The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum Theory, Explained

by

Andy Serkis’ new movie, The Hunt for Gollum, will continue the story established in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films. Like Kenji Kamiyama’s animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, it takes place in the same world, but The Hunt for Gollum will connect specifically to the events of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Serkis’s intimate knowledge of the source material will allow him to delve deeper into the story, themes, and recurring ideas from Jackson’s original Lord of the Rings films, particularly as they relate to Gollum. The first scene of The Return of the King – a close-up of a worm in Sméagol’s hands – hinted at something important, and The Hunt for Gollum will finally reveal its full significance.

The Return of the King’s Opening Explored Sméagol’s Psyche

The scene of Sméagol holding a worm showed how vulnerable he was, ultimately leading to him finding the One Ring. However, Peter Jackson could have achieved the same effect by simply showing a fishing hook, or a wider shot of a boat on the river. The worm was a symbolic choice, representing bait for fish – much like the Ring used temptation to draw Sméagol in.

The One Ring tempted Sméagol with the possibility of achieving even his small desires. As Gandalf explains in The Fellowship of the Ring, Sméagol used any knowledge he gained for selfish and harmful purposes. What first appeared to be a fortunate discovery, like a worm offering a gift to a fish, quickly became a painful trap for Sméagol.

I always feel so much pity for Sméagol. The Ring didn’t bring him any happiness, only a terrible, slow decay. It twisted him into the wretched Gollum, a shadow of who he once was. I remember in the movie, they described how the Ring made Bilbo feel – like being stretched too thin, like butter spread over too much bread. But Gollum’s experience was so much worse, and it lasted for almost 500 years! That’s far longer than Bilbo had it, and the fact that Gollum took the Ring through murder just sped up his destruction. It’s heartbreaking to think about.

The One Ring caused Gollum immense suffering, becoming a terrible burden for him to bear. However, he was unable to let it go, much like someone struggling with an addiction. Even after Bilbo Baggins took the Ring in The Hobbit, Gollum’s entire life revolved around finding his “Precious,” a desperate search that ultimately led to his downfall.

The Hunt For Gollum Will Show Sméagol as a Victim

The scene where Gollum encounters worms at the beginning of The Return of the King wasn’t the first time this happened in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. In the extended version of The Two Towers, Gollum is shown eating a worm, which greatly disturbs Samwise Gamgee. This earlier scene reinforced the idea that Gollum’s craving for worms mirrored his attempts to catch fish, creating a powerful symbolic connection.

Gollum’s journey is marked by a constant, unseen manipulation. Throughout the story, Sauron’s power subtly guided him towards Mordor, where he was captured and questioned. Even after escaping, Gollum wasn’t truly free; Aragorn captured him again, and his subsequent westward journey to find the One Ring was also influenced by forces beyond his understanding. He believed he was making his own choices, but in reality, he was being unknowingly led around like a pawn.

As a film buff, I’ve been thinking about a fascinating idea regarding The Return of the King – specifically, the symbolism of the worm and how it really gets to the heart of Gollum’s tragedy. He did awful things, no doubt, but he was also a victim, utterly consumed by the Ring’s power. To me, Gollum is like a fish completely unaware of the hook, eagerly biting down – and that image feels even more powerful when you revisit the film. It just highlights how tragically trapped he was.

5 Questions
Unraveling Gollum: Test Your Knowledge of the Ring’s Tragic Prey
Your Top Score
—
Attempts
—
0
0
Report Error

Found an error? Send it so it can be corrected.

Read More

2026-02-01 04:49