Lord of the rings gay
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While the books undeniably laid the groundwork for The Lord of the Rings as a key part of queer fandom, though, it was Peter Jackson’s films that truly put Sam and Frodo as a ship on the map.
Despite the books being a significant presence in pop culture for nearly 50 years, it wasn’t until the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 that a new, internet-savvy generation of fans was introduced to Sam, Frodo, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Aragorn, and the rest of the series’ many queer ships for the first time.
Rather it spreads into the emotional interior of every moviegoer watching Sam literally sink in desperation to be by Frodo’s side. When Frodo reunites with Sam at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, Sam takes Frodo’s hand in a small, intimate moment, which McKellen worried may be lost on two straight actors.
"When I suggested to Sean that he take Elijah's hand,” McKellen explains, “it was because I thought that [it] might be missed by two resolutely heterosexual actors who might not appreciate that gay people, like myself, saw in a touch something, perhaps, more meaningful than others might."
McKellen’s suggestion exemplifies how The Lord of the Rings so successfully carved a niche for itself as a part of queer fandom, and why LGBTQ+ fans are so drawn to the Sam/Frodo relationship in the books: Though Tolkien himself likely didn’t intend to code the relationship as gay, the sheer tenderness of the language and the constant affection between the two speaks to a kind of intimacy that queer fans are able to recognize and resonate with.
While Boromir seems to see himself more as a mentor or protector of those two, if he had lived longer, there’s no reason this relationship couldn’t have evolved.
Thorin and Bilbo
This is a pairing that has definitely arisen in fandom because of the movies. In both the movies and the films, romantic relationships aren’t always the focus as it’s more of an epic adventure.
They are good friends who knew each other even before the fellowship.
Legolas and Gimli
While Aragorn and Legolas might make some sense, Aragorn does have a romantic storyline with Arwen that is a big part of his motivations. Why are queer audiences so drawn to The Lord of the Rings that Ian McKellen would go out of his way to ensure that crucial moments from the books translate to the films for LGBTQ+ fans?
Sam and Frodo share a bond that can’t be quantified on the page or through the screen.
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The Lord of the Rings is one of the most classic fantasy series of all time, and this series has influenced so many fantasy, and other genres, stories since. Sam is loyal, employable, and easy to command. When Frodo plans to leave Parth Galen solo at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, Sam nearly drowns to get to Frodo’s embrace and keep their fellowship intact.
This scene often stands out as the ultimate tearjerker in the trilogy, but it’s only because it normalizes male to male intimacy in a way Hollywood traditionally refuses to acknowledge.
It even precedes the popular fanzines that popped up when Kirk/Spock was finding its footing. His commitment to Frodo can be looked at as an end to the means of destroying the Ring. It’s as queer-coded a frame as any in modern cinema. The acting and script writing of Jackson’s films turn the Frodo and Sam dynamic into something truly special.
However, as long as all parties involved are adults, there isn’t necessarily much of a problem.
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While Merry is younger comparatively, he is definitely more mature than Pippin and goes through a lot of growth in the series. While in the book, Thorin is a rather old king and not traditionally attractive, the movies took a different direction with the character.
The fact that these two don’t seem far off in age and interact a lot more in the movies makes the pairing seem more realistic than it would have been in the books.
These two represent a mending of the hatred between elves and dwarves, and they grow from rivals to close friends.
They even end up sailing to the Undying Lands together after their time in Middle-Earth is over. Where most blockbuster heroes save the day through feats of will, strength in combat, or other brute-force approaches, Frodo finds strength not in standing alone, but because he had the love and support of those like Sam to encourage him, love him, and set him on the right path.
It’s that willingness to showcase gentle intimacy between men that made The Lord of the Rings the queer mecca that it is for fans today — even with more traditionally masculine characters like Gimli, Aragorn, or Boromir, there’s never a hesitation to express affection or care for their fellow brothers in arms.