Part 5/7:
One crucial moment that signified a potential turning point for Gollum occurs as Frodo and Sam rest, deep in enemy territory. Gollum contemplates taking the Ring but hesitates, revealing traces of his former self, Sméagol. Unfortunately, this moment of tenderness dissipates when Sam’s harsh words shatter Gollum’s fragile sense of trust, pushing him back toward treachery and deceit.
This pivotal encounter illustrates how fragile the possibility of redemption can be. Gollum is shown to possess fleeting moments of compassion, but those moments can quickly be undermined by the surrounding distrust and hostility he faces, particularly from Sam's demeanor.