Q: Could Frodo and Sam Have Gone to Mordor in Some Other Way?
ANSWER: The actual question I was asked reads: “Aside from what happened in the series, are there other possible routes/battle plans/diplomatic compromises that could have led Frodo and Sam to Mordor?”
I’m not sure I can reasonably think through all the possibilities, but assuming the map and the world political situation are exactly the same then you have relatively few options.
For example, had Frodo and Sam not crossed Anduin where they did they would have had to cross at Cair Andros, which at that time was still defended by Gondor. They would have had to slip across the river undetected or risk an encounter such as they had with Faramir. But if they met some captain other than Faramir what would have happened? It’s hard to say. Faramir, at least, had a direct connection with Frodo’s quest because he shared the dream with Boromir that sent the older prince north to seek Elrond’s counsel. Faramir had long studied the history of Gondor and knew something about the Ring and its connection with Sauron.
What if Sam had killed Gollum, or if Gollum had fled away as soon as he could, trailing Frodo and Sam rather than guiding them? They would still have to pass through the Dead Marshes and there is no knowing if they could have done that without Gollum’s help; it would certainly have taken longer.
In fact, any delay in their journey might have spelled disaster for Gondor because Aragorn used the Palantir of Orthanc to draw Sauron’s forces out of Mordor. Aragorn had no way of knowing where Frodo was or in what circumstance he might be. I doubt Aragorn would have wanted to use the Palantir to look for Frodo as that might have aided Sauron in learning the true plan. So once Aragorn set the war into motion Frodo had very little time left to get to Mordor.
Had Frodo and Sam gone directly to Minas Tirith Gandalf’s fears about how the Ring might affect Denethor and his captains would have to be confronted. Any attempt to defeat Sauron would have been upset by Denethor’s own strategy — and possibly his ultimate fall. If Sauron, weakened by his loss of the One Ring and the need to control his servants, was able to break Denethor’s mind through the Palantir of Minas Tirith, what would the Ring (which possessed most of Sauron’s strength) have been able to do once it reached Minas Tirith? I don’t think Gandalf’s concerns were misplaced. Even Aragorn might not be able to resist the lure of the Ring forever.
So, assuming Frodo and Sam avoided detection by Gondor’s forces, found the Black Gate, and were able to remain one step ahead of Gollum they would have been frustrated in their attempts to enter Mordor. They knew nothing about how its borders were being watched nor about where the passes lay. They most likely would have to try to cross the mountains by themselves.
I can see Frodo making the attempt despite all that might befall his friends and their people. Everything would have been destroyed by the time he finally reached the Mountain — but would the Ring have overcome him before then? Tolkien makes it plain in his letters that the Ring made one final massive effort to overwhelm Frodo’s will right before he tossed it into the fire — but given more time in terms of weeks or months I think the Ring would have conquered Frodo anyway.
Hence, the story works pretty well because Frodo was unwittingly racing against TWO deadlines: the eventual defeat of Gondor and the other Free Peoples by massive, superior, overwhelming military force AND Frodo’s own eventual subjugation by the Ring. It became more of a burden the closer it got to Sauron, and even if Frodo wandered aimlessly around the borderlands of Mordor he would not have been able to endure that much torment for very long.
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A short reminder that in fact the Ring did conquer Frodo; he never ‘tossed the Ring into the Fire’. It was ultimately destroyed only by Gollum biting off Frodo’s finger, then falling.
That said, I enjoy your digest. I do not see any other path into Mordor for Frodo and Sam.
Yes, and I addressed Frodo’s failure in this article (among others, I am sure). But the question was asking for speculation — and my speculation is that Tolkien set up the story well enough that Frodo’s path seems to be the most efficient.
On the other hand physical entrances to the Black Land appear to be generally..few. Morannon the Black Gate heavily guarded, pass of Cirith Ungol a death trap leading from Imlad Morgul which itself is a nightmarish place of horror (and if to believe Gandalf, getting too close can cause madness in some people 🙂 ), the eastern opening to the lands of Rhun is enormous distance (and even in shortest way possible one would travel at the foot of Ered Lithui partly on ancient road leading towards Rhun…which at this point is in use of enemy forces), were there any other places to cross Ephel Duath the Mountains of Shadow (which were probably very hard mountains to cross apparently high volcanic with razor sharp rocks, possibly Ashen Mountains were downwind from Mount Doom gathering ash, not to mention that Sauron could probably ,,govern the storms in the Mountains of Shadow”). Were there any other openings or passes? Probably not, even scoring the frontier, sneaking around borders of Mordor is considered a great feat, even for such a man as Aragorn a Ranger with superb stealth skills and then we must consider that hobbits are one of the most stealthy creatures, Frodo and Sam also had cloaks that ,,magically” concealed them and had a guide who knew land a bit with equally hobbitish sneakiness 🙂 (probably a trait enahnced by his long use of the Ring).