What if the orcs had not captured Merry & Pippin?

[The Saucepan Man]

littlemanpoet, your fast evolving alternative story-line involves all of the Fellowship bar Boromir (dead) and Gandalf (fell in Moria but returning) accompanying Frodo and Sam to Mordor. however, I am not so sure that this would have made the passage to, and through, Mordor any easier. Phrim makes good points concerning Shelob, and there would also have been a lot more Orcs around in Cirith Ungol had they not quarrelled after Frodo's capture.

Furthermore, this scenario presents for me two major problems in particular.

First, it would leave Gandalf the White with an awful lot of work to do in a relatively short timescale. He would basically have needed to take on the tasks fulfilled by Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry and Pippin (as well as himself) in the book. That is: rouse Theoden and Rohan, organise and participate in the successful defence/relief of Helms Deep and prompt the Ents' attack on Isengard. Quite a bit to do in the time available, even with Shadowfax.

This also leaves two tasks undone that only Aragorn could do. As has been pointed out earlier, only Aragorn could have ridden down the Paths of the Dead and enlisted the Dead Army's aid in defeating the Corsairs of Umbar. Also, I agree with Aratlithial that only Aragorn could have successfully challenged Suaron using the Palantir. The point was he was revealing himself as Isildur's heir and it was this that spooked Sauron and provoked him to show his hand earlier than he otherwise might.

The sum total of these problems is, as Dondagnirion points out, a very vulnerable Minas Tirith. No Aragorn or Merry at Pelennor Fields. More likely than not a severely depeleted force from Rohan. And the Corsairs of Umbar undefeated. Oh, and no Pippin, so Denethor quite possibly succeeds in torching his son along with himself. So, severe risk here of Minas Tirith being captured. No Minas Tirith, no tactical march on the Morannon. Aragorn has not revealed himself to Sauron and there are no forces of good hammering on the Black Gate, so Sauron maintains a stronger force within Mordor, making it that much more difficult again for the Ringbearer and (expanded) company.

Secondly, as I have posted on the Ring and Corruption thread, I believe that each member of the Fellowship was vulnerable to the Ring's power given long enough exposure, particularly as its power increases as it nears its Master and its place of creation. Just look at the effect it has on Sam at Cirith Ungol without him even wearing it. And Sam was a hobbit and thus peculiarly resistant. In Mordor, it would most likely have tempted at least one of the Fellowship, possibly more, into trying to get it off Frodo, not necessarily by violent means, but quite likely with catastrophic consequences nevertheless.

In short, the Ring seems to me to have a much greater chance of finding its way back to its Master in this scenario.

And finally, I do not think that the Books would have worked as well had the bulk of the Fellowship stayed together as they do in this scenario. The fact that they split essentially into three (and later four) groups allows the story to move from one group to another with each new Chapter/Book, allowing greater variety in the storyline, a wider range of incidental characters and more opportunity for suspense (for example, Frodo's "death" at the end of Book IV and Pippin's "death" at the end of Book V).

So, I am doubtful that it would work as well as a work of literature either.

[ February 18, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

[ February 18, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]