# Tolkien Calls This the Most Tragic Moment in The Lord of the Rings

> Tolkien reveals Sam's moment of protectiveness shattered Gollum's potential redemption in The Lord of the Rings.
- Title: Tolkien Calls This the Most Tragic Moment in The Lord of the…
- Summary: Tolkien reveals Sam's moment of protectiveness shattered Gollum's potential redemption in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien identified Sam's intervention as the…
- Keywords: j.r.r. tolstoy, the lord of the rings, gollum, samwise gamgee, tolkien, the two towers, ring bearer, middle earth, entertainment, culture, Calls, Most
- Source: Collider — https://collider.com/j-r-r-tolkien-lord-of-the-rings-most-tragic-moment-gollum
- Author: Michael John Petty
- Published: 2026-10-20T04:14:12+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: j.r.r. tolstoy, the lord of the rings, gollum, samwise gamgee, tolkien, the two towers, ring bearer, middle earth, entertainment, culture
## Tolkien's Most Tragic Moment
Tolkien identified Sam's intervention as the moment that destroyed Gollum's chance at redemption in The Lord of the Rings.

> People have often asked me what moves me most. I think the most tragic point in the whole story is the terrible irony that good often does evil.
## Tolkien's 1968 Interview
Tolkien gave his last recorded interview to the BBC in 1968, five years before his death.
## Sam's Protective Moment
Sam awakens with fury when Gollum approaches Frodo's knee, believing the creature is pawing at his master.
## Gollum's Near-Repentance
Gollum reaches out to Frodo's knee in a moment that may have marked a turn in his heart.
## Sam's Intervention
Sam's protectiveness directly undercuts Gollum's work on repentance, erasing his reflective moment.
## Gollum's Fate
Gollum's fall from redemption leads to his dark fate, sealed by the destruction of the One Ring.
## Tolkien's Divine Intervention
Tolkien notes divine intervention caused Gollum to trip and the ring to be destroyed.
## The Consequence
Sam's actions prevented Gollum from achieving redemption, ensuring his dark fate.
## Key takeaway

Tolkien identified Sam's intervention as the moment that destroyed Gollum's chance at redemption in The Lord of the Rings.