Quote:
Originally Posted by Zigūr
Why is "confronting" Gandalf an issue? Aren't we just talking about who would command the army?
I doubt it. Sauron's armies were led by the will of Sauron himself, by fear of their masters and hatred of their enemies. I don't see the Lord of the Nazgūl's leadership as being one of inspiration without which the hosts of Mordor were in disarrary. See Morgoth's Ring for the following regarding Sauron: "the Orcs of his own trained armies were so completely under his will that they would sacrifice themselves without hesitation at his command. And he proved even more skilful than his Master also in the corruption of Men who were beyond the reach of the Wise, and in reducing them to a vassalage, in which they would march with the Orcs, and vie with them in cruelty and destruction."
So evidently Sauron's armies could very much be led by 'remote control' as it were, and the Easterlings and Haradrim would follow suit.
Well he would in all likelihood have been in Barad-dūr during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields anyway, wouldn't he? So I don't see how him "bringing something" to the battle is even an issue. After the Ring was destroyed one assumes he was killed in the upheavals, but in any event it's a non-issue. He ceased to be important and we never hear about him again.
If you say so, but really your guess is as good as anyone else's unless there is textual evidence to back up these kinds of assertions.
|
Having killed their great commander, and part of Sauron's power, who would then have the confidence to take on Gandalf at the main gate? The orcs would flee before his face just like the Uruk-hai did at Helm's Deep. The will of Sauron was broken at this point.
New leadership would have been necessary to re-inforce the will of Sauron, and I could imagine Sauron ordering the Mouth of Sauron into the fray to restore order in the ranks of the legions of Mordor.
I believe the soldiers of Rohan did indeed use crossbows to assault the Mumakil, targeting the eyes of these monsters, and this point is stated in the relevant chapter (Battle of the Pelennor Fields). The obvious thing to do from the high walls of Minas Tirith was to use archers to bring the Mumakil down.