One of the protagonists in The Lord of the Rings

A hobbit of the Shire during the Third Age, who inherits the One Ring from his cousin Bilbo Baggins

He undertakes the quest to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor

Frodo is repeatedly wounded during the quest, and becomes increasingly burdened by the Ring as it nears Mordor.

He changes, too, growing in understanding and compassion, and avoiding violence.

Frodo is introduced in The Lord of the Rings as Bilbo Baggins's relative and adoptive heir.

In The Hobbit, Bilbo had been taken by the Wizard Gandalf and a party of Dwarves from his safe home, Bag End, in the Shire across the Misty Mountains and the dark forest of Mirkwood to recapture the Dwarves' ancient home and treasure under the Lonely Mountain.

The treasure had been guarded by a dragon, Smaug. Through many adventures, Smaug had been killed and Bilbo had returned home with a substantial portion of the treasure. He lived the life of a rich eccentric for many years.

Frodo's parents Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck had been killed in a boating accident when Frodo was 12; Frodo spent the next nine years living with his maternal family, the Brandybucks in Brandy Hall. At the age of 21 he was adopted by Bilbo, his cousin, who brought him to live at Bag End.

He and Bilbo shared the same birthday, the 22nd of 'September'. Bilbo introduced Frodo to the Elvish languages, and they often went on long walking trips together.

Frodo and Sam make their way through the wilds, followed by the creature Gollum, who has been tracking the Fellowship since Moria, seeking to reclaim the Ring. Gollum attacks the hobbits, but Frodo subdues him with Sting. He takes pity on Gollum and spares his life, binding him to a promise to guide them through the dead marshes to the Black Gate, which Gollum does. They find the gate impassable, but Gollum says that there is "another way" into Mordor, and Frodo, over Sam's objections, allows him to lead them south into Ithilien.

There they meet Faramir, younger brother of Boromir, who takes them to a hidden cave, Henneth Annûn. Frodo allows Gollum to be captured by Faramir, saving Gollum's life but leaving him feeling betrayed by his "master". Faramir provisions the hobbits and allows them to go on their way, but warns Frodo to beware of Gollum's treachery.

The three of them pass near Minas Morgul, where the pull of the Ring becomes almost unbearable. There they began the long climb up the Endless Stair of Cirith Ungol, and at the top enter a tunnel, not knowing it is the home of the giant spider Shelob. Gollum hopes to deliver the hobbits to her and retake the Ring after she has killed them. Shelob stings Frodo, rendering him unconscious, but Sam drives her off with Sting and the Phial of Galadriel.

After attempting unsuccessfully to wake Frodo up, and unable to find any signs of life, Sam concludes that Frodo is dead and decides that his only option is to take the Ring and continue the quest. But he overhears orcs who find Frodo's body and learns that Frodo is not dead. The orcs take Frodo for questioning; Sam tries to follow but finds the door locked against him.

Sam rescues Frodo from the Orcs. After a brief confrontation in which Frodo becomes enraged that Sam has taken the Ring, Sam restores the Ring to Frodo. The two of them, dressed in scavenged Orc-armour, set off for Mount Doom, trailed by Gollum.

They witness the plains of Mordor empty at the approach of the Armies of the West. As the Ring gets closer to its master, Frodo becomes progressively weaker as its influence grows. When they run out of water, they leave all unnecessary baggage behind to travel light. As they reach Mount Doom, Gollum reappears and attacks Frodo, who beats him back. While Sam fights with Gollum, Frodo enters the chasm in the volcano where Sauron forged the Ring.

Here Frodo loses the will to destroy the Ring, and instead puts it on, claiming it for himself. Gollum pushes Sam aside and attacks the invisible Frodo, biting off his finger. As he dances around in elation, Gollum loses his balance and falls with the Ring into the fiery Cracks of Doom. The Ring is destroyed, and with it Sauron's power. Frodo and Sam are rescued by Gandalf and several Great Eagles as Mount Doom erupts.

After reuniting with the Fellowship and attending Aragorn's coronation as King of Gondor, the four hobbits return to the Shire. They find the entire Shire in a state of upheaval. Saruman's agents—both Hobbits and Men—have taken it over and started a destructive process of industrialization. Saruman governs the Shire in secret under the name of Sharkey until Frodo and his companions lead a rebellion and defeat the intruders. Even after Saruman attempts to stab Frodo, Frodo lets him go.

Frodo and his companions restore the Shire to its prior state of peace and goodwill. Frodo never completely recovers from the physical, emotional, and psychological wounds he suffered during the quest to destroy the ring. Two years after the Ring was destroyed, Frodo and Bilbo as Ring-bearers are granted passage to Valinor, the earthly paradise where Frodo might find peace.

Frodo comes of age as Bilbo leaves the Shire for good on his one hundred and eleventh birthday. Frodo inherits Bag End and Bilbo's ring. Gandalf, at this time, is not certain about the origin of the ring, so he warns Frodo to avoid using it and to keep it secret.

Frodo keeps the Ring hidden for the next 17 years, and the Ring gives him the same longevity it gave Bilbo. Gandalf returns to prove to him that it is the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, who seeks to recover and use it to conquer Middle-earth.

Realizing that he is a danger to the Shire as long as he remains there with the Ring, Frodo decides to take it to Rivendell, home of Elrond, a mighty Elf-lord. He leaves with three companions: his gardener Samwise Gamgee and his cousins Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took. They escape just in time, for Sauron's most powerful servants, the Nine Nazgûl, have entered the Shire as Black Riders, looking for Bilbo and the Ring. They follow Frodo's trail across the Shire and nearly intercept him.

The hobbits escape the Black Riders by travelling through the Old Forest. They are waylaid by the magic of Old Man Willow, but rescued by Tom Bombadil, who gives them shelter and guides them on their way.

They are caught in fog on the Barrow Downs by a barrow-wight and are entranced under a spell. Frodo breaks loose from the spell, attacks the barrow-wight and summons Bombadil, who again rescues the hobbits and sets them on their way.

At the Prancing Pony inn in the village of Bree, Frodo receives a delayed letter from Gandalf, and meets a man who calls himself Strider, a Ranger of the North; his real name is Aragorn. The One Ring slips onto Frodo's finger inadvertently in the inn's common room, turning Frodo invisible. This attracts the attention of Sauron's agents, who ransack the hobbits' rooms in the night. The group, under Strider's guidance, flees through the marshes.

While encamped on Weathertop hill, they are attacked by five Nazgûl. The chief of the Nazgûl stabs Frodo with a Morgul-blade; Aragorn routs them with fire. A piece of the blade remains in Frodo's shoulder and, working its way towards his heart threatens to turn him into a wraith under control of the Nazgul. With the help of his companions and an Elf-lord, Glorfindel, Frodo is able to evade the Nazgûl and reach Rivendell. Nearly overcome by his wound, he is healed over time by Elrond.

The Council of Elrond meets in Rivendell and resolves to destroy the Ring by casting it into Mount Doom in Mordor, the realm of Sauron. Frodo, realizing that he is destined for this task, steps forward to be the Ring-bearer. A Fellowship of nine companions is formed to guide and protect him: the hobbits, Gandalf, Aragorn, the dwarf Gimli, the elf Legolas, and Boromir, a man of Gondor. Together they set out from Rivendell. Frodo is armed with Sting, Bilbo's Elvish knife; he wears Bilbo's coat of Dwarf mail made of mithril.[T 14] The company, seeking a way through the Misty Mountains, tries the Pass of Caradhras, but abandons it in favour of the mines of Moria.

In Moria Frodo is stabbed by an Orc-spear, but his coat of mithril armour saves his life. They are led through the mines by Gandalf, until he is killed battling a Balrog. Aragorn leads them out to Lothlórien. There Galadriel gives Frodo an Elven cloak and a phial carrying the Light of Eärendil to aid him on his dangerous quest.

The Fellowship travel by boat down the Anduin River and reach the lawn of Parth Galen, just above the impassable falls of Rauros. There, Boromir, succumbing to the lure of the Ring, tries to take the ring by force from Frodo. Frodo escapes by putting on the Ring and becoming invisible. This breaks the Fellowship; the company is scattered by invading Orcs. Frodo chooses to continue the quest alone, but Sam follows his master, joining him on the journey to Mordor.