Summary

• The Ring of Power in The Lord of the Rings has the ability to turn its wearer invisible, allowing them to move between the Seen and Unseen realms.
• The Ring amplifies the inherent powers of its bearer, with one example giving Sauron control over other Ring-bearers.
• The One Ring corrupts those who possess it, leading them to be influenced by its malice and will to dominate, as seen through the effects it had on characters like Gollum, Bilbo, and Frodo.

The central MacGuffin of Frodo Baggins to destroy the One Ring and counter Sauron.

That said, much of the true nature of Sauron's Ring of Power is left mysteriously unexplored in both Tolkien's original books and Peter Jackson's film adaptations. While the One Ring has a suitable feeling of terror and dread over the entire franchise, the various installments, be it the books or films, mostly leave it up to interpretation regarding what powers and abilities the Ring possesses. With that said, here is every purpose, power, and ability the Ring of Power provides to its wearers across The Lord of the Rings' expansive timeline.

Why The One Ring Turns A Person Invisible

The Ring Transports Its Wearer Into The Unseen Realm

One of the more obvious powers that the Ring of Power possesses during the Lord of the Rings trilogy is the ability to turn its wearer invisible. This happens at multiple points throughout the franchise, with Frodo often utilizing the Ring's invisibility powers for a variety of reasons. This was even showcased in The Hobbit with Bilbo's job as a burglar for Thorin Oakenshield's company being made significantly easier by the power of invisibility the Ring held.

However, this begs the question of why the Ring turns its wielders invisible. The answer to this comes from Tolkien's lore for the franchise and the concept of the Seen and Unseen realms. In Tolkien's mythology, beings are split between the Seen and Unseen worlds. Most living beings occupy the Seen realm, while creatures like Wraiths and other spirits live in the Unseen World, though most possess abilities to cross over as granted by the Rings of Power.

The Ring's power temporarily turns its wearer into a Wraith-like spirit, therefore allowing them to turn invisible.

As such, the One Ring has a similar ability, allowing its to tread the line between the Seen and Unseen realms. This is why the likes of Frodo, Bilbo, Isildur, and other Lord of the Rings Ring-bearers are shown to be invisible to of the Seen realm as they are transported partly to the World of the Unseen. However, when wearing the Ring, these characters can still interact with the elements of the Seen realm as they are part-way between both. The Ring's power temporarily turns its wearer into a Wraith-like spirit, therefore allowing them to turn invisible.

How Wearing The One Ring Gives A Person Power

The One Ring Holds Dominion Over The Rings Made For The Dwarves & Men

Similarly, the Ring provides its bearers with a somewhat unspecified power: the will over other Ring-bearers. The Ring was originally crafted by Sauron as a means of controlling all other races in Middle-earth, as it held dominion over the seven rings of the dwarves and the nine rings of men. The only Rings of Power that Sauron could not control using the One Ring were the three elven rings that were crafted in secret. As such, Sauron was able to use the power the Ring provided to bend others to his will.

However, this is a power that only Sauron has been shown to hold. The Ring's ability to hold dominion over others only comes into effect based on the bearer's natural capacity to dominate. As the likes of Frodo and Bilbo are simple Hobbits and hold no desire to dominate others, the Ring of Power does not provide them with this ability. With Sauron, though, his main goal is to rule Middle-earth, meaning he was incredibly powerful when wielding the Ring in the Second Age.

The One Ring Corrupts Those Who Use It

The Ring Corrupts Its Bearers And Those Around It

While not a power per se, the One Rings holds an effect of corruption. As shown by the effects the Ring had on Gollum, Bilbo, and Frodo, the corruption is evident. The Ring was crafted using all of Sauron's malice and will to dominate, meaning any mortal who possesses the Ring of Power is adversely affected. From Bilbo's unwillingness to part with the Ring to the likes of Isildur and Frodo refusing to destroy it when the time comes, the Ring slowly corrupts those who bear it.

Boromir was corrupted by the power of the Ring, attempting to take it from Frodo.

This was also highlighted by the corruption it provides to even those who do not wield the Ring but are simply in its vicinity. Boromir was corrupted by the power of the Ring, attempting to take it from Frodo. Galadriel was also tempted by the Ring's power yet ultimately ed the test of corruption and allowed Frodo to keep it. All of this just goes to show the immense power of corruption the One Ring possesses, alongside the many other powers, augments, effects, and abilities the Ring of Power holds in The Lord of the Rings.

How The One Ring Was Made During The Second Age Of Middle-earth

Sauron Tricked The Elven Smiths To Forge The Rings While Secretly Making His Own

One of the critical storylines in The Rings of Power season 2 will be the creation of the One Ring. In Tolkien's mythology, Sauron uses his abilities of cunning and deception to convince the Elven smiths of Eregion to forge the rings. His primary target is Celebrimbor, who's manipulated into forging them alongside him. He uses the disguise of Annatar, pretending to be an elf nicknamed the "Lord of Gifts," convincing them to make magic Rings for themselves. Meanwhile, he forged the One Ring, inscribing it with the Black Speech:

"One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."

While the other rings were forged in Eregion, Sauron forged the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Into the ring, he poured part of his soul, binding his fate to it. The mechanics of this creation aren't exactly explained, but perhaps The Rings of Power will give an interesting interpretation of the forging. This is why the only way to permanently kill Sauron in The Lord of the Rings saga is by destroying the ring.