[Sapphire_Flame]

I can't remember who said it, but I heard that the way a trilogy should be done is: in the first installment you set the scene and get the story started; in the second installment, you get the characters into the worst situation possible; and in the last installment, you get them out of it. I think the best way to end TT would have been to have the "incident" with Shelob, then end it with Sam thinking that he has to take the Ring to Mount Doom. i.e. Sam doesn't know that Frodo is alive yet, and we find that out in the next one. Of course, ending where Tolkien did would've worked well too!