The Lord Of The Rings: The 10 Saddest Things About Sméagol
Despite being one of the most recognizable fantasy characters of all time, Sméagol is still subject to constant misinterpretation. In the events of the books and movies, he is seen as being closer to a villain than a hero, yet his story is arguably more tragic than that of any other Tolkien's character.
Once an ordinary Hobbit just like Frodo and Sam, Sméagol took on the embodiment of selfishness and greed as he was transformed by the One Ring. To the unbiased eye, Gollum was nothing more than a victim of the Ring's wicked power. And no matter how much he tried to fight against the Ring's influence clouding his mind, it's a battle he was never meant to win.
10 He Murdered His Cousin
What might have been one of the best birthday fishing trips in Sméagol's life, turned out to be the beginning of his 478-year nightmare when Déagol, his cousin and a dear friend, ended up at the bottom of the Great River. No, he didn't die (yet!) but the real tragedy lies in Déagol's finding of the One Ring, which was hidden in the riverbed for over two millennia.
This golden piece of jewelry immediately corrupted Sméagol's mind and, since it was the moment of Gollum's birth, he choked Déagol to death so that he could have the Ring just for himself. It was all downhill from there…
9 His Grandmother Banished Him
After Sméagol obtained the One Ring, it didn't take long for his Hobbit community to figure out what kind of monster he was turning into. In other words, after murdering Déagol, Sméagol discovered that the Ring had given him powers of invisibility, which he used for thieving and spying on his people as well as other malicious actions.
Eventually, he even began to make a weird gurgling sound, which is why they started calling him "Gollum." Craving for peace in her society, his grandmother then expelled him from the family, so Sméagol had to say goodbye forever to granny's delicious second breakfasts.
8 The One Ring Transformed Him Into A Monster
After his grandmother threw him out of her hole, Sméagol found himself a new home in the Misty Mountains, where he lived like a freak of nature far away from both the sun and the moon. Having ugly goblins as neighbors (and sometimes even on the menu as a side dish for raw fish) was neither nice nor easy; however, it was much harder sharing the same cave and body with a sneaky roommate – Gollum – for centuries.
Specifically, the Ring granted Sméagol longevity, but it came with a price; as the years of solitude passed by, he looked less like a cute little hobbit and more like a deformed bone-thin creature with big pale eyes – and with an equally ugly personality.
7 His Constant Inner Conflict
As a result of the Ring's evil influence, Sméagol eventually becomes an overly conflicted creature with two distinct personalities. Gollum represents the violent side that would make him kill anyone who comes near his "Precious." On the other hand, Sméagol often shows signs of his "old Hobbit self," which is especially evident when he's near Frodo through his acts of help and even kindness.
Therefore, he always had to struggle with his duality, and, sadly, this never-ending mental torture led to Sméagol's self-destructive behavior, which reflects Gollum's obsession with the Ring and his hatred toward himself.
6 Sauron Tortured Him
As if being under the spell of the One Ring wasn't agonizing enough, Sméagol had to face another trauma while searching for Bilbo who took away his "Precious."
Tolkien had never explained it in detail, but it is known (from both books and movies) that Sméagol was captured and taken to dungeons of Barad-dur where Sauron himself physically and mentally tortured him until he revealed information about the Ring's location. Luckily for this poor creature, Sauron decided to let him go not knowing that his act of mercy would, ultimately, be his downfall.
5 Sam Treated Him Poorly
Samwise Gamgee had every right not to trust Sméagol; after all, he does have a "criminal record" thanks to Gollum. However, instead of insulting and abusing him, he could have also treated him better considering that somewhere deep inside his tormented mind Sméagol was still a Hobbit, just like him.
With that being said, there was always hope for Sméagol's redemption that almost nobody, including Sam, ever saw because of their lack of empathy for this pitiful creature.
4 Only Frodo Showed Some Sympathy Towards Him
It is both beautiful and sad that Frodo was the closest thing Sméagol ever had to a friend ever since he killed Déagol. While everyone else hit him, this "Master of the Precious" (as Gollum called him) was the only one that showed some kindness and compassion towards him.
The reason for this is that Frodo, as a Ring-bearer, could easily see himself sharing Sméagol's tragic fate if he succumbs to the Ring's destructive power that broke its former possessor. So, understanding the circumstances of his transformation into Gollum, Frodo made an effort to treat Sméagol with some dignity, which actually rehabilitated Sméagol to some degree.
3 He Felt Betrayed By Frodo
On their trip to Mordor, Sméagol begins to trust Frodo whose kind company reminds him of who he was before Gollum was created. So it's not surprising how hurt he felt when Faramir's guard took him as a prisoner for trespassing after "Master" persuaded him to leave.
But, little did he know that Frodo's intentions were only to help him and that Boromir's younger brother tricked them both. Once again, Sméagol was harmed, both physically and emotionally, which only gave Gollum more control over him.
2 He Almost Repented
Climbing the stairs of Cirith Ungol, "the pass of the spider", was a crucial moment for Sméagol who nearly repented while Frodo and Sam were asleep. He just came back from Shelob, because he was plotting to betray these young Hobbits, but something in his heart changed when he saw them peacefully dreaming.
In one of his letters, Tolkien himself commented on this Sméagol sad moment, calling it “the tragedy of Gollum who at that moment came within a hair of repentance – but for one rough word from Sam.” Now, fans can only guess if Sméagol would really change for the better if Sam didn't wake up and insulted him for being a creep.
1 His Death
Falling into the boiling lava of Mount Doom might seem like the worst death Sméagol could experience. Sure, it's definitely a tragic and painful way to kick the bucket; however, it was also the only way Sméagol could find his everlasting peace from a horrible life that the One Ring had brought him.
Throughout the books, Sméagol's dreadful existence served as a constant reminder of the dangers of Sauron's magic. And with his story so deeply intertwined with that of the One Ring, it's only reasonable that they eventually met their end together.