10 Movie Sequels That Turn Wimps Into Total Badasses

Samwise Gamgee is one of the most underappreciated characters in the entire Middle-Earth saga.

Everyone talks about Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Frodo, and while they were important too, Sam deserves to receive an equal amount of credit.

Without him, the One Ring would never have fallen into the fires of Mount Doom; he's the one who rescued Frodo from the orc tower, he's the one who carried Frodo to the top of the mountain, and he's the one who fought off the scheming Gollum.

Oh, and did we mention that he defeated Shelob, a giant, murderous spider? That's a battle that could not be any more one-sided, yet somehow, Sam came out on top, his determination and courage ultimately helping him overcome Shelob's raw power.

All this is in stark contrast to the Sam we meet in the first film, The Fellowship Of The Ring. He reluctantly embarks on the journey with Frodo and comes across as a bit of dead weight, with his plump frame and childlike face hardly convincing you he could do the things he does in the trilogy's final chapter.

But, evidently, looks can be deceiving. Sam is arguably the bravest character in the series - Shelob is the stuff of nightmares, a far more terrifying threat than anything any of the other characters face - and his contribution to the destruction of the One Ring cannot be understated.