Inundated with heroes and villains, delivers an exciting array of characters that tell the epic story of the quest to save Middle-Earth. Originally written by J.R.R Tolkien, Peter Jackson's adaptation of the trilogy illustrated the beauty and detail of the author's work.
Whilst the main heroes of the narrative are glaringly obvious, there are a few characters that sometimes miss out on the title. Some had smaller roles, whilst others were quieter in their achievements, but the underrated heroes are worth acknowledging just as much as the main characters.
Boromir had a rough ride when he went on the journey to Mordor, and only appeared in It became apparent from the Council of Elrond that he was the weakest member of the Fellowship, and the most likely to succumb to the Ring's powers. However, that didn't fully define his personality or what his intentions were.
Overall, Boromir knew where his loyalties lay, pledging (along with the rest of the Fellowship) to defend and protect Frodo. He also saved Merry and Pippin when he was struck by an arrow from an Orc. Boromir quite literally fought to the end, and not for his own sake. The two Hobbits wouldn't have stood a chance had it not been for Boromir.
Not only did he have to fight the enemies, but he had to fight his own urges towards the Ring.
Among the endless list of reasons for J.R.R Tolkien's work being hailed as some of the finest literature to date, is the fact that he would blend real-life, sensitive problems into the fantasy world he created. Faramir was undermined by his father, the Steward of Gondor, Denethor, who constantly compared him to his older brother Boromir.
Despite not having the support of his Dad, Faramir went on to be a hero in the trilogy.
Faramir was aware that their army was outnumbered by the opposition, but Denethor told him to lead a charge and potentially make him proud. The fight resulted in Faramir being wounded by arrows, leading his father to mistakenly believe he had died. Faramir regularly displayed courage and dedication, even when he was suffering.
Elrond led the council which saw the meeting of the
that would go on to destroy the One Ring. The threat of Mordor was looming and Elrond understood the enormity of what was going on in Middle-earth. His experience of the rings was enough for him to understand what must happen.
When Isildur gained possession of the One Ring after he cut Sauron's finger off, Elrond led him to the fires to end the war. Isildur had been taken over by evil and didn't throw it, but Elrond was the one to get him there. The Elf was very much committed to saving those on the side of good, and as such, he healed Frodo after he arrived at Rivendell because he'd been stabbed by the Witch-King.
Although the wound would never fully mend, he did what he could so that Frodo was able to carry on.
Best described as a gigantic, walking, talking tree, Treebeard wasn't convinced that he and the rest of the Ents should join in the war to defend Middle-earth. However, with some persuasion and a clever trick from Merry and Pippin which showed him the destruction that Saruman was causing, Treebeard called upon his fellow Ents to join the allies.
With Merry and Pippin clinging to his branches, Treebeard (and the Ents) attacked Isengard.
Taking on the Orcs, they flooded the area and washed them away. Saruman was both flabbergasted and distressed at what he was witnessing as he stood in his tower, unable to escape. It may have taken Treebeard a moment to do the right thing, but the decision he came to had a definite impact on the war.
Merry became part of the Fellowship even though he wasn't part of the Council of Elrond. After it had been decided that Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir would follow Frodo to Mordor, Merry, Pippin, and Sam were determined to go along with their friend.
Pippin and Merry were naturally paired together, because of their bond. But while , Merry was a little more tuned in to what was happening.
When Pippin was tempted by the Palantir that no one was supposed to touch, Merry tried to discourage him from going near it, obeying the rules that Gandalf had laid out. Merry also joined in with the battles and assisted Eowyn in destroying the Witch-King. Merry and Pippin were blissfully ignorant of the dangers growing at the hands of Sauron, but their loyalty and unquestionable devotion to those close to them was what pushed them to put their lives on the line.
The only thing that separated the two was Merry's ability to listen carefully.
A lifetime of being surrounded by men didn't lure Eowyn into a false sense of being less than or inferior to the opposite sex. Her gallant decisions made her a vital part in protecting her people, her family, and Middle-earth, and proved that the tradition of women staying behind to look after children or those who were weak, needn't be upheld.
Eowyn disguised herself and joined the army at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. In the battle, she came face to face with the Witch-King of Angmar, who swooped down on a fell beast and attacked her uncle, King Theoden. Eowyn stood between Theoden and the Witch-King, fighting off the enemy. The Witch-King said, "No man can kill me." With that, Merry stabbed him from behind, Eowyn took off her helmet and exclaimed "I am no man," then drove her sword into the black space between his steel mask, killing him. Not only had Eowyn killed , but she'd proved that it wasn't necessary to be a man to be an asset to an army.
In the trilogy, . Her wisdom was evident, and she was willing to guide those who needed it. Not only was Galadriel intelligent enough through knowledge and experience, but she was also very aware of her weaknesses, as shown by her test against the One Ring.
When she spoke with Frodo, he offered her the One Ring, to which she admitted that her "heart had greatly desired it." At that moment, her fair appearance transformed into a sight of evil, but she was strong enough to resist succumbing to the ring's powers.
Had she given in to it and joined Sauron, she would've been a formidable force that would only have caused more destruction. Galadriel fought the desires and urges, to continue on the side of good.
Arwen was another daring Elf, who followed her heart and fought as bravely as any other hero in The daughter of Elrond found Aragorn with Frodo and the Hobbits and immediately knew that he needed to get to her father to be saved.
Aragorn offered to take him, but she refused, knowing that she was the faster rider.
Arwen was well aware that they had Ringwraiths closing in on them, but she wasn't deterred. Her words "I do not fear them," were said with conviction. As she got to the River Bruinen, she summoned the water to sweep the Nazgul away, keeping Frodo safe. Not only was her heroism depicted with fearlessness, but Arwen also held Frodo with sensitivity, feeling the emotion that came with seeing the young hobbit in an uncertain state. Arwen's decision to take Frodo instead of Aragorn was undoubtedly the right thing to do, thus saving his life.
Only the finest of steeds would be fitting for one of Shadowfax was fast, elegant and faithful, but often slips under the radar when it comes to considering who the heroes of the trilogy are. The white horse became Gandalf's reliable companion, often used in transporting him between places, and at a fast pace.
While it's obvious that the likes of Gandalf were instrumental in saving Middle-earth, it is also worth noting that without Shadowfax, the Wizard wouldn't have been where he needed to be at various moments.
The steed carried him through battle with stamina and courageousness, never faltering at the sight of evil. Perhaps it's because he can't speak that Shadowfax isn't always identified as a hero, and is completely underrated.
, a statement that is hard to question because, ultimately, he destroyed the ring. However, there is a regular debate that argues how Samwise is just as much (if not more of) a hero. The hobbit wasn't called upon to take the ring to Mordor, yet, after listening in to the Council of Elrond, he was determined to accompany his dear friend.
Sam kept to his promise of "Mr.Frodo's not going anywhere without me." Everything that Frodo had to face, Sam was right by his side, and in some cases, stood between Frodo and evil. Sam's humble roots in the Shire hadn't prepared him to become a bodyguard, much less to face down Sauron's minions. But, like Merry and Pippin, his pure heart only knew how to be an unwavering, loyal friend, no matter the cost.
