Quote:
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....perhaps due to Child's influence
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Now I know why my ears were burning this afternoon! I do like Trotter: I have used him or similar hobbit Rangers in many a Shire RPG. But I will certainly admit that Aragorn lends a depth to LotR that is simply missing with Trotter.
It is only with the character of Aragorn that we see the vital link forged to the Legendarium as a whole. LotR ceases to be simply a sequel to the Hobbit and becomes a tale linked to Silm and the whole history of Middle-earth.
Even more than Gandalf, the Dunedain have a history, a sad and tragic past, that gives depth and meaning to everything that will come about in Lord of the Rings. So many themes present in the earlier history find their fullest expression in Aragorn: the creative gifts of the Elves passing to Men, the hoped for moment when Aragorn finally 'corrects' the terrible mistake his ancestor made, the restoration of Numenor's promise in a different guise and form, even the reaffirmation of Man's potential that we first glimpsed in the character of Beren.
I like Trotter just where he is: in the middle of the pages of HoMe. Aragorn belongs in LotR. He and Frodo are in many respects mirror images of each other, reflective of a very old theme. Frodo is the sacrificial figure who must give up his life to restore the vitality of the land. Aragorn is the new king ruling over a land that is cleansed and enriched because of Frodo's sacrifice. Trotter is fun but, without Aragorn, the story lacks that rich nuance and sense of history that I find so compelling.