THE RING and corruption

[Tar-Palantir]

Gollum's integral part in the destruction of the Ring WAS his repentance for deeds done.

I just meant that it was his last good deed (whether it was selfish in nature or not), he saved Frodo's life and maybe all of ME. Akin to Boromir trying to save Merry and Pippin, at least the way I look at it.

To me the deal with Smeagol is that he simply would never be rid of the desire for the Ring. As quoted above from Erlond, that is all it takes, the desire of it, to corrupt the heart. At the moment before entering Shelob's lair, when he woke up Sam, Sam was not overly harsh to him, he even apologized, but it didn't help. Even if Sam hadn't called him an "old villian" and a "sneak" do you think he would have stopped his plan? "Oh, by the way Frodo, there is a huge black spider ahead, sorry I forgot to mention it." He might have felt more guilty about it, but that's probably all. Too bad we'll never know!

And you know that he would most likely have died anyway once the Ring was destroyed. Obviously we can't be certain, but if Bilbo had all his years come back in a flash, so would Smeagol. A pile of bones would be it, but maybe he would have felt some of his great burden lifted before he perished, that would have been a priceless gift.

Willie, can I call you Frodo? Because you keep defending that sneak? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] I'll be Sam of course....