that Sauron repented out of fear, this may indicate that he had decided to “turn his life around”, worrying that if he kept on his previous path, he would be imprisoned by the Valar. He may never have internally acknowleged that his previous actions were morally wrong, instead just resolving to act differently in the future. If that was the case, it is not too hard to see how he could have slipped back into his old habits. |