Sam is a ring bearer. He briefly took it over when he thought Frodo was dead during the whole shelob affair. Unlike just about everyone else, he’s the only character I know of that willingly gave it up. Fuck, even Gandalf didn’t want to bear the ring because he knew it would corrupt him and he’d refuse to let go of that power.
In the book, the ring tries to tempt him by showing him a vision of a great garden, making Sam the greatest gardener in the world. Sam shrugs it the fuck off without a second thought
Hobbits have an easier time resisting the pull, because their ambitions don’t pair well with the ring’s temptations. I suspect that Sméagol already had simmering beef with Déagol (cause, ya know, family), so it didn’t take much for the ring to push him over the edge.
But also the circumstances of how you claim the ring come into play with how deep it can dig into you. Déagol found it by following a shiny, and seeing how jealous it made Sméagol made it more valuable. Sméagol murdered his cousin for it. Bilbo came upon it by chance in the pitch black caves. He even struggles with the temptation by touching it in his pocket from then on.Frodo inherited it, knowing it to be Bilbo’s prank ring. Lastly, Sam took up the ring to save Frodo
Bilbo also gave it up willingly, though he did need to be convinced. Sam knew what the ring would be about and was able to steel himself against it. Plus its attempt to seduce was almost laughably bad, but he earnestly just really fucking loved gardening (tempted him with being a hero and claiming the land as his vast, beautiful garden. Sam thought it would be too stressful and would get between him and his gardening)
Sam is a ring bearer. He briefly took it over when he thought Frodo was dead during the whole shelob affair. Unlike just about everyone else, he’s the only character I know of that willingly gave it up. Fuck, even Gandalf didn’t want to bear the ring because he knew it would corrupt him and he’d refuse to let go of that power.
In the book, the ring tries to tempt him by showing him a vision of a great garden, making Sam the greatest gardener in the world. Sam shrugs it the fuck off without a second thought
“Wear me, and your gardens will cover all of Middle Earth!”
“What? No! That’s stupid!”
“Look, dude, you’re not giving me much to work with here!”
Hobbits have an easier time resisting the pull, because their ambitions don’t pair well with the ring’s temptations. I suspect that Sméagol already had simmering beef with Déagol (cause, ya know, family), so it didn’t take much for the ring to push him over the edge.
But also the circumstances of how you claim the ring come into play with how deep it can dig into you. Déagol found it by following a shiny, and seeing how jealous it made Sméagol made it more valuable. Sméagol murdered his cousin for it. Bilbo came upon it by chance in the pitch black caves. He even struggles with the temptation by touching it in his pocket from then on.Frodo inherited it, knowing it to be Bilbo’s prank ring. Lastly, Sam took up the ring to save Frodo
Bilbo also gave it up willingly, though he did need to be convinced. Sam knew what the ring would be about and was able to steel himself against it. Plus its attempt to seduce was almost laughably bad, but he earnestly just really fucking loved gardening (tempted him with being a hero and claiming the land as his vast, beautiful garden. Sam thought it would be too stressful and would get between him and his gardening)