[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Ah! What path would Gandalf have chosen? I doubt very much that passing Minas Morgul, then Shelob, and then Cirith Ungol was the best way. They were staggeringly lucky. Gandalf had years to study the moldering records of Minas Tirith made after the first fall of Sauron, no doubt there were detailed if out of date maps.

A lot of what made that route feasible was simple good strategy (and more luck, this time in meeting Faramir) on the part of Gandalf, and Aragorn, knowing they meant to take the pass by Cirith Ungol.

I don't think anyone would have had the heart to kill pathetic Smeagol. The most likely, Boromir, would have deemed him beneath killing. That was one heck of a survival strategy. Even orcs dismissed him.