Frodo collapses, convinced they have been seen, but Sam again picks him up to continue. Before Sam can move, Gollum attacks in an attempt to take the Ring from Frodo but throws Gollum off. Sam offers to kill Gollum, but after Frodo leaves, Sam pities the debased creature too much to kill him and orders him away instead. Sam follows his master, unaware that Gollum continues to follow, maddened by his lust for the Ring. Sam enters a chamber in the mountain where he sees Frodo, but rather than cast the Ring into the fire, as he always intended, Frodo claims it for his own. Sam is knocked down by Gollum, who attacks the invisible Frodo, while Sauron realizes what is happening and sends the Nazgûl to the mountain. Sam sees Gollum bite an invisible hand, and Frodo reappears clutching at his missing finger. Gollum dances a mad celebration, but he stumbles and falls into the fire. The Ring is consumed. The mountain erupts. The Nazgûl vanish in flames. Sauron's fortress collapses. Sam and Frodo huddle on the mountainside, waiting for the lava to sweep them away. Frodo is himself again
At the battle before the Black Gate, Gandalf announces the coming of the eagles. Even as they join the fight, the entire army of Mordor hesitates, and the Nazgûl flee. The gate collapses, and Gandalf announces that Frodo has completed the quest. The Mordor army flees, and Gandalf leaves the battle with the eagles to rescue Sam and Frodo from Mount Doom.
Sam wakes in a soft bed next to Frodo, whose right hand is missing a finger. Gandalf leads them to the king, where an army greets them with cheers and praise. Aragorn himself gets up from his throne and bows to them, seating them in his place. There is a great celebration feast, where they see Legolas and Gimli, and Merry and Pippin serve as squires at the head table. The four hobbits learn of each other's adventures, including how Gimli pulled Pippin from under a dead troll, and they rest and recover in Ithilien before returning to Minas Tirith.
