Perhaps it is some sort of autonomous collective? An anarchosyndicalist commune, where they take it in turns to act as sort of an executive officer for the week…
Arwen had already said goodbye to her father, and, by extension, to the Rivendell household elves, in the aftermath of the War. She gets married, chooses to be human, and spends some time in Gondor with her new husband getting things settled in. If they were to come north to see off the Ringbearers, that’s just rubbing salt in the wound for her, and for those leaving who are leaving her behind.
A very strong line is being drawn here. The people leaving (only Sam, temporarily, Merry and Pippen are there who are not) are the non-humans. Middle-Earth is being left to humanity (yes, there are still ents and dwarves, but ents are dying out, as there are no entlings, and the dwarves are probably dying out as well). So the mortals have no place at the Havens; this isn’t about them at all. All the hoopla at Minas Tirith (renamed anew Minas Anor, I think) and the cleanup in The Shire were our last looks at the age to come. The book isn’t about the Fourth Age, and the leave-taking of the Ringbearers is essentially the last act of the Third Age.
Yeah, but you’re not thinking this through from a magical Third Age Middle Earth perspective. I mean Aragorn lived to be 210 for chrissakes. He doesn’t just think he is better than you, he actually is better than you :p. Genetically. Filthy, filthy peasants need to accept their lowly lot in life and be happy servitors, like our good man Sam Gamgee.
Sam “the servitor” was elected Mayor of the Shire for seven consecutive seven-year terms. Hardly a lowly lot. Not to mention he was Frodos heir, and was pretty rich. Not to mention 13 kids, so pretty busy, eh?
Yeah, it’s quite clear that the Gamgees, at least Sam’s branch of the family, inherited the wealth and social status left vacant by the Bilbo/Frodo branch of the Baggins family.
Sam starts out as a “happy servitor” and tries to return to that role at the end of the story, as one-half of Frodo’s live-in staff, but he doesn’t stay that way. His loyalty and heroism, along with Frodo’s grateful recognition of them and Frodo’s own abdication of his position in the Shire, effectively achieved Sam’s (rather reluctant) promotion to the “upper classes” of hobbitdom.
More than just rubbing salt; I think Tolkien calls it the bitterest parting in the history of the world, or something like that. Remember that for the elves, there’s no such thing as “never see you again.” Even death just means a temporary separation; see you in the Halls of Mandos. But Elrond and Arwen have no such assurance. The elves don’t know what happens with the Gift of Men (because, neither does Tolkien, or any of us.)
Reminds me of a Time Lord’s post-regeneration problems (trying to figure out which aspects of his personality fit with the new body).
Faramir knew Gandalf’s real name (Olorin) - and if he did, then others would. I don’t know if knowing the name would be a big enough clue for one of the Elf lords to realize what Gandalf was.
I do like the movie and the books, but one flaw remains. Gandalf could have used a fleet of giant Eagles, fly high over the black gate, and into mount doom, where he could have dropped the ring into the fire.
But then again there would not be much of a movie or book.
First of all, Sauron would have seen them coming, and sent thousands of archers, nine ringwraiths- and most importantly, Sauron’s full Will against them. It would have been a slaughter.
And Gandalf could not hold the Ring that long, nor could pretty much anyone but a Hobbit. So, you have the problem of getting there, and who is gonna drop the Ring? And if they miss? oops. So, you’d have to land, under fire, and walk the Ring in and drop it.
