Why did Gollum age but not Bilbo?

Bilbo Baggins carries the Ring for decades -- aging very slowly the entire time -- only to find it all catching up to him in a few months once he lets it go. Gollum, on the other hand, was deprived of the Ring for decades, and while he clearly hungered for it fiercely, he suffered no effects of aging.

Why did Gollum change but not Bilbo?

Because Bilbo began his time with the ring in an act of kindness (not killing Gollum when he had the chance, but showing him mercy and compassion instead), he was protected from the worst of the ring's influence.

Why didnt Gollum die after Bilbo took the Ring?

Gollum had his life largely extended because he possessed the One Ring. He appeared to be an old, deformed, and twisted creature. According to this list, he had the Ring for 478 years. His loss of the Ring and the events of The Lord of the Rings are separated by around 77 years.

Why did Bilbo become so old?

When the One Ring was destroyed, Bilbo aged rapidly to the appearance he would've had, if he had never found the ring. If Gollum hadn't been roasted, when the Ring went into the fire, he would have rapidly aged 500 years, in other words, a dead hobbit.

Did the Ring give Bilbo long life?

Yes. In the books, at the time he gave up the ring he was 111 but he only looked 50. Gandalf was concerned at this, because only the great rings gave this sort of longevity, but he was also aware that Bilbo came from a long-lived family.

When

Why can't Gandalf touch the Ring?

Though someone could start out with good intentions, the Ring would eventually corrupt them. And that is why Gandalf can't touch it. He is afraid that if he did, it would corrupt him and make him just as bad as Sauron since Sauron put so much of himself and his evil into the One Ring.

What did Gandalf do for 17 years?

Over the next 17 years, Gandalf travels extensively, searching for answers on the ring. He finds some answers in Isildur's scroll, in the archives of Minas Tirith. He also wants to question Gollum, who had borne the ring for many years. Gandalf searches long and hard for Gollum, often assisted by Aragorn.

Why did the Ring not affect Bilbo?

Hobbits are simple creatures and do not wish for much, so there is nothing for the Ring to use against a hobbit. Frodo is the hobbit that is corrupted the most next to Gollum and Bilbo, which is why he is unable to throw the Ring into the fire.

Why didnt the Ring affect Sam?

As for Sam, his resistance likely has to do with his innate goodness and loyalty. His love for Frodo helped him to overcome the pull of the Ring and his inner pureness was never fully pierced by the Ring.

Did Sam ever wear the Ring?

Sam never put on the Ring in the movies, but in the books, he actually carried the Ring for two days, even putting in on a few times to hide from Orcs.

Who is the oldest character in Lord of the Rings?

Both Tom and Treebeard were referred to as the oldest living creatures of Arda, though it is not clear which of the two is the oldest. However, according to Tolkien's letters, it is implied that Bombadil was the oldest living being in Middle-earth.

Why did Gollum not become a wraith?

"Gollum avoided turning into a wraith by a combination of two factors: He didn't use the Ring much, as DVK noted. Gollum used to wear it first, till it tired him; and then he kept it in a pouch next his skin, till it galled him; and now usually he hid it in a hole in the rock. ...

Why doesn't Gollum age when he loses the Ring?

Why Does Gollum Stay Unchanged After Losing the One Ring? Gollum possessed the Ring for over 500 years before losing it to Bilbo during the events of The Hobbit. It granted him “unnatural long life,” as Galadriel explained during the opening voice-over to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Does Gandalf know Bilbo has the Ring?

At the end of The Hobbit, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he knows about his magic ring. Here's why the scene doesn't contradict The Lord of the Rings. Gandalf's knowledge of Bilbo's ring in The Hobbit doesn't create a Lord of the Rings plot hole.

Why is Sauron not invisible when wearing the Ring?

The Ring only affects mortal beings, and because Sauron is an immortal Maia spirit, he doesn't experience the same side effect of invisibility. The “mortals are being drawn into Sauron's world. But he lives there,” so he has control over everything.

Why was Sam allowed to go to the Undying Lands?

It was a tradition handed down from Elanor that he went to the Grey Havens, and because he was also a Ring-bearer (albeit for a short time), he was allowed to pass over the Sea to be reunited with Frodo in the Undying Lands.

Why didnt the Ring abandon Frodo?

And it almost got him killed in the Battle of Five Armies because no one could find him after he got hit in the head. Similarly, the Ring did not help Frodo against the Nazgul because they could see him better when he wore the Ring, and in Mordor Sauron himself could sense him.

What if Tom Bombadil took the Ring?

From that same discussion it mentions Bombadil having withdrawn himself into "a little land, within bounds he has set", and that "if he were given the Ring, he would soon forget it or most likely throw it away." He would not have left his "world", so would have been no use in destroying it, and would not have used the ...

Why didnt hobbits get rings?

Hobbits (Perian) were only discovered around 2890 years after the Rings had been forged. Therefore Sauron was unaware of their existence and wouldn't've been able to give them any rings. The Rings were forged between 1500 and 1600 of the Second Age.

Is Tom Bombadil older than Gandalf?

They came from the thoughts of Yavanna, Queen of the Earth, and were her Shepherds of the Trees." "...within the Old Forest his power was absolute and no evil was strong enough to touch him." Tom Bombadil is the oldest, as are other Maiar and Varda listed above.

Why is Gandalf called Mithrandir?

Although Gandalf is his most commonly-used moniker, he went by several other names as well. In his origins as a Maiar spirit in Valinor, he was known as Olorin. In Gondor, he was known as Mithrandir, meaning Grey Pilgrim. The White Rider was his name to those who saw him on his great white horse, Shadowfax.

Did Sauron know Frodo was in Mordor?

He did. This dialogue - and, more importantly, Sauron's finding of the mithril shirt - seems to indicate that he already knew a Hobbit had been present in Mordor.

Does Gandalf know he is a Maiar?

He's aware of the Blessed Land and those residing there. But he has never seen a Maia before, not unlike Galadriel, Elrond or even Glorfindel. He couldn't have known Gandalf was a Maia; all he knew is that he came from Valinor as a messenger.