"And that's for my old Gaffer!"?

Aravis Kenobi

Aravis Kenobi

New member
My dad and I are watching Fellowship of the Ring, and he asked me something that I honestly can't answer. You may recall that in Fellowship, in the sequence that Gandalf is telling Frodo about Gollum's torture and him divulging the location of Bilbo Baggins, the Nazgul cut down a Hobbit carrying a lantern.

My dad then asked me this, "Was that the Old Gaffer that Sam referenced in Return of the King when fighting the Orcs in Barad-dur?" I said, "I don't know. I've never thought about it."

For those who are more familiar with the books then I am, did the Gaffer die? Was this a creative liberty taken by the writers? Does anyone know who the Hobbit was that was killed by the Nazgul? And why would Sam rush at Orcs saying, "And that's for my old Gaffer!"?

Thoughts, discussions, comments?
 
That would be a movie-only question. In the books, Sam's father not only survived but conversed with Frodo after the travellers' return.
 
I am sure somewhere there is a site that will tell you the actor who played that Hobbit and possibly even if he had a name, but I can tell you pretty much beyond a shadow of a doubt that they wouldn't have killed the Gaffer. XD
 
One thing I can't recall from the movie. In the book, by that time Sam had seen the foreshadowing of the evil in the Shire in Galadriel's mirror, and one of the things he saw was his Gaffer being turned out of Bagshot Row. I forget whether they showed that detail in the movie. In the book, Sam was torn between wanting to return to the Shire and right the obvious wrong, and continuing with Frodo. He made the heart-wrenching decision to continue, but he certainly would have carried the memory of what he saw.

Perhaps that's what the film makers were alluding to with that line?
 
PrinceOfTheWest said:
One thing I can't recall from the movie. In the book, by that time Sam had seen the foreshadowing of the evil in the Shire in Galadriel's mirror, and one of the things he saw was his Gaffer being turned out of Bagshot Row. I forget whether they showed that detail in the movie. In the book, Sam was torn between wanting to return to the Shire and right the obvious wrong, and continuing with Frodo. He made the heart-wrenching decision to continue, but he certainly would have carried the memory of what he saw.

Perhaps that's what the film makers were alluding to with that line?
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That's a good suggestion. I think I agree with you. :)
 
Hmmm....I don't know, because Frodo was the only one who saw what might happen to the Shire through Galadriel's mirror. And the movie never mentioned whether or not Frodo shared with Sam what he saw.

I mean, this question doesn't really come from me; my dad is the one who's curious. :p
 
Aravis Kenobi said:
Hmmm....I don't know, because Frodo was the only one who saw what might happen to the Shire through Galadriel's mirror. And the movie never mentioned whether or not Frodo shared with Sam what he saw.

I mean, this question doesn't really come from me; my dad is the one who's curious. :p
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Oh, right. I don't think that Frodo would have told Sam. He knew that might never happen, so he wouldn't have let it trouble his friend, right?
 
That's true movie-wise, but in the books Sam does look into the mirror too, and I think it is he who sees the Shire in shambles.
 
GarthVader said:
That's true movie-wise, but in the books Sam does look into the mirror too, and I think it is he who sees the Shire in shambles.
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Oh, really? I totally need to re-read the books, once I get through the Ranger's Apprentice ones.

Were Sam and Frodo the only ones who looked in the mirror in the book?
 
GarthVader said:
That's true movie-wise, but in the books Sam does look into the mirror too, and I think it is he who sees the Shire in shambles.
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'Tis

MissReepicheep said:
Oh, really? I totally need to re-read the books, once I get through the Ranger's Apprentice ones.

Were Sam and Frodo the only ones who looked in the mirror in the book?
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Yes you do. Yes they are.
 
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