It's funny to me how in both Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings the true Hero of the story is the secondary character. Obi-Wan was the driving "force" between all 6 movies He defeted all foe's, he trained Anakin, he beat Anakin when he was at his most powerful and even as an old man through his own actions he managed to bring down the emperor...well from a "Certain point of view" at least

Same thing with Samwise, Frodo who is lauded as the "Hero" of the story was really just a whiny little P.I.T.A Sam kept him going throughout the whole story, Sam gave the ring up without a second thought, and Sam was the one who carried Frodo up the mountain so the little drama queen could throw the ring into Mt.Doom (Which he even failed at that)

I would love to read a book or watch a movie from the true heroes of these stories perspective.

Well actually I guess there are Obi-Wan books....

Anyways whats my point you say? Well I don't have one im just drinking my morning coffee and felt like ranting.

Have a good day!

Very well done, and yes you really can see Sam-Wise as the biggest hero of the tale, all four of the Hobbits in fact changed everything.

Frodo obviously, because he carried the Ring to Mordor.

Sam because he carried Frodo(metaphorically and even literally at one point) to Mount Doom.

Merriadoc Brandybuck because he guided them to Bree and along with Pippin they distracted the Uruks and led them away from Frodo, allowing him to escape and they gave Treebeard a reason to finish off the White Hand, then Merry did a very important thing by stabbing the Witch King, which saved the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

Then Peregrin Took who not only joined Merry in changing the course of events, but saved Faramir and Merriadoc from certain death and tricked Sauron into believing that HE had the Ring and to attack Minas Tirith with all speed, distracting him from Frodo and Sam's movements past Osgiliath, Minas Morgul and Cirith Ungol.

I don't need to list the same for Master Kenobi.

It's truly unfortunate that the latest generation has grown up watching the LoTR movies, instead of reading the books. The books delve a lot deeper into what kind of effect the Ring has on it's bearer, most of which is lost in the film. Frodo is carrying around such a heavy burden that he literally can't stand at the end. It's not that he's tired from their journey or lack of food/water. It's that the Ring is such a burden that he literally can't make his legs work anymore. Throughout the books, he's not only haunted by the Ring, but physically weighed down by it. The Ring wants to be discarded, and it's using all it's power to make Frodo want to give it up.

In the movies he just looks like a whiny boy complaining about the long walk up the mountain, when he's undoubtedly the strongest character in the novels. Every other character with an opportunity to even hold the Ring is almost instantly taken in by it's power. Gandalf, Strider, Boromir, can't even look at the Ring without feeling the Ring's influence, and Frodo wore the thing for weeks on end carrying it to it's own destruction (all the while having the Ring fight against him.)

His legs give out in the final push up the mountain, but he was struggling just to stand for a great while before that, and despite that he pushes forward. Sam looks the hero as he carries his friend up the mountain, but I can't imagine his strength would have kept up if he had been the one carrying the Ring. He never cared about the fate of the Ring, after all. It was only his concern for his friend that kept him going. If he was the ring bearer, that motivation would be gone. Who's to say Sam wouldn't have thrown the Ring into a river somewhere and run back home? That's basically what he wanted Frodo to do the entire time.

-Macheath.

It's truly unfortunate that the latest generation has grown up watching the LoTR movies, instead of reading the books. The books delve a lot deeper into what kind of effect the Ring has on it's bearer, most of which is lost in the film. Frodo is carrying around such a heavy burden that he literally can't stand at the end. It's not that he's tired from their journey or lack of food/water. It's that the Ring is such a burden that he literally can't make his legs work anymore. Throughout the books, he's not only haunted by the Ring, but physically weighed down by it. The Ring wants to be discarded, and it's using all it's power to make Frodo want to give it up.

 

In the movies he just looks like a whiny boy complaining about the long walk up the mountain, when he's undoubtedly the strongest character in the novels. Every other character with an opportunity to even hold the Ring is almost instantly taken in by it's power. Gandalf, Strider, Boromir, can't even look at the Ring without feeling the Ring's influence, and Frodo wore the thing for weeks on end carrying it to it's own destruction (all the while having the Ring fight against him.)

 

His legs give out in the final push up the mountain, but he was struggling just to stand for a great while before that, and despite that he pushes forward. Sam looks the hero as he carries his friend up the mountain, but I can't imagine his strength would have kept up if he had been the one carrying the Ring. He never cared about the fate of the Ring, after all. It was only his concern for his friend that kept him going. If he was the ring bearer, that motivation would be gone. Who's to say Sam wouldn't have thrown the Ring into a river somewhere and run back home? That's basically what he wanted Frodo to do the entire time.

 

-Macheath.

That's what I wanted to write but you've worded it even better than I could.

It's not to say that Sam is a hero, he really is. But first and foremost, he's Frodo truest friend, from the very beginning to the end.

It's truly unfortunate that the latest generation has grown up watching the LoTR movies, instead of reading the books. The books delve a lot deeper into what kind of effect the Ring has on it's bearer, most of which is lost in the film. Frodo is carrying around such a heavy burden that he literally can't stand at the end. It's not that he's tired from their journey or lack of food/water. It's that the Ring is such a burden that he literally can't make his legs work anymore. Throughout the books, he's not only haunted by the Ring, but physically weighed down by it. The Ring wants to be discarded, and it's using all it's power to make Frodo want to give it up.

 

In the movies he just looks like a whiny boy complaining about the long walk up the mountain, when he's undoubtedly the strongest character in the novels. Every other character with an opportunity to even hold the Ring is almost instantly taken in by it's power. Gandalf, Strider, Boromir, can't even look at the Ring without feeling the Ring's influence, and Frodo wore the thing for weeks on end carrying it to it's own destruction (all the while having the Ring fight against him.)

 

His legs give out in the final push up the mountain, but he was struggling just to stand for a great while before that, and despite that he pushes forward. Sam looks the hero as he carries his friend up the mountain, but I can't imagine his strength would have kept up if he had been the one carrying the Ring. He never cared about the fate of the Ring, after all. It was only his concern for his friend that kept him going. If he was the ring bearer, that motivation would be gone. Who's to say Sam wouldn't have thrown the Ring into a river somewhere and run back home? That's basically what he wanted Frodo to do the entire time.

 

-Macheath.

Thank you

When I was reading the OP and the replies up to yours I thought "These people clearly didn't read the book".

The movies are good, no mistaking. But having grown up with the books they are clearly just an "alternate" reality of middle earth. They did stay true to the spirit though.

I've been a Tolkien fan since the 60s.

Sam is the protagonist of the book, not Frodo.

Sam is the only ring-bearer who ever has his hand on the thing who gives it up of his own will. He is the only one who is unstained. He is the one who keeps Mr. Frodo going when Frodo no longer has the strength to do so. Sam is the one who reaps the rewards of virtue in the end. Sam is the one whose growth is the greatest through the story.

Wonderfully, there are many important characters in LotR; without any of many of them, things would not have worked out so well, or at all. But Sam is the one looking over the reader's shoulder, whispering to him the story of the "nine-fingered Frodo and the Ring of Doom...."

Don't confuse protagonist with "most important person inside the context of the story". Sure, to all intents and purposes, it looks to be poor Frodo.

And in Star Wars, it's *supposed* to be the two droids, R2D2 and CP30. They are the only ones who were slated to be in all 9 movies.

Now you see this purist train of thought irks me.

The movie trilogy was never meant to be a purist adaptation of the novel, it was meant to be Peter Jackson's own take on the novels, he applied this sense to what he did throughout the entire shoot and production:

Stay true to the very core elements to the story, but do not add in anything from the book that is purely excessive(Barrow downs and Tom Bombadil) and takes away from the main quest of the series, the Fellowship's main journey, then make sure everything is adaptable to screen and remove/add things that would add to the experience for a movie audience.

I think that was essential, especially when the Council of Elrond in reality would be it's own short movie if adapted straight from the book.

Now enjoy the book, etc... but please don't turn this into those types of Tolkien purist threads where people nitpick ever little change made.

Interesting - I can see where you are coming from - but is Obi wan the true hero of Star Wars .....or is it R2-D2???!!!

It was R2-D2. GL even said it somewhere.

Now you see this purist train of thought irks me.

 

The movie trilogy was never meant to be a purist adaptation of the novel, it was meant to be Peter Jackson's own take on the novels, he applied this sense to what he did throughout the entire shoot and production:

 

Stay true to the very core elements to the story, but do not add in anything from the book that is purely excessive(Barrow downs and Tom Bombadil) and takes away from the main quest of the series, the Fellowship's main journey, then make sure everything is adaptable to screen and remove/add things that would add to the experience for a movie audience.

 

I think that was essential, especially when the Council of Elrond in reality would be it's own short movie if adapted straight from the book.

 

Now enjoy the book, etc... but please don't turn this into those types of Tolkien purist threads where people nitpick ever little change made.

I agree. I read and enjoyed the books, but I also loved the movies. They adapted the story very well, but didn't implement anything that would detract from the main story. Plus, Howard Shore's music was awesome. The music from Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are the only pieces of symphony music have so much emotion in them. At least recently. Beethoven and such are also very good.