What Happened to Sauron After the One Ring was Destroyed

The identity and fate of Sauron, the ancient enemy of the Middle-earth, have been subjects of much speculation. Tolkien, the creator of Middle-earth, provided definitive answers in his works, clarifying what happened to Sauron after the One Ring was destroyed.

Sauron's Depletion

After the One Ring was destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, Sauron was reduced to an insubstantial spirit with no power and no ability to form a new body. This is a significant departure from his former formidable presence in the Third Age. According to Tolkien's lore, Ainur cannot be destroyed by any means except through Eru Ilúvatar's will. Therefore, Sauron's fate was sealed—it could not be physically or magically resurrected.

Significance of the Destruction

The One Ring was not merely abandoned or lost. It melted away in the intense fires of Mount Doom, the only thing capable of destroying it. With its destruction, Sauron's last bit of essential-soul left in Middle-earth ceased to exist. This was a final and complete defeat for the Dark Lord, leaving no remnants of his power in the physical world.

Programmer's Dictionary Update

For those who might ask the question, "what happened to the One Ring," the answer is straightforward: it was destroyed, melted, and no longer exists. Nothing can be done to it because it is gone. The melting of the Ring in the fires also symbolized the end of Sauron's influence, as his physical form and Barad-d?r were both destroyed.

Tolkien's Response to Persistence

Tolkien once quipped, "Buy my next book. It'll all be in there." However, as we know, there never was a 'next book.' Instead, the definitive answers to these questions are found in the published works and The Silmarillion, which provide a detailed account of the destruction of the One Ring and Sauron's ultimate defeat.

Conclusion

The destruction of the One Ring marked the end of Sauron's power and influence in Middle-earth. The remnants of his evil were destroyed, ensuring that he could not return in any form. The question of Sauron's fate after the Ring was destroyed is no longer open to conjecture but is firmly established within the rich tapestry of Tolkien's writing.

Keywords: Sauron, One Ring, Middle Earth