The Grey Havens - Rings: Did the Nazgûl Wear Their Own Rings or Did Sauron Hold Them?

Did the Nazgûl Wear Their Own Rings or Did Sauron Hold Them?

From: David Hannam

Although this is a hotly debated idea, I believe that Sauron must have had the Nine Rings. There are three reasons why this must be.

The Nazgul were enslaved to the Ring.
After Sauron enslaved the Nazgul to their Ring, he took them away, thus making them unquestioning servants, (slaves is a more aprropriate term). If you notice, Sauron never trusted his Orcs with too much information, whereas the Nazgul knew more than anyone... Why? As I have states, each of them was enslaved to a Ring, and thus enslaved to the will that guided that Ring. Without the One-Ring, Sauron could not control the other Rings of Power. They were beyond his control, this is so even with the Nine. The Nazgul no longer had any will, except that of the Ring. If they held that Ring, they were in control, and could, thus, choose NOT to follow Sauron. If this had happened, Sauron would have been crippled. He would not stand a chance. Therefore, he had to eliminate their will, replacing it with his own. This was acheived by taking the Ring, which controlled them now.

Their Rings aren't seen, at all.
They never had Rings on that could be seen by Frodo. This point has been made before so I'll move on.

Tolkien said Sauron held them.
This is stated in "The Unfinished Tales" pg.343, top of the page:

"They (the Nazgul) were by far the most powerful of his servants, and most suitable for such a mission, since they were entirely enslaved to their Nine Rings, which he now himself held...."

I hope this lays to rest any doubt in this matter.
The Elf-Stone.

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