August 3, 2002

Sauron Stooge, Gandalf Great?
Faramir the Brave

This is in response to Danny's dual response to Anatar. When you say that Gandalf was wise Danny, I agree wholeheartedly. I also agree that Sauron was not smart to leave Mordor well protected. However, it looks to me like you are saying that he left it fully unguarded. That is absolutely untrue. If you will remember, Sauron had many orcs in Mordor to look for the halfling: The orcs who seized the "dead" Frodo, the orcs who made disguised Frodo and Sam march, and the orcs who fought about Gollum. He also had many others. In addition to the many orcs searching for Frodo and Sam and the Orcs marching to fight the Free Peoples. Part of the reason Frodo and Sam were not found is because of their hobbit stealth, and I think because Sauron did not suspect that they would be going to Mount Doom to distroy the ring.
He knew a halfling was loose in Mordor. He knew the halfling MIGHT have the Ring. I think he assumed that because the halfling had not put the ring on and challenged either him or his armies, that it was just a different halfling that was probably already dead. Portraying Sauron as foolish is a little far. Saurons one will was to kill Gondor and be Lord over Middle Earth. In the movie Galadriel says "his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life". These are kind of like Saurons principals hating and fighting. Defending isn't A bad guys style. But I agree that He should have been more cautios and maybe he would have conquered. But I do not think he was stupid. Do you agree?