OldBoy

I just saw the movie and do not intend to read the book, could somone please tell me why Frodo (as well as Bilbo) leaves on the boat at the end? I can surmise why the others left and have read why for some, but why Frodo? Thanks in advance for any help.

Kal-El

I think Frodo alludes to it in his voice-over when he says "There are some wounds that do not heal" (paraphrased). Basically I think he's just gone thru too much that he's "different" even from his own race now. Same with Bilbo, another Ringbearer.

Sacto95834

According to the book and I would imagine it is the same as the movie, Frodo is allowed to sail to the undying lands with the elves to recover from the wounds he suffered while on his mission to destroy the ring (remember he was stabbed by the ringwraith at weathertop and then he was poisoned by shelob).

every year on the anniversary of those events he suffers immense pain. the only way for him to recover so that he can live a somewhat more normal life before dying is to go with the elves to the undying land.

bilbo was allowed to go because he was a ringbearer as well as a companion for frodo. sam had much to do and had his whole life to live so he was to stay in the shire until much later in life. after his wife passes away, he to sails west, the last of the ringbearers.

OldBoy

wow! thanks so much for the explanations!!!

condorito

ring bearers are all allowed to sail to the undying lands
Frodo tried going back to his shire life but you cannot just go back after so much war and thats one of the messages of the book.
Frodo was stabbed by the witchking, stingd by shelob and had to carry the ring to mordor

Sam also sails into the undying lands after rosy dies , he was a ringbeared even for a little while
woops nm already answered

Giantrobo

repeat post

OldBoy

how does sam's wife die? what happens to sam's kids when he goes off to the undying lands? thanks again

condorito

Yeah i think i had another window and didnt refresh before posting

Rosy dies old
kids stay in the shire

Astro

The fact that you are interested in questions beyond the scope of the movies suggests that you should pick up the book. There are a lot of things that the movies just don't have time to explain or even show.

Lateralus42

The book's epilogue goes into ALOT of detail to what happened to everyone after the the story ended. You get to find out Aragorn and Arwens fate ( Arwen's is really sad) and other good stuff. I hope the EE covers some of the epilogue material.

jough

La la la la la, not listening...

I haven't read the books yet, except for starting Fellowship when I was in the seventh grade, and never getting very far (not because I didn't like it, I was just otherwise occupied and never got back to it).

Anyway, I'm planning to read the books now that I've seen the whole thing.

I'm glad I could enjoy this film without knowing of everyone's fate. I thought Frodo was going to die (since Galadriel said he was going to in TTT). So I was happy that he didn't, and that the destruction of the ring didn't feel like a cheat.

Tom Banjo

I highly recommend that anyone who's interested in the book ending, but doesn't want to read the entire trilogy, AT THE VERY LEAST go to a bookstore, find a copy of ROTK, and start reading at the chapter called The Scouring of the Shire. You'll find out a lot you didn't already know, including the ending that wasn't filmed for the movie.

wlmowery

Ahhh, but that is not what Galadriel said....

"The quest will claim his life..." is the statement made. Most just accepted this to mean that Frodo would die. However, I think we see clearly that the quest does claim Frodo's life. A statement on Tolkien's behalf on the cost of war on the survivors...

necros

What the heck are the undying lands anyway? I read the book, and I still don't know why the heck a whole race of elves and all have to leave in the first place...

condorito

Being immortal there is too much change/grief/death in middle earth and thats why many go to the west "undying lands" and also return to their people
Thats why the death of men called sometimes gift of men
The Age of the elves was over, no point in staying

necros

OK I get that part, but where are the undying lands? If Sauron won the war of the ring does that mean he'd eventually conquer the undying lands too? Or is it more like, elves, wizards, etc are not a part of the world of men and they're more like going back to "heaven" or something like that? If they just get in a boat and sail west, won't they just end up in Canada or something?

wlmowery

Whew, long answer time again....

BTW... These are spoilers/short summary for the Simarillion if that matters to anyone...


When Ea was formed by Iluvatar (God) through the music of Iluvatar and the Ainur (Angels), the world of Arda (Earth) was formed. Many of the Ainur, including many of the mightest, loved Arda and left the halls of Iluvatar to live and direct the world of Arda. In time, those of the great Ainur who inhabited Arda (known as the Valar) and many of the lesser Ainur of Arda (known as the Maiar) chose to inhabit a land in the far west of Arda (which was flat) known as Aman. Over time, the melodies of Iluvatar which he incorporated into the song of the Ainur were seen to come to life in the form of he Children of Iluvatar, the first born were elves (immortal) and the second born were men.

The Valar and Maiar loved the elves dearly, and many were invited to come and live in the west. But due to strife caused by the machinations of Melkor and the theft of the Silmarils, many of the elves of Aman, namely the Noldorian elves including Galadriel, forsook the communion with the Ainur and passed back over the seas to middle earth to seek to challenge Melkor and regain the Silmarils. During their flight from Aman, the Noldor slaughtered their own kin the sea elves to rob them of their boats so they could return across the sea. For this, the sundered elves were placed under the Doom of Mandos (one of the Valar) and banned from returning to the shores of Aman. At this time, a veiling of the seas occurred to prevent anyone from reaching the shores of Aman without the Valar's approval.

After millenia of conflict, and as the forces of the elves and high houses of men were being destroyed, Earendil and Elwing (both half-elven) with the use of the Silmaril recovered from Melkor by Beren, managed to sail unto the shores of Aman and beg for the intercession of the Valar in the fight against Melkor. The Valar marched on Melkor's stronghold, defeated him and with the help of Iluvatar Melkor was thrust out of Arda into the abyss. The Valar removed the ban on the Noldor and the elves were again granted the right to set sail for Aman.

To reward the men who help fight against the evil of Melkor the Valar created a homeland within sight of the Lonely Isle which in turn is within sight of the shores of Aman. Elros, brother of Elrond, elected to be accounted among men and became the first king of Numenor, the island of man described above.

After many generations, the Numenorians fell into dispair (somewhat assisted by Sauron whom they had captured earlier) and sought to take Aman by force.

To prevent men from ever attempting to reach Aman again, the Valar lay down their mantle of authority in Arda and asked Iluvatar to remove Aman from the world. During this process, Numenor sank beneath the waves.

Now, as set in LOTR saga, Aman is no longer physically present in Arda. How exactly the elven ships set sail there is a mystery.... But no one but the elves and those who receive special dispensation from the Valar can sail to the shores of Aman or the undying lands.