Sam Full Name: Samwise Gamgee Name Meaning: Samwise = Half-wit (Old English) Aliases: Sam, Banazir, Ban, Gardener Birth Date: TA 2980 Date of Death: Unknown Race: Hobbit Parents: Father, Hamfast "Gaffer" Gamgee. Mother, Bell Goodchild Siblings: Hamson, Halfred, Daisy, May, and Marigold Spouse: Rose Cotton Children: Elanor, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks, Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin, and Tolman History: Sam was the youngest son and second-youngest child of Gaffer Gamgee. He followed in his father's footsteps as gardener for the Baggins family. In early TA 3018, though, he became a spy for the conspiracy started by fellow hobbits Merry and Pippin to find out as much as possible about the Ring and Frodo's possible departure. Gandalf caught Sam eavesdropping one day, and despite Sam's fear that Gandalf would turn him into something "unnatural", Gandalf's punishment was that Sam would accompany Frodo at least to Buckland. It didn't stop there, though. Sam insisted on coming with Frodo through the Old Forest and the Barrow-downs. At Bree, Sam distrusted a gaunt, cloaked Ranger called Strider. The man knew too much about Frodo's errand and the Ring, in Sam's opinion, and it wasn't until Rivendell that Sam's doubts were dispelled. At Rivendell, Sam's greatest wish was finally granted: he met true Elves in all their glory. Sam snuck (uninvited) into the Council of Elrond. Much to Merry and Pippin's chagrin, his request to be a member of the Fellowship was granted, instead of his being punished and clapped in chains. Later, Merry and Pippin followed suit and also demanded to be included. Although usually overlooked, Sam's courage in even asking to be part of the Fellowship was remarkable: he wasn't fond of travelling, or of foreign folk, or anything dangerous. His devotion to Mr. Frodo overpowered these other emotions, though, and the Fellowship (Sam included) set off on Christmas Day, TA 3018. Through the wilderness, Caradhras, and Moria, Sam always stayed by Frodo's side, making sure his master was safe. In Lothlórien, Galadriel gave Sam a tiny box filled with granules that resembled sand. The Lothlórien Elves also gave Sam a length of hithlain rope, an extremely valuable gift for travellers. Along with the rest of the Fellowship, Sam was garbed in a grey Elvish cloak clasped at the neck with a green and silver leaf brooch. Three boats were given to the Fellowship as well, a gift not much to Sam's liking he was as uncomfortable in a boat as Gimli was on a horse. The boats did come in quite handy, though, especially for Sam and Frodo. When Frodo realized that the evil of the Ring would consume the Fellowship if they continued journeying together, he untethered one of the three boats and made ready to paddle to the other side of the river, where he would continue to Mordor on foot. Sam figured out what Frodo's plan was and followed him, and the two friends glided across to the opposing shore together. Frodo and Sam found themselves lost in the rocks of Emyn Muil, and wouldn't have been able to find their way had not Gollum been following them. Gollum swore on the Ring to serve Frodo, but Sam wasn't satisfied: something about Gollum told him that the creature wasn't to be trusted and would eventually betray them. Sam also was horrified to see that Gollum had almost taken Sam's place as Frodo's devoted servant. Even Gollum's loyalty through the Dead Marshes and on the road to the Black Gate didn't convince Sam. By the time the three travellers reached Ithilien after deciding to chance Gollum's "secret" road, the relationship between Sam and Gollum was strained, to say the least. Gollum even refused to follow Sam's simple request to gather some herbs. When Faramir and his men came upon Sam and Frodo, Gollum quickly made himself scarce and evaded capture. Sam, after learning that Faramir was the brother of Boromir, a man who had tried to kill Frodo to take the Ring, he had his doubts about Faramir's trustworthiness. Faramir took Sam and Frodo to his hideout of Henneth Annűn, and the good food and drink relieved some of Sam's misgivings. Faramir began to ask the two hobbits questions about their journey. He took a particular interest in Galadriel and Lothlórien, and Sam began to explain about Boromir until, forgetting who Faramir was, he mentioned the One Ring, which Faramir had no idea Frodo carried. When Faramir, after a split second's temptation, opted to help, not hinder the hobbits, Faramir became something of a role model to Sam. Sam was a bit disappointed when Frodo insisted that Faramir, whose men had Gollum in arrow range, not kill Gollum. After Faramir sent the hobbits and Gollum on their way, Gollum became slightly nastier. He was still glowering about Faramir's men's treatment of him. To Sam, though, there wasn't much of a difference in his behavior. When the travellers reached Minas Morgul, Sam helped restrain Frodo, who was overpowered by the Ring's call to its master. Climbing up the stairs to Gollum's secret passage into Mordor, though, Sam made one of the worst mistakes of his life: as Frodo and Sam slept, Gollum crept up to them and was touched to see them both, and he laid his hand on Frodo. Gollum's nicer side had almost conquered his rotten side when Sam woke up. Seeing Gollum "pawing" at his master, Sam leapt up and called Gollum a sneak. This was more than enough to turn Gollum completely back to his evil ways and cinch his plan. After Frodo also awoke, Gollum led them both into a tunnel, where he abandoned them. Sam and Frodo felt an evil presence behind them, but the Phial of Galadriel seemed enough to scare the evil away. Frodo hacked at the spider webs in the exit of the tunnel, giving the Phial to Sam to hold, and both hobbits ran out. As Frodo dashed toward the threshold of Mordor, Shelob the Spider raced up behind and stung him in the neck. Sam, not far behind, would have helped had not Gollum suddenly attacked him. Sam managed to beat off Gollum, but when the villainous creature had slunk back into the tunnel and Sam bounded toward Frodo, he saw Shelob standing over a lifeless hobbit. Sam grabbed Frodo's sword, Sting, and wielding it in one hand and the Phial in the other, charged Shelob. After a long battle, Shelob was her own downfall as she tried to squash Sam under her but ended up sticking herself on the sharp point of Sting. She crawled back to her lair, and Sam hurried to Frodo, but Frodo seemed dead. Sam decided that the only thing he could do was take the Ring and carry on Frodo's mission. After all, that had been the point of having nine companions: if one failed, another could take over. Sam put on the Ring and barely crossed into Mordor when he heard orcs ahead. The orcs found Frodo, and to Sam's mingled delight, shock, and horror, they sniggered to each other that Frodo wasn't dead, just unconscious from Shelob's stinging venom. Sam, invisible, followed the orcs, who were carrying Frodo, to their fortress. The orcs did most of his work by killing each other over Frodo's possessions, so when Sam found his way into Cirith Ungol, his way was mostly clear. At the top of the tower, he found Frodo--alive. Sam searched and found orc raiment for both of them, as the orcs had taken Frodo's regular clothes, and the two left the tower. They trekked through Mordor, avoiding orcs, trying their best to find water, and even stumbling along at a furious pace when the accidentally joined an orc party. After managing to escape, they were exhausted. Frodo was willing to give up and die right as he lay, but Sam was determined to go on. Leaving most of their belongings behind, Sam picked up Frodo and carried him up to Mount Doom. They were almost there, but Gollum appeared, a stumbling, emaciated wretch, but still madly obsessed with the Ring. Frodo managed to fight him off and continued to Mount Doom, while Sam threatened Gollum and then followed his master. At the Crack of Doom, Frodo claimed the Ring for his own, Gollum leaped onto him and fought, bit off Frodo's finger, and fell into the Fires. Frodo and Sam moved their way out of the cavern as all of Mordor began collapsing. They saw no hope for rescue from among the fiery destruction, but Gandalf and the Eagles flew down and saved them. Sam woke up in Ithilien. He and Frodo were nearly healed, and they were reunited with Gandalf (whom they thought dead), and the rest of the Fellowship. They attended Aragorn's coronation, where Sam was shocked to see the Strider who he didn't like the looks of in Bree, now with a magnificent crown. The hobbits stayed for Aragorn's wedding to Arwen, but soon after felt the pangs of homesickness and began their journey back. Once they reached the Shire, they found their whole home destroyed by Saruman and his men. They, together with Merry and Pippin and many other hobbits, raised the Shire to fight, and won the last battle of the War of the Ring. After the Battle of Bywater was over and Sam had used Galadriel's gift to plant new trees, he married his darling Rosie Cotton. They moved into Bag End with Frodo, and their first daughter, Elanor (Frodo suggested the name) was born on the first anniversary of the Ring's destruction. That September, Frodo's sorrows caught up with him, and to Sam's grief he passed over the sea with Bilbo, Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond. Sam and Rosie lived happily with their thirteen children for many years, but after Rosie died in FO 61, Sam passed over the sea: last of the Ring-bearers.   < <Back to character biographies index