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Shadow of Malice
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Re: The role of Fate in Middle Earth
But did he start associating with Gandalf or Gandalf with him. You are only looking at a partial fate, partial free will type scenario. Being that I think free will and fate exist together, I may be blind to your point. But Bilbo was picked by Gandalf, because fate had a role in the matter. It was fate that led Gandalf to Bilbo, Bilbo to choose Frodo as heir,Frodo to take the ring to the Cracks of Doom, and Gollum to bite his gum his finger off.
I just see your perspective Mith. Do you believe that fate only exists when great deeds have been done? Nothing much happens in the Shire, but I don't think that its inhabitants are beyond fate.
It seems fate is not without a sense of irony.</p>