If you are familiar with Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings series, you might remember one of the saddest scenes in the entire series: when Frodo pushes Sam away. With Gollum and the corrupting power of the ring whispering in his ear, this kind of conflict feels inevitable. Samwise begins a perilous descent down the stairs of Cirith Ungol, tears streaking his good-natured face. That is, until he realizes (by stumbling upon discarded lembas bread) the truth of Gollum’s deceit, upon which he heroically turns around to reclaim his place at Frodo’s side. While this plot point adds tension, it also gives movie-watchers a more concrete visual for how the power of the ring is impacting its bearer.
But in the books, Samwise Gamgee never turns his back on Frodo. Nor does Frodo ask him to. I am not here to criticize the choices Jackson made for his films. The drama of Frodo and Sam going their separate ways is undeniable. When I was younger, my palms would begin to sweat even on my tenth viewing of The Return of the King.
When I read the books as an adult, I was surprised to realize that the scene wasn’t canon. That Sam had remained faithful to the very, nearly bitter, end. That Frodo hadn’t doubted Samwise the brave, but that Sam was with Frodo in Shelob’s dark lair.
In the movie, Frodo is alone in Shelob’s lair. As he falls in the darkness, he hears Galadriel’s voice remind him of the light of Eärendil’s star. In the book, it is Sam’s voice that calls out to remind Frodo that he carried light in his pocket.
I much prefer that version of the story. The phial of light was a precious gift, a symbol of friendship and support from the elves, but it couldn’t not compare to Sam’s voice in the dark, crying out to his friend.
Sam, who never once considered turning back and letting Frodo carry on without him. It took Sméagol mere moments to decide to kill Déagol over the ring when he pulled it out of the river. Sam spent nearly a year with Frodo, and stayed true until the fires of Mordor.
Samwise Gamgee, for this reason, is one of my favorite characters in the trilogy. A humble gardener who likes to eavesdrop became one of the greatest examples of friendship in literature. Samwise the brave. Samwise the friend.
I love this. Samwise the friend. We all need a Samwise in our lives!