The Lord of the Rings from Sauron's perspective

This is a revised and updated version of a video first published in March 2022.

I want my favorite comment from the original video to persist, it was something like "I thought LotR from Sauron's perspective would just be hours and hours of an angry lighthouse staring at a blank horizon, but this is much more interesting!"

If only Sauron had the foresight to put a door on Mt Doom

If LotR had been told from Sauron's perspective, the ending would be one of the greatest twists ever.

"it wasn't just sauron who fell; it was his entire worldview" that captures the depth of this story and why it has a lasting impact across generations

Sauron: "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those meddling hobbitses!"

Reckon Sauron’s faith that his enemies wouldn’t destroy the Ring lies in observation, not just power-driven ego. When Isildur cut off the ring from Sauron’s hand, the Last Alliance had the chance there and then to destroy it. The fact that they didn’t - on the slopes of Mt Doom no less - probably reassured Sauron (& led him to think destiny was on his side).

I can't help but imagine Sauron at the very end when he knows the One Ring is in Mt. Doom. His panic and confusion at seeing his ring moments away from destruction had to have been sweet to behold.

This video is a perfect response to "Why didn't the fellowship just take the eagles to Mordor"; because of the necessary secrecy of the quest.

Imagine Sauron shouting to the Nazgûl "Fly, you fools!" when Sauron senses Frodo putting on the ring in Mount Doom.

One of my absolute favorite parts of the book is when Frodo puts on the ring in Mount Doom. Tolkien gives us a glimpse of Sauron’s perspective: “And far away, as Frodo put on the Ring and claimed it for his own, even in Sammath Naur the very heart of his realm, the Power in Barad-dur was shaken, and the Tower trembled from its foundations to its proud and bitter crown. The Dark Lord was suddenly aware of him, and his Eye piercing all shadows looked across the plain to the door that he had made; and the magnitude of his own folly was revealed to him in a blinding flash; and all the devices of his enemies were at last laid bare. Then his wrath blazed in consuming flame, but his fear rose like a vast black smoke to choke him. For he knew his deadly peril and the thread upon which his doom now hung.”

Always thought the films didnt make enough of how Sauron was "helped" to think that Aragorn had The Ring. I know he uses the Palantir to show the Heir of Elendil is found, and the marching on the Black Gate is to keep the Enemy's eye fixed on him and blind to all else, but I had to explain to my kids when they watched it a lot of what Robert says about Sauron never imagining anything other than a powerful lord taking and using the Ring, and that was how he was blindsided.

"if youre new to the channel, welcome" def a pleasantly subtle change & i love the wholesomeness.

Robert, one of your chief strengths as a writer/narrator is you have really strong closing lines to your videos. A strong conclusion that sums up the point often in a wonderfully worded way. Well done.

I always assumed it was Caradhras itself since The Misty Mountains were originally raised up by Morgoth to hamper the first journey of the elves. I assumed that the evil he poured into the world would be especially strong in certain places, this mountain range being one. Considering how many bad things happen in the Misty Mountains, it still makes sense to me.

Speaking as a member of a large bureaucratic organization, I find it really remarkable that whoever was running security at the Black Gate kept Gollum for further questioning. 'Oh yeah, mate, you had the boss's ring...?'

I vividly recall reading LoTR and getting to that climactic paragraph "...And far away, as Frodo put on the ring and claimed it for his own the power in Barad Our was shaken to it's very crown...thick black smoke rose to choke him...he knew the peril by which his fate now hung" (yes, going from memory here, but it's been 40 years!). I simply loved the idea that his hubris had lead him to that moment of pure panic and fear...Sauron positively shat himself.

This is exactly how I interpreted the books when I read them, bravo for your summation! Sauron is a brilliantly written character and a testament to how great of a writer Tolkien was that he could convey so much about his main antagonist without ever bringing him into the room.

The other useful thing about Gollum for Sauron's purposes is that while he would strive and seek to capture the Ring for himself, he has never shown much interest in wielding it as a weapon in the same way as many of the human, elven or other Maiar characters might. While Gollum has used the ring, its almost always been for survival puposes. He was quite content in his relatively humble life in a cave killing fish and the odd goblin. So Gollum was someone he could trust to seek the Ring without worrying that he might try to wield it against him.

This video was even better than I expected. One thing I hypothesize is that Sauron near the end was actually preparing with his full focus to fight Aragorn because he expected Aragorn could finally decide to use the Ring. Aragorn and his army wouldn't march to his gate with such a small force, even driven mad by the Ring. He probably thought the ghost army is still with Aragorn too. He probably also knew he'd still win because the Ring would betray Aragorn, but he might have expected it to be a difficult fight, so persuading or corrupting Aragorn to his side with the Mouth could be worthwhile. I think this makes the realization at the Mount Doom all the more unexpected for Sauron.