However you'd like to read it, there is a love between these two men, and that love stems from Sam's refusal to let Frodo be alone, no matter what he's carrying with him. It's no accident that numerous queer readings of the trilogy have emerged in the years since its release, and much of that reading stems from Sam's ability to carry on, and from the look he and Frodo share across a Rivendell bedroom at the end of The Return of the King. It's that loyalty that allows him to tolerate and rise above these things, to keep fighting, and to eventually carry Frodo up Mount Doom in a final act of love for his employer and friend. Sam's greatest and most recognizable attribute is his loyalty, something he keeps even after Frodo has seemingly formed a closer bond with Gollum than with him, and even after Frodo tries to banish him from the rest of their journey to Mordor. Two decades on, he remains the beating heart of the trilogy, and it all starts with that moment of contemplation on the road. What began 20 years ago this month with The Fellowship of the Ring would ultimately establish Samwise as one of the great characters in fantasy cinema (after he was already one of the great characters in fantasy literature). Then the rest of the trilogy happens, and Samwise Gamgee reveals himself to be far more than a servant, or a simpleton, or a straightforward man who'd just like some taters to stick into his rabbit stew. By pausing to commemorate the moment he'll be farthest from his home, Sam seems more concerned with getting back to his plants and his beer and Rosie Cotton than he does with what's about to happen to all of them. Throughout the adventure, there's a straightforwardness to Sam that even fellow Hobbits Merry and Pippin, trickster goofballs that they are, don't possess, and it seems to come through in this moment of contemplating his next step. Sam's the one, after all, who brought seasoning along for the trip - in case he might have a chance to make roast chicken, who lamented being given a rope when his fellow Hobbits got 'nice, shiny daggers,' and who eventually reacts to Gollum with what feels like un-nuanced, pure rage. In these early minutes of their travels, it can feel like an acknowledgement of Sam's inherent simple-ness, something that persists in various small decisions he makes over the course of the trilogy. It's a moment that prompts Frodo to take a few steps back, put his arm around his trusted servant, and lead him on deeper into their adventure. 'If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been,' Sam explains. Then, as they walk across the verdant fields of their homeland, heading East, Sam stops in his tracks and declares 'This is it.' When he gets roped into accompanying Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) on what will be the journey of a lifetime, he goes obediently, if a little hesitantly. When we meet Sam - played with vulnerable intensity by Sean Astin - he is presented as a simple gardener who, like his fellow Hobbits, enjoys the straightforward pleasures of the Shire, and doesn't dream of going off on some grand adventure. Frodo Baggins is given a far more dangerous mission, one that he wouldn't have completed if not for Samwise Gamgee.There's a moment early in The Fellowship of the Ring, Peter Jackson's classic epic fantasy film that kicks off The Lord of the Rings trilogy, that helps us understand Samwise Gamgee in a very specific way. Aragorn fulfills his regal destiny, Merry & Pippin bring Saruman down, Boromir teaches Frodo to be wary of strangers, Legolas & Gimli help out on the battlefield, and Gandalf guides everyone to safety. Updated on November 24th, 2022: Each member of the Fellowship of the Ring plays an important role in The Lord of the Rings. Despite the power he wields, Sam happily retires to a peaceful life in the Shire, proving he never really desired anything else. RELATED: 10 Smartest Decisions In Lord Of The RingsĪlthough countless characters play essential roles in the triumph of good over evil – particularly the Fellowship of the Ring – Samwise performs the most important task of all: getting Frodo to Mount Doom. Sam's grace, kindness, and undeniable heroism are ultimately responsible for the elimination of Sauron's presence from Middle-earth.

Tolkien called Samwise Gamgee 'the chief hero' of The Lord of the Rings, going so far as to refer to the modest Hobbit as 'far superior to' himself.

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