The Nine Walkers

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

Gandalf discussed this, didn't he? I mean, Frodo's cousins' usefulness in the end. Wasn't he talking to Aragorn (if I remember correctly) when he said that Pippin's foolishness in looking into the palantir provided Sauron with the idea that Pippin was the Ringbearer, captured, and in Saruman's custody; and that therefore whoever "made" Pippin look into the Palantir, now had the Ring? And if it wasn't Saruman, then it must have been Aragorn?

There is no question that even Pippin proved useful in the end - yes, looking into the Palantir, rousing the Ents and saving Faramir and Merry.

But were Gandalf and Elrond back around the time of the Council able to foresee such details - exactly what would happen? I don't think so. I believe Gandalf only had a vague feeling that Pippin and Merry would be useful on the Quest, as he supposed the same all along about Gollum.

However, apart from that, Elrond and Gandalf had to have some plan for the Quest. I think the splitting of the company was planned from the start: Boromir was going to Minas Tirith and Aragorn planned to go with him. What about the hobbits? I think all of them were supposed to go to Mordor, led by Gollum whose involvement was foreseen by Gandalf. Gollum was the only one who knew the way to Mordor after all.
All the big people go to Minas Tirith, all the stealthy and Ring-resistant hobbits to Mordor, that was the idea. Four hobbits could defend the Ring far better against Gollum's attempts to take it. This way there would have been three hobbits, not one, to take over the Quest if Frodo failed.