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#1 |
Loremaster of Annúminas
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,311
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'Conspiracy' plot hole
This one has bothered me for decades. At Crickhollow when Merry spills the beans, he says that it began the previous April when ":things got serious", and names Sam their "chief investigator" and says he collected "a lot" of intel, until he was caught and clammed up.
The problem with this is that there's no timeline in which it works. On April 13, Gandalf tells Frodo about the Ring. Sam overhears; Sam is caught. No window for Sam to be gethering and reporting intel- Merry's story just doesn't work.
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The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it. |
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#2 | |
Curmudgeonly Wordwraith
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ensconced in curmudgeonly pursuits
Posts: 2,506
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#3 | ||
Newly Deceased
Join Date: Aug 2024
Posts: 5
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This problem bothered me too. The only apparent solution is that Sam's drying up did not include reporting the conversation from The Shadow of the Past. At the end of the chapter, we see this:
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According to Merry: Quote:
We also know from the conversation with Gildor and the Council of Elrond that Sam was not above eavesdropping even after being caught. |
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#4 |
Spirit of Mist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Tol Eressea
Posts: 3,354
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Welcome to the Barrow-Downs, Bingo.
You provide a rational explanation for William's plot hole. If Sam passed on what information he had and simply stopped snooping, this might explain the inconsistency. Of course, by that time there was nothing left to snoop about. The Ring had been explained and the decision to take it from the Shire had been reached.
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Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land. |
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#5 | |
Newly Deceased
Join Date: Aug 2024
Posts: 5
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#6 |
Spirit of Mist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Tol Eressea
Posts: 3,354
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Could be.
Like you, I tend to try to resolve all questions regarding Tolkien's published writings in favor of consistency. Your theory would potentially resolve the inconsistency. Of course. there are others here who might simply say "he made a mistake." There's a thread below, "Seriously - what was it that scared Gandalf to look more into Bilbo's ring?" that also addresses inconsistencies in LoTR, with the same two viewpoints taken.
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Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land. |
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