Quote:
Originally posted by Alfirin
If Saruman was left completely unopposed, it is likely that his plan would have suceeded. Theoden would have probably been dead or impotent, Eomer would likey have been caught and excuted, Grima would be married to Eowyn and probably in charge of Rohan meaning Saruman would be in charge), Fangorn would probably be leveled and the massacred (they were the turning point in the assault, but would they have done so well had they had to try and take down Isengard entirely on thier own, especially or even if Rohan was on Saruman's side. And that's assuming that, in the absence of Merry and Pippen the Ent Moot would even have worked). No Rohan, no help for Minas Tirith, (including no Dead men of Dunharrow, no Gandalf to buy time agaist the WK and no Eowyn to slay him, so the siege would likey have suceeded. Gandalf maybe believe that his missing will not have failed if anything remains intact, but when faced with the likelyhood of that "anything" basically consisting of the Shire and Bree (if that) might give even him pause.
|
I'd disagree with some of this as an alternate scenario.
1) Lorien, Rivendell, the Shire, and particularly the Lonely Mountain and dale would have been unaffected, and with Sauron possibly being destroyed a few days earlier with Gandalf along to hurry up Frodo towards Mount Doom, Eriador and Rhovannion would be even less effected by inroads of Sauron's forces---held back anyway at the siege of Erebor.
2) A few more days/weeks of Saruman burning the fringes of Fangorn would not have affected most of the forest, have even more enraged the ents.
3) The Ents would have had an even easier time at Isengard since the bulk of his army would have been further away, occupying Helm's deep and far to the East around Edoras.
4) While it's probable much of Rohan and also Minis Tirith would have been occupied it's quite likely Aragorn would mhave led resisitance fighters into the White Mountains (through the secret passages alluded to in LoTR).
5) Given the resistance put up by the Rohirrim even during the Long Winter (see Helm Hammerhand) there would probably be resistance on both sides of the White Mountains.
6) It's not necessarily a good thing to be the king if you're Grima Wormtongue and scheme to marry Eowyn. Best not doze off, GW.
In short, a largely intact north, a south (Gondor and Rohan) with bad loss of people and material, but recoverable---and an even more heroic (for Gondorians) King, sort of like Alfred the Great after Athelney.