Images stored on the Palantir HD- the key to find the Ring?

[Gordis]

The Palantiri were used for three things
1. Observation
2. Communication between stones
3. Looking in the past

It is the third mode (looking in the past) that I propose to discuss.

Gandalf says:

“Even now my heart desires to test my will upon it, to see if I could not wrench it from him and turn it where I would - to look across the wide seas of water and of time to Tirion the Fair, and perceive the unimaginable hand and mind of Fëanor at their work, while both the White Tree and the Golden were in flower!' LOTR, the Palantir

Now I hardly doubt that one could use a Palantir to look back on ANY event of his choice.
More likely, the only thing possible was to go through the images stored in the Palantir – much like one can go through the image files and video sequences recorded on a computer’s hard disk.

Here are the quotes from UT proving that the Palantiri stored images and that the stones were kept in the dark and shrouded to prevent unnecessary images to be stored:

They retained the images received, so that each contained within itself a multiplicity of images and scenes, some from a remote past… They themselves could be and usually were kept in the dark, because it was much easier then to see the scenes that they pre¬sented, and as the centuries passed to limit their 'overcrowding.'
“the remoter the past the clearer the view�

But if that is true, then it implies that different stones had different images stored. The stones only stored images that were first viewed in real-time “observation� mode. For instance, if one was interested to see how Hyarmendacil I the King of Gondor defeated the Haradrim in TA 1050, one had to use the nearest stones: either the stone of Minas Tirith or that of Minas Anor, or the bigger stones: that of Osgiliath or Amon Sul to try to find this sequence, but not the stones of Orthanc or Annuminas, as these small stones were too far away to observe the battle. We know that

For distant viewing there was a "proper distance," varying with the Stones, at which distant objects were clearer. The greater palantÃ*ri could look much further than the lesser; for the lesser the "proper distance" was of the order of five hundred miles, as between the Orthanc-stone and that of Anor. The Palantiri (UT) note 18.

That is what I am coming to:

The biggest question of the Third Age was the whereabouts of the One Ring. If there was a sequence of Isildur’s last moments recorded by one of the stones, the one who found this sequence would get a HUGE advantage in the search for the One.

Isildur fell at the Gladden fields in TA 2. Let us look at the map. The nearest (small) stone is that of Orthanc. The other small stones (Anor, Ithil and Annuminas) are too far away. So the sequence of Isildur’s death could have been recorded either by Orthanc stone or by the bigger stones: Amon Sul and Osgiliath ones.

Note this passage in the “Disaster of the Gladden fields�:

The story of the last hours of Isildur and his death was due to surmise: but well-founded. The legend in its full form was not composed until the reign of Elessar in the Fourth Age, when other evidence was discovered. Up to then it had been known, firstly, that Isildur had the Ring, and had fled towards tin River; secondly, that his mail, helm, shield and great sword (but nothing else) had been found on the bank not far above the Gladden Fields; thirdly, that the Orcs had left watchers on the west bank armed with bows to intercept any who might escape the battle and flee to the River (for traces of their camps were found, one close to the borders of the Gladden Fields); and fourthly, that Isildur and the Ring, separately or together, must have been lost in the River, for if Isildur had reached the west shore wearing the Ring he should have eluded the watch, and so hardy a man of great endurance could not have failed to come then to Lórien or Moria before he foundered.

It seems that the stone of Amon Sul had no record of Isildur’s death. Valandil Isildur’s son was fostered in Rivendell. They have undoubtedly searched (in vain) for Isildur’s body. Valandil was the owner of Amon Sul stone, but it was of no help, it seems.
If the stones of Gondor (Osgiliath and/or Orthanc) had recorded the sequence, they had no idea about its importance - as nobody in Gondor seemed to know that Isildur had the Ring. The relationships between Arnor and Gondor quickly deteriorated. And the stone of Osgiliath was lost in 1437.

Now let us look at Saruman’s doings:

Saruman had no doubt from his investigations gained a special knowledge of the Stones, things that would attract his attention, and had become convinced that the Orthanc-stone was still intact in its tower. He acquired the keys of Orthanc in 2759, nominally as warden of the tower and lieutenant of the Stewards of Gondor. At that time the matter of the Orthanc-stone would hardly concern the White Council. Only Saruman, having gained the favour of the Stewards, had yet made sufficient study of the records of Gondor to perceive the interest of the palantÃ*ri and the possible uses of those that survived; but of this he said nothing to his colleagues.

Now, why was Saruman so interested in the Orthanc Stone? Was it just to gaze around? I doubt it. His primary concern was to find the One Ring. I think it was specifically the sequence of Isildir’s death that interested him.
And I think he HAS FOUND it recorded in the Orthanc stone. Because who has found Isildur’s body (and Elendilmir with it) in the river? It was Saruman, thousands of years after Isildur’s death and NOT Elrond and Valandil who must have searched the river shortly after the disaster of the Gladden.
Also note that Saruman started searching the Gladden about the same time when he got the Orthanc stone - about 2760.

Maybe the “bad guys� have figured the importance of the Palantiri for the search of the One as well. The Witch-King sought to capture the Palantir of Amon Sul (1409 and 1974), then got that of Minas Ithil (2002). But this one was of no help. Now it seems that Sauron was able to read much of Saruman’s mind when the latter used his stone. Perhaps he got the idea to search the Gladden from the unsuspecting Saruman?

What do you think?
;21