what if Sam had kept the ring?!!!!!

[samrohan]

Rose Cotton as the Black Queen!!

No, Sam would have had the strength to get rid of the ring because it would not have been in his possession for long enough to control him.

[ArathorofBarahir]

I don't think that Sam would have kept the Ring, he just doesn't have that in him. He just doesn't want power, he likes things the way they are.

[yavanna II]

[img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] i think Sam would have returned to Lorien or Rivendell, or maybe bear the Ring and use it for his own. He'll force everybody into gardening, turn Middle-Earth into a giant vegtable garden or summon all Elves of Valinor back to Middle-Earth just to please himself [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] also he would kill all of Ungoliant's descendants [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img] cos he's so angry with Shelob... [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] null [img]null[/img]

[Leona]

Okay, I have to say that I don't think Sam could have done it, like child of the 7th age said, anyone would be corrupted. The ring would have worked all the harder to return to it's master once it was in Mordor. And I wonder if Sam could have really left Frodo for so long. Sam is protective of Frodo, and that is where he gets all of his strenght once the fellowship is broken. True the ring did not affect Tom, but as Gandalf, or somebody, said in the counsil of Elrond, Tom would't have come to the counsil if they had asked him, so I doubt he would have gone to Mordor to destroy the ring.

As to what would have happened if Sam had kept the ring, quite frankly, I think Sauron would have had the ring by dawn, and Middle Earth would have been lost. I'm not saying Sam is weak, but Frodo, was a better ring bearer,in the fact that he understood the huge importance and the responsibility so much better than Sam. Sam still believed in a way, that the ring was just a piece of metal, and the "powers" were all just exagurated.

[Eggy]

But would not sam's ignorance have been a great strengh to him, for if he didnt believe in the magic of the ring then mabey he would have been able to withstand the powers of the ring better

[Eurytus]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tolkien is absolutely clear on this point in his Letters. He stated that no being within Arda could have escaped the corruption of the Ring. He blankly stated that Frodo was given an impossible task, one that no one would have been able to accomplish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Actually, that's not quite right. The Ring had no power over Tom Bombadil.

Actually that is something we do not know. Tolkien’s point in his letters was not so much that no-one could resist the Ring. It was that absolutely no-one could have resisted the Ring at the Cracks of Doom where it’s influence was at its strongest.

We know that Bombadil’s power was pretty much total within the borders of the Old Forest but it is far less certain that it would have been so strong within Mordor and certainly not at the Crack of Doom.

[Lyta_Underhill]

Tolkien’s point in his letters was not so much that no-one could resist the Ring. It was that absolutely no-one could have resisted the Ring at the Cracks of Doom where it’s influence was at its strongest.

I've got to put in my vote of agreement here! In fact, having Sam alone at the Cracks of Doom, trying to complete the impossible task, would be a turn of events truly heartbreaking and pitiful to behold, for he would not have his Frodo with him, thus, this one desire would take hold of him irresistibly at Sammath Naur. I think he would claim the Ring in order to have Frodo back. He would fall prey to the one emptiness that could overmaster him--he desperately wants to save Frodo. That, to him, is MUCH more important than the Quest. It is serendipitous that he realized this early on and turned about to rescue Frodo on his own, rather than finding this truth inside himself alone on Mount Doom, laid bare to the wiles of the Ring. The question is, would Sam have killed Gollum before this point or not? If he didn't, then he might still be saved by a struggle with Gollum--or Gollum might have been more vehement against Sam, for he had already tried to kill him once. He could not bring himself to attack Frodo directly as he had Sam. I feel perhaps that Gollum would have tried to push Sam into the Fire.

I, for one, am glad I didn't have to witness the Ring overmastering Sam at the Cracks of Doom, for it would have happened, and it would have been truly sad, for his fall would come without Frodo, his hope would be lost. I couldn't bear to see that happen to Sam!

Cheers,
Lyta

[ArathorofBarahir]

I don't think Sam had it in him to keep the Ring. I mean he seems to have one of the purest hearts in the books, so I don't think he would have kept it.

[Eowyn:Lady of Rohan]

Let's see. If Sam had kept the ring, he would have thrown it into the fire of Mt. Doom. He already knew that it was the purpose to go with Frodo. If one failed the other would take over and destroy it. The temptation to keep the ring wasn't strong with Sam. He knew what would happen in the long run. Sam isn't the type to fail. He would have gone and cast the ring into the fire.

[Finwe]

Sam had the purest heart of the entire Fellowship, and I think that he would have made it to Mt. Doom and managed to get the Ring destroyed. Although, I'm not sure how he would have fared in that last fight with Gollum.

[Lyta_Underhill]

If only I could have my wish, my one wish,' he sighed, 'to go back and find him (Frodo)!'

--Samwise after he has left Frodo to pursue the Quest on his own at the Pass of Cirith Ungol

'They must understand that--Elrond and the Council, and the great Lords and Ladies with all their wisdom. Their plans have gone wrong. I can't be their Ringbearer. Not without Mr. Frodo.'

--Samwise as he made the decision to go back to Frodo a few minutes later.

I think these two small quotes from "The Choices of Master Samwise" illustrate his weakness and the desire the Ring would have played upon at the end. Sam did not place as much value on the Quest as he did on Frodo. The Ring would have played him cruelly at the end, I foresee, and I do not think he could have accomplished the quest alone, unless by some grace, such as Frodo was afforded at the end. That's my reasoning, anyway! Pure heart aside, Sam just doesn't have the insight and understanding to complete this particular quest. He might have made it to Mt. Doom, but I shudder to think of his possible fate at the Sammath Naur!

Cheers,
Lyta

[The Saucepan Man]

The point has been made many times on this and other threads, but it cannot be emphasised enough. NO ONE, standing on the edge of the Cracks of Doom with the Ring, could have resisted its Power. Not Sam. Not Merry or Pippin. Not Legolas or Gimli. Not Aragorn. Not even Galadriel or Gandalf. They would all have been driven to claim it, as Frodo did.

As I think is acknowledged somewhere in Tolkien's Letters, Frodo's Quest (to throw the Ring into the Fires of Mount Doom), was an impossible one. Gandalf's strategy, as I understand it, was to get the Ring to Mount Doom and trust in providence (Eru).

So Sam could never wilfully have destroyed the Ring, any more than Frodo was able to.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 8:22 PM December 13, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

[Lyta_Underhill]

NO ONE, standing on the edge of the Cracks of Doom with the Ring, could have resisted its Power.

Exactly, Saucepan Man! And if Samwise came there alone with the Ring, it would be a sad day indeed, unless he were afforded some grace of Eru as Frodo was. But Frodo's grace was borne of Frodo's previous goodness, pity, etc., a lesson that Samwise had not learned until Frodo's ordeal at the Sammath Naur taught it to him for good and all! Thus, it would have gone badly with Sam, and all I'm saying is I would have wept to have seen it. It would have been far worse than Frodo's plight IMO, for Samwise would suffer alone, not fully realizing his great fall, without Frodo, possibly without Gollum, without a companion save the Ring and the Eye of Sauron boring into him. I couldn't bear to witness it!

Cheers,
Lyta

[Eol Telemnar]

(Going back to original question)


He would make sauron put a farmer's suit on and plant potatoes [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Eol Telemnar]

(correcting my mistake) Then again, sauron has no physical form, so that's imposible. I'd say he would try and destroy it himself, or given up and give it back to Frodo.

[Novberaid]

Only to add. I for one am glad we did not have to find out. Sam was a terrific character and I would not have liked to have found out what the Ring may have done to him.

[Firefoot]

I have to agree with everyone who said that the ring would have overpowered Sam at Sammath Naur. It would have been a truly sad thing if Sam had been there alone and I do not think I would have liked the book much after that...so it's an awfully good thing that Frodo got the ring back. It would have gone ill for Sam.

[Elanor the Fair]

If Sam had kept the ring, he would have to have Froto to come along in order to cast the ring into the fire. But Sam would do it without having to have Gollum fight him. I can picture the two casting it in together. That is the only way that I can see the task being done if Sam was the ring barer.