Back in 1975, Robert Plant, vocalist of Led Zeppelin, and his wife Maureen were involved in a serious car crash while vacationing in Rhodes, Greece. Plant broke his leg and nearly lost his wife as a result. This happened just a few weeks before Zeppelin were scheduled to go on a world tour starting in the U.S., arguably at the peak of Zeppelin's popularity, and with the band derailed from touring for the time being, they wrote and recorded Presence and they wouldn't tour again until 1977.
I believe there are three major ways this scenario could have also played out: 1. Robert Plant doesn't get into an accident and embarks on the world tour with Zeppelin weeks later. 2. The car crash happens as in OTL but Maureen does not get a blood transfusion fast enough and dies. 3. The car crash kills or severely cripples Robert Plant.
Scenario 1 is, in essence, a Zeppelin-wank (not the type you guys want). This car crash was arguably one of the most contributing factors to Zeppelin's eventual downfall because it was at the height of their popularity and just like that, they were sidelined from touring for two years. Still, they were required to create a new album, even with Robert having a broken leg and their homesick feelings felt throughout their career began to grow even more evident (as seen in the song "Tea for One"). However, butterfly the accident away, and suddenly, Zeppelin can embark on a world tour that will bring them to several countries around the world, some of which haven't been visited for years. They would no doubt continue to sell out major arenas across the globe. Granted, most if not all of the songs on Presence wouldn't have happened (rather sad, as I honestly consider that album extremely underrated), but Zeppelin's popularity would continue to grow. The Song Remains the Same would also change radically, as there were plans to add footage from the US leg of the tour. Whether or not it would make the movie better is up for debate, but the soundtrack would encompass most of Zeppelin's career up to that point, including songs from the recently released Physical Graffiti.
Scenario 2 could very well play out like like Karac Plant's (Robert's son) death in 1977. Robert would no doubt would be heartbroken, but not for the same reasons as Karac's death, as he wouldn't be on tour when it happened, but right there next to her. The band may go into hiatus for a few years as, without his wife, Plant may feel it necessary to stay at home and spend more time with his kids. By the time Zeppelin are ready to move again, it will have been a few years, and some of his material on the band's next album would be based on his wife, as it was for certain songs on In Through the Out Door after Karac's death. The band will continue to be a massive success, but their popularity will have waned a bit.
Scenario 3, depending on how you look at it, is either the worst or the best out of all of them. Without Robert or with him out of action, the band have two decisions: continue on with a new guy or call it quits. Most likely, the latter option will be chosen, as the band members were close friends with one another, which was why John Bonham's death was the final tipping point for the band's demise. However, ending Zeppelin off in 1975 would alter their legacy significantly. With Robert dead in '75, there would be absolutely no Presence or In Through the Out Door and Coda, which was one half outtakes from the Presence and ITtOD sessions, wouldn't exist, but some of its songs may find its way onto some greatest hits collection years later. Many people of today (myself included with exception to Presence) view these latter albums as inferior to their other six, five of which are on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Ending it off at the height of their popularity and one of their masterpieces may put Led Zeppelin on a tier rivaling the Beatles in terms of legacy.
What do you guys think of these possibilities?