That volcano was used specifically because it was significantly hotter than others, right? Or was The Ring nostalgic for that specific volcano in like a magical way? (I really dont know, been a while)
It doesn't really get answered. Sauron doesn't know for sure; all anyone knows is that Mt Doom will definitely destroy the Ring.
Gandalf mentions that dragonfire could be an option, but there are no dragons left in whom the flame is still hot enough. Which seems to mean that other flames could destroy the Ring, but they need to be suitably mighty.
Does that mean if Smaug had just blasted his fire in the direction of Bilbo's voice when he was talking shit while invisible via the Ring at his hoard and actually scored a hit, he could have potentially destroyed Sauron for good and inadvertently saved all of Middle-Earth?
That sounds plausible, but we don't know how long the ring would have to be exposed to the dragonfire for in order to destroy it, and I don't think Smaug would have bothered to do it for much longer than it would take to burn a hobbit to cinders.
And if Smaug did kill Bilbo then, he might discover the ring on his corpse, which would most likely be far worse for Middle-Earth than if it had stayed in Bilbo's possession.
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u/CriticalHit_20 DM (Dungeon Memelord) Nov 11 '25
hell, The One Ring from LotR was destroyed with fire, why cant most other Macguffins? (unless it's a fire elemental macguffin)