[Anguirel]

Let me say, incidentally, it's a foregone conclusion that the majority will pick Sam because he was so unselfish and nice and loyal, disregarding the fact that he had to put up with the Ring for a thousandth of the time of the others. Given five hundred years, I'd say it's a fairly safe bet that Sam would be little better off than Gollum. His meaner, Hobbitish conventions and narrowness would give the Ring plenty of material. So, ahem, he's my least favourite, because he's a blinking glory hogger.

Tempted though I am to pick Bilbo (The Original Hobbit Burglar, and a far wittier character than his successors) or Isildur (a much-maligned tragic character: why was he left out of the very question of this thread?), the real answer has to be Frodo. His insight, humanity, courage and determination made him achieve everything that could have been achieved. His failure was no failure, as his task was an impossible one. Yet (like Gawain) he reproached himself bitterly for it. He shows an excess of moral stamina and heroism which are too often done down by Sam-cuddlers-ironic as Sam himself would presumably have been horrified at the idea of stealing his master's credit.

So, Frodo it is. Frodo lives.