The Aftermath of Partial Ring Destruction in Middle-earth

As the final battle to destroy the One Ring reached its climax, a question looms large: what if, for some reason, only a part of the Ring had melted when Gollum fell into Mount Doom?

Deconstructing the Conclusion of the Ring

Logic dictates that the destruction of the One Ring in Mount Doom was complete and thorough. The devastation of everything crafted and maintained by its influence, including the Ring-wraiths and Barad-Dur, supports this conclusion. Even Sauron's body, destroyed by Eru when Numenor was flooded, would have been incinerated in the volcanic eruption. This thorough destruction suggests that any remnants of the Ring would have been rendered powerless and insignificant.

The Possibility of Partial Destruction

Speculation about a partial destruction of the Ring invites intriguing questions. Would the Ring have left behind any traces of its immense power? Would a residual part of the Ring have enabled Sauron to regenerate or maintain some of his influence over a prolonged period?

The Challenges of Retrieval

Even if we entertain the idea of a partial destruction, the practical challenges of retrieving any remnants become apparent. The Ring was buried in the heart of a volcano. The intense heat and the sheer destruction of the site make it almost impossible for any being to recover even a fragment. Additionally, the Valar, who later sought to retrieve the Silmaril cast into a similar volcano, found it unattainable.

Tolkien's Definitive Stroke

Corey through J.R.R. Tolkien's extensive writings and creative universe, there is no indication that a partial destruction of the Ring is a possibility. The unity and magic of the Ring made its destruction a singular and unbreakable event.

The Remnants and Their Fate

Assuming a partial destruction, the remnants of the Ring would likely be a misshapen lump of gold. This gold, however, would not retain the power to recreate a Ring of Power, as the power of the Rings seemed to be forever broken with the destruction of the One Ring. The very act of its destruction in Mount Doom severed the magical binding, rendering any leftover material inert.

Beyond the mere remnant, the volcanic eruption would have buried any possible recovery. If a portion of the Ring somehow remained and was ejected from the volcano, it would still be encased in tons of molten rock, effectively making it an irretrievable and useless lump of gold.

The Analogies of Destructive Power

Even in speculative fiction, the concept of partial destruction often leads to narratives of lingering danger or unresolved conflict. However, in the context of Middle-earth, the complete annihilation of the Ring precludes any such scenarios. The eruption of Mount Doom, a cataclysmic event, ensured that the Ring's power was not just diminished but utterly obliterated.

Conclusion

The question of a partial destruction of the One Ring leads to a multitude of intriguing hypotheses but ultimately reinforces Tolkien's definitive narrative. The Ring, once broken in Mount Doom, ceased to be a source of power, leaving behind only a symbol of Sauron's obsession and the destructive potential of his desire.

Given the comprehensiveness of the Ring's destruction, any remaining lore about partial destruction remains more in the realm of thought experiments and lesser-known theories, rather than established canon.