Im not fond of any of the elves except maybe Legolas. It always seems the elves think they are better than men. And maybe they are better but only because Eru made them better not through any doing of their own.

Sam.
what is it with him anyway?
the way he worships Frodo gives me the creeps.

Definitly Thingol. The way he treated Beren was awful, and his pride become the death of him. Had I been in Luthien's shoes, i would have grabbed Beren, hauled out of Doriath, and gone somewhere where my proud, controlling father couldnt find us

I didn't really connect with Celeborn. Also, if Boromir and "movie Faramir" are considered "good guys," then them too.

The "good guy" that I hate the most is Finarfin. I mean, that man (Elf, whatever) was absolutely spineless! Even Fingolfin, who was considered one of the levelheaded brothers, mustered his courage and made it to Middle-earth. But then again, what can you expect from someone whose only claim to fame was being the prettiest of the bunch!

Hey, lay off the blondes. We aren't all wimps and dummies

I didn't mean to insult him because he was blond. In fact, I admire most of the blondes in Middle-earth. Just look at Galadriel and Idril! I love them both! I have nothing against blondes at all, it's just Finarfin that I hate!

It's ok, i was just kidding. But your right, Finarfin is a dweeb. At least his kids followed a different example than their father

I definitely agree with you, Finarfin was indeed a dweeb.

Another person who should be inducted into the Official League of Elf-King Dweebs is Thingol. I mean, that man just did not know when to let off. After all, Luthien was probably way over the Elven age of consent, and she had a right to decide who she wanted to love or not.

Yeah, Thingol is another one who needed a little sense slapped into him. He was the classic "I'm gonna control your life til you croak" parent from the underworld. He wouldnt even listen to his wife. Bad move, Thingol

My point exactly. He acts a LOT like my father!

Another father who needed to be slapped was Erendis' father. Erendis was such a brat!

I used to hate Boromir, and Aragorn used to irritate me. Now I feel for Boromir and Aragorn interests me; it is strange how views change over the years! I can't see how anyone could like Pippin least, though! There's just something joyful and resonant in Pippin's character that cheers me up, even when I am quite down! Even his thoughts at the Gate of Morannon, when he seemed to be dying under a troll, were uplifting. It is refreshing to read about a character whose spirit laughs a little, even on the threshold of death. Go Pippin!

OK, I got off the track there, didn't I? I can see why Celeborn might be an unfavorite, but I even feel for him after Galadriel leaves and he dwells alone among his beloved trees, a forlorn reminder of a great race passed to the West.

I do have a bone to pick with Melian the Maia, though; Thingol dies and she falls to pieces and lets her protection slip completely! Rather selfish, really! Goodbye Thingol, goodbye Doriath. Oh well! Find some other wayward elf in another forest, why don't you, Melian? (Apologies for editorializing!)

As for Maeglin; had high hopes for him at first, but I could see which way he was going. What a stinker!

I know I'll have to read the Silmarillion again to fully understand some things, but I found myself alternately feeling for and berating Turin! Sure he's a hero and all, but he seemed to be so reckless that he did a lot to doom Nargothrond himself. But, yes, what a run of bad luck! Never did anything deserve its fate more than Glaurung! Again, what a stinker!

Under the heading of irritating but at the same time endearing: Ioreth, one of the women in the Houses of Healing. What a gossip! She was interesting, though, for the illustration of just how legends are born: one of the halflings entered Mordor with only his esquire and set fire to the Dark Lord's tower! OK, the Enquirer version! (Or perhaps the Quibbler?) [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I can't think straight anymore, so I'll stop here...
'Night all!
Cheers,
Lyta

Well, Lyta dear, since when was Maeglin a good character? Perhaps it was just me, but from the second that I started reading about him in the Silmarillion, I knew he was going to go bad. I never really had any high expectations for him. After all, look at his father. Now the son had to inherit something of his father's personality.

So...biology is destiny? I see no evidence for that.

Maeglin was not "bound" to inherit his father's dark influence. He was quite a good guy when he saved his mother and he was a wise counselor of Turgon for many years. I would say he qualifies as a "good guy" if Boromir does. The only way Maeglin was like his father was in his pride. He loved unwisely, but not falsely. His evil deeds came from his rejected love and the jealousy resulting. Daeron also displayed jealousy out of pride, but he had less power to do something drastic out of his anger.

My least favorite "good guy", btw, is the Gaffer. He annoys me to no end.

What I meant to say was, Eol's greatest weakness was his pride, and it was also Maeglin's greatest weakness. Something like that tends to be passed on, not by biology, but by kids watching their parents' behavior. Maeglin probably saw his father being really arrogant towards his mother, and subconsciously, thought it was the way to be. It's another one of those Freudian things.

Maeglin's reason for helping his mother was partially self serving. He learned all he could from his father and anted more. I'm not saying that helping his mom wasnt good, but i would have thought better of him if he did it just for his love for her. If he had grown up differently, he may not have turned out like his father. And, Eol was a real creep, so Maeglin didnt have a real good example to follow

Definitely Denethor. That character came of as a total jerk for me. The way he treats Faramir and the way he doubts Gandalf and Aragorn sickens me.

I can't say that I dislike immensely any of the characters in LotR or the Sil, for such is Tolkien's writing that I can only feel sorry for some of their follies. For example, Feanor is clearly quite egocentric and his complete lack of duplicity in speech makes him seem overbearing and arrogant. But how else can one feel who knows well that he is the strongest, most cunning, fairest, greatest warrior and subtlest craftsman in the world? His follies were great, but I don't hate him for it. As for Denethor, his madness did not stem from a hateful or malevolent disposition but rather from an overwhelming fear of the darkness, a simple human emotion that all of us can relate with. As for Tom Bombadil, I can see why many serious fantasy readers would brush him off as a childish, stupid and pointless character, but personally he is one of my favorite characters in Tolkien's work, a breath of fresh air in his often dark and gloomy writing. Boromir I pity greatly, and I think Sean Bean did a wondrous job of bringing out the pitiable, only-human side of Boromir that many didn't recognize when reading LotR. I can honestly say that there are no characters in any of Tolkien's works who I dislike aside from the obviously evil characters. I do feel pity for many of them and think that they would have done better to make different choices. Even Morgoth himself was pitiable in a way, a great being with knowledge and power beyond any save Manwe and Eru, and it is pitiable even to see his mind corrupted and grievous to see the marring of the world at his hands.

Ah, Lord, wonderful. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
The only 'good guy' that I dislike somewhat is Denethor, but, as Tolkien's writing is, a person is not starkly good or bad, black or white. They are, thankfully, much more complex than that. Grey area makes for interesting reading and speculations, whereas black and white make for sometimes dull factualism and give the brain a rest. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Peace

This opinion topic has been moved to join other similar threads on the Novices and Newcomers forum. Please continue reading and posting there.

THINGOL. if anyone is prouder than he was it's probably Feanor but this one was more of a bad guy and yes i LIKE him...I hated the King of Doriath, why did Luthien have to be his child? she could've been a Vanya or a Noldo

Okay I admit I'm not very far in reading the Lord of the Rings books at all so I can't particularly judge by the books. But in the movies the one person who really drives me up the wall is Eowyn. The way she took quite a fancy to Aragorn knowing he belonged to someone else just made my opinion of her go south. Plus she just rubs me the wrong way she seems so...I don't know...she just frustrates me to no end!

Legolas. I hate him and his "minion" of girls who obsess about how cute he is. And how much he does when he does basiclly nothing exept shoot at things and be lookout. Example: "Oh, he's so brave. He just shot that guy in his stomach!"
Retards.

kittygirl02, I can see your point about Legolas, now that the movies are out. He had not made a big impression on me in the books, but I did notice that he was as far from pretentious and self-absorbed as an elf could get, which is something in itself, especially now that I've read the Silmarillion and know how bad some of the Elves can get! (Ahem--THINGOL!--Ahem!) (Staves off already anticipated jibe about my Fëanor fetish by admitting it IS a fetish/conceit! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] )

But back to the Elf in question: now that the "movie Legolas" is on the scene, it seems he is nothing more than a tool to show how cool and physically graceful the Elvish race is. The suggestion I've heard that he give Wormtongue his comeuppance by shooting an arrow straight up and waiting for it to come down into Wormtongue's skull from above is ludicrous, but knowing the primacy of the "obligatory Legolas stunt", I have little doubt that it may come to pass in ROTK. It saddens me to contemplate such a turn, because it would really cheapen Legolas' character for me for the sake of show. Then again, I can hold out hope that it won't happen...and last of all, I can return to the books, where Legolas really IS Legolas and Frodo doesn't drop his sword before the Witch King on Weathertop and my favorite Ford of Bruinen scene is just as it should be...and after all, the wellspring is my comfort!

Oh, welcome to the Downs, BTW, and I hope you will find comfort among the chatty dead! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers,
Lyta

I wouldn't say that there are any characters that I absolutly deteste, but there are some that I have 'issues' with.
Lots of people like Legolas, but I can't see it myself. He did quite a lot in TTT, but suddenly vanished in RotK and then turned senile and wandered about singing about the Sea all the time.
Butterbur really irritated me when he didn't send Gandalf's letter. I was like 'FOR GOODNESS SAKE! It's NOT THAT HARD!' Man alive!!
I also think that the way Denethor treated Faramir was unforgivable.

Elrond... Dude I am sorry but he is really, really out there! (nothing against elves mind you!)

Only the Elrond in the movies.
Yeah, I wasn't too fond of Thingol. Actually, I wasn't too fond of his brother (Olwe) either.

I am not too fond of the Dwarves they all seem a little to selfish and greedy. But that's just my opinion, however I do like Gimli.

I also want to add this, I like all of the good guys the same, there isn't one that I like less than another, however there is one good guy I like the most and that is Aragorn.

I don't know about anybody else, but Prince Imrahil just gets on my nerves. "Movie-Faramir" also irks me. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

First of all.... Elrond.... dude I love elves but what's the matter with that guy!?
Second... "movie Faramir" that is an evil clone of the real Faramir!
Third... Sam. the "worshiping Frodo" thing is a bit to much for me.

I nevr really liked Elrond because he didn't let Arwen go and stay with Aragorn in The Two Towers and he was like putting her down and stuuf. It's just rude. I'm sure he wouldn't like her telling him that he can't go with the person he loves.

Have to cast my vote for Tom Bombadil. In himself, he's an interesting character, but "The House of Tom Bombadil" slams on the brakes to a story that was previously pacing itself really well. I kept on wishing he would just be quiet and let the hobbits pack and get out of there. He just gets my goat for some reason.

I probably would have voted for Denethor, as well, except that I have a hard time putting him in the "good guy" category - granted, we don't get to see him at his best, and he probably did good things in his time, but he seems to have no real concept of what it is to join with anybody, good or evil. He's for himself.

Daisy Brambulber, all I have to say is that Butterbur is, well a typical innkeeper. "Baraliman Butterbur, a fat innkeeper who only remembers his own name because people shout it at him all day!"

And they made up Elrond's charactar for the movie, or enhanced it somewhat so that it looks like Liv Tyler is so tortured and cannot be with Aragorn. I hate that how they have to make up some love story so that more people(With a boyfriend/girlfriend) can watch it in the theatre and make out with each other. Sickos..

Arwen.I always hated her.I dont know why,but I do.

How long can somebody keep a grudge, I mean come on Elrond give it up!!!! So men got in your bad books three thousand years ago, its not like they are still around, you can blame the son for the sins of their father's. And second is it just me or sam likes frodo a bit too much if u know wat i mean, im all understanding of loyalty and all that but its all a bit too much in my opinion...
[img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Don't hate Legolas because an actor who has played the part of Legolas has thousands of female fans who only like him for his looks.

And Finwe, I take exception to your criticism of Finarfin. Why do you dislike him? Because he didn't rebel against the Valar? Why should he follow Feanor after all the nonsense he pulled?

I'll be predictable and vote for Feanor. I realise how great he was and all, but he did so many bad deeds that I cannot easily forgive him.

*claps and murmurs AMEN!*

Yes, I cannot quite pt my finger on why I hate Arwen, but I know i do hate her.
Perhaps it is because my friend(In my presance and who is a guy)said she was hott.
I don't know why that bothers me, but when people say "hott", it just makes me angry.
And how "Oh Arwen, I love you, but I can't be with you." That reminds me of Star Wars (Anakin and Amidala)
And for some reason, I've always hated barbies,(Seriously, I used to do some wacked out things to them) and girls who don't do anything and are so annoyingly perfect.
Maybe it is my imperfect self who is secretly jealous of all who seem to be perfect.

BAAAAAAAAAAM.Exactly.Arwen reminds me of Barbie. I hate those good girls in life,and I hate them in fiction. I am not saying that every girl should take a sword and kill all bad guys,but Arwen-type is too much.

*Hug you*
YES< I know what you mean.
I'm not the girliest person in the world, yet I still wear makeup and skirts(From hot topic of course)
But in real life, I cannot stand girls who do makeovers and disscus makeup in depth(What is there to disscus!)
And I think if you like that stuff, it's fine.
But get a fricking brain if that's all you talk about!!!!