The Dunedain

[galadriel'smaiden]

Does Squatter know everything?! Anywho, I personally believe that Aragorn waited till after the war of the ring to claim the throne for purely political reasons. By that time he was well respected in Rohan as well as Gondor, so the old alliances would have been strengthend. Also, the people of Gondor were without a leader and facing a new begining with a less threatening environment, leaving time that would have been spent concentrating on survival now to be focused on developing culture.

There, now all you really smart people can laugh at me.

[Snowdog]

Good opinion galadriel'smaiden! It is very plausable s no laughing from me.

With Denethor and his attitude toward Aragorn out of the way, it was up to Faramir to challenge Aragorn's authority, being the new rtuling Steward. he didn't of course because he was a man of good character, and he surely could "feel" that Aragorn was heir of Elendil, with his renown in leading men in battle, the service of the oathbreakers, and his healing knowledge being observed and spoken about.

A 'what if..' scenario is if Boromir had lived and became ruling Steward after the war...

[The Saucepan Man]

So Sauron was Aragorn's "stooge" to bring about Denethor's demise?

There is a thread, either here or in N&N, speculating on what would have happened re Aragorn's claim if Denethor had survived ...

Edit: Here it is.

[Snowdog]

Cool! However, I think the what-if of Denethor surviving and the what-if of Boromir surviving leads to two different and interesting alternate scenarios.