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It's been quite some time since I read the actual books but in the movies at least at the end Frodo and Bilbo are granted passage on the last ship out of the Grey Havens to Valinor.

As I understand it, no mortal soul is permitted to set foot on Valinor... ever. This is even the reason Númenor was sunk; Ar-Pharazôn the Golden attempted to invade and the Valar sunk Númenor and destroyed his fleet in punishment. So why are the Hobbits allowed?

Is it simply because of their bearing the One Ring? That makes little sense to me; certainly there have been other mortals whose deeds have been equally heroic and selfless in the past who were denied Valinor.

Is that really the reason though? That Frodo and Bilbo were bearers of the One Ring?

maguirenumber6
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Selonianth
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2 Answers2

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Gandalf, as the representative of the Valar, allowed Frodo and Bilbo to go - Frodo after Arwen intervened on his behalf, and argued that since she had given up her right to go West, it should be given to Frodo.

Here is what the Letters say (letter 246):

It is not made explicit how she could arrange this. She could not of course just transfer her ticket on the boat like that! For any except those of Elvish race 'sailing West' was not permitted, and any exception required 'authority', and she was not in direct communication with the Valar, especially not since her choice to become 'mortal'. What is meant is that it was Arwen who first thought of sending Frodo into the West, and put in a plea for him to Gandalf (direct or through Galadriel, or both), and she used her own renunciation of the right to go West as an argument. Her renunciation and suffering were related to and enmeshed with Frodo's : both were parts of a plan for the regeneration of the state of Men. Her prayer might therefore be specially effective, and her plan have a certain equity of exchange. No doubt it was Gandalf who was the authority that accepted her plea.

Gandalf's personal feelings came into it, too:

Bilbo went too. No doubt as a completion of the plan due to Gandalf himself. Gandalf had a very great affection for Bilbo, from the hobbit's childhood onwards. His companionship was really necessary for Frodo's sake – it is difficult to imagine a hobbit, even one who had been through Frodo's experiences, being really happy even in an earthly paradise without a companion of his own kind, and Bilbo was the person that Frodo most loved. (Cf III 252 lines 12 to 21 and 263 lines 1-2.)2 But he also needed and deserved the favour on his own account.

Of course, they did not become immortal:

Frodo was sent or allowed to pass over Sea to heal him – if that could be done, before he died. He would have eventually to 'pass away': no mortal could, or can, abide for ever on earth, or within Time. So he went both to a purgatory and to a reward, for a while: a period of reflection and peace and a gaining of a truer understanding of his position in littleness and in greatness, spent still in Time amid the natural beauty of 'Arda Unmarred', the Earth unspoiled by evil.

So basically, Bilbo and Frodo (and perhaps Sam) were allowed to sail West because they directly suffered in fulfilling the special plans of Eru and the Valar, because Gandalf liked them, and because Arwen wanted healing for them.

MadTux
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Shamshiel
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    +1 Your last paragraph mentions Sam possibly going with them... What is that based on? – AncientSwordRage Jan 18 '14 at 09:13
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    @Pureferret Appendix B for year 1482 "…the tradition is handed down from Elanor that Samwise passed the Towers, and went to the Grey Havens, and passed over Sea, last of the Ring-bearers." – Richard Jan 18 '14 at 10:03
  • @Richard I imagine that Cirdan the Shipwright was still there, waiting for him. He must have been a very tired old Elf by that time. – maguirenumber6 Jan 03 '17 at 13:17
  • @maguirenumber6 If Cirdan was still there, then Sam was not the last of the Ringbearers, or at least was only joint last. Cirdan too was a Ringbearer, since he bore Narya before he gave it to Gandalf. – Mike Scott Jun 22 '17 at 13:31
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    @MikeScott: It's referring to bearers of the One Ring. – Shamshiel Jun 22 '17 at 21:19
  • One could argue that Gandalf was also a bearer of the One Ring, at least for a few seconds when he put the seal on the envelope after Frodo put the ring in and when he threw it into the fire. It's kind of a moot point since Gandalf already had his ticket punched for the GH since he could play the Istari card. – iMerchant Jun 24 '17 at 23:39
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    @iMerchant One could argue that. However, Gandalf never touched the ring. For me, a ringbearer is someone who has actually worn the ring on their finger with the ring taking effect. Then there are six known ringbearers: its maker, Isildur, Gollum/Smeagol, Bilbo, Frodo and Sam.

    Deagol touched the ring, but never wore it. Bombadil wore the ring without an effect.

     – Mirko Jun 29 '21 at 12:50
  • @iMerchant Gandalf most certainly was not a bearer of the One Ring. Nowhere is this suggested. He was not burdened by it. He was afraid to even touch it. Tolkien stated that if he had claimed the Ring he'd be even worse than Sauron. Yes it's in one of the Letters. But your argument is not valid. It's as Mirko stated though I would argue that Sauron was not a bearer and I don't recall Gollum ever being called a bearer either even if it did torment him. – Pryftan Jan 12 '23 at 20:35
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Sam, Gimli and Frodo all go to The Undying Lands. Frodo and Sam were ring bearers. Sam carried the ring when he believed Frodo to be dead at the winding staircase. They are granted passage to The Undying Lands like all the other ring bearers with pure intentions or intentions that didn't harm others. Tolkien also wrote that Gimli who wasn't a ring bearer was also granted passage and travels with Legalos to The Undying Lands because of his strength and pure intentions during The Fellowship and The Twin Towers. The ring was evil and those who possessed it or were one of the few who fought to protect middle earth and all people (not just their kingdom and families) were given this gift. The ring carried heavy consequences even after possession. It left a burden in the hearts of those who wielded the ring for years passed the destruction of it. From what I've gathered it's like PTSD. After the trauma the pain and hurt is still there living and festering and is relentless making happiness a dream that is less than vivid for those who possessed the ring. So they were allowed to heal these wounds in The Undying Lands until they felt resolution or death.

Piercey08
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    Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – fez Jan 11 '23 at 05:53
  • Why would being a ring bearer matter to "The Undying Lands"? The rings are quite "young" entities. Why would anybody in Valinor give a rats ass about some goblin like creature, such as hobbits, having carried a magic ring for a couple of days, as in the case of Sam. – Jakob Jan 11 '23 at 14:08
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    @Jakob …Because they knew about the Ring’s connection to Sauron and what they had to go through to destroy it/finally put an end to him? Remember not everyone in Aman was born there, even among the Elves there there were veterans of the various wars with Morgoth and later Sauron. – suchiuomizu Jan 11 '23 at 15:26
  • @Jakob Read the Letters. You'll find a lot out there including the answer to your question. – Pryftan Jan 12 '23 at 20:38
  • @suchiuomizu Sam? I can buy that argument for Frodo...but Sam? – Jakob Jan 17 '23 at 10:39