Sympathy for the Devil?

[Mithadan]

Originally Posted by Gordis

Also nobody in this thread questioned the loyalty of the Ulairi, whether they could be trusted to guard the One back at the end of the SA or not. Some quoted UT, "the Hunt for the Ring," forgetting that the reason why Sauron could trust the Nazgul an Age later -in TA 3018 - was given: because he kept the Nine Rings himself, that's why. At the end of SA the Nazgul still wore their Rings, so to control them during his absence Sauron either had to keep the One or to take the Nine Rings to himself and carry these rings to Numenor. His options were limited.

Again, good points, but ones that are not clearly established in any way. As to whether Sauron physically held the Nine Rings, this has been debated several times before. One thread is here: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthr...n+nazgul+rings . There is at least one older thread but I could not locate it. There is textual evidence going both ways.

As to Sauron's control over the Nazgul, after Isildur took the Ring, Sauron was not present and had neither the One nor the Nine. Yet there is no indication that the Nazgul rebelled or, indeed, did anything other than to wait for his return and advance his cause.