June 21, 2004

Re: Danny
Elendur

I thought of the idea that Tom would want the Ring to protect Goldberry with it, but becuase his power in his borders was so complete and he rarely looked beyond his own borders, he might not foresee any Power that could harm her.

The problem I see in our theories is simply that I don't think Tolkien meant for Tom to be shortsighted and selfish. He doesn't write it that way.

The other explanation I see for Tom's behavior is that he cannot leave his borders(or is powerless outside them). This would explain why he doesn't even accompany the Hobbits to Bree, but not why he would forget about the Ring if the Council chose him to protect it. There may not be any answer that works completely.

As for what Tom is, I would say maia, but I agree Tolkien probably never decided it. My argument that he would be a maia is somewhere in the archives.

The reason Sauron didn't put a thousand orcs around Orodruin.... I don't think the thought ever occured to him. It's not that he thought "Should I put a guard around Mount Doom...? Nah." I think he just never concieved that someone might want to destroy the Ring.

-Elendur