The Lord of the Rings, with its broad array of heroic characters, is often thought of as defining epic fantasy, yet the story’s greatest heroes are literally its smallest figures – the hobbits. Arguably, no hobbit is more heroic than that bravest of gardeners and Ringbearers, Samwise Gamgee, who once stormed the tower of Cirith Ungol singlehandedly in order to rescue his dear Frodo.

Sam and Frodo are a wonderfully matched pair of heroes, and their relationship shows that although they differ in their social class by Shire reckoning, the story itself sees them as equals and partners. They spend the majority of the story traveling the exact same path together and experiencing the same things – yet Peter Jackson’s film trilogy made one major change that took a very definitive experience away from Sam and left it only for Frodo’s eyes.

The Lord Of The Rings Movies Cut Sam Looking Into Galadriel’s Mirror

Frodo Alone Gets A Glimpse Into The Mystical Waters Of The Lady Of Lórien

The film version of The Fellowship of the Ring keeps Frodo looking into the Mirror of Galadriel, where he sees awful visions of the future, including the Shire in flames and his fellow hobbits having been enslaved by Orcs. It’s a powerful and compelling moment, especially as the vision begins to warp once the One Ring slips from Frodo’s shirt and begins to pull him towards the Mirror, and the Mirror’s placid surface shifts to a disturbing reflection of Sauron’s great, lidless Eye.

This is completely different from Frodo’s vision in the book, which is more of a vague representation of his road ahead. There, Frodo sees foreshadowing of what is still to come – Gandalf’s resurrection, Minas Tirith, the Sea – before the vision of Sauron begins to draw him into the water. The vision from the film doesn’t match this in any way – but it does reflect the vision Sam has on his own glimpse into the mystical waters.

What Sam Sees In The Mirror Of Galadriel In Tolkien’s Books

Sam’s Vision Hints At Events That Were Also Cut From The Films

Sam’s vision in the books is very similar to what Frodo sees in the films. It initially opens with similar glimpses of the road ahead – Frodo suffering and sick, and Sam himself as he searches for Frodo in Cirith Ungol – before transitioning to views of the Shire in squalor.

In his vision, Sam watches as notorious Shire busybody Ted Sandyman fells trees that should not be chopped down, and the Old Mill is replaced with a mᴀssive factory building. This sparks Sam’s ire and makes him insist he needs to go home and help stop whatever awful things are happening back home. Yet while Galadriel reᴀssures him that not all things seen in the Mirror come to pᴀss, and that he should continue on with Frodo in carrying the Ring to Mordor, it turns out that even the Lady of Lórien isn’t infallible.

The Scouring of the Shire, which gets its name from the chapter of The Return of the King that describes it, did actually happen in the books. Instead of dying at Wormtongue’s hands in the ruins of Orthanc, Saruman fled to the Shire and used his usual brand of charisma and lies to transform the pastoral Shire into the beginnings of an industrialized labor camp – much like he did with the gardens of Orthanc. It’s one last challenge for the hobbits to overcome when they return home victorious, and it was completely cut from the films.

This Book Scene Could Have Given Sam More Depth In Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings

Sam’s Loyalty To Frodo Is His Defining Trait, But A Challenge To It Would Have Strengthened His Character Arc

Sam’s vision in the Mirror of Galadriel, which tears him between his duty and loyalty to Frodo and his duty and loyalty to the Shire, is an early hint at his character arc, which ends with him being able to throw off the influence of the One Ring with a simple act of will, as the malevolent band’s promises were no match for Sam’s devotion. Having a little more context for that arc, and seeing Sean Astin have more opportunities to play the nuance of the role, would only have added to the films’ quality.

There are endless debates about whether the central hero of The Lord of the Rings is Sam or Frodo. However, it may best be said that they are the central heroes together, as they represent a profound relationship of the kind that Tolkien himself was intimately familiar with after his experiences on the front lines of World War One. It’s a pity that Sam’s vision in the Mirror was cut, as it would have further enshrined Sam Gamgee as one of the bravest hobbits who ever lived.

The Lord of the Rings

Movie(s)

The Lord of the Rings (1978), 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, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Created by

J.R.R. Tolkien

First Film

The Lord of the Rings (1978)

Cast

Norman Bird, Anthony Daniels, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Morfydd Clark, Mike Wood, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Sara Zwangobani, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Lenny Henry, Brian Cox, Shaun Dooley, Miranda Otto, Bilal Hasna, Benjamin Wainwright, Luke Pasqualino, Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt

TV Show(s)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Character(s)

Frodo Baggins, Gandalf, Legolas, Boromir, Sauron, Gollum, Samwise Gamgee, Pippin Took, Celeborn, Aragorn, Galadriel, Bilbo Baggins, Saruman, Aldor, Wormtongue, Thorin Oakenshield, Balin Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, Ori, Tauriel, King Thranduil, Smaug, Radagast, Arondir, Nori Brandyfoot, Poppy Proudfellow, Marigold Brandyfoot, Queen Regent Míriel, Sadoc Burrows

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