[HCIsland]

Couple of things to add.<P>The film will almost certainly begin with some sort of prologue to thrust the audience back into the story after a year absense. It will then cut to Frodo and Sam. The best theory I've heard is opening arials of the Anduin which lead to the scene between Smeagol and Deagol. It will be a little puzzling at first (which is good, it draws in the viewer) but with some name exchanges and then Deagol finding the Ring (with the exact same shot used in the prologue of Fellowship) most folks will quickly realize what they are looking at. This provides an easy connector to Gollum leading Frodo and Sam through Osgiliath.<P>Aragorn, Gandalf, Theoden and company will all go to Edoras before they begin to split company. It seems most logical that Elrond will meet them on route and present the sword.<P>Aragorn does not look into the palantir until after the Battle of Pelenor Fields. "He has been left unchallenged long enough", is said at Minas Tirith, I think.<P>H.C.