Quote:
Originally Posted by Zigūr
"But Sauron struck too soon, before his own power was rebuilt" (Appendix A)
A lack of Sauron in the Third Age would change events in the Third Age so drastically that we can't be sure any of them would still be recognisable. For all we know, Smaug might never have come to Erebor even if it was founded - it only became rich after the abandonment of the Grey Mountains after all, and the Cold-drakes might never have come to the Grey Mountains in a world devoid of Sauron for any number of reasons. Similarly, why would the Wizards be in Middle-earth in the Third Age if Sauron was not there? Resisting him was the entire reason they were sent.
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I concede both points. There might still be some remmnant of Sauron's shadow in ME, in the form of the Wraiths, assuming a scenario where the Valar are holding Sauron Captive on Aman, but do not consider it neccecary to deprive him of the ring, as, like Sauron Himself, keeping it on Aman deprives it of much of it's power (not in the sense either is weakend, but in the sense that, being basically in a place it can't get back from, and can't really influence [I'm imagining that Aman, being the domain of the Valar themselves, is the one place where Suron's ability to corrupt would get basically nowhere; that Sauron does not and never had, sufficient power to turn the elves of the Undying Lands agaist the Valar, especially not on thier own territory.) In fact, theoretically, ME under these circumstances might theoretically be facing thirteen wraiths, not nine (If I recall, Sauron had given away six of the mortal rings by the time he submitted at Umbar. Assuming that those still did what they did, that's six Nazgul. If you point was right and an absence of Sauron might have resulted in an elmination of the cold drakes from the Grey mountains, it is possible none of the Dwarven rings would ever have been destroyed (or does it take a fire drake to destroy a ring? I've forgotten which rings were destroyed by which dragons.) Assuming that Dwarven rings eventually corrupt too (we are told Dwarves are more resistant than men, but resistant isn't the same thing as immune.) Eventually they might be wraithified as well making thirteen.) But I agree, those kinds of threats might not be enough to cause the Valar to send the Ishatari, or at least, not all of them (Manwe/Nienna might still want to send one (i.e. Gandalf) since they seem to be a little more concerned with the People of ME than most of the Valar (and so might consider the threat to still be great enough to send some help) But the rest would probably be harder to convince and even if Gandalf WAS eventually sent, he'd likey be going it alone.)
The Balrog is likewise a similar thorny matter. It presumably WOULD still be unleashed; it's release was completely unrelated to anything Sauron did (though, in a world where theoretically there were more Dwarven rings available, it is possible that either Durin VI or one of his predecessors would have had one and it's aura of greed might have led to deep mining and Durin's Bane being released somewhat earlier) But even that might have required no higher intervention. A less damaged Eregion might have joined with the Dwarves and together been able to deal with it. Alterntively, a world where there was no Gandalf might mean a Moria that could NEVER be reclaimed, since there might be no power in ME capable of doing so.
But you are right, everything is theoretical in those circumstances.