Board Thread:Off Topic/@comment-174.44.92.186-20140909202751/@comment-5583506-20140916140801

Actually Sauron was never really powerless without the One Ring. He was weakened by the loss of it, that's true, but not completely useless. He even managed to dupe the Elven lords even long after he lost the Ring in the form of the powerful Necromancer of Dol Guldur. I don't think that that sounds like someone who is powerless even without his "precious". It is stated somewhere in Tolkien's documents that Sauron mixed his own blood with the molten gold from which the ring was forged, therefore half of his soul/power was contained within. Weakened yes, but definitely not powerless. I believe J.K. Rowling was also inspired by this concept when she created the horcruxes for Lord Voldemort.