Summary
Frodo Baggins is perhaps the most important character inThe Lord of the Rings, and his final journey to the Undying Lands was the ultimate reward for his bravery. The hobbit’s time in the Shire following the destruction of the One Ring was brief, and unfortunately he still bore the scars of his journey. In the novels, the stab wound from theWitch-king of Angmarand the sting from Shelob both continued to cause him pain long after he had returned home.
As a result, Frodo never truly recovered from the task that nearly claimed his life. After the completion of his storyThe Lord of the Rings, which he added to Bilbo’sThere and Back Again, Frodo leaves on the White Ship from the Grey Heavens, bound for the Undying Lands, which includesthe heavenly realm of Valinor. Frodo’s journey there required special permission from multiple parties, and was unique in the history of Middle-Earth at that point in time.
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The Normal Rules For Entering The Undying Lands Explained
Typically only immortal beings can enter
Valinor means “land of the Valar”, and isliterally the home of the Valar, who are the gods of the worldwho operate under
All Ringbearers Were Allowed Into Lord Of The Rings' Undying Lands
Frodo wasn’t even the only Hobbit
The primary reason that Frodo wasallowed into the Undying Lands was because he bore the One Ring. As a ringbearer, Frodo was not the only mortal being allowed to cross into the Undying Lands. As Frodo narrates in Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Bilbo Baggins was accorded “a special honor” by the Elves. That’s why both he and Frodo were allowed to leave on the White Ship with Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel.
Gimli
Brought by Legolas
Samwise Gamgee is later allowed to journey to the Undying Lands where he likely reunited with Frodo. Sam technically bore the One Ring as well when he believed Shelob had killed Frodo, making him an important part of Sauron’s demise. The Ringbearers ultimately were allowed into the Undying Lands becausethey were part of the Valar’s plan to reinvigorate the world of Men, which began with Aragorn’s ascension to the throne and Sauron’s destruction.
Why Frodo Being Let Into The Undying Lands Was Such A Big Deal
Frodo received special permission from the Valar
In the movies, there is virtually no mention of the immortal beings and spirits that control the world, and so Frodo and Bilbo’s inclusion on the White Ship is explained as a special honor from the Elves. In the novels,Frodo actually receives permission from the Valar themselves, albeit indirectly. It was actually Arwen’s idea to send Frodo west, and she prayed to the Valar to permit it. She even offered to give up her own right to travel west so that Frodo might be permitted.
Interestingly,Gimli later broke the rulesof the Undying Lands when Legolas took him there on his own journey, and as a result their friendship lasted forever.
Perone of Tolkien’s own letters, it wasGandalf who accepted her proposal, as a direct representative of the Valar. Gandalf had much more influence than the movies imply, and therefore the final decision to allow Frodo and Bilbo to the Undying Lands rested with him. As Tolkien himself puts it, Gandalf was “virtually their plenipotentiary in accomplishing the plan against Sauron.“Frodo’s journey to the Undying Lands was a reward for his vital role in essentially moving the world forward.
Source:The Tolkien Estate
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
