This is a good point, Scott. Sam, at the beginning of the LOTR, is very much a provincial hobbit, fast on the road to becoming a carbon copy of the Gaffer. He is quick to distrust those who would threaten the things and people he loves (i.e. the Shire as seen in Galadriel's mirror, Frodo his master)--so much so, that he does not give sufficient thought to consequences before he would act. The only thing that keeps him from turning 'round and kicking the ruffians out of the Shire at that point is the fact that he is committed to Frodo and his quest. Would Sam have had the strength to continue the quest at this point without Frodo's absolute need for him to do so? If Sam had the Ring at this point, would he turn around and, feeling the power of it, turn it to the Scouring of the Shire right there, and thus doom the quest?
Sam is willful, but he does not think things through, thus his apt moniker "Samwise" or "Half-Wise." He has amazing intuition, more so than most, but a limited viewpoint. I think, even among the hobbits, Frodo is the only one for this job. He is the only one of the hobbits that can see the depths of the importance of the quest. Even if Merry and Pippin knew of the true import (which I think they come to realize towards the end), they would not have handled it as Frodo did. They both have a streak of violence and/or impulsiveness, albeit in the realm of extreme loyalty and love for their friends and eventually their lords. I can see both Merry and Pippin making short work of Gollum, as Sam would have done. Gimli too!
On the subject of Aragorn, I think it is interesting that, until the breaking of the Fellowship at Parth Galen, he was torn in two on this matter. He had a destiny to fulfill and was drawn to Minas Tirith to fulfill it; but he felt an extreme debt to the safety and success of Frodo and the quest, perhaps because of his ties to Isildur and the failure of his line to destroy the Ring the last time around. I think that, if Aragorn had gone to Mount Doom with the Ring, he would have realized sooner or later that this action was the act of a man who is trying to assuage guilt, rather than face the responsibility of taking up the Kingship of Gondor and raising it out of the mire it was in at this time in the Third Age. If Minas Tirith had fallen while Aragorn toiled on Mt. Doom, the victory would be quite bittersweet (if Aragorn had succeeded in the quest), and I wonder if the Gondorians would have accepted Aragorn as readily as a returned king. He perhaps would be rarefied and not understandable, much as Frodo was in the Shire after his return.
I also wonder if Frodo realized this tendency in Aragorn before he sneaked off alone at Amon Hen. He knew Aragorn would follow him, but he also knew Aragorn's heart was in Minas Tirith. Frodo's departure made Aragorn's choice for him, as did the unfortunate (or ultimately fortunate-viz. the Ents!) capture of Merry and Pippin (for to allow them to reach Isengard would mean disaster!). In a way, Aragorn did not make his own choices at this point, and I think that is all to the good. I think this guilt of history could have been Aragorn's undoing at Mount Doom. He had a lot of trouble allowing another to take responsibility for what he felt was his burden.
Thanks for listening to my idle speculations!
Cheers,
Lyta
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“…she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.”
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