Elrond doesn't allow Merry and Pippin on the Quest
 

Despite their protests and threats to follow the Party, Elrond does not give in and decides to send the 2 hobbits, that have braved so much to this point, back to Bree and the Shire to spread the word and prepare for war.

Had this happened, no one would have listened to them or taken them seriously and the Fellowship would be too far away to catch up to at that point. They'd effectively be out of the story until the heroes returned home.

If they follow up on their threats and follow the Fellowship, Aragorn and Gandalf would likely take pity and allow them to come along for their own protection. The story arc would continue on as normal except for:

--the possible story weave of the additional two people Elrond sends in the hobbits place (possibly Glorfindel??, but we'll never know who he had in mind)

--with their absence (the hobbits) we're not sure how the story can play out for the Fellowship. Merry helps Gandalf solve the Moria Door Riddle. Eventually someone would have figured it out, but would this have beenin time when the Watcher attacks and the door to Moria isn't available to escape thru? Also Pippin doesn't drop a pebble into the well and effectively alert all of Moria to their presence - which means no Balrog Battle, no Gandalf getting killed, no Frodo revealing his mithril mail, and no Chamber of Mazurbul and discovering the fate of Balin's expedition.

The hobbits wouldn't get abducted, however there's no guarantee Frodo and Sam aren't taken instead, effectively taking over Merry/Pippins roles in the story.

OR they may flee to Mordor as they did, leaving the Fellowship to fight for their lives against the Uruks. Without Merry/Pippin to rescue, the Fellowship follows the fleeing hobbits into Mordor, having no reason to go to Rohan.

What?!
 

Might as well say, 'What if Tolkien had been a street sweeper instead of a professor? Would this site be a Lord of the Flies(William Golding - 1954) forum?

zifnab, very amusing!

deal_with_it I do not mean to be rude and I apologise if my post comes across as such but you seem to be dwelling in a realm where everything must have a 'what if?'

Indeed there are many 'if's',

"'Very well, very well, Master Elrond!' said Bilbo suddenly. 'Say no more! It is plain enough what you are pointing at. Bilbo the silly hobbit started this affair, and Bilbo had better finish it, or himself." - Chapter 2 Council of Elrond, Book II

Bilbo instead of Frodo...

It seems to me that these 'what if's' are far less exciting than the real story!

What if Bilbo had never found the ring?

What if Gandalf found out earlier that it was the One,and it was destroyed earlier, and there was no Fellowship and no War of the Ring?

What if Legolas was gay and in love with Frodo,and killed Sam because he was jealous?

What if Frodo was gay too,and had the same feelings toward Legolas?

What if Aragorn had a crush on Eowyn and decided to marry her instead of Arwen? /Not that I would blame him if he had to choose between Miranda Otto and Liv Taylor/.

What if Boromir had succeeded in taking the Ring from Frodo?

What if Legolas really killed Sam because he was jealous, and no one took the ring after Shelob attacked Frodo,and the orcs took the ring?

What if Gandalf decided to join Sauron and Saruman?


And finally,what if Isildur had destroyed the ring, and there was no book and no movie,and this forum did not exist?

Come on,guys,the what-if scenarios are big fun!