Did Frodo Baggins Truly Fail His Mission?

When it comes to movie series’, the LOTR trilogy (FOTR, TTT, ROTK), is easily without a doubt one of the best. Great music, great actors, great setpieces and an iconic hero’s journey from start to finish. Perhaps the most quintessential hero’s journey, even more than Star Wars, the three films directed by Peter Jackson, passionately adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s books- The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.

The main character is a Hobbit named Frodo Baggins who unfortunately inherits his uncle Bilbo Baggins’ ring which happens to be the One Ring To Rule Them All forged by the Dark Lord Sauron. Lost throughout the ages for thousands of years after the ring was cut from Sauron’s hand, the ring was passed to Isildur who was murdered, after which the ring found itself in the possession of the former Hobbit known as Smeagol who was consumed by it for 500 years and transformed into a hideous creature, now calling itself Gollum. It was in Gollum’s cave that Bilbo Baggins outsmarted Gollum in a game of riddles for the right to possess it of which Bilbo kept it secretly for 60 years. The wizard Gandalf the Grey had always suspected that Bilbo found something in the cave and knew he had changed after finding him and it wasn’t until Bilbo’s eleventieth (111th) birthday that Gandalf’s suspicions were proven true. Bilbo had grown so close and attached to it that the very idea that Gandalf suggested to him of parting with the ring because of its unknown and potentially dangerous nature was outrageous. Convincing Bilbo to leave all his possessions behind for Frodo, including the ring after Bilbo accused Gandalf of wanting it for himself, Gandalf rode for Minas Tirith in the land of Gondor to research the archives and see if this ring was the very same that Sauron had lost 3060 years ago. In the account of Isildur, he mentioned that there are special markings on it that only fire can tell. Returning to Frodo in The Shire, Gandalf takes the ring and throws it into the fireplace to test his theory that it is Sauron’s ring which is proven true after Frodo sees markings on it which is the language of the land of Mordor where it was forged. Gandalf has Samwise Gamgee join Frodo on his journey to take the ring to the inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree where Gandalf was to rendezvouz with him after first consulting with his fellow wizard Saruman the White who had joined forces with Sauron who was currently a spirit in the form of a giant eye. Sauron had dispatched 9 horseriders known as the Nazgul to kill the carrier of the ring and retrieve it for him so he could return to power but they were foiled by a ranger named Aragorn and an elf named Arwen. Frodo is taken to Arwen’s Elven home of Rivendell where Gandalf awaits him and explains he’d escaped Saruman’s captivity. After Gandalf is told that the ring cannot stay in Rivendell by the head of the land, Elrond, a council is held where Elrond explains that the ring can only be destroyed by the same fires that forged it at Mount Doom in Mordor. Frodo bravely volunteers to take the ring himself to which Gandalf agrees to aid and protect him on his quest. Also joining him are Samwise, his two Hobbit kin (Merry Brandybuck and Peregrin Took), Aragorn, the son of the steward of Gondor (Boromir), the elf Legolas, and the dwarf Gimli. This is where the Quest of the One Ring begins as friends are then lost and the fellowship breaks as they travel through Moria/Kazadhum, Caradhras, and Parth Galen and is truly broken on the River Anduin as Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli part ways with Frodo and Sam to hunt the Uruk-Hai carrying Merry and Pippin hostage towards Isengard, Saruman’s domain. Boromir had been slain by an Uruk and Gandalf is presumed dead after falling battling the Balrog in Moria.

Frodo’s true, almost lone test against the ring begins in The Two Towers although he had already been tested by it in FOTR. Now, since this post is in the Movies section of my website, actions that take place from the books are not included, strictly just the films. The first instance where Frodo is tempted by the ring is in the forest when hiding from a Nazgul rider with his Hobbit compatriots beneath a tree root. You can see his eyes roll back as if in a hypnotic trance, almost not under control of himself yet experiencing some sort of euphoria/pleasure of wanting to have a taste of the ring’s power. In the 4 instances where Frodo wears the ring in the Prancing Pony, on Weathertop, on Amon Hen, and inside Mount Doom, the first instance is by accident, two are for self-protection, and the last is deliberate, respectively. There are also instances where we see him petting the ring affectionately as if he’s accepted it as his. This is definitely a sign of attachment but there also many instances where he shows he truly desires to be rid of it and wishes to keep it out of the hands of those who would do ill with it for the sake of all and their own sake as in the case of Boromir.

Frodo’s will, determination, and intention to take the ring to Mordor is rock solid in FOTR as he even takes it upon himself to go alone to Mordor after Boromir’s death and does not want Samwise to come for he does not want anyone else to die for this wretched thing. Although he doesn’t truly understand the ring’s full power or its nature, all he knows is that it is a tool for evil and that it must be destroyed- he doesn’t question why and never second guesses or doubts Gandalf. He has a mission to complete, nothing more, nothing less and so he unexpectedly, impressively, astonishingly, and bravely volunteers to be the bearer of the ring all the way to Mordor though he does not know the way- he doesn’t even technically ask for help like a child. The man. Gandalf tells him that he shall have his aid and the rest of the fellowship follows suit. Knowing that Gandalf is the wisest person he’s ever known and dear friend of his uncle Bilbo, he does immediately what Gandalf tells him to do with it after giving it to him- to keep it secret, and keep it safe. And when Gandalf tells Frodo who the ring truly belongs to, Frodo knows something is seriously up, especially if it gives Gandalf the jitters.

The simple fact alone that Frodo CHOSE and volunteered to take this task upon himself already makes him a hero. In my eyes, a hero is anyone who makes a sacrifice and this fits the bill my ducky friends. One does not simply walk into Mordor. Well Frodo did my friends- and tried to keep the ring away from everyone and everything including Gollum, the Ringwraiths, Faramir’s men, Hobbit (hell), even Sammy boy himself although we all knew Sam was never in danger, that man’s heart is more pure than Walter White’s crystal meth and he was genuinely just helping but Frodo cared too much about Sam- it was his burden and his burden alone as he told him. As Frodo got closer and closer to Mordor, the more the ring weighed down on him and likely made him more irritable even snapping at Sam once when Sam was mistreating Gollum. Frodo, bless his soul, wanted to take on another monumental task of helping Gollum overcome his temptation towards the ring since Frodo, now also a ringbearer, could empathize with Gollum and had an idea of what he experienced. Frodo would help him by destroying the ring.

In Fellowship of the Ring there is a moment where Galadriel shows Frodo the fate of Middle-Earth should Frodo fail to destroy the ring. Seeing the lands ravaged, and his people enslaved, and Galadriel telling Frodo the Fellowship is already breaking and that they each will fall to its influence, doubt is cast upon Frodo and offers the ring to Galadriel because he was willing to bet she could do much better than him with it. Galadriel is surprised that Frodo could offer it to her so freely, with no attachment to it. She is tempted by it but ultimately proves her willpower akin to Gandalf. Frodo tells her he cannot do it alone and feels fear and doubt, but she tells him that it is his task and if he doesn’t find a way to accomplish it, no one else will for she knows he has the perserverance, will, and integrity to to do it. She has faith in the little Hobbit. Frodo, the brave soul that he is, steps up to the task and says he knows what he must do and admits that he is afraid which is probably what any normal person would have felt.

As Frodo’s journey continues, it shows that he slowly is succumbing to the power of the ring. Either that or he looks to the ring as a source of protection to get away from danger as he did on Weathertop and in the Dead Marshes, both times to hide from the Nazgul. There is a 4th time when he is really close to doing it as well in Osgiliath. As someone who has not read the books (don’t judge me, I strictly cover the films only) I don’t know if he’s drawn to the ring to protect himself or because whenever a servant of Sauron is nearby, the ring strongly compels him to put it on. Regardless, after fighting spiders and Gollums, and being carried by men and Orcs, Frodo eventually makes it to Mordor to the tower of Cirith Ungol. He is carried there unconsciously after being penetrated by Shelob and wakes to find himself a hostage of the Orcs. As one is about to gut him, Sam comes from behind and guts him. Frodo tells Sam the ring was taken by the Orcs but Sam reveals he retrieved it. Immediately concerned for his friend, Frodo tells Sam to give him the ring and notices it seducing him and hesitates a couple of times to give it until he does and Frodo snatches it.

Frodo and Sam then disguise themselves as Orcs to get close to Mount Doom but the closer they approach the Crack of Doom (entrance to the lava pit), the heavier the ring weighs on Frodo and trying to get away from the one thing it knows can destroy it. Frodo grows extremely exhausted mid-way up the climb and faints as Sam uses all the might and willpower he has to carry him up- “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!.” Powerful line, powerful scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKIgv8AhffA. While carrying Frodo on the way up they are ambushed by Gollum and as Sam struggles with him and holds him off, Frodo regains some strength and practically runs into the volcano proving once again his willpower and what he must do. Frodo reaches the pit and even takes the ring off his neck so he can can throw it into the lava. Sam reaches him and is a few feet away as he watches him intently, probably the most stressful moment of Sam’s life up to that point (besides talking to Rosie). Frodo holds the ring by the chain right over the pit ready to do it but when the moment itself came, Frodo was unprepared. Spending a long time with such a trinket would understandably cause some attachment and Frodo realized he didn’t want to give it up most likely for the feeling of power that it gave him. This scene is highly open to interpretation and there’s no concrete way of knowing what a fictional character is thinking but my guess is he’s now addicted to the ring’s power and found that he cannot let it go- he wants to and knows he should for the greater good of Middle-Earth but has given in to his carnal desires-akin to not being able to let go of smoking, drinking and other harmful addictions. Sam is confused when he sees Frodo turn around still holding the ring and watches as Frodo says to him “The ring is mine” and then as Frodo puts the ring on his finger. Sam yells a properly placed and non-corny, well-deserved, one-of-the-best-cinematic NO!s as Frodo finally succumbed to the ring which grew in power the nearer it got to Mordor. In Frodo’s weakened and exhausted state, and the ring in its prime, it took hold of Frodo finally. As Frodo reveled with his new possession and Sam staring in shock and devastation, Gollum took the advantage to knock Sam out and struggled with Frodo for the ring. After biting the finger off which had the ring on it, Gollum had the ring again and cared for nothing else, but Frodo wasn’t about to let Gollum have the glory for himself. It was not Frodo who pushed Gollum into the fire, nor did Gollum commit suicide. They both wanted the ring and in their struggle did not notice nor seem to care how close to the edge they were and then they both fell, with Frodo realizing “oh damn I’m falling, I better reach for the edge” while Gollum didn’t give a Hobbit’s hole because he was now with his Precious, the poor, consumed creature even tried to prolong its destruction by outstretching his arm as he sank in.

As the ring sank in after Gollum, Frodo clung onto the edge with the arm which still had a fully intact hand. Clearly he still wanted to live but I think that perhaps he thought twice about his fate after what he’d done whilst hanging on and Sam telling him not to let go. I think that Frodo felt ashamed for giving into the ring and contemplated falling, maybe even deserving the same fate as Gollum because in the end he gave into temptation like he had. Sam however, did not give up on his best friend and when Frodo realized this he reached up and grabbed Sam’s arm. They then ran out of The Crack of Doom together as they found a safe place to rest and evade the lava.

At the conclusion of Return of the KIng, during Aragorn’s coronation as the King of Gondor, he makes his way towards Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin after Arwen becomes his queen. They bow to him like any good respectful subjects would except Aragorn tells them that they bow to no one. The point of this scene is obviously that the Hobbits deserve the respect but should Merry and Pippin have been standing with Frodo and Sam who were the real MVPs of the saga? Yes they convinced Treebeard to join the cause and take the fight to Saruman in Isengard becoming victorious on the northwestern front but did Aragorn and Gimli and Legolas do any less standing alongside Rohan at Helm’s Deep or gathering the Dead Men of Dunharrow to support Gondor on the Fields of Pelennor? I mean I’m not trying to take away from their moment but standing on equal terms with Frodo and Sam isn’t accurate because they didn’t go to Hell (Mordor) and back and didn’t experience the emotional, physical, and mental drainage that Frodo and Sam experienced. I guess the true purpose of that scene was Aragorn commending, recognizing, and valuing the bravery and stout of the Hobbits who are not known for undertaking long and perilous journeys. But the point of this analysis is Frodo. The question was did he fail? I submit to you that he did not. Frodo persevered all the way through, keeping the ring away from those whom he knew the ring would corrupt including Gollum, Boromir, and Faramir and protecting those he cared about like Sam. He stayed determined to finish the mission as he proved in Osgiliath, and as he trod through Shelob’s Lair. He freaking ran up the volcano after being exhausted and made it to where the ring was supposed to. It was only at the 11th hour that Frodo gave in- had Gandalf found out he would’ve been extremely saddened that his pupil made it so far only to be defeated at the moment of reckoning but Frodo’s fall to temptation was most likely expected by him, Galadriel, and Elrond- it was just matter of how long Frodo could endure. And boy did he endure. Could the ring have been taken by anyone else? Who knows. (I only speak in relation to the movies remember). The point is that Frodo was successful (albeit with help) 95% of the way and stayed the course. He may have faltered a few times and given in at the very end but he got the ring to its destination and it was ultimately destroyed (again with some assistance from Gollum). In conclusion I say that Frodo is a hero and that he did not fail his mission to destroy the One Ring To Rule Them All.