This question does not have any answers yet. In the meantime we have included some related questions and answers below.
Profile photo for Cecelia A. Bowman

Aragorn didn’t leave Frodo and Sam at Bree, nor at any other place.
When it became abundantly clear that the evil of the Ring would destroy every member of the Fellowship in turn, Frodo determined to leave for Mordor alone from Parth Galen, the last camp they made as a company, near the falls of Rauros.
When Boromir tried to take the Ring from Frodo by force, Frodo had to put It on to escape, as he could not have outrun Boromir. He went up to the mountain top, the Hill of Seeing, and saw that war was being loosed all through Middle Earth. He escaped being found by Sauron by slipping off the

Aragorn didn’t leave Frodo and Sam at Bree, nor at any other place.
When it became abundantly clear that the evil of the Ring would destroy every member of the Fellowship in turn, Frodo determined to leave for Mordor alone from Parth Galen, the last camp they made as a company, near the falls of Rauros.
When Boromir tried to take the Ring from Frodo by force, Frodo had to put It on to escape, as he could not have outrun Boromir. He went up to the mountain top, the Hill of Seeing, and saw that war was being loosed all through Middle Earth. He escaped being found by Sauron by slipping off the Ring before Sauron’s searching arm could locate his exact location, but put it back on to go back to the boats to cross over to the Eastern side and start his journey alone to Mt. Doom. He didn’t feel that he could bear parting with them all, and he didn’t want to force them to choose, as he knew that he was going to almost certain death and did not wish to risk anyone else.
Sam, however, guessed Frodo’s intention, and intercepted him just as he was in the boat and beginning to cross the lake. He still had the Ring on, and so was invisible, but Sam was not deterred—he shouted, “Coming, Mr. Frodo!”, and jumped into the lake, which was incredible, because Sam was terrified of lakes and rivers. Frodo managed to get Sam back to land, where Sam grabbed his pack, which he had made ready for departure that day, and they set off for Mordor together.
Aragorn never left Frodo and Sam.
They left him. He was uncertain which way Frodo might have gone until after the death of Boromir. When he, Legolas and Gimli carried Boromir back to the shore to use an Elven-boat as a funeral boat (to prevent him being attacked and dismembered, or left “like carrion among these foul Orcs”, as Gimli put it, they found only two of the three boats remaining. Aragorn and the others debated whether to follow Frodo and Sam or whether to follow the younger hobbits, who had been kidnapped by the Orcs and were headed for Isengard.
Aragorn decided to follow the Orcs who held Merry and Pippin captive, as Frodo and Sam had made their own choice, and the younger hobbits had not.

Profile photo for Tom Rymer

Firstly, as pointed out elsewhere, Aragorn does not actually state that he is a friend of Gandalf. That said, of course they doubt him.

A tall, weathered, grim-looking Man approaches Frodo wanting to speak with him. Frodo at this point only knows what he has been told by Butterbur, so naturally there is cause for distrust. Sam is far less subtle in his suspicion: he doesn't react well to strangers, and “Strider” is about as strange as they come. Merry comes into their room after his excursion to find Strider, a complete stranger to him, already there and questioning him intensely about the Blac

Firstly, as pointed out elsewhere, Aragorn does not actually state that he is a friend of Gandalf. That said, of course they doubt him.

A tall, weathered, grim-looking Man approaches Frodo wanting to speak with him. Frodo at this point only knows what he has been told by Butterbur, so naturally there is cause for distrust. Sam is far less subtle in his suspicion: he doesn't react well to strangers, and “Strider” is about as strange as they come. Merry comes into their room after his excursion to find Strider, a complete stranger to him, already there and questioning him intensely about the Black Rider; naturally he'd be a bit miffed and, yes, distrustful. Pippin is more bemused than anything, but probably (for once) erring on the side of caution by following Frodo’s lead.

Back to Frodo though, as his is arguably the most important perspective. He has just used the Ring to disastrous consequences, and is subsequently being more careful. He was attempting to be careful before, but got carried away with his song, and has fortunately no longer taken leave of his senses. Aragorn himself approves, and doesn't begrudge his caution or suspicion:

‘Oh, indeed!’ replied Frodo, surprised, but not much relieved. ‘Even if I wanted another companion, I should not agree to any such thing, until I knew a good deal more about you, and your business.’

‘Excellent!’ exclaimed Strider, crossing his legs and sitting back comfortably. ‘You seem to be coming to your senses again, and that is all to the good.’

  • Frodo Baggins to Aragorn (Strider), Book I, Chapter X, Strider, The Fellowship of the Ring

So yes, the Hobbits all absolutely doubt Strider. Frodo begins to doubt him less upon reading Gandalf's letter, but since they read it to themselves and not aloud, their suspicions are not truly allayed until Strider confirms his true identity, which Gandalf reveals in the letter, as Aragorn son of Arathorn, in the same chapter:

Pippin subsided; but Sam was not daunted, and he still eyed Strider dubiously. ‘How do we know you are the Strider that Gandalf speaks about?’ he demanded. ‘You never mentioned Gandalf, till this letter came out. You might be a play-acting spy, for all I can see, trying to get us to go with you. You might have done in the real Strider and took his clothes. What have you to say to that?’

‘That you are a stout fellow,’ answered Strider; ‘but I am afraid my only answer to you, Sam Gamgee, is this. If I had killed the real Strider, I could kill you. And I should have killed you already without so much talk. If I was after the Ring, I could have it - NOW!’

He stood up, and seemed suddenly to grow taller. In his eyes gleamed a light, keen and commanding. Throwing back his cloak, he laid his hand on the hilt of a sword that had hung concealed by his side. They did not dare to move. Sam sat wide-mouthed staring at him dumbly.

‘But I am the real Strider, fortunately,’ he said, looking down at them with his face softened by a sudden smile. ‘I am Aragorn son of Arathorn; and if by life or death I can save you, I will.’

In the second postscript of the letter Gandalf insists that they make sure he is the real Strider and gives his true name. Ironically, though, Frodo wants to trust Aragorn from the start:

At last Frodo spoke with hesitation. ‘I believed that you were a friend before the letter came,’ he said, ‘or at least I wished to. You have frightened me several times tonight, but never in the way that servants of the Enemy would, or so I imagine. I think one of his spies would - well, seem fairer and feel fouler, if you understand.’

‘I see,’ laughed Strider. ‘I look foul and feel fair. Is that it? All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.

“I look foul and feel fair” seems to accurately sum up Aragorn, and is one of my favorite underrated quotes from The Lord of the Rings. Since Gandalf gives him his endorsement, and Aragorn proves that he is who he says he is, Frodo and his friends feel they can rest at ease upon having proof presented to them. Frodo is almost ready to believe him already, and Strider's revealing his name unprompted clinches it, even for Sam.

Profile photo for Brad James

No, for two reasons.

First, Aragorn wasn't a ring bearer. Every ring bearer, every trace of ill works conceived by an Ainur on Middle-Earth was to be wiped clean. Sam was the last Ring bearer allowed to take the passage West.

Secondly, Aragorn was a man. Men were not allowed to set foot on Aman, this was the entire reason for Numenor’s destruction. Aragorn's destiny as a man is unknown to the Ainur and the elves, it is only known by Eru. There is only one exception: Tuor. Tuor was the 66x great-grandfather of Aragorn and Arwen’s great-grandfather and the second of the great couplings between elv

No, for two reasons.

First, Aragorn wasn't a ring bearer. Every ring bearer, every trace of ill works conceived by an Ainur on Middle-Earth was to be wiped clean. Sam was the last Ring bearer allowed to take the passage West.

Secondly, Aragorn was a man. Men were not allowed to set foot on Aman, this was the entire reason for Numenor’s destruction. Aragorn's destiny as a man is unknown to the Ainur and the elves, it is only known by Eru. There is only one exception: Tuor. Tuor was the 66x great-grandfather of Aragorn and Arwen’s great-grandfather and the second of the great couplings between elves and men (the first being Beren and Luthien, the last being Aragorn and Arwen).

Where do I start?

I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.

Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:

Not having a separate high interest savings account

Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.

Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.

Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of th

Where do I start?

I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.

Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:

Not having a separate high interest savings account

Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.

Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.

Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of the biggest mistakes and easiest ones to fix.

Overpaying on car insurance

You’ve heard it a million times before, but the average American family still overspends by $417/year on car insurance.

If you’ve been with the same insurer for years, chances are you are one of them.

Pull up Coverage.com, a free site that will compare prices for you, answer the questions on the page, and it will show you how much you could be saving.

That’s it. You’ll likely be saving a bunch of money. Here’s a link to give it a try.

Consistently being in debt

If you’ve got $10K+ in debt (credit cards…medical bills…anything really) you could use a debt relief program and potentially reduce by over 20%.

Here’s how to see if you qualify:

Head over to this Debt Relief comparison website here, then simply answer the questions to see if you qualify.

It’s as simple as that. You’ll likely end up paying less than you owed before and you could be debt free in as little as 2 years.

Missing out on free money to invest

It’s no secret that millionaires love investing, but for the rest of us, it can seem out of reach.

Times have changed. There are a number of investing platforms that will give you a bonus to open an account and get started. All you have to do is open the account and invest at least $25, and you could get up to $1000 in bonus.

Pretty sweet deal right? Here is a link to some of the best options.

Having bad credit

A low credit score can come back to bite you in so many ways in the future.

From that next rental application to getting approved for any type of loan or credit card, if you have a bad history with credit, the good news is you can fix it.

Head over to BankRate.com and answer a few questions to see if you qualify. It only takes a few minutes and could save you from a major upset down the line.

How to get started

Hope this helps! Here are the links to get started:

Have a separate savings account
Stop overpaying for car insurance
Finally get out of debt
Start investing with a free bonus
Fix your credit

Profile photo for Laurel Callahan -- Almariel Niphredil Loremaster 5

There were 17 years between the time Frodo was given the Ring and when he left The Shire with the Black Riders hard on his heals. So contrary to what we see in the movies, there was a considerable space of time that Frodo was safe in Bag End.

Bilbo held and used the One Ring for 61 years but he basically just used it to escape from unwanted guests or encounters. He didn't use the Ring for what it was created for, to dominate and rule the world.

During this time Sauron was busy on Mordor building armies and creating alliances. He thought the Ring had been lost in the Anduin. He knew it still exis

There were 17 years between the time Frodo was given the Ring and when he left The Shire with the Black Riders hard on his heals. So contrary to what we see in the movies, there was a considerable space of time that Frodo was safe in Bag End.

Bilbo held and used the One Ring for 61 years but he basically just used it to escape from unwanted guests or encounters. He didn't use the Ring for what it was created for, to dominate and rule the world.

During this time Sauron was busy on Mordor building armies and creating alliances. He thought the Ring had been lost in the Anduin. He knew it still existed because he was able to rebuild himself, and all he had begun in Mordor still continued. It wasn't until after Bilbo Baggins' 111th birthday that he learned that the Ring had been found and that a Baggins from the Shire possessed it (from a captured and tortured Gollum). Gollum did not know where the Shire was nor what halflings/hobbits were only Baggins and the Shire.

After Sauron found the Ring was found, and a location (vaguely) things then began to ramp up. He had already sent Nazgûl to search the Gladden Fields for the One, in case it had not been found, so he knew that the Shire could not be east of the Misty Mountains but west of the mountains was a lot of area and things had changed greatly since he had been in those lands. There was also a matter of distance, over 1,600 miles. It would take the Nazgûl time to ride that far. And to search that area.

Finally, Frodo spent most of 17 years in peace and contentment. The Nazgûl did not cross the Anduin until spring or early summer of the year Frodo fled the Shire. So, in truth it wasn't nearly as rushed as you see in the movies because PJ and crew had to readjust the timing to make the movies work better.

Profile photo for Quora User

It’s fairly straightforward, I think. Aragorn was on the look-out for two Hobbits—Frodo and Sam—because Gandalf told him Frodo would be traveling with one companion. He had no idea that there would be four of them. He saw Bombadil together with a party of four Hobbits. He may have suspected that one of these might be Frodo, but he couldn’t have known that until Frodo told his companions not to use his right name but call him “Mr. Underhill,” and that happened after Bombadil had left them.

There was no reason to have Bombadil vouch for him in front of a party of random Bucklanders visiting Bree,

It’s fairly straightforward, I think. Aragorn was on the look-out for two Hobbits—Frodo and Sam—because Gandalf told him Frodo would be traveling with one companion. He had no idea that there would be four of them. He saw Bombadil together with a party of four Hobbits. He may have suspected that one of these might be Frodo, but he couldn’t have known that until Frodo told his companions not to use his right name but call him “Mr. Underhill,” and that happened after Bombadil had left them.

There was no reason to have Bombadil vouch for him in front of a party of random Bucklanders visiting Bree, which, for all he knew, might be what these Hobbits were.

Profile photo for Paulo (not Paolo)

The Ringwraiths were not abroad in Bilbo’s time. Sauron was not yet at full strength and the Ringwraiths were wherever he kept them. Sauron only found about the whereabouts of the Ring after he “interviewed” Gollum and got the name ‘Baggins’ and ‘Shire’ out of him. It was then that he sent the Ringwraiths to look for both. This was the year prior to the Quest. The Nazgûl needed time to even find the Shire.

There is this perception that the use of the Ring alerts Sauron and the Nazgûl to wherever they are in the world but that is simply not the case. Bilbo put the Ring on in Mirkwood, the place

The Ringwraiths were not abroad in Bilbo’s time. Sauron was not yet at full strength and the Ringwraiths were wherever he kept them. Sauron only found about the whereabouts of the Ring after he “interviewed” Gollum and got the name ‘Baggins’ and ‘Shire’ out of him. It was then that he sent the Ringwraiths to look for both. This was the year prior to the Quest. The Nazgûl needed time to even find the Shire.

There is this perception that the use of the Ring alerts Sauron and the Nazgûl to wherever they are in the world but that is simply not the case. Bilbo put the Ring on in Mirkwood, the place Sauron happened to be hiding at the time with Sauron none the wiser about the whereabouts of the Ring.

Profile photo for Johnny M

I once met a man who drove a modest Toyota Corolla, wore beat-up sneakers, and looked like he’d lived the same way for decades. But what really caught my attention was when he casually mentioned he was retired at 45 with more money than he could ever spend. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do it?”

He smiled and said, “The secret to saving money is knowing where to look for the waste—and car insurance is one of the easiest places to start.”

He then walked me through a few strategies that I’d never thought of before. Here’s what I learned:

1. Make insurance companies fight for your business

Mos

I once met a man who drove a modest Toyota Corolla, wore beat-up sneakers, and looked like he’d lived the same way for decades. But what really caught my attention was when he casually mentioned he was retired at 45 with more money than he could ever spend. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do it?”

He smiled and said, “The secret to saving money is knowing where to look for the waste—and car insurance is one of the easiest places to start.”

He then walked me through a few strategies that I’d never thought of before. Here’s what I learned:

1. Make insurance companies fight for your business

Most people just stick with the same insurer year after year, but that’s what the companies are counting on. This guy used tools like Coverage.com to compare rates every time his policy came up for renewal. It only took him a few minutes, and he said he’d saved hundreds each year by letting insurers compete for his business.

Click here to try Coverage.com and see how much you could save today.

2. Take advantage of safe driver programs

He mentioned that some companies reward good drivers with significant discounts. By signing up for a program that tracked his driving habits for just a month, he qualified for a lower rate. “It’s like a test where you already know the answers,” he joked.

You can find a list of insurance companies offering safe driver discounts here and start saving on your next policy.

3. Bundle your policies

He bundled his auto insurance with his home insurance and saved big. “Most companies will give you a discount if you combine your policies with them. It’s easy money,” he explained. If you haven’t bundled yet, ask your insurer what discounts they offer—or look for new ones that do.

4. Drop coverage you don’t need

He also emphasized reassessing coverage every year. If your car isn’t worth much anymore, it might be time to drop collision or comprehensive coverage. “You shouldn’t be paying more to insure the car than it’s worth,” he said.

5. Look for hidden fees or overpriced add-ons

One of his final tips was to avoid extras like roadside assistance, which can often be purchased elsewhere for less. “It’s those little fees you don’t think about that add up,” he warned.

The Secret? Stop Overpaying

The real “secret” isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about being proactive. Car insurance companies are counting on you to stay complacent, but with tools like Coverage.com and a little effort, you can make sure you’re only paying for what you need—and saving hundreds in the process.

If you’re ready to start saving, take a moment to:

Saving money on auto insurance doesn’t have to be complicated—you just have to know where to look. If you'd like to support my work, feel free to use the links in this post—they help me continue creating valuable content.

Profile photo for John Milhaven

Just going by the books only:

The hobbits were travelling without Gandalf. Frodo had at least a rough idea of the danger they were in, but didn’t truly understand it like Aragorn did, (or Gandalf).

Aragorn saw the hobbits behaving recklessly, going to the common room, talking with the locals, telling stories etc. To Aragorn this seemed horribly irresponsible.

In additon Aragorn didn’t know about the

Just going by the books only:

The hobbits were travelling without Gandalf. Frodo had at least a rough idea of the danger they were in, but didn’t truly understand it like Aragorn did, (or Gandalf).

Aragorn saw the hobbits behaving recklessly, going to the common room, talking with the locals, telling stories etc. To Aragorn this seemed horribly irresponsible.

In additon Aragorn didn’t know about the existence of the letter that Gandalf had left with Butterbur. As far as he knew, he had to convince Frodo to take him on based on his own arguments and merits. He...

Profile photo for Barbara Rich

No. He did have some cousins, but none who inherited the Baggins name.

He had an aunt and uncle, His father's older sister Dora, never married or had children, and his father's younger brother, who had a daughter, Daisy. She married a Boffin.

Then there were the descendants of Frodo’s great-uncle Ponto, whose son Polo had a daughter, Rosa, and a son, Posco. Rosa married a Took and both Merry and Pippin were her descendants. Her brother Posco had two sons Ponto and Porto (who had no children). Ponto had an only child, Angelica. The daughter of Posco, Peony married Milo Burrows and had four childr

No. He did have some cousins, but none who inherited the Baggins name.

He had an aunt and uncle, His father's older sister Dora, never married or had children, and his father's younger brother, who had a daughter, Daisy. She married a Boffin.

Then there were the descendants of Frodo’s great-uncle Ponto, whose son Polo had a daughter, Rosa, and a son, Posco. Rosa married a Took and both Merry and Pippin were her descendants. Her brother Posco had two sons Ponto and Porto (who had no children). Ponto had an only child, Angelica. The daughter of Posco, Peony married Milo Burrows and had four children, but though they were cousins to Frodo, they did not carry the Baggins name.

Lotho Sackville-Baggins had no children and the Sackville-Baggins line became extinct when Lotho was murdered by Wormtongue.

So, to sum it up, Frodo (as Bilbo's heir) was the Head of the Baggins family. But there were no more of the Baggins name. Ponto would have been Head after Frodo, but there were no more males to carry the line on. After Ponto died and Frodo sailed, the Baggins name was extinct.

Therefore, Frodo was able to make Samwise Gamgee his heir and Master of Bag End.

Profile photo for Quora User

Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped so many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.

And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.

Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!

1. Cancel Your Car Insurance

You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily,

Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped so many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.

And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.

Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!

1. Cancel Your Car Insurance

You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix.

Don’t waste your time browsing insurance sites for a better deal. A company called Insurify shows you all your options at once — people who do this save up to $996 per year.

If you tell them a bit about yourself and your vehicle, they’ll send you personalized quotes so you can compare them and find the best one for you.

Tired of overpaying for car insurance? It takes just five minutes to compare your options with Insurify and see how much you could save on car insurance.

2. You Can Become a Real Estate Investor for as Little as $10

Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10.

An investment called the Fundrise Flagship Fund lets you get started in the world of real estate by giving you access to a low-cost, diversified portfolio of private real estate. The best part? You don’t have to be the landlord. The Flagship Fund does all the heavy lifting.

With an initial investment as low as $10, your money will be invested in the Fund, which already owns more than $1 billion worth of real estate around the country, from apartment complexes to the thriving housing rental market to larger last-mile e-commerce logistics centers.

Want to invest more? Many investors choose to invest $1,000 or more. This is a Fund that can fit any type of investor’s needs. Once invested, you can track your performance from your phone and watch as properties are acquired, improved, and operated. As properties generate cash flow, you could earn money through quarterly dividend payments. And over time, you could earn money off the potential appreciation of the properties.

So if you want to get started in the world of real-estate investing, it takes just a few minutes to sign up and create an account with the Fundrise Flagship Fund.

This is a paid advertisement. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Real Estate Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing.

3. Ask This Company to Get a Big Chunk of Your Debt Forgiven

A company called National Debt Relief could convince your lenders to simply get rid of a big chunk of what you owe. No bankruptcy, no loans — you don’t even need to have good credit.

If you owe at least $10,000 in unsecured debt (credit card debt, personal loans, medical bills, etc.), National Debt Relief’s experts will build you a monthly payment plan. As your payments add up, they negotiate with your creditors to reduce the amount you owe. You then pay off the rest in a lump sum.

On average, you could become debt-free within 24 to 48 months. It takes less than a minute to sign up and see how much debt you could get rid of.

4. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company

If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape… but a website called AmONE wants to help.

If you owe your credit card companies $100,000 or less, AmONE will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.

The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmONE rates start at 6.40% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster.

It takes less than a minute and just 10 questions to see what loans you qualify for.

5. Earn Up to $50 this Month By Answering Survey Questions About the News — It’s Anonymous

The news is a heated subject these days. It’s hard not to have an opinion on it.

Good news: A website called YouGov will pay you up to $50 or more this month just to answer survey questions about politics, the economy, and other hot news topics.

Plus, it’s totally anonymous, so no one will judge you for that hot take.

When you take a quick survey (some are less than three minutes), you’ll earn points you can exchange for up to $50 in cash or gift cards to places like Walmart and Amazon. Plus, Penny Hoarder readers will get an extra 500 points for registering and another 1,000 points after completing their first survey.

It takes just a few minutes to sign up and take your first survey, and you’ll receive your points immediately.

6. Skip the Interest Until 2026 With This Balance Transfer Card

Aiming to ditch high-interest payments and score cash back on everything you buy? Who isn’t, right?

This card makes a balance transfer easy and affordable, plus you can save money on interest while you earn rewards. With a lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers until 2026, you’ll get some well-deserved breathing room to pay down balances interest-free. Plus, a $200 cash bonus is waiting for you, and you’ll enjoy 2% cash back on everything you buy — helping you make the most of your everyday spending.

Here’s what makes this card a win-win:

  • $200 cash back bonus
  • Unlimited 2% cash back
  • $0 annual fee
  • 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months

Get the most out of your spending. Learn more about this balance transfer card today.

7. Get Up to $1,000 in Stock When You Start Investing with Active Invest

If you’ve been thinking about investing, now’s the time to jump in. With SoFi Active Invest, you can trade stocks and ETFs with no commissions1, no account minimums, and no confusing hoops to jump through.

Here’s the best part: Fund an active account with as little as $50, and you could earn up to $1,000 in stock2. Whether it’s your first trade or your 50th, SoFi makes investing accessible.

With SoFi, you can buy and sell stocks with no commissions, so you never have to pay to invest your own money. You’ll also have access to real-time investing news, personalized watchlists, and curated insights to help you make smarter decisions. You can even start with as little as $5 thanks to fractional shares, making it easier than ever to own a piece of the companies you believe in. Plus, as a SoFi member, you’ll be part of a community of investors with access to exclusive events and rate discounts on other SoFi products.

Ready to put your money to work for you? Fund your account, start trading, and see how far SoFi Active Invest can take you.

1 SoFi Active Invest Standard Pricing and Fee Schedule Disclosure

2 Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $50 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA(www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org)

Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA(www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org)

Profile photo for Alastair Milne

Sorry, where did you see any suggestion at all that Frodo and Gandalf meet at Bree?? The hobbits do encounter Aragorn there, who already knows about them, the Ring, and Gandalf, who is an old friend of his. He convinces them to take him as their guide, with some unexpected assistance in the form of a letter that Gandalf had tried to send Frodo quite some time before, but for which no carrier had ever been found.

This is a extremely quick précis. You really need to read at least “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony” in “Fellowship”.

But to the main question:

Gandalf had told Frodo about the One (with

Sorry, where did you see any suggestion at all that Frodo and Gandalf meet at Bree?? The hobbits do encounter Aragorn there, who already knows about them, the Ring, and Gandalf, who is an old friend of his. He convinces them to take him as their guide, with some unexpected assistance in the form of a letter that Gandalf had tried to send Frodo quite some time before, but for which no carrier had ever been found.

This is a extremely quick précis. You really need to read at least “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony” in “Fellowship”.

But to the main question:

Gandalf had told Frodo about the One (with details I won’t spoil for you) well before Frodo ever started packing up to leave. And he did so as soon as he could return to the Shire, having travelled far abroad to discover all he could, and now greatly fearing that Frodo’s “magic” ring was in fact the One. It’s all in the powerful chapter “Shadow of the Past”

Profile photo for Zacheize .

In order to assault Rivendell, Sauron would have needed to march a massive army up from Mordor or rally the goblins of the Misty mountains, both of which would have been a massive undertaking and not something that could be done quickly. Rivendell was one of the last Great Elven strongholds and would not fall easily

Besides, Sauron was fairly certain that if the Ring was in Rivendell, someone would soon be trying to wield it. In fact, Sauron steps up his conquest time table by a lot and attacks Minas Tirith much earlier than originally planned because of how worried he is that the ring would so

In order to assault Rivendell, Sauron would have needed to march a massive army up from Mordor or rally the goblins of the Misty mountains, both of which would have been a massive undertaking and not something that could be done quickly. Rivendell was one of the last Great Elven strongholds and would not fall easily

Besides, Sauron was fairly certain that if the Ring was in Rivendell, someone would soon be trying to wield it. In fact, Sauron steps up his conquest time table by a lot and attacks Minas Tirith much earlier than originally planned because of how worried he is that the ring would soon be given to Aragorn. He knew that Aragorn likely had the will to wield the ring and could probably defeat Mordor if he returned to the throne of Gondor with it, if only temporarily before the ring turned his will to evil

As Gandalf said, the idea that anyone would try to destroy such power instead of weilding it against him had not yet entered his darkest dreams

Profile photo for Brian Overland

Gandalf told him. Also, he was in the Prancing Pony, sitting in the shadows, observing what was going on, when the four Hobbits finally showed up. And Aragorn saw how Frodo “magically” disappeared.

And Aragorn knew enough about the history of Middle Earth to know that there are few ways to do that — become totally, completely invisible — other than the Rings of Power. And finally, as Gandalf and Elrond no doubt told him, nearly all the Rings of Power had been accounted for…

…other than the Ruling Ring, the Ring of Sauron himself.

Profile photo for David Lantz

The role of aragorn in the movie was mischaractorization.

He already knew who he was descended from. He was not afraid, or surprised.

Profile photo for Jeff Alexander

Of course not. They had no clue who or what he was when they met him in Bree. IIRC, they found that out in Rivendell at the earliest. Butterbur at the Inn in Bree gave Frodo a note from Gandalf to seek out Strider, IIRC. The letter contains the poem starting ““All that is gold does not glitter, Noypt all who wander are lost . …” as a means to identify Strider. The poem ends L”tge crownkess again shall be king,” but Frodo and the hobbits do not know what it means.

He had not declared himself King before then. To the world at large, he was a chieftain of the Rangers, a small, nomadic group of men

Of course not. They had no clue who or what he was when they met him in Bree. IIRC, they found that out in Rivendell at the earliest. Butterbur at the Inn in Bree gave Frodo a note from Gandalf to seek out Strider, IIRC. The letter contains the poem starting ““All that is gold does not glitter, Noypt all who wander are lost . …” as a means to identify Strider. The poem ends L”tge crownkess again shall be king,” but Frodo and the hobbits do not know what it means.

He had not declared himself King before then. To the world at large, he was a chieftain of the Rangers, a small, nomadic group of men who patrolled the Northern part of the old Gondorian kingdom (Eriador) opposing the forces of evil.

Elrond knew Aragorn was a direct descendant of Elendil because he knew Isildur and his family. He raised Aragorn in Rivendell when Aragon’s father was killed when Aragorn was 3, I believe.

Profile photo for Marc Foster

I'm not sure if I quite understand the question but I'm assuming by “the real enemy” you mean — The Balrog, because Sauron had nothing to do with him. In fact, he and The Balrog (along with Gandalf and Saruman and the other Wizards) were of the same angelic order called “The Maiar.”

The fact is — Gandalf had no idea it was a Balrog.

So, right before this — Gandalf and the Fellowship had a skirmish in the Chamber of Mazarbul. Near the end of said skirmish Gandalf placed a “Shutting spell" on the door and was confronted with a “Terrible counterspell,” that nearly broke him, physically & emotionall

I'm not sure if I quite understand the question but I'm assuming by “the real enemy” you mean — The Balrog, because Sauron had nothing to do with him. In fact, he and The Balrog (along with Gandalf and Saruman and the other Wizards) were of the same angelic order called “The Maiar.”

The fact is — Gandalf had no idea it was a Balrog.

So, right before this — Gandalf and the Fellowship had a skirmish in the Chamber of Mazarbul. Near the end of said skirmish Gandalf placed a “Shutting spell" on the door and was confronted with a “Terrible counterspell,” that nearly broke him, physically & emotionally. Remember he was clad in flesh and blood and imagine the strain that would have had on his body… the Balrog had no such limitations and even then, Gandalf didn't realize what this powerful entity was untll…

They fled the room and Legolas astutely recognized “Durin's Bane” to be an actual Balrog.

… And this was the moment of truth for Gandalf. You'd think he'd have known before Legolas did, but he was so worn out by what happened and just holding it all together that he didn't even have the energy to put two and two together.

Which shows how much of a bad-ass Gandalf really was. Completely wiped out — clad in a frail, aging (albeit slowly) body against a being of his own order and one bred for War. Gandalf is the original OG… but I digress.

So to wind up this long-winded explanation — it's seems that Gandalf knew in his heart that Moria was the only way through and this clearly was not to just help Frodo escape with The Ring but to aslo eliminate one of the last real terrors still lingering in ME. If it wasn't for Gandalf you would have Smaug still kicking around (sure Bard slayed him but it was Gandalf’s plan to retake the Lonely Mountain) during the War of The Ring and an unchecked Balrog that would have passed into the fourth age and who knows what kind of destruction he would have sewn.

So though Gandalf was the enemy of Sauron, he also cleansed the world of evils that were just too great for the free people's of ME to handle on their own. He left them with a world that could be managed and maintained by mortals. Gandalf played the only hand he had left when he entered Moria and had no idea what he was up against until he approached his enemy.

Even though he vaguely knew there was something unsavory in Moria he had no idea it was a Balrog. He definitely wasn't keeping the truth from Frodo. He was improvising and following his intuition and doing the best he could along the way.

Learn 13 ways you can avoid putting a $1 million portfolio—and your retirement—at risk.
Profile photo for Laura Frey

*Sigh*… here we go again!

Gandalf the Grey went to the Shire and talked to Bilbo Baggins in the beginning of the book, “The Hobbit”.

See — Bilbo met Gandalf in “The Hobbit”. Not in “The Lord of the Rings”. They met a long time before they went to Rivendell.

Gandalf was looking for someone to go on an adventure. Bilbo turned him down, but Gandalf put a special mark on Bilbo's front door. The Dwarves and Gandalf came to visit Bilbo in his Hobbit hole the next day.

Gandalf told the Dwarves that Bilbo Baggins was the Burglar who would go to the Lonely Mountain in Erebor with them.

See — Gandalf already

*Sigh*… here we go again!

Gandalf the Grey went to the Shire and talked to Bilbo Baggins in the beginning of the book, “The Hobbit”.

See — Bilbo met Gandalf in “The Hobbit”. Not in “The Lord of the Rings”. They met a long time before they went to Rivendell.

Gandalf was looking for someone to go on an adventure. Bilbo turned him down, but Gandalf put a special mark on Bilbo's front door. The Dwarves and Gandalf came to visit Bilbo in his Hobbit hole the next day.

Gandalf told the Dwarves that Bilbo Baggins was the Burglar who would go to the Lonely Mountain in Erebor with them.

See — Gandalf already knew about Erebor.

Who do you think you are fooling?

Profile photo for Mei-Lin Po

The book answers this question.

In fact, Aragorn does not mention at first that he is friends with Gandalf, because he has no way he knows of to prove it. It is a letter from Gandalf, which he left for Frodo, that reveals this to the Hobbits.

Before Barliman comes in with the letter, the Hobbits are unsure whether to trust him or not. Sam is suspicious, but Frodo is inclined to believe him- although he was still in the process of making up his mind.

Even AFTER the letter, Sam still has his doubts- to which, Aragorn replies, his only response is that if he were an impersonator who was after the Ri

The book answers this question.

In fact, Aragorn does not mention at first that he is friends with Gandalf, because he has no way he knows of to prove it. It is a letter from Gandalf, which he left for Frodo, that reveals this to the Hobbits.

Before Barliman comes in with the letter, the Hobbits are unsure whether to trust him or not. Sam is suspicious, but Frodo is inclined to believe him- although he was still in the process of making up his mind.

Even AFTER the letter, Sam still has his doubts- to which, Aragorn replies, his only response is that if he were an impersonator who was after the Ring, he could simply take it from them by force, and already would have.

Frodo for his part is decided by Gandalf’s letter, but adds that ‘Strider’ did not behave in the way he imagined a real enemy would have.

Pippin does not venture an opinion beforehand, but appears relieved by the letter. And Merry is absent- out for a walk- while the question is being settled.

Profile photo for Gregg Davis

Aragorn is the son of Arathorn and heir to Isildur. Bilbo tells Frodo many things about Aragorn - I suggest reading (at a minimum) the chapter Many Meetings in The Fellowship of the Ring. The answers are there.

Profile photo for Cathy Buchanan

He didn’t have to. Frodo was unconscious and near death when he was brought to Rivendell. By the time Frodo and Bilbo were reunited, Bilbo already knew the whole story, and he was already well-acquainted with Aragorn.

Profile photo for Stan Dalone

This was before they had even met Aragorn. Neither the hobbits nor (in all probability) Tom himself had any idea they’d meet him in Bree—especially since they were supposed to find Gandalf there.

Aragorn did NOT say that he was Gandalf’s friend; the hobbits learned that from Gandalf’s letter. The hobbits suspected that he may have been an agent of the Enemy. Sam continued to disbelieve him even after Frodo read the letter, on the grounds that he had not mentioned Gandalf before and therefore may not have been the real Strider. It was only when Strider quoted the verses contained in Gandalf’s letter (“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.”) that Frodo became convinced of his identity.

Profile photo for Gregg Davis

Bilbo bequeathed his estate (including the Ring) to Frodo and left Hobbiton in Third Age 3001. Seventeen years later, Frodo sold Bag End and left the Shire to go to Rivendell. While in Bree, Frodo met Aragorn at the Prancing Pony.

After the War of the Ring, Frodo returned to Hobbiton for almost two years.

Profile photo for Jon Ramsay Vijay Kumar

Please read LOTR, at the Council of Elrond, it was agreed that Bilbo’s ring was indeed the One Ring, and that the only hope of defeating Sauron was in destroying it, and that the ONLY place to do that was in Orodruin(Mount Doom),which lay within Mordor. Bilbo offered to carry the Ring there, but the Council did not agree, because he was now very old, and would be unable to cope with the strain of bearing the Ring. Frodo then offered to be the Ring Bearer, and Elrond agreed with him, selecting seven others(including both Merry and Pippin) to accompany Frodo and Sam on rheir journey to Mordor. A

Please read LOTR, at the Council of Elrond, it was agreed that Bilbo’s ring was indeed the One Ring, and that the only hope of defeating Sauron was in destroying it, and that the ONLY place to do that was in Orodruin(Mount Doom),which lay within Mordor. Bilbo offered to carry the Ring there, but the Council did not agree, because he was now very old, and would be unable to cope with the strain of bearing the Ring. Frodo then offered to be the Ring Bearer, and Elrond agreed with him, selecting seven others(including both Merry and Pippin) to accompany Frodo and Sam on rheir journey to Mordor. Aragorn, as he was present at the Council, was fully aware of this.

Profile photo for Gregg Davis

Your question is, at best, misframed.

Frodo and Gandalf met at Bag End, In Hobbiton decades before Frodo arrived at Rivendell. Frodo who knew who Gandalf was throughout that time and Gandalf knew exactly who Frodo was.

Profile photo for Isabel Hodgins

Which version of The Lord of the Rings are you reading? Can’t find anything about Gandalf meeting Frodo at Bree in my copy.
However, Gandalf, Frodo and the others were in Bree towards the end of the saga- after the Ring had been destroyed at Mt Doom. Maybe they talked about it then but even that isn’t in my book.

Profile photo for Jeff Morello

To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing written about the meeting between Bilbo and Aragorn. Given the fact that Aragorn was raised in Rivendell and regularly returned there it is likely that they met after Bilbo left the Shire. Hence he never had a chance to tell Frodo about him. There are 17 years between Bilbo leaving the Shire and Frodo leaving the Shire.

Profile photo for Gregg Davis

Hmmmm…. Maybe you should take the time to read the first chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring. The central event of that chapter is party celebrating Bilbo’s 111st birthday and Frodo’s 33rd birthday - making Bilbo 78 years older than Frodo. Further, at the end of the chapter, Bilbo leaves Bag End - 17 years before Frodo does. Seriously, read the book.

Profile photo for Quora User

In the books there’s a gap of like 17 years between the 111th birthday party and Frodo arriving at Rivendell. So Bilbo is like … 128? But, age is also catching up to him because he’s been without the ring for all that time.

In the movie it’s shorter than that, so he’s like 112/113? Maybe? And the ravages of time are catching up with him way faster than they did in the books.

Profile photo for Andrew Stead

He’s the primary protagonist of Lord of the Rings; he’s a younger cousin of Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of The Hobbit, and inherits Bilbo’s magic Ring when Bilbo retires.

He’s descended from both the Baggins family, on his father’s side, and both Took and the Brandybuck families, on his mother’s. His mother was Bilbo’s aunt, and his father was Bilbo’s cousin, hence he is both Bilbo’s first and second cousin. Despite this, he’s commonly referred to as Bilbo’s nephew.

Profile photo for Shawn Keating

The Sackville-Bagginses. Bilbo had no children, so he adopted Frodo. Neither did Frodo, so he made Sam his heir. The Baggins line died out as they lost interest in procreating, but did not want the Sackville branch to take over their heritage. As they grew more attached to esoteric lore they lost contact with earthier ideas like marriage and childbirth.

Profile photo for Quora User

You are assuming a timeline that simply does not exist.

Sauron takes over Dol Guldur in TA 2463 signaling a period of where the Dark Lord began calling to Middle Earth for his assets. Apparently, this activated the ring which was lost in the Anduin River, because in TA 2463 Sméagol kills his cousin Déagol over that ring, and flees to the Mountain deeps, being driven from all other civilization.

In TA 2850 Gandfalf confirms (to his satisfaction) that Sauron has indeed returned to Dol Guldur and where he discovers Thráin II and receives the map of the secret entrance to Erebor. This is the year he

You are assuming a timeline that simply does not exist.

Sauron takes over Dol Guldur in TA 2463 signaling a period of where the Dark Lord began calling to Middle Earth for his assets. Apparently, this activated the ring which was lost in the Anduin River, because in TA 2463 Sméagol kills his cousin Déagol over that ring, and flees to the Mountain deeps, being driven from all other civilization.

In TA 2850 Gandfalf confirms (to his satisfaction) that Sauron has indeed returned to Dol Guldur and where he discovers Thráin II and receives the map of the secret entrance to Erebor. This is the year he begins to search for ways to counter Sauron, including building up the mountain men, protecting the eagles, lending aid to Rohan and Gondor, and by coincidence, visiting the Shire.

To note how long time lasts — Bilbo is not born until TA 2890 and Aragorn until 2934. Gandalf will not even discover who exactly Thráin II’s son is until TA 2941, the year in which the Redbook of Westmarch tells the tale “There and Back Again.” In that year Gandalf and the council of the wise ran Sauron out of Dol Guldor, although not everyone of the wise agreed the Necromancer was Sauron.

The one ring, having been stuck with Gollum for years, in TA 2941 is able to find its way into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, who did the most unusual thing and rather than seeking power, returned to the shire in TA 2942. While controlled by the ring, he seems to have only used it in what could be called a defensive manner. He hurt no one with the ring. That appears to cause an issue for Sauron because one aspect of the ring that makes it so noticeable is that it causes those who possess it to go mad and power hungry, where upon they use the ring to reach for power. Under Bilbo the ring is just a small piece of metal which cannot do anything unless he uses it, and he did not, at least not in a way that anyone could see.

Ten years after Bilbo returns to the Shire Sauron is able to finally arrive at the ruins of Barad-dûr in Mordor, and begins its reconstruction with the aid of the Nazgûl, laying the first new stones for the fort in TA 2951.

The Lord of the Ring movies compress time, but Frodo and Bilbo move in together in TA 2989 when Frodo’s parents drown. The night of the great party is TA 3001, when Sauron has just barely completed both the corruption of Saruman and the reconstruction of Barad-dûr. Gandalf’s hand is seen again as Bilbo seeks to go to Rivendell, but this would make the ring to conspicuous, so he convinces Bilbo to pass it to Frodo who likewise does nothing with the ring that really would cause notice. While using the ring becomes more dangerous and more noticeable as time goes on, there seems to be a proximity issue — using it in the Shire is different from using it when people dominated by the ring are nearby or when Sauron knows about where it is.

In TA 3002 Sauron is not sure that the ring has even been found, or who has found it, because it is remaining silent. At the same time Aragorn, whose identity Gandalf has protected as much as the ring, begins to stand vigil in the west, unknowingly protecting the ring which Gandalf is now certain is the same as the device in Frodo’s possession. Called simply a Ranger, Aragon is below Sauron’s radar as well because he is but one force protecting the west, and some of those forces are enigmatic and extremely power. It could be said Tom Bombadill would catch Sauron’s notice, but Sauron had no way to check on or threaten the forester. Likewise the changelings, eagles, and others like the Rangers simply represent an inconvenience with no powerful beings grasping for personal power. Sauron was blinded because what HE would do was very different than what the powers of the west would, or in fact did, do.

It is not until TA 3017 that Gollum is captured by Sauron. He is tortured by Sauron and gives up the name of who he felt stole the ring, but he is less than accurate in his accusation and not precise on where the thief was from. Gollum was a creature of the Anduin and not the far west. He did not know where the Shire was, and neither did Sauron. Ironically, the Shire had no meaning to Sauron because it seemed to have no power. How could a meaningless place hold the greatest weapon then known to Middle Earth? This made finding the Shire difficult for Sauron.

In TA 3018 Sauron finally dispatches the Nazgûl as he seems to have used some manner to discover where the Shire was and the significance of the name Baggins. As this is the year of Saruman’s final corruption it is possible he filled Sauron in. It is also the year Gandalf was confined at Orthanc, and his revelation of Gollum’s betrayal of the existence of the Shire. This is what finally requires Frodo flee his homeland, leading to the Fellowship of the Ring.

The activities of the Lord of The Rings last from the end of TA 3018 to the start of 3020, which is the last year of the Third Age.

The true end of the Lord of the Rings is FA 121 when Arwen Undómiel dies a mortal, twelve months after Aragorn. Since Legolas and Gimli had departed for Valinor the year before, she is the last living participant in the ring tale.

About · Careers · Privacy · Terms · Contact · Languages · Your Ad Choices · Press ·
© Quora, Inc. 2025