Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
written by Frances Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair, and Peter Jackson, from the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
(The Ring manifesting its power over him, Frodo attacks Sam, wielding Sting (his sword))
Sam: (tears running down his face) It's me. It's your Sam. Don't you know your Sam?
(Frodo's madness fades and recognition returns to his eyes. He realizes what he nearly did and is overcome. Stumbling backwards, he collapses against a wall and Sting falls to the ground with a clang. Sam gets up slowly)
Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. (stands, leans against a wall, looking out into the distance) It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going, because they were holding on to something.
Thanks to the kind folk at Council of Elrond for the use of this monologue. Their ongoing transcript project is available to read here. Thanks to all those who participated in the creation of the transcript so far (thus giving me the opportunity to use it on my website): Accela, Aina, Bad burn, Bridget Chubb, Brionn Equus (Lochrann), Drusilia, Elf Lady, Eowyn Unquendor, Feanari, Finafyr, Flourish, Galadriel, Heri, Julamb, JustinsIce(Mdjasrie), Kazren, Krystal, LadyEowynKenobi, Lady Evenstar, Legola'sBow, Lithorose, Melody, Mormegil, Nilmandra, Padfoot, Penwiper, Pilgrim Grey, Primula Baggins, Randy Savage, Samwise the Brave, Sirius Black, Tethra, The Lidless Eye, Turnar, Xyla, Yaksha.