This is a great critique! I’ve seen that critique of LOTR before too. Sam is the hero of the story because he chooses to be one! Also while Frodo may have carried the ring, it was Sam who was holding Frodo’s sht down, while he did it! Frodo would never have accomplished his mission without him.

One of the reasons the “Chosen One” narrative is so prevalent in Western culture is also due to the Great Man philosophy. We still look for and worship “great men” politically, culturally, and financially, and that idea of some one person being great enough to save everyone else also extends from Christianity as well. Compare these narratives to Eastern philosophies which tend to be top down oriented (a ruler with subjects), with a more communal priority in the story.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the chosen one narrative and have found as I get older thst I gravitate to more found family, group oriented stories. My interest in Buffy the series was never with her. She wasn’t interesting to me. My greatest interest was with her friends and family. The people who chose to help her, especially when they didn’t need to, and my favorite character was Spike, who had the best character arc, moving from antagonist to ally!