]

Well, I'm pretty sure I agree with you Farael, in so far as Isildur's was the last actual physical harm done to Sauron before he vanished, so that is the truly final (last, ending, none coming after) blow. But it is more likely that Elendil or Gil-galad gave the most damaging blow or vicious wound, that counted the most to the destruction of Sauron. I don't agree that Sauron was as incapacitated as you think. If Elendil was capable of nearly killing Sauron with a final blow, then why not his son? I believe that Sauron was weakened after his epic struggle against the Kings of Elves and Men, but no-one should discount the fact that Isildur was a pure Numenorean, and descended from Elvish blood like his father. He could very well have seriously harmed Sauron all by his onesy. He Aragorn's ancestor after all, and who can deny his strength of arms?

To Eomer of the Rohirrim: I have always had a pet theory that when Sauron poured his power into the Ring, he drained himself. When the Ring was taken from him, it would have been as if you had almost killed him. He then needed time to regain strength and recover. That is why in LOTR, it is more important than ever to keep the ring from Sauron because it would have a cumulative effect and give him more power than at The Last Alliance. So yes, soon after the Ring was made, you could have taken the Ring from Sauron and then watched PJ's pretty fireworks (IMO).