ToshoftheWuffingas wrote:What, the Sam who took the Ring only when he thought his master dead, who rejected the false visions on the edge of Mordor, who gave up the Ring to his master and wept, who saw hope above the broils of Mordor far up in the heavens, who surrendered his vengeance on Gollum and extended pity though he could find no words for it, who gave his water to Frodo even though in extremis himself, who carried Frodo on his back up the volcano slope when he had at last collapsed?
I think that he might have done.
I've thought a lot about this. (This is all in my humble opinion, of course. I've not read all the background that many of you have! But I have thought about this a lot.
)
Sam was incredibly strong. His was the strength that both hobbits leaned on, time and again. His was the strength that got that threesome to the edge of the fiery pit, and, if the day was won, it was won through Sam. Frodo wouldn't have made it without Sam. Frodo wouldn't have had the strength, alone.
But would Sam have been able to accomplish the task without Frodo? That's the question, right? Would Sam have been able to "do" it?
No. No way. And not just because no one could. It's because Sam would not have been Sam without Frodo.
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I've thought about this a lot.
Sam's strength is enormous. But where does it come from?
Firstly, he is "just" a hobbit. I suppose there will always be some disdain amongst those whose thoughts are always complicated for those whose thoughts generally aren't, but the hobbits were STRONG in their "smugness". The very attributes that make hobbits in general a bit humorous-- their focus on food, comfort, food, familiar stories, their distrust of anything unusual, and their love of food-- are also the backbone of their incredible strength. Things ARE a bit black and white to a hobbit, and so the incredibly angsty greyness of more complicated beings just didn't register all that well. Sam had a mission; protect Mr. Frodo. Bring Mr. Frodo home. His black and white "fundamentalism" in that task was what kept the hobbits going, and what kept them sane.
Plus, he
loved Mr. Frodo. Snapping into a protective mode has given me, personally, the biggest rushes of strength I've ever known. I've never felt more focused, more sure of myself, more "smug", more "fundamental", than when I feel that one of my kids is being threatened. Or one of my animals. Or anyone that I love.
Sam was
protecting Frodo, throughout that whole journey. Protecting his friend, his poor, brave, tortured, beloved friend, and Sam's strength was enormous. But I think it was enormous BECAUSE he was protecting Frodo.
Would Sam have killed Gollum, just as "Sam"? I dunno. Would he have killed Gollum because he felt that Gollum threatened Frodo? Probably.
Would he have done any of this, associated himself with the affairs of Elves and Wizards, had Frodo not been there to protect?
I think not.
Remember in Harry Potter, when Voldemort talks about an "old magic"? I think the incredible Momma Bear strength of being the protector and defender of someone you love is old magic. It's very strong. And hard to combat.
The Sam of the Journey of the Ring, Hero Sam, was
defined by that kind of strength.
"What do you fear, lady?" Aragorn asked.
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King