Why Samwise Gamgee Went To The Undying Lands After The Lord Of The Rings

Samwise Gamgee travels to the Undying Lands to join Frodo after The Lord of the Rings, and there’s a specific reason why. Fans of the franchise will distinctly remember Frodo’s departure in The Return of the King’s ending, as the final scene between him and his hobbit companions is one that’s sure to draw prompt tears. It’s a devastating moment both in the book and in the film, but J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novels provide some additional context to add a bittersweet idea to the ending: Sam leaving Middle-earth and heading across the sea to Valinor himself.

Valinor, or the Undying Lands, is the realm across the ocean from Middle-earth. Despite its name, those living there don’t become immortal, but it’s called that due to it being a place inhabited only by immortals. The notion is that if only immortals live in this land, then the land itself exists in undying perfection, unlike Middle-earth, which is subject to constant change due to the lifecycle of Men. With that in mind, a mortal like Frodo wouldn’t usually be welcomed, though he travels there because he was a Ring-bearer, traumatized by his time spent with the One Ring.

Why Samwise Gamgee Could Go To The Undying Lands After Lord Of The Rings

Sam Was A Ring-Bearer Like Frodo, Technically

Samwise Gamgee didn’t hold the One Ring as long as Frodo or Bilbo Baggins, but he held it for a short time after Shelob attacked Frodo. In the books, this is at the end of The Two Towers, and he carries the ring into The Return of the King. In the Lord of the Rings movies, all of these events transpire during The Return of the King due to changes Peter Jackson made to Tolkien’s formatting. His possession of the One Ring, despite the fact that Frodo was still alive for this brief period of time, allowed him to be considered a Ring-bearer.

Though the story ends with Sam returning to the Shire to live out his days with Rosie Cotton, the Appendices of The Return of the King examine the lives of the Fellowship afterward. Sam left the Red Book behind with his daughter, Elanor, who wrote that he sailed to the Grey Havens to reunite with Frodo after Rosie passed away in year 61 of the Fourth Age of Middle-earth. Given that this portion of Tolkien lore is from Elanor’s perspective, it’s unclear whether Sam and Frodo actually reunited in Valinor.

The Red Book is the in-world book in which Bilbo and Frodo wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Sam Lived His Life In The Shire Before Going To The Undying Lands

Sam Didn't Need The Undying Lands To Heal Like Frodo Did

Lord of the Rings Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee during his wedding to Rosie Cotton Wedding

Despite Sam and Frodo ultimately ending in the same place, the former was able to return to the Shire following the War of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings story sees Frodo forced to leave Middle-earth, scarred from his time as a Ring-bearer. On the contrary, Sam is able to live out his days peacefully in the Shire, marrying Rosie, having children, and even becoming Mayor for years before his exit. Sam was allowed in the Undying Lands, but he didn’t need it for recovery as Frodo did.