Why does Bilbo age but not Gollum?

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 Bilbo age faster than Gollum?

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.

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 doesn't Gollum age when he loses the Ring?

Gollum had his life largely extended because he possessed the One Ring.

Why did Bilbo grow older?

It prolonged his life and he seemed to retain his strength. In comparison, Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) did not have the Ring for nearly as long as Gollum, but after giving it up he grew older and weaker relatively quickly. At least, that's how it happens in the Lord of the Rings movies.

LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring - Extended Edition - Gandalf speaks to Frodo in Moria

Why is Gollum not 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 doesnt the Ring 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.

How did Frodo know Gollum was Sméagol?

In the movies, when Frodo first spies Gollum stalking them in the Misty Mountains (Moria) he informs Gandalf who tells him a little of Gollum's history.

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 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 Sméagol call himself Gollum?

Gollum was a Stoor Hobbit of the River-folk who lived near the Gladden Fields. In The Lord of the Rings it is stated that he was originally known as Sméagol, corrupted by the One Ring, and later named Gollum after his habit of making "a horrible swallowing noise in his throat".

Do hobbits age slower?

Hobbits mature (pass through childhood, from birth to sexual maturity) much more slowly than humans¹ do. They age (pass through adulthood, from sexual maturity to death) significantly more slowly than humans do, but not at such a slow rate as their childhood might suggest.

Does Gandalf know that 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.

Who does Frodo see in the Dead Marshes?

Frodo is in half-trance and follows the lights, drawn to one of the faces. He stares at it intently. Suddenly its eyes open and Frodo falls into the water. Under the surface, Frodo sees greenish, ghotsly faces, screaming and reaching for him.

How did Gandalf become white?

Gandalf was carried to Caras Galadhon in Lothlórien, where he was healed, given a new staff, and clothed in white, and thus became Gandalf the White.

How did Gollum know Bilbo name?

Also, Gollum knew that Bilbo was a hobbit, so all he really had to do is overhear someone say something like "the Shire's a place where a lot of Hobbits live" and he would know the name of the place.

Why did Gandalf let Bilbo keep the Ring?

Gandalf also would have wanted to make sure. It would've been a wasted effort if he and Bilbo had gone to all the trouble to destroy the Ring and it turned out not to be the One Ring. So instead of acting right away, Gandalf waited.

Why is Sam immune to the Ring?

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.

Why can't Sam carry the Ring?

He realises he can't make Frodo part with the ring without doing great psychological/physical harm to him. At the very end, instead of carrying the ring, he carries Frodo on his back to the doors of Mount Doom.

What are the three types of Hobbits?

The hobbits are described as being of three types, Harfoots, Fallohides, and Stoors, all deriving from a region to the east of the Shire, in particular the Angle between two rivers, and migrating to the Shire at different times.

Was Sméagol a hobbit or human?

'" Gollum, also known as Sméagol, was a creature (originally a Stoorish Hobbit) who bore the One Ring. He lived in the Misty Mountains for most of his life. In T.A. 2941 he lost the Ring to Bilbo Baggins.

Is Gollum bipolar?

A group of UCL medical students, led by Dr. Liz Sampson, concludes that Gollum was actually suffering from schizoid personality disorder. In the paper, Sméagol is described as a single, 587 year old, hobbit-like male of no fixed abode.