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J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings is one of the most cherished pieces of fantasy literature. In 2001, the fans of the classic novel were rewarded with their cinematic translations by Peter Jackson. Before him, Ralph Bakshi adapted one of its chapters for his 1978 animated film, but Jackson's iteration with New Line Cinema breathed new life into Tolkien's striking narration. They brought Frodo and Sam's disarming friendship to the big screen through three movies.
When it comes to book adaptations, there are often a few changes made to the original story for creative or logistical reasons. At times, some details are cut out because they would be difficult to put in a film's planned runtime. That can be disappointing to the book's fans, who often expect a faithful adaptation. However, that may not always be possible for such reasons.
Peter Jackson also made at least a few changes to The Lord of the Rings stories. One of them was related to Samwise Gamgee, the brave companion to Frodo Baggins. Unlike Frodo, Sam did not get to do one thing in Jackson's movies. If they were faithful to the movies, it could have shaped Sam's character arc in a different direction.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Lord of the Rings movies. Reader discretion is advised.
The Mirror of Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings shows Frodo getting a peek into his future
Peter Jackson's first The Lord of the Rings movie, subtitled The Fellowship of the Ring, has a scene with The Mirror of Galadriel. For the uninitiated, this mirror is essentially a water-filled basin, which helps one learn things about their past or future. Galadriel the Elf-queen (Cate Blanchett) offers Frodo (Elijah Wood) a chance to look through it. He sees things and events that are yet to appear in his life. His vision includes scenes with fire, destruction, and a massacre.
Frodo also sees Sam being chained along with a few other people. His vision ends with the showcase of The Eye of Sauron, one of the most potent parts of the Lord of the Rings universe. He sees his ring being pulled toward this mighty presence. This entire scene serves as a powerful way to show the fate that awaits this Hobbit. However, Tolkien's books do not offer any clear details as to what he sees. There is another significant change in the movie. Sam does not get to look through the mirror along with Frodo, as he does so in Tolkien's books.
How could Peter Jackson's movie have added more value to Sam's arc? Possibilities explored
Sam's vision in The Mirror of Galadriel offers him insight into the events, similar to what Frodo gets to see in the movie. It showed Sam the collapse of the Shire, the place where he came from. That could have significantly affected his arc and offered an understanding of his later character development. In the movie, if Sam had learned about the fate of the Shire, he might have contemplated returning despite his obligations as a friend of Frodo.
Sam's knowledge of the future at that moment in the narrative could have offered a deeper understanding of his moral conundrum between choosing his duties for his town and his companion. It could have clarified Sam's motivation and made his character celebrated for the brave hero that he is.
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Also read: How to watch The Lord of the Rings films in order? Every way of watching Tolkien's film adaptations
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