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. Sam's grace, kindness, and undeniable heroism are ultimately responsible for the elimination of Sauron's presence from Middle-earth.
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Although 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. Despite the power he wields, Sam happily retires to a peaceful life in the Shire, proving he never really desired anything else.
Updated on November 24th, 2022: Each member of the Fellowship of the Ring plays an important role in The Lord of the Rings. 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. Frodo Baggins is given a far more dangerous mission, one that he wouldn't have completed if not for Samwise Gamgee.
12 Sam Wants Nothing More Than A Garden
Sam inherits his gardening career from his father, Hamfast Gamgee; both of them spend their days tending to the sprawling flower yards of Bag End. Sam's simplicity is clearly observed through his love for gardening, in particular when the One Ring tries to sway his mind.
It offers him visions of glory and wonder, culminating in a grand "garden of flowers and trees that brought forth fruit." Sam is naturally tempted, but he's capable of comprehending his own limitations — "the one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due."
11 Sam Has A Genuine Love For Life
In a world torn apart by war, the Shire is one of the last remaining symbols of peace and optimism. Even Hobbits aren't strangers to conflict though, as Lobelia and Otho Sackville-Baggins constantly and shamelessly attempt to usurp Bag End from Bilbo and Frodo.
That said, Sam's behavior and actions prove he's still as innocent and hopeful after his quest is finished as he was before it even began. Frodo loses much of his goodwill and peace of mind as a consequence of his taxing burden, but Sam gets a new lease on life.
10 Sam Successfully Resists Old Man Willow
Before the Hobbits reach Rivendell, they have to pass through the Old Forest. Although this ancient region of Middle-earth is filled with magic and ethereal entities, it was omitted from TheLord of the Rings film trilogy. When the Hobbits take a bath in the Withywindle river, the spirit known as Old Man Willow captures Pippin and Merry while simultaneously attempting to drown Frodo.
Sam doesn't fall under the sleepiness spell; on the contrary, he extricates Frodo from the river and threatens to burn Old Man Willow to the ground. This act of reckless bravery might have backfired if Tom Bombadil hadn't stumbled onto the scene.
9 Sam's Allegiance Lies With The Shire
Sam's loyalty to the Shire is at least as powerful as his devotion to Frodo. He's horrified upon viewing the destruction of the Shire in Galadriel's mirror — a grove of trees "crashing to the ground," and the iconic Old Mill replaced by "a large red-brick building."
Sam nearly abandons the quest in order to save his people, but Galadriel cautions him against such a foolhardy mission. She claims that "the Mirror shows many things," some of which "never come to be." Sam grudgingly agrees to stick with Frodo, but his split-second decision to rush home highlights his incredible heroism.
8 Sam Manages The Shire For Decades
Upon his return, Frodo spends a couple of years as the Shire's Deputy Mayor, helping reconstruct his homeland after the Scouring, an event that only takes place in the books. Eventually, he takes a ship to the Undying Lands along with Elrond, Gandalf, Galadriel, and Bilbo, leaving a despondent Sam behind.
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For his part, Sam marries his childhood sweetheart Rosie Cotton and starts a thriving family with 13 children. He subsequently serves as mayor of the Shire for 49 years, winning seven back-to-back elections. Sam is presumably reunited in Valinor with his beloved Frodo, a justified reward for his prodigious accomplishments.
7 Sam Insists On Following Frodo To Mordor
Gandalf makes Sam promise to take care of Frodo on their journey, but it's obvious that Sam would have risked his life for his master anyway. The Fellowship of the Ring breaks into three groups after meeting Galadriel in Lórien — Aragorn, Gimli, & Legolas; Merry & Pippin; and Sam & Frodo. They only reunite after the One Ring's destruction in Mount Doom.
Although Frodo intends to take the journey to Mordor solo, Sam follows him with such reckless determination that Frodo has no other choice than to take him. This decision proves to be a turning point in the story. Viewers already know exactly what would have happened if Sam hadn't tagged along.
6 Sam's Defining Feature Is His Humility
Sam is driven by his need to protect Frodo and nothing else. He displays zero interest in pageantry, reputation, power, or valor, considering them features of people far more talented than himself. Ironically, this humility is what makes him greater than the people he admires.
Sam expects nothing in return for his efforts, and it is this staunch sense of modesty that turns Sam into one of the strongest characters in the Lord of the Rings. More importantly, it's impossible to confuse Sam's subservience for weakness as he consistently demonstrates his physical and emotional fortitude throughout the journey to Mordor.
5 Sam Grows More Than Anyone Else In The Lord Of The Rings
Gandalf is resurrected as the White Wizard, Aragorn is crowned the King of Gondor, Legolas and Gimli vanish into the West, Merry and Pippin become the Master of Buckland and the Thain of the Shire respectively, and even Frodo is hailed as the last Ringbearer.
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And yet it's Sam who changes more than anyone else in The Lord of the Rings, because he's the only one who returns to his original life without the slightest hesitation – not just because he misses it, but because he learns valuable lessons from his journey. Sam spends the rest of his time in Middle-earth by helping Hobbiton heal from the scars left behind by the war.
4 Sam Never Really Trusts Gollum
Gollum secretly tracks Sam and Frodo, partly out of fear for Sauron, but mainly because he's fueled by his addiction to the One Ring. Frodo is too weary to resist, preferring to place his faith in Gollum, but Sam displays little warmth for the pitiful creature – and for valid reasons.
Sam strongly believes Gollum is up to no good, a suspicion that becomes a reality when Gollum betrays the Hobbits in Cirith Ungol (by offering them to Shelob). Sam's inability to trust Gollum indirectly ends up saving Frodo's life at the end of the Return of the King.
3 Sam Saves Frodo's Life From Shelob
Shelob, the last of the oversized, malevolent Spiders to haunt Middle-earth, is a force to be reckoned with. Her dangerous presence meant that Sauron could relax security around Mordor's back entrance, safely assuming that Shelob would devour any potential intruders.
However, Sauron's faith in the Spider is misplaced since Sam makes short work of Shelob. He uses the Phial of Galadriel to blind the dangerous beast before proceeding to unleash a flurry of attacks with Sting. Sam saves Frodo's life, and not for the last time.
2 Sam Carries Frodo To The Volcano's Mouth
After defeating Shelob, Sam is wracked with guilt as he believes Frodo to be dead, so he decides to take on the mission himself. To his delight, he soon discovers that his master is still alive. Sam proceeds to enact a daring rescue operation to extract Frodo from Cirith Ungol.
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Due to the lingering effects of the spider venom, Frodo is incapable of scaling the craggy slopes of Mount Doom, so Sam literally hoists him on his shoulders and carries him all the way to the mouth of the volcano. The path to their destination is littered with burning brimstone and pointy rocks, but Sam doesn't even seem to notice.
1 Sam Begs Frodo To Destroy The One Ring
Frodo and Sam reach their destination more or less intact, only for Frodo to deny his destiny at the last second. Sam desperately begs his master to toss the cursed object into the Crack of Doom, much like Elrond had when Isildur was faced with the same choice over 3000 years ago.
Frodo gleefully rejects Sam's appeals to common sense and puts the One Ring on his finger, which triggers every single alarm in Barad-dûr. Sam's pleas may not have stopped Frodo from making a massive mistake, but his decision to spare Gollum's life inadvertently completes their mission.
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