: Well, I think he was VERY im-poah-tant. Elrond sent him out all by his lonesome against the Nazgul....

But it could be that he went out himself it seems to me that he was capable of taking his own counsel and yet he served and abode with Elrond. It could be that he niether sought advice nor reflected and thought on his own so he went out on his own heedless and reckless. Of course the problem with this is that he didnot seem the kind to do this.