Question about the Grey Company

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Though the Rangers were indeed a more formidable force than their numbers alone suggest, they did not change the outcome on Pelennor. Aside from the Rangers, Aragorn also brought with him a significant number of fighters from the south of Gondor, after removing the threat of corsairs that kept them behind. Plus, the demoralizing surprise factor of enemies appearing on allied ships.

Which sparks the opposite question for me, and I'm somewhat surprised to find I don't know the answer: why did the Grey Company come down at all, given that Aragorn achieved his goals with a) ghosts and b) Gondorians? Were they there symbolically - "look, Arnor's in this war too!" - or did they actually serve a... y'know useful purpose? I refuse to believe Elrond sent them all that way solely to give Estel a cross-stitch his girlfriend made him!

hS

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

Which sparks the opposite question for me, and I'm somewhat surprised to find I don't know the answer: why did the Grey Company come down at all, given that Aragorn achieved his goals with a) ghosts and b) Gondorians? Were they there symbolically - "look, Arnor's in this war too!" - or did they actually serve a... y'know useful purpose? I refuse to believe Elrond sent them all that way solely to give Estel a cross-stitch his girlfriend made him!

hS

Moral support?

Because otherwise Galadriel's rhymes-via-Gandalf wouldn't rhyme anymore?

Also, as a more serious meta reason, because the Shire needed to be suddenly unprotected for storytelling purposes.



Seriously though, great question. If I were to explain it with proper forward-oriented thinking, it would be like this. Aragorn says, "I have not summoned you, save only in wish". Perhaps there is something of the supernatural, or perhaps Galadriel or Elrond are doing their mysterious Elvish foresight things - though if it was Elrond, it's not clear why "word came to Rivendell" as opposed to "Elrond said so". Their coming was pre-arranged some time ago, considering that even in great haste it took them time to reach Rohan; thus, likely pre-arranged with some vague foresight in mind without specific purpose. Two other things arrive with the Rangers: Arwen's banner and Elrond's advice. Neither would be worth riding to Rohan at full speed, but since the trip is happening anyway, these things get taken along for the ride. And in making the trip from vague foresight and tagging these things on, they actually retrospectively provide the reason why there was the foresight: Elrond's words push Aragorn to decide on the Paths of the Dead (based on his initial response, he wasn't really considering that option before), and set in motion his whole plan with using the palantir, and freeing up Gondor's population to fight off Mordor's invasion. This would be a lot more entertaining in a time travel universe, where someone gets to go back in time and be the mysterious voice that speaks the summons, trying to find precisely the right time and the right words so that the Rangers arrive with the keys to the puzzle in hand at the right moment, creating a stable time loop which ends in Aragorn's victory. Here's one for the fanfics!

Erm. In other words. If you already know the outcome, you can justify the preceding actions whichever way you like. And I think I like the sound of this: if it wasn't for Halbarad's company coming to follow their chieftain into hellfire and beyond, the War might not have been won. Because it can be rationalized this way. Ha.