The movie of The Return of the King had so many endings, but here’s one more, and it’s worth it. Molly Knox Ostertag (The Witch Boy, Strong Female Protagonist) has illustrated the unpublished Lord of the Rings epilogue in which Samwise Gamgee has a sweet conversation with his daughter. It’s a story about yearning and absence and love, and Ostertag’s beautiful art makes it all the more affecting.
You can see Ostertag’s full comic here, and read Tolkien’s original text here.
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The Witness for the Dead
I recently read the unpublished epilogue to Lord of the Rings, a chapter framed as a conversation between Sam Gamgee and his daughter. It is really beautiful and bittersweet so I illustrated it! You can read it as a scroll here: https://t.co/wxiWXacLbR
1/7 pic.twitter.com/S5L3PE0pqH— Molly Knox Ostertag – Updates (@MollyOstertag) February 16, 2021
Ostertag’s black-and-white art bursts into full color for the elves:
additionally, you can read the full text of the epilogue (I edited it down a bit) here: https://t.co/L1riuXmi3T
2/7 pic.twitter.com/KPpJi2StiJ— Molly Knox Ostertag – Updates (@MollyOstertag) February 16, 2021
Like Rosie-lass, I am very anxious about Ent-wives and look for them in all the forests. (Merry’s interest in horses didn’t make it into the illustration, but of course he was “very anxious for a pony of his own.”)
If you can read “I am a very rich hobbit” over that lovely image of Sam and his daughter and not be swamped with feelings—about different kinds of adventures and riches, what it means to stay or go, and the many stories that make up a person’s experience—you are made of sterner stuff than I. It’s a gorgeous reminder that there are still full lives to be lived for those who survive their adventures.
This is absolutely lovely. I had managed not to even have heard of this epilogue, but I like it very much, and the comic is so touching and sweet.
One of my favorite parts of the epilogue (which is in one of the HOME books) was Sam opining that Legolas wouldn’t leave as long as Gimli was still around. It was just a sweet testament to their friendship.
I love that somebody illustrated it :)
Oh, just wow, this is marvelous! It made the room a little dusty.
That was lovely. Thank you for sharing it
Lovely work; I’d never read the original and enjoyed the chance to read it and see your artwork. Nicely done and very much appreciated.
The element with Same and Rose is very sweet; one can sense JRR writing that with his own memories of the Great War.
Oh lord I’m crying now. I had never heard of this, and this comic is such a beautiful way to tell that story. I still tear up at Sam and Frodo’s farewell, so no surprise really that this has me sobbing.
THANK YOU for the links to the story and comic. That was wonderful. And the illustration of the sea at the end…
Oh my goodness, touched my heart, and brought me to tears. As I reach 70 years my love for Tolkein’s work has grown ever stronger. It is time for another rewatch of the trilogy to shore up my fading imagination. Thank you so very much for sharing this. A lovely gift for the day.