True Hero: Frodo or Samwise?

[MatthewM]

This is a common debate amongst fans...here is some proof that, at least in Tolkien's eyes, Samwise is the true hero.

Tolkien himself said numerous times in the Letters that Samwise was the real hero. Letter #131 names Samwise as the "chief hero". In Letter #76 he cites him as the "jewel among hobbits". And in Letter #93, Tolkien writes to his son Christopher---

"Certainly Sam is the most closely drawn character, the successor to Bilbo of the first book, the geniune hobbit. Frodo is not so interesting, because he has to be highminded, and has (as it were) a vocation. The book will probably end up with Sam."

Now, if you're going by Tolkien's own word, then Sam is the true hero, not Frodo. If you're going beyond the words of the master, which I often like to do (with all due respect to him) then you can conjure up opinions if you believe Frodo is the true hero. It's true that if Sam convinced Frodo to slay Gollum then the fate of Middle-Earth would have ultimately been changed. But, the kindness and pity of Frodo prevailed and thus brought about the end of an Age. It's really just how it was supposed to unfold. You can say that Sam wouldn't have made it without Frodo, but that's just going in a circle....because you can also say that Frodo wouldn't even be alive if not for Aragorn after the accident at Weathertop.

So, I'm going to have to say Sam is the real hero here. I do give the utmost of credit to Frodo though, naturally. I just think Sam was more vital in the end.