The Rings of Power do not turn the Elves into Ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings, and J.R.R. Tolkien offers a thorough explanation for that. The Rings of Power are crafted during Middle-earth’s Second Age, and 19 of them are distributed in total: three to the Elves, seven to the Dwarves, and nine to mortal Men. But while the Dwarves and Men of Middle-earth are negatively impacted by these objects, the Elves aren’t as affected by the Three. They don’t suffer the personality changes that plague the Dwarves, nor do they become completely corrupted by the Rings, like the Men.
The Men of Middle-earth face the most devastating effects of wearing their Rings of Power, as they’re turned into the Ringwraiths, or Nazgûl, that hunt Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. Because of the Nine, these men are forced to become servants of Sauron and do his bidding, a fate that the Dwarves and Elves manage to avoid. The Dwarves don’t become Ringwraiths because of their stubborn nature and strong wills, but the Elves are able to evade Sauron’s influence for another reason, even though they wear and use the Three for years.
Why The Nine Rings For Men Turn Their Wearers Into Ringwraiths In The Lord Of The Rings
The Men Of Middle-earth Are Easily Corrupted
Sauron gifts The Lord of the Rings‘ Nine Rings for Men to influential mortals, including kings, in order to force them into his service. Like the Dwarves’ Rings of Power, the Nine are corrupted by Sauron during their creation, with the Dark Lord’s intentions setting up his later machinations. Unlike the Dwarves, the Men of Middle-earth aren’t resistant to Sauron’s Rings of Power or his influence. The Dwarves react differently to the Seven, with the Rings amplifying their greed and altering their personalities. However, their will ensures that Sauron can’t fully control them.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, Men are more easily corrupted than the other races of Middle-earth, so their response to the Nine is more exaggerated.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s world, Men are more easily corrupted than the other races of Middle-earth, so their response to the Nine is more exaggerated. While the Nine grant the Men who wear them extraordinary power and extended lifespans, it comes at a price. They’re increasingly corrupted by the Rings, and they eventually turn into Ringwraiths, also known as the Nazgûl. As they’re more prone to Sauron’s influence, the Ringwraiths find themselves under his command. This is because the One Ring can control the others, but they continue to serve Sauron even after he loses it.
The Three Elven Rings Aren’t Corrupted By Sauron, Unlike The Other Rings Of Power
The Elves Made The Three Without Sauron’s Knowledge Or Influence
While the Dwarves and Men of Middle-earth are corrupted to varying degrees by their Rings of Power, the Three Elven Rings don’t have the same impact on their wearers. This is primarily because Sauron doesn’t help to make the Three, rendering him incapable of corrupting them. In Tolkien’s source material, the Elves’ Rings are the last to be forged, and Sauron isn’t aware of their creation. This is why the Elves are able to wear the Three for years without the negative effects that the Dwarves and Men experience.
The Rings of Power changes this narrative, as Halbrand has a hand in conceptualizing the Three, and they’re the first to be crafted in the show. The Amazon series maintains the notion that they aren’t tainted by Sauron, however, despite Elrond’s suspicions. Unfortunately, even though the Three aren’t directly touched by Sauron, they’re still connected and susceptible to the One Ring after it’s forged. Sauron never actually controls the Elves, though, as they pick up on his intentions too quickly.
The Elves Removed Their Rings After Sauron Created The One Ring
The Elves Took Extra Caution To Ensure Sauron Could Not Control The Elven Rings
The circumstances of the Elven Rings are different because Celebrimbor made them without Sauron’s ᴀssistance. However, that’s only part of the reason Sauron never gains control over the Elves. Once he creates the One Ring, the Elves in possession of the Three immediately become aware of his deception. Because of this, they take their Rings of Power off and cease wearing them, ensuring that Sauron cannot reach them. Although Sauron attacks the Elves during the Siege Of Eregion, Celebrimbor is able to send away the Three before Sauron can grasp them.
After Sauron’s defeat at the end of Tolkien’s Second Age, Galadriel, Círdan, and Gil-galad are free to wear their Rings of Power again. The Elves use the power of the Three to protect their people and establish permanent peace and beauty in their lands. The Elves are able to accomplish these tasks because the Three Rings are untouched by Sauron.
The Dwarves’ Response To The Rings Suggest The Elves Wouldn’t Have Become Ringwraiths Anyway
The Dwarves Resisted The Worst Of The Magic
Although Sauron never touches the Elven Rings, we can speculate on what would have happened under different circumstances. Although the Dwarves experience the negative consequences of wearing their Rings of Power — and their kingdoms are destroyed because of it — they still resist a significant portion of Sauron’s influence. Their exceptionally strong wills ensure that they don’t become Ringwraiths or lose themselves as fully as the Men of Middle-earth do. Therefore, it is unlikely that the Elves would have turned into Ringwraiths or become corrupt like Men.
Elves are also wiser than the Dwarves of Middle-earth, and they’re the most revered of Ilúvatar’s Children in The Lord of the Rings. As a result, there is a significant possibility that Elves would have resisted Sauron’s influence even more than Dwarves if the Three had been corrupted. While Tolkien’s Dwarves are known for being hardier and having stronger willpower, the Elves’ wisdom would likely have given them a similar ability to resist Sauron’s machinations. They certainly would do so better than the Men of Middle-earth, who aren’t depicted with as much strength as the Elves or Dwarves.
Because the Elves are shown to be more clever and resistant to evil, it’s unlikely they’d meet the same exact fate as the Men who become Ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings.
The Men of Middle-earth prove most vulnerable to Sauron’s evil because of their mortality and nature. This is why they fall more easily to the Rings of Power, and it’s why some of them side with Sauron and Morgoth before him. Elves and Dwarves fight against these villains, but the Men of Middle-earth are more likely to be swayed. Because the Elves are shown to be more intelligent and resistant to evil, it’s unlikely they’d meet the same exact fate as the Men who become Ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings. Fortunately, they never have the opportunity to find out.
