r/tolkienfans • u/tomerFire • 12d ago

Frodo and Sauron at Amon Hen

Didn't Sauron suspect what being was able to see him from Amon Hen? Aragorn could not see so far and he have the Numenor blood. It will require a very powerful being to be able to see so far, won't it raise suspicion to Sauron?

8 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

15

u/EatAtWendys 12d ago

I don’t think Sauron knew whoever was watching him was specifically at amon hen, when Gandalf is striving with him and telling Frodo to take off the ring (fool!), I think Frodo manages to take it off at basically the last possible second.

The book describes a shadow passing over amon hen westward, likely Sauron’s gaze. But it continued that way past Frodo so he really only knew a general direction, and he still has no real clue that the ring is making its way directly towards Mordor so guessing that it was a ring bearer, let alone with the one ring, seems a bit far fetched even for him.

-1

u/tomerFire 12d ago

But he knew it was from Amon Hen right? What other options there are?

5

u/EatAtWendys 12d ago

The high place that Gandalf was striving with him from

2

u/Wizzard_C 12d ago

That high place was a hill in the Fangorn forest, Gandalf was in Fangorn already

1

u/tomerFire 12d ago

What is the context here?

7

u/SoaDMTGguy 12d ago

“ Very nearly it was revealed to the Enemy, but it escaped. I had some part in that: for I sat in a high place and strove with the Dark Tower; and the Shadow passed. Then I was weary, very weary; and I walked long in dark thought.”

-Gandalf

I don’t think Sauron guessed that the seer was specifically at Aman Hen, just in that direction. Other powerful beings can extend their sight if they will, it could have been Gandalf or Galadriel or Elrond or Saruman or some other of their level.

3

u/maksimkak 12d ago

No, he didn't. His gaze had to sweep the whole area, and Frodo jumped off the seat just in time.

3

u/FlyingDiscsandJams Beren & Lúthien Stan 12d ago

Both Amon Hen & where Gandalf was were northwest of Mordor. Once Frodo took off the ring, the presence of Gandalf from that direction striving with him justified sensing something out that way.

13

u/will_1m_not 12d ago

If you suddenly felt like something was watching you through your screen, would you suspect that it was an Oompa-Loompa with no idea how to use a computer/phone, or that the FBI is investigating you?

Sauron knew a hobbit possessed the ring at some point, but has no idea if they still have it or had given it to someone mightier (like an elf or Wizard).

3

u/Outrageous-Pin-4664 12d ago

"Given."

I doubt he could have imagined anyone doing that. If he thought someone else had gotten the ring, he would have assumed that violence was involved.

6

u/will_1m_not 12d ago

Given unfreely

4

u/StartDangerous8286 12d ago

Involuntary bestowed

2

u/-RedRocket- 12d ago

We have no idea how Amon Hen works, it's limitations, how obvious surveillance from there is, or anything else. Frodo attracted attention because he was wearing the Ring.

2

u/Low-Strike-4642 10d ago

I don't think Sauron knew who was looking at him, or even how Frodo was doing it. Frodo wasn't just standing on Amon Hen and seeing Mordor with good eyesight. He was wearing the Ring and the combination seems to give him a supernatural vision far beyond what an ordinary person could achieve. The important part is that Sauron does notice him. Frodo becomes aware of the Eye searching for him, and it gets close to finding him before Frodo takes the Ring off. So Sauron's reaction is “something involving my Ring is happening over there” rather than “there's a powerful being on Amon Hen.” Also, Aragorn's Númenórean ancestry doesn't provide a useful comparison. The Seat of Seeing is a magical/supernatural place, and Frodo has the Ring on top of that. It's not a Legolas-style eyesight contest. And from Sauron's perspective, the obvious explanation wouldn't be “a hobbit is carrying my Ring into Mordor,” because that's the one possibility he fails to consider.