Alternate Endings

[Mister Underhill]

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shade of Carn Dûm
Posts: 458</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
I've come across yet another fascinating letter. In #246, Tolkien starts off speculating on the spiritual implications of Frodo's &quot;failure&quot; to destroy the Ring, then turns to speculating on how things might have turned out at the end under various different circumstances.

In one take, the prof ponders a path whereby Gollum might ultimately have been redeemed. He states that the most tragic moment in the whole series for him is in The Two Towers, when Sam, awakened suddenly and startled to see Gollum &quot;pawing at master&quot;, fails to note the complete change in Gollum's tone and aspect and yells at him harshly. He speculates that if things had gone differently, Gollum might still have seized the Ring by force at the last, but then, perceiving Sauron's great evil and his own inability to keep the Ring from its Dark Lord, he would have cast himself willingly into the Fire for the sake of Frodo and the regenerative love that Frodo had shown him, thereby sacrificing himself and destroying the Ring. He also speculates a similar twist in which Frodo &quot;succeeds&quot; in his quest when, after having claimed the Ring, he throws himself into the Fire to destroy it.

Tolkien also muses on what might have happened had the Nazgûl reached the Cracks of Doom in time (he thinks they would have been unable to attack Frodo, but might have been able to lure him outside and distract him while some of their number destroyed the entrance to the Cracks). The unfortunately unfinished draft ends with speculation on the chances of various characters in a head-to-head match with Sauron in a scenario where they have the Ring and attempt to master Sauron and bend the Ring to their own will (everyone is toast, with the possible exception of Gandalf, who in turn would have become an even more abhorrent Dark Lord in time; Frodo &quot;would have been utterly overthrown: crushed to dust, or preserved in torment as a gibbering slave.&quot.

Tolkien also gives a sparse description of Sauron: <blockquote>Quote:<hr> Sauron should be thought of as very terrible. The form that he took was that of a man of more than human stature, but not gigantic. In his earlier incarnation he was able to veil his power (as Gandalf did) and could appear as a commanding figure of great strength of body and supremely royal demeanour and countenance.<hr></blockquote> Interesting! I wonder if PJ will attempt to portray Sauron. I suppose we will get at least glimpses if he includes a prologue revolving around the Last Alliance and Sauron's defeat.

I don't know if there's really a discussion thread here, but I found this material much too fascinating to not share it with the community and see if anyone had reactions. Thoughts on these possible alternate endings? Any ways in which you wish the end might have been different?

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