Frodo runs ahead, quickly outpacing Sam and the elven light, and Shelob strikes. She is an ancient evil, wanting only to devour everything, and Gollum made a pact with her to deliver the hobbits, hoping to find the Ring in their discarded clothing after she has eaten. Sam sees her coming, but Gollum grabs him from behind. By the time Sam fights off the treacherous Gollum, who escapes back into the tunnel, Shelob has stung Frodo and is wrapping him in her webs. Taking up Frodo's fallen elven sword, Sam attacks Shelob. At first she barely notices, but he slices off one of her claws and stabs out an eye. Angered, she tries to smother him with her own weight. With the last of his strength, Sam holds Sting above his head. While he could not injure Shelob much on his own, her own strength and weight drive the sword deep into her belly. Combined with the light of Galadriel, the damage is sufficient to drive Shelob away.
After she is gone, Sam tries to revive Frodo, but he appears dead. At first Sam despairs, even considering suicide, but his hobbit-sense surfaces and he decides to continue the quest. He carefully arranges Frodo's body, leaving his sword to replace Sting. Then he takes the Ring from around Frodo's neck, also keeping the phial of Galadriel. Still reluctant to leave, Sam goes to the top of the pass. The sound of orc-voices causes him to put on the Ring. Instead of feeling invisible, he feels terribly exposed to the Eye of Sauron, but the orcs do not see him as they approach Frodo's body. There they meet another group of orcs coming up from the tunnel. Sam learns from their conversation that Frodo is not dead, but before he can do anything, the orcs take Frodo prisoner and carry him into their tower. The doors shut before Sam can reach them, and he is left alone outside, with Frodo a prisoner of the enemy.
