Gollum was much, much older, and in much worse shape.

Gollum wouldn't have been afforded that same benefit.Īfter losing the Ring, Bilbo himself barely made it. So, since the Hobbits were chosen by the Creator himself, they were granted admittance to the Undying Lands. This is speculation, but I think it's within reason, seeing as how Gandalf has a knowledge of a great many things (and wasn't just trying to give a pep talk to Frodo). While not explicitly stated, it's within reason to say that Eru himself intervened and led Bilbo to find it.

But who intended for this to happen? Gandalf's hint seems to lead us to believe that some other force or power conspired to make it so. But, as Gandalf hinted at, Bilbo was 'meant' to have the Ring, which in turn meant that Frodo was 'meant' to have it (and by extension, Sam, who bears it for quite a while in the book). Until the end of ROTK, the Undying Lands were basically exclusively for Elves. I seriously doubt they'd let Gollum join them for three main reasons. Gandalf also handles the Ring very briefly, on at least three different occasions.I'm not aware of any canonical reasons why he would or wouldn't, so I'll draw on what we know about the Elves, Rings, and the Undying Lands. Additionally, he only held it for a minute. Note: Tom Bombadil is a special case in that while he held the ring for a time he was not affected by its powers (nor was he blind to Frodo wearing it). Eventually all Ring-bearers left Middle-earth, either by death or by departure from the Grey Havens across the Sea. In this sense, the title would be granted to those who possessed the Seven Rings of the Dwarves, the Nine Rings of Men, and the Three Rings of the Elves. Galadriel in The Fellowship of the Ring seems to refer to herself as a Ring-bearer. The term 'Ring-bearer' could also be used for anyone who wore a Ring of Power. Frodo, Bilbo, and Sam all received a great deal of honor from the Elves as Ring-bearers, including the privilege of sailing to the Undying Lands with them. Elrond, as well as various members of the Fellowship, all refer to Frodo by this title.

The title was most often used to refer to Frodo Baggins, as his carrying of the One Ring was known amongst the Fellowship of the Ring, and at the height of its power he had it in his custody for by far the longest period. ' Ring-bearer' was chiefly a title used for those individuals who, at some point in their lives, carried and/or wore the One Ring of Power. Frodo Baggins, most important bearer of the One Ring

The lord of the rings ring bearer