what proof have we that sauron and his supposedly vast armies even existed? our "heroes" defeat a few bands of unfortunates from the east and south, but never actually confront this vast army. i say it never existed. there was never a concerted effort to wipe out gondor. there is no unified state or alliance in the east and south.
what are we left with then? what is the bottom line? a coup in gondor and a coincidental volcanic eruption (i will admit that this was lucky, or at least the propagandists made good use of it after the fact). that is all.
the rest was part of the plot to overthrow denethor, or was made up later.
i agree that the threat to gondor was vastly overstated, but sauron was definitely there. i think that part was all a justification to carry out pogroms in the east, mostly unrelated to the ongoing coup
i think it could have served a dual purpose, the threat makes people more willing to accept the new king while also giving an excuse to rape, pillage, and enslave your way through the ranks of the eastern "orcs". you come into power, and then when you do so you have an easy way to enrich yourself and your new kingdom.
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this is closer to the truth, but not there yet.
what proof have we that sauron and his supposedly vast armies even existed? our "heroes" defeat a few bands of unfortunates from the east and south, but never actually confront this vast army. i say it never existed. there was never a concerted effort to wipe out gondor. there is no unified state or alliance in the east and south.
what are we left with then? what is the bottom line? a coup in gondor and a coincidental volcanic eruption (i will admit that this was lucky, or at least the propagandists made good use of it after the fact). that is all.
the rest was part of the plot to overthrow denethor, or was made up later.
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i agree that the threat to gondor was vastly overstated, but sauron was definitely there. i think that part was all a justification to carry out pogroms in the east, mostly unrelated to the ongoing coup
possible, although it's also possible that everything in the east was directed by the chief conspirators, this gandalf and aragorn.
they even admit that they both spent time east (stirring up these armies, no doubt)
the pogroms i do not doubt, it's clear from the appendices what holocaust was unleashed on the people of the east and south after the war.
i think it could have served a dual purpose, the threat makes people more willing to accept the new king while also giving an excuse to rape, pillage, and enslave your way through the ranks of the eastern "orcs". you come into power, and then when you do so you have an easy way to enrich yourself and your new kingdom.