What if the orcs had not captured Merry & Pippin?

[Dondagnirion]

Good theory but Eomer would not have been patrolling that far out and Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas could have taken out the orcs. Think about it, Tolkien had them chasing after the remaining orcs over a very VERY VERY long road, with barely any sleeping, eating or drinking, and still implies by them just doing this that they would have been able to destroy the orcs when they found them. Aragorn for one is not just any old human, he is THE BEST human warrior out there next to Turin and Hurin themselves. Gimli also is more than you think, he is not just any dwarf, he is a very significant dwarf-lord. Gloin (I assume you guys know that Gloin is Gimlis dad) went on the trip with Thorin and company. Thorin would not just have chosen anyone to go with him, only the best most important dwarves would do of course (as a side note to that Gimli would have gone on the trip with Thorin and company had he been a little older at the time they set out, Gimli says in Unfinished Tales that they would not let him go because he was too young at the time, my best estimate puts him at about 60 at the time, very young for a dwarf). Gimli was also Lord Of The Glittering Caves later in his life, the only place in ME where you could still find Mithril (discounting Moria that the dwarves were unwilling to return to after what happened to Balin). Aside from Gimli's obvious importance (which, I felt, needed to be established so people did not think I was making it up) Aragorn says this to Legolas about him "I have never seen an Axe wielded so." Those kinds of words coming from Aragorn himself point out a lot of skill. Legolas is also the best of the best, an elven prince, the fact that he is an elven prince just speaks for itself and if you dont think so just remember that he shot a Nazgul out the sky for Beren's sake!!
Anyway, that just shows that the three hunters could in fact have beaten off the orcs by themselves. Just thought I should show some support for the best freakin trio of hunters ever *grin*.
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Dondagnirion
"There is no spoon."