Lords and Ladies of the Rings

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

I agree whole heartedly about Saruman, it always seemed to me that he was a stoog made to feel like a big man because he had the backing of some more powerful than himself. A bit like Lotho back in the Shire.

I would agree with that, except for the words of Gandalf, who always seemed to take Saruman quite seriously.

I really do think that there is some kind of conflict here between the story the way it is told in LOTR and the quote that Legolas has given repeatedly about the only person who could successfully take out Sauron.

Gil-Galad and Elendil defeated Sauron. They defeated him physically, yes, and he did spring up again in another time, but not through any action of his own. Elendil and Gil-Galad had (or would have had had they lived) him entirely at their mercy. Had someone simply walked up the hill and chucked in the Ring it would have all been over. Sauron was well and truly down.

Considering that these two could bring him to that state while he was at full power and in posession of the ring, how is it possible that someone as great as Galadriel (or Elrond, or Saruman and so on...) wouldn't even have a chance aided by the Ring if he was without it?

Am I the only one who thinks this is an issue?

Sophia