What if Glorfindel joined the fellowship to Lothlorien?

[Sarumian]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Mm much like WCH I think too much is made of this sensing the presence of, you know, po-wah. Sure, Gandalf and the Balrog could sense each other in Moria but only (as I remember it) when they had just a door between them and when they were using their magic in direct conflict.

Honestly, I was joking and think, the matter of Sauron's "elf-dar" is a red herring. We know that the presence of big baddies in proximity was felt by all creatures. Nazgul are known for sending even big formations into panic, while the proximity of the Balrog even Aragorn, who was able to sustain the terror of five Nazgul, as well as Legolas, who later successfully shoot a Nazgul over the Great river with his arrow, have got unwilling to raise their arms. Even Barrow wights paralysed and confused those in their presence.

It seemed to me, big Goodies produced some effect on baddies too. Orks probably hated the aura of Loth-Lorien and were unable to fight there properly. The sight of an elf-lord in his wrath contributed to the panic among Nazgul at the Ford. Gullum naturally suffered of everything made by elves (even elves of Mirkwood).

I am not saying Sauron could search ME with just gazing from his Tower, but let's not forget that both Galladriel and Gandalf were able to fight his mind on a great distance. And if Galladriel's location was known, Sauron could hardly have expected an assault from Gandalf the White sitting high, looking far... ))))

But the real matter was the travel through Mordor. Hobbits were extremely capable of stay unnoticed when they wanted so. A presence of an elf-lord in Mordor could have been disclosed easier.

The other thing that could have come to Gandalf's mind (we cannot know) was that as hobbits were not known to the folk of Mordor, it would be possible to send the enemy on a false trail, as it happened in the end. If Pipin and Mery would have promptly entered Minath Tirith, the enemy would have located the Ring in a wrong way.