Sam Gamgee

### Allies

Rosie Cotton, Frodo Baggins, Merry Brandybuck, Pippin Took, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Elrond, Arwen, Galadriel, Haldir, Celeborn, Orophin, Rúmil, Faramir, Gollum (briefly), Éomer, Éowyn

### Enemies

Sauron, Witch-King of Angmar, Nazgûl, Witch-King's Fellbeast, Gollum, Watcher in the Water, Orcs, Gorbag, Shagrat

### Affiliations

Fellowship of the Ring
Gamgee family

### Possessions

Sting
Elven Rope

## Appearance information

### Movies

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

## Relevant Pages

**Samwise "Sam" Gamgee** is a character in the Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth Film Saga, appearing in the first three of the series. He is the best friend of Frodo Baggins and close friends with Merry Brandybuck and Peregrin "Pippin" Took.

## Background Information

Samwise Gamgee was born 6 April TA 2980 to Bell and Hamfast Gamgee. He was the sixth of seven children. His sister Marigold was born after him. Sam grew up with Frodo since they were children and later learned how to read and write. After his father retires as Bilbo's gardner, Sam later becomes Frodo's.

### Personality

Born into the family of Gardners, Samwise "Sam" Gamgee is the undying loyal best friend of the series' protagonist, Frodo Baggins. He was very intelligent, learning how to read and write after receiving an education personally by Bilbo Baggins.

Sam is secretly a romantic, especially when it comes towards Rose Cotton, one of the most beautiful women in the Shire. His crush was obvious in front of Frodo, who had even pushed Sam to dance with her during Bilbo's farewell party. Sam never built the courage to ask Rosie out and was unaware that she also secretly had a crush on her long-time friend as well. However, he learned if he could fight thousands of Orcs and save Middle-Earth, Sam finally had the courage to ask Rose out, to the enjoyments of Frodo, Merry, and Pippin.

He often didn't get into too much trouble as Merry and Pippin did, however, Sam eavesdropped on Frodo's and Gandalf's conversation and the council of Elrond. These had more to do with Sam's loyalty to Frodo as opposed to out of curiosity. Sam was very loyal towards Frodo, especially being protective over his best friend. Though Gollum turned Frodo against his best friend and told Sam to return home, he still returned to his friend and aided him in wounding Shelob. However, believing Frodo to be dead, Sam took the Ring and intended to honor Frodo by concluding the quest.

Sam was initially insecure of himself, but buuilt courage, especially after Frodo's quest.

### Physical Appearance

Sam had curly blond hair, green eyes and was fairly tall for a Hobbit, has green eyes, and fair skin. Gollum called him an "ugly, fat" hobbit. Howevr, Sam is a more strong-built than fat.

### Paraphernalia

#### Weapons

* **Burrow blade:** Weapon given to him by Aragorn for the Hobbits to use as a last resort if the Nazgul ever got hold of them.
* **Sting**: Sam borrowed Sting when he and Frodo went into Mordor. He later owned Sting after the quest of the Ring.

#### Possessions

* **Red Book of Westmarch:** Originally started by Bilbo, Sam kept the Red Book and wrote the story from his perspective. He passed it onto his daughter, Elanor.
* **Bag End:** Sam recieves Bag End after Frodo leaves Middle-earth.
* **Frying pan:**
* **Walking Stick:** Sam briefly possessed one on the first leg of the journey before getting rid of it and using a sword.

## Roles

### The Lord of the Rings

#### The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Sam later attended Bilbo's one hundred and eleven years birthday. He sat drinking ale while also admiring his secret crush, Rose dance from a far. Frodo goes to his friend and tells Sam to go ask Rosie for a dance. Sam was shy to go dance with Rosie. Frodo stops his friend before he walks away and pushes him into the dance. Rosie immediately goes to dance with him {The Fellowship of the Ring).

A couple of nights later, Sam and Frodo go to the Green Dragon with their friends and Hamfast with them. They talk of the Elves leaving and the dwarves that were seen recently. Sam looks at Rosie while she is working a shift. He later sees a man flirt with her, and Sam is partially jealous. Frodo assures Sam that Rosie knows an idiot when she sees him. Each other bid goodnight, but in reality, Sam hadn't left and eavesdropped on Frodo and Gandalf's conversation. Gandalf hears a rustle in the trees and hits Sam with it. The wizard catches him Red handed and tells him that he has ben caught, but Sam says he was dropping no eaves. Gandalf then realizes that Sam be a good companion for Frodo. Sam thinks he might be turned into a toad, but Gandalf says he has a better use for Sam. He makes the hobbit a companion of Frodo. Gandalf chose Sam to accompany Frodo on bringing the Ring to Bree and also told Sam not to lose Frodo on the journey. Sam and Frodo are later joined by Merry and Pippin, whom they had caught trying to steal Farmer Maggot's crops. They escaped his wrath but they found themselves rolling down a steep hill after Sam inadvertently ran into his friends and caused them to tumble down the hill, where they find mushrooms. However, the four encountered the Nazgûl and the quartet were able to evade the wraiths and make it to a river and use a ferry to escape to Bree. The hobbits make it to the Rendezvous point where Gandalf old Frodo and Sam to meet him, at the inn of the Prancing Pony, but Gandalf never made it to the inn. While they decide to wait, Sam notices a cloaked figure, Strider, is watching them. Merry, Sam and Pippin see Strider take Frodo into another room and arm themselves with objects lying around. However, the man reveals he is aware of the creatures hunting them and that they have no time to wait upon a wizard. Strider leads them out of Bree and announces they are going to visit the elves, who live in Rivendell.

Along the way, they rested at Weathertop, once a guard tower. In the middle of the night, Sam, Merry, and Pippin lit up a fire to cook food. Frodo, the more reasonable of the four, quickly puts the fire out; they are too late, as the Nazgûl, attracted to the fire, surround all four hobbits, who used the swords that Strider had given them. During the fight, Sam was overpowered, as were Merry and Pippin when the Witch-King of Angmar approached Frodo and stabbed him in the shoulder with a Morgul blade. Strider returned to weather, where he fended there Ring-wraiths off with a torch and his sword. When Frodo removed the Ring and was made visible, Sam heard his friend scream in pain and immediately rushed to his best friend's side. After the Nazgûl had gone, Strider returned with San begging him to help Frodo. However, the ranger of the North couldn't heal Frodo, as Morgul poisoning was beyond his control and that the wounded Hobbit needed Elven medicine that Elrond had power over. Sam worried Frodo would never make it to Rivendell because they are only six days away from the last homely house.

Sam attempted to keep Frodo awake and warm as possible, hardly ever leaving his best friend's side. He fears that Frodo is nearing death but it is much worse because Strider informs Sam, Merry and Pippin that when the poison takes over, Frodo will become a Wraith like them. Arwen manages to find the entire company. She is forced to take Frodo to Rivendell because she is a fast Rider. Sam yells that there are Black Riders still out there, and that they are both in danger. While Arwen makes it to Rivendell for Frodo to be healed in time, Strider leads the hobbits to the Elven City, where Frodo has been healed. As he lies unconscious and recovering from the poison, Sam hardly ever leaves Frodo's side until he wakes up. In the morning of October twenty-fourth, Sam overhears that Frodo is awake and immediately runs to his best friend's side, relieved to see him awake. Sam helps Frodo reunite with Merry, Pippin, and unexpectedly, Bilbo. Frodo goes up to check on Sam and finds that he is packing. Sam announces he wants to go back home because the Ring is in Rivendell. Frodo agreed with Sam, despite his desire of wanting to see the elves in a long time and said he too was ready to go back home. However, Sam and his friends' part in the tale wasn't over yet.

Frodo was summoned to a meeting by Lord Elrond to discuss the fate of the Ring, but without Sam, Merry, and Pippin. The three secretly attend the meeting, watching how the Ring will be destroyed and the hobbits learn that their companion Strider is actually Aragorn, son of Arathorn and heir to the throne of Gondor. During the meeting the council comes to the conclusion that the Ring must be destroyed in the Fires of mount Doom, as not even Gimli's ax can destroy it. After watching Frodo agree to take the Ring to Mordor, and gaining the help from the Elf Legolas, the men Boromir and Aragorn, Gimli, and Gandalf as companions, Samwise can no longer wait in the shadows. He offers his services too, saying that Frodo goes nowhere without him. Elrond, despite gently chastising Sam for eavesdropping, nonetheless accepts that Frodo and Sam hardly separate with each other. Merry and Pippin, Frodo's younger cousins, join the companionship as well. Signifying themselves as companions of Frodo, Elrond deems them the Fellowship of the Ring.

They set out around December 25th and make their way to Mordor to the destroy the Ring. During one of their camps, Sam spots a flock of birds heading their way and Legolas is able to identify them as Gandalf realizes that the south is being watched and, for the safety of the company, has them go through the paths of Caradhras in the Misty Mountains. The snow gets too high for Sam and the hobbits, causing them to be carried by Boromir and Aragorn. Meanwhile in Isengard, Saruman enchants the Mountain and attempts to cause an avalanche and kill the company, who manage to survive. The entire company decide that the mountains are too dangerous, especially if it endangers the Hobbits. Frodo decides they go through the mines, to Gandalf's horror but respectfully acknowledges Frodo's decision. The company spends hours outside of Moria, because Gandalf cannot think of a way to get into the Mountains. Frodo was able to get the door opened, but as they entered, they saw that all of Balin's warriors were slain by Orcs, and at the same time, they are attacked by the Watcher of the Waters, which grabs hold of Frodo. Sam slashes the tentacles off of Frodo but it continues to attack other members of the Company. Legolas manages to blind it with one of his arrows as Aragorn yells for them to make it to the cave. The Watcher uses one of his tentacles and manages to block the company into the cave, which forces them to take the route through Moria.

Though Gandalf cannot remember the way, he eventually figures out which hall to go through. When they discover Balin's tomb and Pippin accidentally knocks over a dwarf and a bucket, alerting the orcs of the company's presence. Sam participated in the battle, using one of his frying pans against the Orcs, and said he was "getting used to this." However, Frodo is apparently mortally wounded by one of the trolls, to Sam's horror as he rushes to his best friend's side, seeing Frodo apparently dead. However, when they turn Frodo around, he is revealed to be alive, much to Sam's relief, who announces that Frodo is alive, who managed to survive the attack due to wearing Thorin's gift to Bilbo, the mithril shirt Bilbo gave to Frodo before the fellowship left Rivendell. Before they can recollect themselves, the company hears more orcs coming and they try to outrun them before they are completely surrounded by their enemies. However, a more ancient evil has awoken, the Balrog, an enemy they cannot defeat. Gandalf has Aragorn lead the company onto the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. As they get to the broken bridge, Sam is thrown by Aragorn and caught by Legolas and Boromir on the other side followed by Aragorn and Frodo. As the company makes their escape, Gandalf stays behind and fights the Balrog himself to protect the company and suddenly falls with the creature, with Gandalf yelling for them to flee before he too falls into the dark chasm.

The company starts to break at this point, as Sam collapses to the ground and cries over the loss of Gandalf. Aragorn presses them on and forces Sam to stand up as they make their way to Lothlorien, where they are found by Haldir, his brothers, Orophin and Rúmil, and several other elves. They take them to meet Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn and are given safe haven by them as they mourn Gandalf and relapse. Before they leave Lothlórien, Sam is given Elven rope by Lady Galadriel, causing it to never run out of rope. Several days later, Sam and Merry see that Frodo has gone missing. As Merry and Pippin distract the Uruk-Hai for Frodo to escape, Sam tries looking for his best friend, but doesn't find him. After nearly giving up, Sam sees Frodo has already took a boat and is sailing away to the other side and yells for his best friend. Frodo tells Sam that he cannot go with him, as he is going to Mordor by himself. Sam refuses and attempts to make it to Frodo's boat by swimming. However, as hobbits cannot swim, Sam begins to sink. However, Frodo comes back and rescues his friend and puts him back to the boat. Sam tells Frodo that he is not going on without him, as he means to uphold his end of the deal of never leaving his best friend. Frodo accepts Sam's offer.

As they overlook a mountain, Frodo tells Sam that he is glad that he is with him before they go on to Mordor

## Relationships

### Rosie Cotton

Sam and Rosie have known each other since they were children. Rosie's brother was also married to Sam's sister, making them in-laws by marriage. Sam was in love with Rosie, and Rosie harbored feelings for him too. They eventually married and had more children than the Old Took. Rosie died around after the series, and Sam was so broken hearted, he left for the Grey Havens to be reunited with Frodo and his other friends from the past.

### Frodo Baggins

Frodo was Sam's best friend growing up. He later became Frodo's gardener but they still maintained a healthy friendship. Later in their adulthood years, Frodo seems to be aware of Sam's feelings for Rose Cotton, seeing he pushed Sam to dance with her. Sam became Frodo's first companion because Gandalf had him go on the journey with Frodo in the first place.Sam later joins the company of the Ring, claiming Frodo is not going anywhere without him, showing his undying loyalty towards his friend. Sam is also the only member of the Fellowship who sticks with Frodo at the end of the film.

Frodo's and Sam's friendship is one of the main plot line in the series.

### Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took

Sam knew Merry and Pippin possibly when they were kids, and have an odd friendship. Though they were the Conspiritors in the Book and all watched over Frodo, the films depict them as being sometimes at odds with each other. In example, Sam once snaps, "Trust a Brandybuck and a Took". Despite being at odds with Merry and Pippin, Sam still considered them to be good friends. The three Hobbits value their friendship, as Sam is confident Aragorn will look after Merry and Pippin and their other friends.

At one point during the battle, Merry reflects on Sam's friendship with him, counting Sam as one of the friends he was again. Pippin was concerned for Sam, asking about him and Frodo when he and Gandalf met Faramir. The three of them remained friends after the War of the Ring. Two of Sam's children were named after them: Merry Gamgee and Pippin Gamgee.

### Gandalf

Samwise knew Gandalf from him meeting Bilbo Baggins and his nephew, Frodo. The wizard always called Sam by his full name whenever he was in trouble. Sam was afraid that Gandalf would do something "unnatural" to him by turning him into a "frog." However, Gandalf knew Sam was the perfect companion to Frodo, his best friend and told Sam to never lose Frodo.

During the final battle in Moria, Gandalf was lost, and Sam grieved for their friend's demise, along with the other Fellowship companions. Despite his companion's supposed death, Sam kept his promise to Gandalf, even being the only one to accompany Frodo to Mordor; and the wizard was both pleased and amazed that the hobbit kept it too.

He was unaware of Gandalf's survival until The end of *The Return of the King*. The White Wizard left Middle-earth and giving farewell to his hobbit friends.

## Trivia

* Sean Astin was rumored to appear in the final minutes in The Battle of the Five Armies as Sam. However the final cut proved it to be false.
* Sam named some of his children after his friends:
	+ His second-born child and eldest son was named after Frodo Baggins
	+ His third child was named after his wife and her mother
	+ His fourth child was named after Meriadoc Brandybuck.
	+ His fifth child was named after Peregrin Took
	+ His seventh son is named after his father, Hamfast "Gaffer" Gamgee
	+ His eighth child was named after his sister, also named Daisy.
	+ His tenth child, Bilbo, is named after Bilbo Baggins.
	+ His last child, Tolman, was named after his father-in-law, Farmer Tolman Cotton.
* Astin's favorite aspect of the film series was kissing Sarah McLeod.

## Appearances

### Films

#### The Lord of the Rings

* The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
* The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
* The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

### Video Games

* The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
* The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
* Lego: The Lord of the Rings (video game)
* Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest