Success through Failure

[The Saucepan Man]

A different heir to the throne of Gondor. Isildur was killed on account of the Ring, and had he then thrown it into Mt. Doom, he would not have died. The only remaining heir after his death was one of his sons, and through him came those who led to Aragorn. Was not Isildur's oldest son killed? He would have become king, and it would ultimately lead to a different man than Aragorn assuming his kingdom.

Undeniably, had Isuldur cast the Ring into Mount Doom when he had the chance, history would have taken a different path. It might have been better, but it might have been worse. So, I don't think that this can be an example of Success through Failure.

Yes, it wouldn't have enabled the characters in the book to go through all that they went through, but then a different path may have led to different characters enduring different hardships.

Don't get me wrong, I like the Success through Failure/Evil Defeating Itself theory. I just think that this has to be an exception (the one that proves the rule??).