one of the chief characters: Samwise the Stout-hearted

questionoftheday asked: What song lyric resonates with you the most? Why do you respond so strongly to it?

My belated answer: Today, I'm really feeling Now And For Always from the LOTR musical

Sit by the firelight's glow

Tell us an old tale we know

Tell of adventures strange and rare

Never to change

Ever to share

Stories we tell will cast their spell

Now and for always

If wikipedia guides me right, Sam and Frodo are on the outskirts of Mordor, and it's weighing on both of them. But no, no matter the ring, or their guide, or their destination, they still have a moment to remember they have each other. First, together, they remember the Shire, their neighbors, and the good green world they're doing this for, far away. Then Sam steps up, reminding Frodo of who he is, not as much who their narrative needs him to be, but as the friend Sam knows and trusts and admires. Frodo might not believe it about himself, but he knows Sam means it, and he turns the tale to Sam, in turn. Sam, who he wouldn't have a chance without. And Sam might not be so ready to take himself seriously, either - isn't Frodo the hero, here? No, if Frodo is going to be painted as the hero, he won't let the tale be told without Sam. And so their harmony reinforces the sincerity and resilience of the scene. 

I need to go back and read at least that section again - the lines in the book are from somewhere around Cirith Ungol, right? Which also has one of my favorite passages from Tolkien, hands down: 

Though here at journey's end I lie

in darkness buried deep,
Beyond all towers strong and high,
beyond all mountains steep,
above all shadows rides the Sun
and Stars for ever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
nor bid the Stars farewell.

(I think it's an old bbc radio play, but somewhere when we were little we had an excellent audio version of the entire trilogy, and one of these days I'll find the original recording, because I can still sing that one, too.) 
Anyway, Cirith Ungol having so many of my favorite passages, despite being one of their lowest points (of many, but I count Sam thinking Frodo's dead as a particularly awful moment), has to speak to Tolkien's skill and intention, right? In the darkest hour, Sam still has a phial of starlight.