Sauron's Super Army? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Inziladun · 07-20-2013, 08:29 PM

In the Second Age, Sauron acted to gather all Middle-earth under his sway. He was able to pretty much have his way with the Eldar, sacking Eregion of the Noldor, holding at bay Elrond, and advancing toward the Grey Havens, which was lightly held by Gil-galad. It was only a force of Númenor, sent by Tar-Minastir, that turned the tide.
Ever after, Sauron hated Númenor and wanted its ruin. When he was challenged by Ar-Pharazôn later, he saw that Númenor was too strong for him to conquer by force, so he resorted to cunning. Over time he gained power over Pharazôn, becoming a trusted counselor. There came a point when the majority of the Númenóreans looked on Sauron as a god, and followed his commands. I think it would be fair to say that by then he ruled Númenor in all but name.

That being the case, did Sauron not accomplish his goal of removing Númenor as a threat to him? Why did he have to follow through with trying to get them all killed? Why could he not have used them in Middle-earth to fight for him? Even if Pharazôn had any lingering misgivings, he was old. He would die soon enough, and what would stop Sauron from standing behind the new king? Or even taking the sceptre himself? Then, he could have ruled over his greatest enemies, using them against the Eldar in Middle-earth.

Would anything have kept that from being a viable plan? Or was Sauron a proto Bond Villain™, eschewing practicality in favor of an Evil Scheme?

07-20-2013, 08:29 PM	#1
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,058	Sauron's Super Army? In the Second Age, Sauron acted to gather all Middle-earth under his sway. He was able to pretty much have his way with the Eldar, sacking Eregion of the Noldor, holding at bay Elrond, and advancing toward the Grey Havens, which was lightly held by Gil-galad. It was only a force of Númenor, sent by Tar-Minastir, that turned the tide. Ever after, Sauron hated Númenor and wanted its ruin. When he was challenged by Ar-Pharazôn later, he saw that Númenor was too strong for him to conquer by force, so he resorted to cunning. Over time he gained power over Pharazôn, becoming a trusted counselor. There came a point when the majority of the Númenóreans looked on Sauron as a god, and followed his commands. I think it would be fair to say that by then he ruled Númenor in all but name. That being the case, did Sauron not accomplish his goal of removing Númenor as a threat to him? Why did he have to follow through with trying to get them all killed? Why could he not have used them in Middle-earth to fight for him? Even if Pharazôn had any lingering misgivings, he was old. He would die soon enough, and what would stop Sauron from standing behind the new king? Or even taking the sceptre himself? Then, he could have ruled over his greatest enemies, using them against the Eldar in Middle-earth. Would anything have kept that from being a viable plan? Or was Sauron a proto Bond Villain™, eschewing practicality in favor of an Evil Scheme? __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.