Hobbits Wiped Out, Men Enslaved: What If Aragorn Had Carried the Ring? AI Paints a Grim Picture

The story of The Lord of the Rings begins with hobbit Frodo Baggins inheriting the One Ring of Power from his uncle Bilbo — a weapon forged by the dark lord Sauron himself. Wise wizard Gandalf recognises the grave danger the Ring poses and sends Frodo on a perilous quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom.

Joined by eight companions — the Fellowship of the Ring — including hobbits and guardians alike, their journey is legendary. But what if, instead of Frodo, the task had fallen to Gandalf’s old friend Aragorn? An AI helped us imagine how Middle-earth’s fate would change under such a scenario — and the results are catastrophic.

Aragorn Takes the Ring

At Rivendell, Elrond insists the Ring must be destroyed. But Aragorn — heir of Isildur — boldly declares: “I am stronger than any hobbit. It is my duty to crush Sauron!” Despite Gandalf’s grim warnings, the council of elves and men, pressured by Boromir, reluctantly agrees.

The Fellowship Falls Apart

Aragorn begins to hide the Ring from his allies. Boromir attempts to seize it earlier than in the original tale, but in a fit of rage, Aragorn kills him. The Fellowship breaks up. Legolas and Gimli flee, realising their leader is consumed by the Ring’s corruption. Gandalf tries to intervene, but Aragorn uses the Ring’s power to enslave the Balrog.

Aragorn’s Downfall

Arriving in Minas Tirith, Aragorn proclaims himself king. Wielding the Ring, he obliterates Mordor’s armies with a single gesture — but half of Gondor’s people perish under his so-called "mercy." He cripples Faramir to remove a rival, while Denethor burns alive resisting him. Éowyn, heartbroken by his transformation, takes her own life.

War Against Sauron

Leading Gondor’s forces to the Black Gate, Aragorn instead dons the Ring. Merging with Sauron, the two become a monstrous fusion — Sauron’s physical form restored, but his mind now intertwined with Aragorn’s obsession.

Middle-earth descends into darkness. The elves sail away, hobbits are exterminated, and men become slaves.

The Inevitable Conclusion

This bleak ending seems unavoidable. Aragorn’s bloodline ties him to Isildur, who once failed to destroy the Ring. Even without it, Aragorn battles for the throne; the Ring magnifies this ambition a thousandfold. Crucially, there is no Samwise Gamgee — the humble, unambitious hobbit whose pure heart enabled Frodo to resist the Ring’s corrupting influence.

Frodo was chosen precisely because only a weak yet pure-hearted soul could bear the burden. Aragorn is a tragic figure: his virtues twisted into instruments of Sauron’s power.