I Once Was A Hobbit – Part Three

Hail and well met friends!

Last week when we left off, Gollum had told Sam and Frodo about another way into Mordor that was safer then crossing the Black Gate. This entrance was to the South and even though Frodo agreed to go, Sam was quite suspicious of Gollum’s actions.

Finding the Stairs of Cirith Ungol.

During this change in direction to find this new passage to Mordor, Frodo and Sam were captured by Faramir, and Gollum quickly followed  In doing so, Frodo allowed Faramir to take Gollum prisoner, and Faramir found out that the place Gollum was taking the Hobbits was Cirith Ungol and he warned Frodo and Sam of the great evil that dwelt in that place.

The Hobbits, and Gollum chose to leave Faramir and crossed the Morful Vale which brought them to the “Stairs of Cirith Ungol” which stood near the border mountains of Ephel Duath. Gollum was planning to betray the hobbits and had devised a plan to visit the great spider Shelob, the child spider of Ungoliant.  His plan was to deliver the Hobbits to Shelob for food and steal the “Precious” back for himself.  How Gollum managed to forge an alliance with Shelob is quite remarkable, as she was known for devouring and killing everything that came in her sight. When he returned from his devious onslaught the Hobbits were asleep. While Gollum watched Frodo sleeping it almost brought him to stop his plan…. However, Sam woke up and began speaking harshly to Gollum which brought back the hatred and Gollum chose to follow through with his plan and led Frodo and Sam into Torech Ungol.

Just as Frodo warned him, Gollum’s betrayal of his oath ultimately led to his demise, as Frodo and Sam escaped from the Great Spiders lair and Cirith Ungol. They made it to Mount Doom, but still Gollum followed them seeking his chance to surprise them and take the ring back.  Frodo and Sam had almost reached the peak of the Volcano and Gollum attacked them but failed to get the ring.  Sam, almost killed Gollum but couldn’t due to pity and disgust for the creature.

 

 

Gollum’s Fiery Death

Once Frodo reached the Crack of Doom which was the heart of the Volcano, he chose not to destroy the ring but instead claimed it for himself and put it on. Gollum then attacked the hobbits again and knocked Sam out with a rock while Frodo was invisible. But Gollum was able to track his footprints and jumped on Frodo. The two fought and finally Gollum bit off Frodo’s finger with the ring on it.  He finally got his “Precious” back but Gollum then teetered on the edge of the great pit, lost his balance and fell in, taking the Ring and finger with him along with a final cry of “Precious!”. The ring was burned in the molten magma with Gollum dying with it as well.

Years after Gollum’s death, Frodo would finally forgive him, as Gandalf had told Frodo that Gollum wasn’t actually an evil being that deserved his death, but was only a poor being, bound to the Ring’s will, and that Frodo’s fate would be like Gollum’s if he kept the Ring. For if Gollum did not stay with Sam and Frodo to the end of Mordor, Frodo’s choice not to destroy the Ring would have brought Sauron to it, and all good in the world of Middle-earth would have disappeared.

As we wrap up one of the most iconic characters in Middle Earth, stay tuned next week as we pick up with a brand new lore series.

Until next week, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell