Like plenty of fantasy protagonists, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) in Lord of the Rings has no parents, at least by the time fans meet him. Fortunately, he is not completely alone. He has Bilbo (Ian Holm), and plenty of loyal friends such as Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin), Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), and Peregrin "Pippin" Took (Billy Boyd).
But what exactly happened to Frodo's parents? In the Lord of the Rings books, the Hobbits have plenty of theories. Fans likely have theories as well. Are any of the Hobbits' theories correct? Could it be that something or someone sinister was behind their demise? Or was it just simply an accident? Only Tolkien would truly know, of course, yet it's interesting to speculate what might've happened to them in the end.
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It is also fascinating to think about why Frodo's parents were out of the story by the time fans meet him. It's definitely a deliberate choice. And one that makes some sense when one thinks about it. Some fans might be wondering if it's possible to answer all of these questions and to explore all these possibilities. Don't worry, it is. To understand these answers and to explore these possibilities, it is important to first understand Frodo as a character. Frodo starts out as a shy yet confident young Hobbit. Like Bilbo, other Hobbits consider him a bit strange. He is curious and longs for adventures like the ones Bilbo had in The Hobbit. He is interested in Elves and places outside the Shire.
Frodo is also very kind and compassionate. He feels bad for Gollum and lets him guide him and Sam to Mordor, although Sam doesn't trust Gollum. He is loyal to his friends and overall seems to be a good person, though he does struggle with it. Perhaps Frodo's backstory will give some more insight into his character. And perhaps what happened to his parents will explain more about Frodo himself. It is also interesting to discuss the matter as what happened to them is something of a mystery. When Frodo was 12 years old, his parents went on a boat ride on the Brandywine River and ended up drowning. In the Lord of the Rings books, the Hobbits have some theories about what might have happened. Some believe that Frodo's father Drogo and his wife Primula Brandybuck-Baggins went on the river after dinner and Drogo's weight sank the boat. While others say that Primula pushed Drogo in and he pulled her in after him.
These are the Hobbits' theories on what happened to Frodo's poor parents. Lord of the Rings fans likely have theories too. Was there someone or something lurking in the water, waiting for Frodo's parents? Could it have been Gollum? Was Sauron somehow involved, searching for the Ring? Did a Nazgûl come across the poor Hobbits? Out of these explanations, Gollum being there is probably the most likely. Or the Nazgûl. Sauron, after all, would not likely leave Mordor without a reason. Yet he could've sent someone after the Baggins' and this was the result.
Or it could've been Gollum looking for his precious Ring. Whatever the case may be, poor Frodo is left without parents. Though that does make some sense. Something has to lead him to Bilbo, after all. If his parents were still around, he'd likely be living with them and wouldn't have inherited the Ring. Also, depriving Frodo of his parents at such an early age also deprives young Frodo of security. And if Frodo felt too secure, too content with his lot in life, he wouldn't long for adventure so much at the beginning of Lord of the Rings. Basically, Frodo's parents had to be sacrificed so that Frodo's story could happen. Without their tragic fate, Frodo likely would've been a very different person, perhaps less shy but probably also with less of a longing for adventure. And it is this longing that probably makes him agree to take the Ring in the first place.
Of course, not every Lord of the Rings fan will agree with this assessment of what might have happened to Frodo's parents and why they were left out of the story. That's fine; everyone will see it differently. Yet Frodo's parents' demise is a key part of the storyLord of the Rings is telling. Even though it happens before fans meet Frodo, it definitely has an effect on him. And it's fascinating to try to unravel the small mystery. Whether it's the theories of the Hobbits or theories that some fans might have, it is interesting to speculate about what might have happened to Frodo's parents. It also seems that they were left out of the story for a reason. Both to bring Frodo to Bilbo and to deprive him of security, which leads to a greater longing for adventure. The story of Lord of the Rings probably would've been very different if Frodo's parents were around. And so perhaps in a way, it's good that they weren't. It would be hard to imagine a better protagonist than Frodo for this tale.
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