Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies opened showing Sauron forging the One Ring, with this ring going on to find itself with Bilbo, Frodo, and others. But Samwise may be one of the most surprising of the Ring-bearers.
Some may not even realize that Sam is considered a Ring-bearer. However, even Gandalf, who touched Lord of the Rings' One Ring momentarily, is considered one by some. Sam may have not held the ring for as long as Frodo or Bilbo, but he is widely held to be one of the most profoundly unaffected by it. Not counting Tom Bombadil, who could slip it on his finger without so much as turning invisible. While Isildur, Déagol, and Gollum all fell victim to the ring's power, Sam managed it remarkably, even though he only held it for a day or two.
Samwise Gamgee Only Had The One Ring For A Couple Of Days In Lord Of The Rings
Sam Was A Ring-bearer Only Briefly
Sam only had the One Ring on his person for a day or two, before he managed to give it back to Frodo Baggins. Samwise Gamgee took the ring after Frodo had been attacked by Shelob in The Lord of the Rings novel in an attempt to keep it safe and finish the mission. He thought Frodo was dead and gave the ring back to him when they were reunited. Although this timeframe wasn't totally confirmed by the book, it would have only been a day or two that the ring was in Sam's possession, judging from surrounding events.
Why Frodo Never Got Married After The Lord Of The Rings Even Though Sam Did
Frodo ended up a bachelor in The Lord of the Rings, but Sam didn't, leaving some to question the circumstances of Frodo's bachelorhood.
The movie displayed Sam taking care of the One Ring, but not for as long as this, seemingly. Sam rescued Frodo in the Tower of Cirith Ungol and was seen surprising Frodo with the good news that he had preserved the ring after their troubles. Frodo hastily snatched it back, already deeply affected by the damaging artifact. Sam even put on the One Ring in the book, making him an even more impressive wielder of the deadly object than the movies portrayed.
Why Samwise Gamgee Was Able To Resist The One Ring So Well
The One Ring Had Few Footholds In Sam
Played to perfection by American actor Sean Astin, Sam was able to resist the temptation of the One Ring because he genuinely wanted no part in world-ruling power. Some of Samwise Gamgee's best moments in Lord of the Rings showed how little the ring had to tap into Sam's psyche to manipulate him into submission. In contrast, Boromir wanted to rule Gondor, making him vulnerable to the ring. Sam's highest aspiration was a blossoming garden, which is exactly why he rose to power in the Shire. There was an irony to this.
The moral of Sam's story was that purity of heart, without desire to control others, is what actually results in power.
Poetically, Galadriel gifted Sam soil for him to grow his garden, and this was what enabled him to rebuild the Shire after the Scouring and become a trusted leader. Sauron and his ring were a cautionary tale about the dangers of thirst for power, and the moral of Sam's story was that purity of heart, without desire to control others, is what actually results in power. Sauron was the Lord of the Rings, partly, because he poured his very essence into the One Ring, so it resonated, in particular, with those who shared some of his desires. Sam did not.
Sam's Short Time With The Ring Explains Why It Didn't Affect Him After LotR
Frodo And Bilbo Were Deeply Affected By The One Ring
Because Sam only spent a few days with the ring, at most, he avoided Frodo and Bilbo's permanent damage. Although Samwise Gamgee is different in The Lord of the Rings movies from the way he is in the book, Astin and Jackson still capture his light-hearted spirit and relentless determination. Frodo lost this more and more throughout his journey, significantly due to the detrimental effect of the One Ring, which was trying to get back to its master. Neither Frodo nor Sam were able to wield the ring like Sauron could, so its effect on them was mostly toxic.
Tolkienian Age |
Event Marking The Start |
Years |
Total Length In Solar Years |
|---|---|---|---|
Before time |
Indeterminate |
Indeterminate |
Indeterminate |
Days before Days |
Ainur entered Eä |
1 - 3,500 Valian Years |
33,537 |
Pre-First Age Years of the Trees (Y.T.) |
Yavanna created the Two Trees |
Y.T. 1 - 1050 |
10,061 |
First Age (F.A.) |
Elves awoke in Cuiviénen |
Y.T. 1050 - Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 - 590 |
4,902 |
Second Age (S.A.) |
War of Wrath ended |
S.A. 1 - 3441 |
3,441 |
Third Age (T.A.) |
Last Alliance defeated Sauron |
T.A. 1 - 3021 |
3,021 |
Fourth Age (Fo.A) |
Elven-rings left Middle-earth |
Fo.A 1 - unknown |
Unknown |
Frodo and Bilbo Baggins were Ring-bearers for years, which was more than enough time for the object to sink its claws into them and leave them with permanent scars. Throughout the Third Age, the One Ring showed how long-term use and possession would eventually result in something like Gollum. Even in Rivendell, near the end of his time in Middle-earth, Bilbo showed himself to be desperate for the ring and triggered aggressive behavior when approaching the possibility of reclaiming it. Frodo, meanwhile, couldn't heal from the trauma of carrying the ring for so long, and from his journey in general.
Gollum was played by Andy Serkis in the LotR movies and will return in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Even on surviving the quest and getting home, Frodo confirmed that the Shire "has been saved, but not for me." Frodo's Hobbit version of PTSD probably had a lot to do with being attacked by the Witch-king, Shelob, Gollum, and Orcs, but the ring had a lot to do with it. Sam wasn't subject to the gradual eating away of his mental faculties that the ring performed on those incapable of using it. Sauron's will to dominate, inherent in the ring, had a corrupting influence, but Sam byed the worst of this in The Lord of the Rings.
- Created by
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- First Film
- The Lord of the Rings (1978)
- Cast
- Norman Bird, John Hurt
- TV Show(s)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
- Video Game(s)
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
