Ring of fire, Ring of Air, Ring of ?

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by The Might

I believe that this other discussion going may need a thread of its own as it is going quite off-topic, although interesting to read.

I agree. How is in normally done on this forum? Is there a mod with big scissors who comes and cuts the thread in two? Or should we open a new thead ourselves and repost the relevant bits? I need an advice, so I shall wait with my reply to Morthoron ans Alfirin.

Originally Posted by The Might

It just doesn't add up for me, I have more reason to think against an intended balance of elements within the Rings of Power.

Well, you can't deny that the Three are connected with the elements: it is canon. So, the connection of the other rings with the elements makes sense. The major problem had been that it was next to impossible to establish such connection with four elements, but quite possible with five. That is about all I wanted to say: I have no data that Tolkien had such connection in mind.

Another thing: the stones of the Three match the fates of the three Silmarils: one perished in the fire by Maedhros, one cast in the sea by Maglor, and one sailing in the air with Eärendil. Perhaps it is this way that the elements came into play at the stage when Celebrimbor alone was making the Three. Maybe the elements as such weren't even considered when Annatar and Celebrimbor were discussing the Ring-project.

Originally Posted by The Might

So yeah, back to the idea with the elements.
You say that not considering the other Rings in connection to earth and aether makes the scheme less perfect, but then again Vilya's greater power already makes the scheme imperfect, something strange when talking about classical elements in perfect balance.

In Arda some of the Valar are connected with the elements: Manwe with Air, Ulmo with water, Aule with fire, Yavanna with Earth, Mandos with the Spirit World. And of them all, Manwe is the mightiest, just as the Ring of Air is the mightiest of the Three.

By the way, Vilya is called "the mightiest of the Three" - LOTR "The Grey Havens", yet in UT "Galadriel and Celeborn" Nenya is called the Chief of the Three . So, it doesn't seem that the Rings varied in power very much, otherwise there won't have been such confusion.
Personally, I believe that it was Nenya that was the masterpiece of Celebrimbor's craft, even if it was not the strongest of the Rings. He made it all alone as a gift for the woman he hopelessly loved: no doubt it was the most perfect of his creations. He chose for it pure Mithril instead of "sullied" Gold, he adorned it with adamant, the most spectacular of stones. Nenya was associated with water, and thus with Ulmo, who alone of all the 14 Valar cared for the exiled Noldor, never abandoning them.