If Frodo had thrown the Ring in right away

[Dûrbelethwen]

I asked this because my mom was wondering about it. What would have happened to Gollum if Frodo and thrown the ring in right away so that Gollum would not have fallen in the cracks with it? My mom was hoping maybe he could be cured of his addiction.

[the phantom]

He would not have been cured because he didn't willingly give it up.

Just look at Frodo. The Ring was destroyed but he wasn't cured, was he? Nope.

But it wasn't possible for Frodo to toss the Ring in, anyway. He couldn't even toss the Ring into his little kitchen fire at the beginning of the book.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

That's very true. It would have taken a bizarre accident to knock the Ring in. Maybe a coach load of tourists could have crashed into Frodo, knocking him into the Fire.

If this happened, Gollum would have to endure an existence of misery just as great as his previous. In fact, he would probably jump into the Fire straight away to follow his Precious.

If he was locked in a cage before he could commit suicide, he would probably turn utterly insane.

[Eruanna]

What would have happened to Gollum is certainly open to speculation. One thing for sure is that Frodo would, at least, still have all of his fingers

[mormegil]

I tend to agree that Gollum, if he survived, would be completely hopeless and miserable. His "addiction" as you called it would never be eased and would gnaw at him until he died. Now I think it's likely that he would have actually jumped into the fire as Eomer stated. However, had he not jumped into the fire he, like Sauron, may have been destroyed. His power and life was tied up in the ring and it's destruction could have brought about his own.

[Celebuial]

I agree partly with Mormegil, but I don't think Gollum or I suppose Smeagol (seeing as The Ring is gone), would've perished. Sauron, put some of his 'life force' into The Ring when it was created, thus binding his fate to that of The Ring. Gollum however, had 'an addiction' to The Ring, and although his fate was undoubtably tied up with the fate of The Ring in general, I find it hard to believe that he would be destroyed if The Ring was. Part of him, Gollum may have been destroyed, but I think it more likely that he would hang around to torment him until he died a long, long time later: Smeagol didn't willingly give all of himself up to The Ring; a small part of him resisted. Frodo, although he was in possession of The Ring for a much shorter time span, was permanently tormented by the thought of The Ring, even after its destruction. Maybe this suggests that Sauron's spirit was somehow reaching out to him from The Void, or maybe Eru never meant for such creatures to take such torment, and his mind was permanently scared. I don't think that part of Frodo was destroyed though, just that he saw the world differently, and had endured too much.

[eowyntje]

After they lost he ring, both Bilbo and Frodo aged quicker. Isn't it likely that Gollum, after having lived on the ring for over 500 years, would age very fast and die within a very short time after the distruction of the ring?
If of course he would not kill himself or be killed by the ring before such a thing could happen.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Good idea; he might shrivel up and die within seconds, because he had the Ring for so long.

[obloquy]

I think it's possible that Gollum would've felt relieved. His actions and lust for the Ring might have been the Ring's will and not his own. Note that he calls the Ring "Precious" as well as the second voice that guides his more devious actions. Perhaps he would have been exhausted, as Frodo was, but maybe his seeming insanity and obsession would have been lifted with the Ring's destruction.

[Kitanna]

Supposing Frodo had willing thrown the Ring into the fires I think Gollum would have gone after Frodo. He probably would have fought with Frodo anyway. I honestly think he'd go in after it and drag Frodo down with him. After all Frodo was the one who destroyed his precious.

[mormegil]

I think that my idea of it destroying Gollum immediately is possible but a bit far fetched. However something that I'm more certain of is that the destruction of the ring would have overthrown Gollum mind entirely. I'm not sure how his greater insanity would have changed him but the ring had such a hold on him that I don't see how it would be possible for him to stay sane (I realize that Gollum had little if any sanity anyway). So without the ring there is little if any hope for him.

The ring was Gollum's only point in living (except perhaps the occasional fish ). The ring had only a stronger hold on one person and that was Sauron, and we know that it destroyed him. Gollum would have nothing left to live for, if his existence can be called life.

I think that there was some good in him left, and Gollum came close to embracing that part of him but he couldn't Similarly Sauron came close to repenting of his evil but didn't and resigned himself wholly to evil. If Gollum had found some redemption than I think that the destruction of the ring could have possibly given some curative effect on him. However, it is my opinion that Gollum, like Sauron, gave in and wholly resigned himself to evil. Gollum killed the remaining shred of Smeagol when he went back on his promise and attempted to kill Frodo. So instead of helping him it would have completely overthrown him due to the actions he took.

[Celebuial]

After they lost he ring, both Bilbo and Frodo aged quicker. Isn't it likely that Gollum, after having lived on the ring for over 500 years, would age very fast and die within a very short time after the distruction of the ring?

Why didn't I think of that?

Gollum killed the remaining shred of Smeagol when he went back on his promise and attempted to kill Frodo. So instead of helping him it would have completely overthrown him due to the actions he took.

That does make an awfull lot of sense. I never thought to compare Sauron and Gollum in that way. But waht about the part that was left? Would 'Gollum' try to take his life for loss of The Ring or would he continue to sulk around in anguish? I suppose he may not have much time after the destruction of the ring to do anything, but...

[Arwen Imladris]

Just look at Frodo. The Ring was destroyed but he wasn't cured, was he? Nope.

True, but he did feel a great sense of relief directly after the ring was destroyed, did he not? And there are many possible reasons why Frodo did not recover. For one, he completly isolated himself when he returned to the Shire. He didn't really try very hard to let other people help him bear his burden, instead he chose to hide his pain. Perhaps Gollum would have also recieved a sense of relief, a lightening of his burden. I think that if Gollum was prevented from jumping in after the ring, either by an inability to move because of his loss, or because of being physically held down by Frodo or Sam, he might have had a chance. We know that Hobbits are incredibly resiliant, and I think that even at this part of the story, Gollum still had some good in him. It was buried deep, but I think that if he was shown love and forgiveness, he might still be able to live a productive life. Remember, Gollum had never (to my knowledge) been stabbed by a deadly Morgul-blade.

After they lost he ring, both Bilbo and Frodo aged quicker. Isn't it likely that Gollum, after having lived on the ring for over 500 years, would age very fast and die within a very short time after the distruction of the ring?

True, but Bilbo, who had the ring the longer than Frodo and used it still lived to be quite old. He left it when he was 111, and he lived for another twenty years after that. If it took that long for Gollum's age to catch up to him, then he would still have a new shot at life.