Gollum and the Stoor Hobbits before The Lord of the Rings | Tolkien Explained

[@itamaradio]

Such an amazing character. It invokes distain, pity, laughter, rage, solidarity, and other emotions I can think of now. The fact that Gollum is responsible to the ring's destruction if only by the desire to unite with it once again even if he dies with it in the process - is absolutely genius.

[@cerberus6654]

Too bad Sauron didn't take the odd weekend off from being evil to go fly-fishing in the Anduin himself!

[@lonnieporter8566]

He would have needed to use a tied-down caddis and those are REALLY hard to tie with those iron fingers.

[@cerberus6654]

@@lonnieporter8566 Too true!

[@beanbag8449]

Morgoth: SAURON! What are you doing! Sauron: *hiding his fishing rod * um, poisoning the river my lord Morgoth: *narrows eyes * I'm watching you...

[@philleW12]

Now i imagine a scene of an armourless Sauron just calmy sitting by the river, fishing as Aragorn walks by. Aragorn sees Sauron but does not know who he is for all he sees is a tired man with a look of longing on his face.

[@cerberus6654]

@@philleW12 Knowing Aragorn, who at times tends to be pessimistic and a know-it-all, he would probably say "Yo, you won't catch anything with THAT dwarf-made lure!"

[@Oberon4278]

I think the most horrifying thing about the Ring is that we all know it would use us and corrupt us, too -- and we would let it. Who hasn't done something they knew was wrong, and watched their own actions with dismay?

[@ianwestc]

The ring can sometimes be seen as a physical personification of the devil on our shoulder guiding our actions towards evil.

[@k7in846]

The ring’s will is not absolute either though, some are more susceptible than others. Aragorn eschews the ring’s power and influence, something his ancestor Isildur could not do, as does Faramir in addition to a handful of others (albeit most of those characters bordering on the supernatural, like Gandalf, Galadriel, Bombadil). Bilbo was capable of giving up the ring with some encouragement from Gandalf. I think the ring brings out a being’s inner corruption, but not all beings are corrupted to begin with, at least not to the same extent. So a person with a pure heart and a resilient mind will be able to stave off the ring’s influence, potentially for years on end (remember Frodo in the books holds onto the ring in the Shire for decades without incident before he sets off on the journey). I think that’s what gave Frodo a great resiliency against the ring, his simple and carefree life isolated in the Shire combined with a personality which is both curious and able to pity others. Sméagol went to murdering his cousin at first sight of the ring which tells me he already had burgeoning darkness in his heart before he possessed it. Various characters possessed the ring for a time before it started to influence them negatively, but for Sméagol he jumped right into the pool of darkness without much hesitation, the depiction in the film seems fairly accurate to what’s told in the books. This isn’t to say Sméagol was irredeemable (though the summation of his actions rendered him such in the end nonetheless), but i think it’s safe to say he was probably erring towards some threshold of villainy with or without the ring.

[@johns1625]

Constant source of anxiety for me. I still remember shitty things I did like 15 years ago that weren't even that bad and I have to make an audible sigh.

[@bucketheadkfc]

Your Gollum voice is perfect!

[@aryanswonderworld3256]

True

[@magnussandstrom1853]

It isss, precious, it isss!

[@Jason-tz7ir]

What, like it's hard?

[@mokarokas-1727]

@@Jason-tz7ir - Post a clip of your Gollum voice right now.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Just need to work on your impression of John Huston as Gandalf in the animated series, The Hobbit.

[@shadowthoughts7959]

1. I genuinely believe Hobbit folk are Eru Illuvitar’s secret project mix of Man, Elf and Dwarf after seeing the value of each (even their earliest location is in a territory crossed frequently by all three). 2- This guy’s Gandalf was played by Sean Connery XD

[@KororaPenguin]

And if the northern Hithaeglir are volcanic, that could explain: 1: How Sméagol, Frodo, and Sam didn't suffocate in the Sammath Naur, and 2: How Hobbits can smoke without ill effect.

[@Palemagpie]

Actually.....hmmm, they're not generally bound to anyone else's will like much like dwarves. They are proud but corruptable like men, And they live a long time for a mortal race, with a respect for nature....that's pretty elfvin. You might be onto something here actually. That's kinda cool and never occured to me

[@DTS_I]

Height of dwarves, appearance of men, ears of elves.

[@maxsoap5650]

6:55 *hits blunt* Dam bro , I didn't know Gollum could time travel

[@spaceyote7174]

I just realised how much of a massive coincedence it is that the two people who found the ring by total accidental chance, post Isildur, were both hobbits

[@IndigoIndustrial]

One of the rare humanoid races in Middle Earth and both times the Ring was "lost". Very improbable without a confounding factor e.g. a will of its own.

[@cerberus6654]

That very same coincidence also seemed to me to have occurred to Galadriel - and seemed to have pissed her off.

[@erickpoorbaugh6728]

Remember, Gandalf told Frodo that Bilbo was “meant” to find the Ring, “and not by its Maker.” This was definitely no coincidence.

[@Sara3346]

Don't you mean four hobbits?

[@AnnaMarianne]

Not a coincidence. Orchestrated by Eru.

[@Hoibz]

So both Frodo and Gollum gets the ring on their 33rd birthday, thats neat!

[@folksurvival]

It's a Masonic number.

[@Paul-uw2my]

Twinsies!

[@trevormarcray]

It's the age at which Jesus was crucified. At 33 both Frodo and Gollum received the ring.... Which was to become their death. This is just my hypothesis... Could be entirely wrong. Lol

[@Enzo012]

It's like poetry, they rhyme.

[@SangvineScribe]

Me: How did this excellent video get 9 thumbs down?? Smeagol: WRAAAAITHSSS! WRAITHS WITH WINGS!!

[@Gwaithmir]

Some pissed off orcs down voted it.

[@UpSyndrome1.0]

6:20 that was a perfect Gollum impression

[@cyansorcerer6491]

7:00 man i knew gollum was pretty twisted but i never knew it was to that extent, just goes to show you how much effect the ring's power has on mortal minds.

[@debbieabu-el-jibien924]

I named my new Bengal kitten Precious, and we go around saying Precious oh Precious where are you Precious” and visions of Gollum pop’s in head.

[@franek_izerski]

I'm sure Sauron was able to see how Gollum would/could play a big part in retrieving the ring and that's why he released him. And he was aware that he played a high risk game, because, as it turned out, Gollum was instrumental in the downfall of Sauron.

[@peterconway6584]

Interesting idea. I hadn't considered the foresight Sauron had of the future, since he participated in the Song of the World. Perhaps he knew that Gollum would help return the One to Mordor, which was true, but not the complete story.

[@THEBIGGESTSCUMBAG]

I THINK SAURON WANTED TO END THE POWER THE RING HAD OVER HIM BUT COULDN'T & SOMEHOW KNEW GOLLUM WOULD OBTAIN THE RING FOR IT TO BE DESTROYED?

[@metzdupcounselor]

Great Smeagol impression! Always going the extra mile.

[@NerdoftheRings]

Thanks! :)

[@sandal_thong8631]

Probably why his friends and family told him to make videos!

[@SeyhawksNow]

My gf and I got to the part in Two Towers where Gollum joined up with Frodo and Sam. Already the key difference I see is that Frodo pities Gollum but clearly doesn't trust him an inch. Much better than how the movies did it, since it just made Sam out to be a dick to Gollum and Frodo having to protect him.

[@joeybox0rox649]

Maybe so, but I do recall Frodo yelling "DON'T TOUCH ME," when Gollum was pawing at him... kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2e8fHdrnaiGnqs

[@mattnorris7124]

I don't think the movie does it AS MUCH justice but it definitely still gives off the feeling that Frodo doesn't trust him as much as he pities him.

[@MasterSpud]

@@mattnorris7124 yes, same. Frodo doesn’t trust him initially at all but pities him, and Sam does neither. But as the Ring corrupts Frodo more, he can be easily manipulated by Gollum.

[@birlove1471]

Each video of yours is such a beautiful production in and of itself. Oh and the voice work is just amazing 😀Thank you for these wonderful videos 🙏

[@NerdoftheRings]

Thanks so much! It always makes me feel good to know people enjoy my work. 😁

[@shehansenanayaka3046]

Gollum the founder of the ring after it lost for so many years. Also he is bound to the ring as sauron. He also perished with the ring. We always appreciate your time and hard work to make these videos.

[@deansch6089]

It always bothered me that Hobbits GIVE birthday presents on their birthday. But Smeagol insists upon receiving one, and Deagol even says he's already been given one.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Just an inconsistency. Maybe Hobbits changed the tradition upon crossing the mountains.

[@BrokenCurtain]

I'm not sure Déagol counts as a ring-bearer, because as far as I know, he never used it.

[@Paul-uw2my]

I can’t recall if Sam ever did. I don’t believe so, but wasn’t he considered a “ring bearer?”

[@BrokenCurtain]

@@Paul-uw2my He wore and used the ring when he rescued Frodo from the orcs in Cirith Ungol.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Déagol handled it and fell under its influence, a little but Gollum was of bad, greedy character to begin with. Unlike in the movie, Boromir and the Fellowship didn't handle it.

[@warrenclaassen5959]

After reading the books and then watching the movies I felt there could have been a story about the life of Gollum/Smeagol. It may have not been a pleasant story and really lacked a protagonist you could get behind since from Gollum's point of view the elves, Aragorn, Bilbo, Frodo and Sam were all enemies and thieves. Would he be the tortured soul that Gandalf sees him as or is he the heartless killer that finds cradles? What is the story of him finding orcs who rescue him from the elves while he was at the top of the trees? Does he ever regret killing Deagol? What does he endure while being tortured by Sauron? Would he then, by today's viewpoint, be declared to be a serial killer who deserved to fall into a lake of lava for his crimes or a person who was not in control of his actions and had no comprehension of right or wrong but only wanted to again possess what had taken over his mind?

[@brock8061]

i find it really cool that smeagol got the ring on his 33rd birthday and frodo got the ring from bilbo on his 33rd birthday as well

[@twiceborn_by_grace]

This video made me realize how tortured and evil Gollum truly was and that his role isn’t just for comic relief like in the movies.

[@tramthun2474]

Semgol wasn't evil. He was corrupted by the Ring, just like Boromir.

[@MrDorn123]

At 8:38 there is a thing I don't understand: why is he unable to open the doors from the inside? Gandalf says about them: '...these doors open outwards. From the inside, you may thrust them open with your hands.'

[@gouldbergvariations]

Your videos create peace in my soul somehow. Thank you. You have helped me cure my insomnia by alot!

[@johns1625]

Having only seen the movies I never would have thought that Gollum would break peoples windows to eat their babies. That's pretty awful.

[@sandal_thong8631]

Perhaps it's but one deed the evil do in Middle Earth that keeps them from repenting under the shadow of Morgoth, as Wormtongue was accused of something similar.

[@sawwasfans]

just stumbled upon your content - and it immediately reignited my love for LotR! Thanks man! I like your presentation, voice and style!

[@thetenthringwraith2207]

Gollum and the Life of the Stoor Hobbits Before The Lord of the Rings | Tolkien Explained ft. Andy Serkis That impression was insane!

[@nathansmith6098]

Very well done mate.

[@davidsmith-uw2ci]

Love the gollum impersonation it was spot on

[@randomhuman19]

Never heard the detail that Gollum was already in Moria when the Fellowship entered. Makes sense. And while conveniently coincidental for the benefit of the overall story, that is how life can be at times.

[@LordRubino]

Amazing story and great voice over as always. I'm a fan 😍❤️👌😍

[@justanotherguy5915]

The music u put is amazing keep it going

[@executivebexley252]

If you think, he actually gets his hands back on the ring (in the film at least) even if it is only for a moment, so does that make him the most hardcore?? All the elves, men, wizards, sauron can't get it back but smeagol does, that's after surviving and evading capture and torture from sauron, elves and gandalf!!

[@NeoDragonCount]

7:19 I didn't even remember that! So Gollum ate children! And not just children; babies!

[@Neil-y3l]

Thanks Nerd of the Ring, genius work.

[@gabethedinosaur95]

Tolkien did mention that in the simalarion. Hobbits were arriving to middle earth for the first time and the shire was already being built .

[@FreakyTeeth]

The thing about Tolkein's works on power, is that in his works power exists mainly in object form: rings, swords, staffs, armour, blood, etcetera. This is a very difficult thing to compare to power in the real world, because in the real world power comes in the form of abstract concepts like money, love, voter confidence, reputation, religion, authority, education, commodities, applause, news, deeds, psychology, etcetera. These things cannot simply be taken, like how corrupt people try to take power in Middle Earth. They cannot be destroyed by simply throwing objects into fire. And the pursuit of these things don't automatically mean people are evil. Also in the real world, power doesn't wield us, like the ring does, we wield power and it can be either for good or for evil. And for as long as people are capable of believing and valuing things, and people are capable of influencing what other people believe through appearances and appealing to what it is that they value, power will always exist, whatever form that power takes. And if history has proven anything it is that when good people don't have power, inevitably bad people will get it. Nature abhors a vacuum.

[@Fabstron]

I LIVE for crackhead Gollum at 9:20 swiftly turning into friendly neighborhood monster gollum

[@toasterpastries5811]

*Why did Gollum go to Mordor instead of to the Shire where Baggins was?*

[@NerdoftheRings]

He didn't know where The Shire was. Outside of the surrounding area, not many people knew of the Shire or where it was located. Even the ringwraiths had to ask around regarding its location, aside from it being in the North of Middle-earth.

[@richardthompson6079]

Also, he was DRAWN to Mordor because his will was broken by the ring.

[@mateuszslawinski1990]

This is actually pretty hilarious that Witch-King had faced hobbits in his destruction of Fornost, but later he didn't know where approximate location of the Shire may be.

[@TheCoolProfessor]

I feel sorry for the poor guy. Sauron's evil corrupted him almost completely so I don't think he was wholly aware of what he was doing.

[@calikush4]

Smeagol was a good person. That's why ring was driving him crazy in the beginning whispering "murderer" ... it sadly destroyed him.. 😪poor Smeagol

[@fastbreak0822]

Man I love you nerds..... Thank you

[@qwertyTRiG]

Thanks. Well presented.

[@NerdoftheRings]

Thanks for watching!

[@RedYoshiGamer2]

@@NerdoftheRings what song did you use when describing the origins of Gollum and the riddles in the dark chapter? I know it’s been 2 years, but I really want to know.

[@lawrencecornford4198]

Another great video

[@out5tarr]

Your Gollum voice is legit!!

[@BigApeBooks]

A very fine presentation. Thanks for doing that.

[@minasmixailidis9513]

Great music background

[@minasmixailidis9513]

Where I could find it to listen it ??

[@florearadu3008]

Weird question, haven't been a huge fan of LOTR universe apart from watching the og trilogy and The Hobbit, but after finishing Return of the King I came up with a question. Since they knew the corrupting power the ring had on men, why didn't they try tying the ring around a dog's neck for instance and then walking it to Mount Doom?

[@Rodshark75]

Because whoever was walking the dog would be called by the ring and it would either try to kill the dog or take it if they could.

[@nikm9146]

Precisely. The ring was always alluring to those in its vicinity, think of Boromir, Smeagol etc.

[@colebowman7685]

I actually like a your Gollum voice Pretty cool dude!!!

[@adamski1758]

Awesome vid

[@NerdoftheRings]

Thanks!!

[@tal32arla26]

6:17 caught me off guard I pissed myself laughing

[@stephenwoolsey9034]

Ok, just caught this one. Smeagol' s granny is the old lady who owns Tweety bird. Really old.

[@carloscuyos1370]

You have a very good gollum impression. Haha

[@michaelfrontera8147]

When Bilbo meets gollum gollum asks what he is. When Bilbo says hobbit gollum acts like he hasn't heard of it

[@donaldhenderson5041]

I wish the movies did the whole Shelob encounter more like the books.

[@joakimlundgren7043]

RuPaul Charles & Michelle Visage seem so clever.

[@nepntzerZer]

Gollum is a hero. Without him the quest would of failed, and everyone would of been wiped out.

[@JM-ji2tw]

Very cool. What are your sources for the early hobbit years? I’ve read some of that but you had much more than I’ve seen!

[@jakomioftherose2434]

He's about 600 years old? No wonder he looks like a goblin.

[@joakimlundgren7043]

Morrissey did a cover of the song Morning Starship by artist Jobriath (Bruce Campbell).

[@thedirty530]

Is that you with the smeagol & Gandolf impersonation? They were good!

[@swampdweller5]

That was lit!

[@anastasiapepperwater3550]

In the end, Gollum was also lit 🔥

[@vgang3605]

Your gollom was bang on

[@redeagleministries5409]

"Gollum's life is a sad story."

[@southernberean8166]

Excellent

[@gushamborg6690]

You should consider splicing in audio from the bbc audio dramatization like you do the films!

[@candicecarter581]

I am sorry for grandma has to kick smeagle out the family. Good work on the video.

[@cicknobb5321]

Your gollum voice is amazing, where did you get this info?

[@phoenixmilburn8759]

To think gollum gazed upon the beauty of erabor and trecked the terror of Khazad-dum

[@tafrog5552]

confusion as Gollum himself stated he had never heard of Hobbits !

[@roberthofmann8403]

Good vid.

[@bennyoaks131]

Brilliant!

[@NicolasBoels007]

What's the main song used in this video called?

[@simoncooper6752]

Did Sauron have the One Ring with him while he was in Númenor?

[@NerdoftheRings]

Good question, Simon! I do believe he did. It’s been a while since I did my Sauron 2nd age video, so I can’t recall if I specified in the vid or not, but he did take the ring with him. The ring and his soul survived the fall of Númenor, but his body did not. Not sure how he went about retrieving the ring without his body...that would be interesting to know!

[@morgothfromangband6082]

@@NerdoftheRings I remember from the Silmarillion that he just left the ring in Barad-Dur while he was on Numenor.

[@Sevenigma777]

I love all of Tolkien lore so much but one thing I always thought was a bit off since the first day I read LotR was why would Gollum not have his previous on him at all times. Having it for so long and needing it so badly why would Gollum ever be without his ring? I always thought it strange Bilbo would find it without Gollum knowing. Of course we wouldn't have the story we got told without that happening but it's the only thing ever written by Tolkien that I would have changed.

[@boxinabox6608]

The ring has a mind of its own

[@gordonsherrill1946]

Can you go over the other hobbit species

[@theproblemmustbeinyourpant5910]

I was always impressed at Gollum's apparent intelligence despite years of decrepit living whilst being driven mad by the ring.

[@randycrawford1132]

He’s the Third Ring Bearer because isn’t a bearer of it

[@bryankennedy2257]

My favorite character of all Middle Earth....

[@-umbra-1590]

Holy shit that's a nightmare fuel picture 7:13

[@PorpoiseInATent]

I used to be terrified of gollum

[@matthewmann8969]

What if Smeagol And Deagol both died by killing each other?

[@ianwestc]

You would have had one very frustrated ring.

[@ProfRavenSteel]

At the moment of death if ring fell back into the river, nothing changes. If on land someone else would have found a ring along with two bodies.

[@drummerboy1390]

Why didn't they get the Eagles to take Frodo to the Fire to destroy the ring? Save all that fannying about.

[@officerperez]

Just a guess, but maybe that would have been too conspicuous. Surely, the Wraiths would have seen them coming a mile away and rushed him. Don't they also say several times in both trilogies that most are blind to Hobbits. I think you'd want to take advantage of that. It becomes lost when you place them on top of a flock of giant eagles.

[@voidstrider4106]

@@officerperez also in the books the eagles were a sentient race of beings with their own king. Not just animals Gandalf could summon about

[@PamsCreativeCorner]

Haha...Chris in Family Guy asked the same question. He was told it's about the quest...

[@johntiggleman4686]

Way to kill a story line, mate. ;)

[@Doomseer]

I wonder if Gollum would of truly been redeemed he would of at the end instead ripped the the one ring from Frodo's finger with the intention of throwing the ring into the fire and the following fight being a consequence of Frodo trying to stop him instead of the other way around which would eventually culminate in Gollum falling over the edge and only barley holding on due to his forearm being tightly clasped by Frodo at the last moment. Then as if freed from a dark spell Frodo finally realizes what he's doing and uses his other the hand that was only moments ago violently grasping for the ring to try and pull Gollum back up to safety but in that fateful moment Gollum looks him in the eyes and simply states no master you cannot save me but I can save you and even though Frodo desperately tries to stop him Gollum none the less closes his eyes one last time and lets go plummeting into the lava below..

[@GeeEmming]

Okay sir. I heard that Gollum voice. Okay, you go ahead. Okay.

[@gaurangrajgarhia]

Gollums desire to get back the ring, ultimately led to its destruction. It suprises me how was it possible for Bilbo to let go of it? How Galadriel, Gandalf, Aragorn let go of it and survived, but, how it got to Boromir and his death?

[@sandal_thong8631]

He had good character, sparing Gollum, giving away his treasure from the trolls and generally helping other hobbits, though getting frustrated with them as shown at the party. He may also have experienced a little of the dragon-sickness in his capture of the Arkenstone. Or the Valar secretly helped him remain uncorrupted.

[@gaurangrajgarhia]

@@sandal_thong8631 another thought could be, Sauron was a Hobbit himself, the ring belongs to the line of Hobbits ,Forged by Sauron - Betrays Isildur - Found by Deagol,kept by Smeagol and then passed on to Frodo by Bilbo. Maybe all along Hobbits truly are amazing creatures as Gandalf says.

[@PozerAdultRacingTeam]

Gollum was definitely interesting.

[@PinkCasper]

Wait wait wait...we can't gloss over that... How did he cross the gap... Is there a nother way? How long would that take him to go around? Did he just jump? Lmao this is going to keep me awake now

[@valentinkambushev4968]

It's possible that he crossed it prior to the fellowship.

[@ryancarter1080]

I wonder how he knew that Frodo had the ring did he sense it? after all as far as he was aware Bilbo still had the ring and this group going through Moria had nothing to with it. its not like they shouted in moria that they had his presicious

[@TheImpartialKiwi]

Does anyone know why gollum didn't deteriorate physically and get old rapidly when he lost he ring to bilbo like bilbo did when he gave the ring to Frodo? Considering they are both Hobbits, and gollum being about 400 years older or so, you think he would have been an old grampa hobbit or even dead by the years of LOTR, 50 - 60 years after he lost the ring to bilbo, taking into account it took Bilbo like what? a year or two over the course of LOTR to go from an old , yet relatively youthful looking 111 year old ring bearer, to looking like he aged 30 years by he time frodo and the hobbits made it to Rivendell, to looking like he was on deaths doorstep a year later when he was setting sail for the undying lands. Yet Gollum remained the same in the 50+ years after he lost the ring, he was still strong and agile and a threat when we see him during the LOTR years. Any ideas?

[@Snapshot_the_Mad_Hatter]

*G E L L U M*

[@futbolusa]

How did Sauron know to question him. How could have known gollum had been in possession of the ring

[@vaughnlewis1953]

Better than the movie 🍿

[@bryanmatthews2370]

I wonder if the goblins knew gollum was there, or if they did why they left him there

[@ethanarnold4441]

Wait, if Hobbits are naturally more resistant to the corrupting effects of the One Ring, why was Smeagol corrupted so easily?

[@aceofspades4948]

Can we really class deagal as a ring bearer for a total of 30seconds lol

[@bollmatrix]

I saw a great map over The Shire in one of your videos do you know where i can download it. I am going to mark my progres in the Walk To Mordor app on it.

[@cerberus6654]

You cannot simply walk into Mordor...

[@aldariel744]

What's the name of this music?

[@Torsofacker]

Foreboding - Kyle Preston

[@near--zero]

Dude your gollum is spot on

[@stonedsimian2871]

Yea Bilbo tells him he is from the Shire. Even in the books