There is no question here!
++Maedhros
He might be my favourite Tolkien character
ever. Like I said already, I tend to like Tolkien's less black-and-white characters. I don't particularily like baddies since they tend to be too evil, heroes are often too pure and perfect for me, morally ambiguous "grey" characters often strike me as spineless or annoying, but heroes with faults are the best. You can admire them and be intrigued by them, but you can also relate with them and also, they don't annoy you with their paper-thin or edgeless character. And for me, indeed, Maedhros is one of those "faulty heroes".
He has many great qualities. He has the attractive Noldorin temperament and pride and "inner fire", but he's not a foolish jerk like many of his kinsmen (*coughhisfathercough*). He can admit his mistakes and give way to others - he's surely the best negotiator of the seven brothers (Maglor would stand a chance with all his empathy, but I don't think he has the political cunning of his elder brother). Maedhros is a natural leader and also great warrior - besides, he lost his hand and leanred to fight again, isn't that just awesome? I love the big contradiction is character and his inner fight - the desire for the Silmaril, the pride, the stubbornness, the temperament and the deep sense of duty that drive him to the last desperate attempt, although he is wise, noble and gentle enough to know he's doing wrong.
Lastly, Maedhros features in two of the coolest scenes in whole Sil. I always, always, get a chill run down my spine of the scene of burning the ships in Losgar and Maedhros's disapproval of it (this tells also of his great character, I think). Also, Maedhros's and Fingon's deep friendship and Fingon's valiant and desperate mission to save his friend always touched me too.
Oh, this thread is really horrible. It makes me regress to a fan girl level.
(Speaking of which, I may tell you a secret here... I never wrote any "heroine falls in love with Tolkien's hero X" fan fics, but if I had, I have no doubt "hero X" would have been Maedhros...
)
And lastly, I want to say that I really have nothing against Bilbo - on the contrary. He's an adorable fellow and I like him very much. Maedhros just happens to be my special favourite...