The Lord Of The Rings: Ranking Every Major Villain From Worst To Best

Given Sauron poured much of his power, his cruelty, and his malice into the One Ring, such an item was essentially an extension of its creator. However, whereas Sauron’s presence throughout The Lord of the Rings was sparse, the One Ring was a constant drain upon those unlucky enough to bear its weight.

Frodo’s journey from the hills of the Shire to the centre of Mount Doom – which involved traversing across strenuous terrain and encounters with some of Tolkien’s most horrific creatures – was made still more burdensome by the One Ring.

During The Two Towers, it became apparent that his kind-hearted nature was being warped, and by the end of The Return of the King, he had become so attached to the One Ring that he was unable to part from it.

Yet Frodo was pretty resilient compared to many others. Even honourable figures such as Aragorn and Gandalf were tempted by its power, and Smeagol was mutated beyond repair both mentally and physically.

The One Ring’s ability to corrupt was what made it such a unique adversary. Though the exact mechanics of how Sauron’s creation worked were never explored, the ambiguity surrounding its power was part of what made it such a frightening item.