Sméagol: Hero of the Third Age

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Originally Posted by Nilpaurion Felagund

Hmm, but Frodo was the Ringbearer. He had lots of help on his journey, yes, but the Ring was mostly around his neck for most of the mission. We should give him credit for that.

Would there be a reason to contemplate Sméagol's sacrifice/suicide/accident had the Ring not been in the Cracks of Doom at that time, or at all?

Hmm... That's a good question. If they had not been at the cracks of doom and Gollum had gotten the Ring, then the whole of Middle-Earth would have surely have gotten taken over by Sauron because Gollum would've ran off with the Ring and left Frodo and Sam where they were to die, if he had not already killed them, and Sauron's forces would've found Gollum and taken the Ring and there would be no hope for Middle-Earth, unless the Valar came back and helped them.
Then Smeagol would've died or gotten killed anyway, without the "hero" concept. So all in all, Smeagol looses in the long run.