Did Sauron Repent?

Poor Sauron. He was such an organized, loving genius of a leader. By the end of LOTR his paradise has grown more powerful than the rest of the world combined. And that through hard work, dedication, wise decisions and a great economy. His great work was ruined by some nasty hobbit terrorists, flewn in by terrible eagles, detonating a nuke in mount Love, close to his capital.

Gandalf vehemently did not want to take the one ring, when Frodo offered it to him, he did not want to become another Sauron, even with "good intentions".

The problem is that Sauron was being entirely honest when he said he wanted to bring about Order - his attitude, as later voiced by Saruman, was that "only our methods will change" - and he'd conveniently not mention that. But when he seduced the Elves to make the Rings of Power with him, he was so convincing to Celebrimbor and the rest because his offer was in large part genuine: "if we work together we can not only rebuild Middle-earth from Morgoth's destruction but make it as powerful and glorious as Valinor". He really wanted that. Just that his definition was different. Yes it's said he "indeed repented at first, if only out of fear" -- but it's an interesting take that even he somewhat regretted backing Morgoth after his fall; he joined Morgoth because he was so powerful it would make it easier for Sauron to implement "Order", but over time it would have become increasingly obvious that Morgoth's goal was more like "total chaos and destruction of the world" out of spite for not being able to truly wield the Creator's power. Morgoth ultiimately just wanted to destroy the world in order to prove he was the most powerful being in it. (As Robert says, they were never truly "ideologically aligned"). His wrath and power were greater than Sauron's but not his cunning. So it's a bit of a headcanon but it's an interesting take: could Sauron, after Morgoth's defeat, regretfully realize that Morgoth could never have implemented the Order that Sauron desired? Sauron is a craftsman. He doesn't like wanton destruction. Though of course, this isn't exactly "Remorse" for what he did in Morgoth's service, just regret that it didn't ultimately "work" to fulfill his goals.

"It's for your own good" is the most terrifying sentence in any language that exists.

Honestly I love how Sauron essentially became the dark lord by having the intention of "bringing order" to the world by being the ruler. It perfectly reflects the problems with power and rule. Given Tolkien's aversion towards power and rulers it just fits perfectly. Intentionally or not the story of Sauron and his One Ring is the perfect analogy for power and how even those with the best intentions fail and become oppressors.

Sauron: "I regret my actions" (that led me to being caught, also a bit for following Melkor, now ban me from Aman so that I can properly implement Order here.) Eonwe: "Thank you for turning yourself in and coming quietly, Manwe is waiting for you in Aman." Sauron: (Bugger.) "Wait, is that Gotmoth the Balrog trying to escape in the guise of an Orc?" (Points somewhere behind Eonwe) Eonwe: (Being pure good doesn't mistrust) "Where?" Sauron: (Buh bye!)

I agree that Sauron didn't truly repent. He was just hoping for leniency from Eönwë for some reason and when that was not forthcoming, he fled in fear of Manwë's judgement. One of the interesting notes that I ran across (and unfortunately don't remember where) was that there was a version of Sauron's story that he had gone over to Melkor earlier but remained with the Valar as a spy. Sauron was the one who told Melkor when the best time was to launch the attack that destroyed the Two Lamps; only then did he openly side with Melkor. It's interesting to think about how his relationship with Morgoth would have gone had Morgoth won the war for control of Middle-Earth. As you said, their ideologies were really very different and given Morgoth's chaotic and destructive nature, I think he would have eventually turned on Sauron and any other surviving Ainur servants and sought to destroy them as they were also creations of Eru.

He just wanted to make the trains run on time, if there had been any.

After 6,000+ years of being an evil villain, I doubt it.

Under Morgoth's tutelage, Sauron got a taste for power & wanted to spread order & control. By the third age of Middle Earth, Sauron was beyond redemption. His crimes are too numerous to count.

Sauron's actions never came from a place of compassion. It came from a place of disgust, he desired to put everything in order according to his view of what an ideal world looked like, to iron out what he perceived as imperfections. He was like an artist trying to create his masterpiece, and people were his paints.

I always remember the movie quote "Sauron does not share in power". and now I watch this video that explains in detail why.

To me Sauron’s greatest flaw was ironically his need for perfection. Especially perfect order. In his mind a world of perfect order would be perfect in every other way as well. No evil or suffering. A place that could easily rival The West. Unfortunately perfect order doesn’t allow free will and that is ultimately what Sauron was most against. He couldn’t comprehend why anyone would choose to be free over being completely dominated and ruled by him and him alone. Had Sauron been successful in his plans Middle Earth would indeed have become extremely powerful and prosperous. Evil would have been a thing of the past and so would any strife. Only it would be a false utopia populated by automatons directly under Sauron’s absolute control.

“Tolkien’s characters are rarely as two dimensional as his detractors like to imply.” Thank you! It seems the writers at RoP didn’t understand that judging from how they wrote Galadriel as a completely different character.

Maybe in his point of view, Yes. In addition to being a great reformer who would bring law and order in a scenario of cultural decay after the War of Wrath, I think Sauron saw himself as a Promethean figure who would lift Humanity out of cultural prehistory and technological ignorance: The Silmarillion says that the men of the East and South built cities of stone and had access to metallurgical knowledge. And bringing economic benefits: he proved himself a good economist in Númenor by multiplying the Island's wealth. Furthermore, he had to see himself as a deity of a great world unification: a single theocratic government, a technocratic political-economic system and a religious reformer to bring true belief through dogmatic ideas. This religious engineering reminds me (in some ways) of Gnosticism: a liberating god (Melkor) to rid rational beings of "Archons" (Valar) from a "Demiurgic monster" (Eru) who imprisoned everyone in a world of war and death. Interesting that Sauron spoke this of Melkor in the Second Age, but later he claimed to be Melkor in the Third Age.

Been re-watching DS9. Wondering if any of the writers were Tolkien fans as I see similarities btw Sauron and The Dominion, the shapeshifters who wanted order — their order over all, and would go to any horrible lengths, even genocide, to achieve it. Their ensnarement of the Cardassians reminds me of what Sauron did to those peoples in the East. Their genetically bred Jem Had’ar and Vorta reminds me of the wraiths and others under the complete thralldom of Sauron. Just really struck me upon watching this stream. Well done as always.

This was so good. I often feel like I know Tolkien backwards and forwards, but I’m floored by how often you bring in an interesting perspective that I hadn’t thought of. I loved Tolkien’s books as a child, one way. As an adult, I enjoy them in a very different way, largely thanks to you. Cheers, and keep up the excellent work.

Can't totally blame Sauron for backing out. If I traveled to Aman and one of the first things I see is a taciturn Tulkas with his arms crossed, I would totally be "Fuck this shit I'm out!"

Sauron of many forms & many names. Now permanently within the world of spirits & the dead, perhaps now wraith Sauron...Seems that Sauron lived within his own world, mind & perceptions. Much as we all do. What is true is not the same for everyone. What he believed & what he was doing was true to him. Truth is not necessary finite but a paradox. Great video Geek!🔥✨

9:51 lol, i just knew the "road to hell" aphorism was going to make a very timely appearance! as always, much thanks.