10 Awesome Characters from the Lord of the Rings

If you've seen the Lord of the Rings movies then of course you know that there are many characters which are followed throughout the journey to destroy the ring. But which character is your favorite? This is a tough question for a Lord of the Rings fan. Here I will be listing my absolute favorite characters.

The biggest reason why Elrond is on this list is because he is the one who actually forms the fellowship in the first Lord of the Rings movie. Not only does this help move along the story, but he also has a large part in telling the viewers about the history of the ring and how it got to Isildur, past High King of Gondor. Elrond was actually there with Isildur as he made the journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring. Elrond urged him to get rid of the ring for good. In the film he says, "Throw the ring into the fire!" But Isildur refuses and decides to keep it for himself, which eventually leads to his death and the disappearance of the ring for generations. Elrond is also an important character in that he is one of the first elves that we see other than Arwen. Through him the viewers get to see what elves are like and how different they are from humans. He was a part of the White Council often held in Rivendell and was one of the most honorable and moral leaders. Overall Elrond is a pretty freaking awesome elf.

Why is Sam on this list of best characters? One simple reason: He supports and protects Frodo on his journey to destroy the ring. Without Sam there is no way that Frodo would have ever made it to Mount Doom to destroy the ring. Sam is not only Frodo's gardener and friend but he pushes him to keep going even when Frodo has lost hope. Towards the end of The Return of the King, Sam actually carries the weak Frodo up the mountainside because he can no longer walk himself. Though Sam may seem like a simple sidekick that one can brush to the side, he really is one of the people who makes it possible for the ring to be destroyed, saving all of Middle-Earth from Sauron's clutches. In my opinion he is just as much a hero as Frodo.

Galadriel is a wonderful character because she not only represents the elves as Elrond, Arwen and Legolas do, but she gives the viewers a sense of the mysteriousness and fear that is surrounding this elegant race from Middle-Earth. She is co-ruler of Lothlorien and wears one of the rings of power, Nenya the Ring of Adamant (also known as the Ring of Water). Her power is great and has protected Lothlorien from Sauron's evil for many years. However, the fact that she has hidden herself within the woods for so long brings about fear from other races. In the Fellowship of the Ring, just as the party is headed towards Lothlorien Gimli enlightens the viewers and companions by stating, "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods, an Elf-witch, of terrible power. All who look upon her, fall under her spell…" He of course is speaking of Galadriel. It seems that people are scared of her because she has such great power. The mystery of Galadriel and who she is keeps the viewers intrigued and gives us a different perspective of elves other than the ones we had previously met.

One might wonder why a villain is on the best characters list. I chose Saruman because his character introduces the orcs and shows viewers what the enemy looks like. Initially Saruman was the chief of the wizards and the head of the White Council which Elrond and Gandalf took part in. He was trusted by Gandalf, but in The Fellowship of the Ring Saruman betrays him by revealing his lust for the ring and alliance with Sauron. As an epic old man wizard fight breaks out, Saruman becomes the winner, but it ends in Gandalf escaping by help from the Eagles. As viewers watch Saruman betray his friends and become more and more evil, they also witness the orcs burning down trees and making their weapons and armor. Overall it's an intense and interesting thing to see what the enemy is doing in Isengard while the others are making their journey to destroy the ring.

Any female who watches the Lord of the Rings films will more than likely admire Eowyn. Her bravery, fearlessness and strength are prevalent throughout a story and world mostly composed of battle among men. She is the niece of King Theoden of Rohan and was raised like his daughter. She is not only beautiful, but she is a great warrior. Unlike many human women in this world, Eowyn refuses to be left behind when the rest of the men are risking their lives in battle to protect the people of Middle-Earth. She goes as far as dressing like a man so that she can fight in the battle in The Return of the King. Her ultimate moment of strength and bravery is when she goes up against the lord of the Nazgul and defeats him in order to defend Theoden. Not only is she a woman capable of protecting herself, but she risks her own well-being for others.

Of course the ring bearer must be on the list of best characters. Besides Gandalf, Frodo is one of the most obvious characters to be placed on here. He not only has the courage to carry the ring across Middle-Earth to Mount Doom in order to destroy it, but he manages to survive getting stabbed with the Nazgul’s Morgul Blade on Weathertop and he guards the ring from falling into the wrong hands. Frodo is the one person able to withstand the enormous power to keep the ring for himself. Although when he and Sam arrive at Mount Doom he cannot let go of the ring, it is only after he is on the brink of death that he gives in to his desire. I think it’s safe to say that no one else in Middle-Earth could have successfully transported the one ring to its place of destruction.

Of course if there is a list of best characters from the Lord of the Rings it would be a shame for Gandalf to be excluded. Gandalf the Grey starts off as the type of character that guides the story and is absolutely relevant to the plot. He begins the story to destroy the ring by discovering that Bilbo has it in the Shire. Then he explains to Frodo just how dangerous this ring of power is and then sends him on the journey to get it to Rivendell. In the later movies he transforms into Gandalf the White and has greater powers than before. He not only exorcises Saruman from King Theoden's body in The Two Towers, but he also helps in battles and bringing characters together and helps them understand the situation they are in. Although his powers may not be as extraordinary as wizards in other movies like Harry Potter, his simple, realistic magic aids the story in many ways. Gandalf is overall an iconic image of the Lord of the Rings and will always be a dearly loved character.

Though Legolas doesn’t say much in these films, his actions are what have captivated viewers from the beginning. His willingness to join the fellowship and travel with Frodo in the first film might be enough to show his bravery and valor, but Peter Jackson doesn’t stop there when portraying Tolkien’s character on the big screen. Legolas makes the battle scenes absolutely epic. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of other characters play a role in the fights, but Legolas is on a whole different level. His keen sense of hearing and hawk-like eye sight makes him stand apart from his human, dwarf, and hobbit companions. He can be seen jumping on top of giant elephants and trolls, riding shields down staircases as he shoots arrows into enemies and flinging his comrades across large chasms. His battle skills are what make him one of the most interesting characters to watch in the battle scenes.

There’s no doubt that the heir to the throne of Gondor and one of the biggest heroes in the Lord of the Rings movies should be listed as one of the best characters. Starting out as the mysterious Strider who guides Frodo and his companions to Rivendell when Gandalf fails to show up at the Prancing Pony, Aragorn proves to be a valiant protagonist. In the films he is conflicted as to whether he should take up his duty as King of Gondor. His ancestor, Isildur was the man who had taken the ring for himself, eventually losing it at his death. Aragorn doubts his abilities and views Isildur’s bad choices as his own. Eventually Aragorn sees that he has worth and that his efforts are making a difference in the battle against Sauron. Anduril (aka the Flame of the West), is the sword with which Aragorn commands the spirits from the Paths of the Dead to help them in battle in the third film, The Return of the King. Without the help of these spirits commanded by Aragorn, Gondor would have more than likely lost. The gallantry of this King of Gondor is what makes him so beloved by Lord of the Rings fans.

One of the creepiest and strangest characters I’ve encountered yet is Gollum. What is he? Where did he come from? These are questions that I had as I watched The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Although there are vague remarks about his past, it isn’t formally addressed until the beginning of The Return of the King. It turns out that Gollum used to be a Stoor Hobbit named Smeagol. While fishing with a friend, he discovers the ring by chance and the two hobbits fight over it until Smeagol kills his friend and becomes the ring bearer for many years. The ring’s power eventually twists and mangles his body as he lives on much longer than a normal hobbit should. After losing the ring to Bilbo in The Hobbit, Gollum devotes his life to getting his precious back again. After following Frodo and Sam he tries attacking them only to be defeated and ends up becoming their guide to Mordor. This disturbing creature is one of my favorite characters because he shows how powerful the ring is. Not only can it prolong the life of its bearer for centuries, but it basically takes over the person. Poor Smeagol was overwhelmed by its power and thus murdered his friend and became an outcast. Not only is Gollum my favorite character because he shows the immense capabilities of the ring, but because of how they actually made the character. In this trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, a man named Andy Serkis is the actor who plays Gollum, but this character is mostly animation and special effects. It’s amazing how realistic this team made Gollum look. Overall Gollum is a great character because he shows both good and evil. The power of the ring has turned him evil, yet he does still have some good in him which we can see as he struggles to overcome the darkness within him. In the end the evil wins out as he falls to his death into the lava with his precious in his hands after biting Frodo’s finger off in order to obtain it.