[Eorl of Rohan]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

No wonder my favourites include such characters as Maedhros (who died, btw ), (...) And yeah, A hero is not a hero if he's flawless and thus boring (although Finrod Felagund makes an exception here, he's just cool!

I thought Maedhros was the one who got his hand cut off. Didn't he live to a long age, but always wielded his sword by his left hand better than his right? oh, yeah, I just remembered, he later threw himself into a chasm with his silmaril rather than to surrender it. Forgot that one.

I really like the down to earth, simple heroes the best. Sam Gamgee is my favorite hero from LotR

So does my boyfriend, for some unfathomable reason. Back in my younger days, I would have never understood that. I thought Sam too sappy and without a backbone, and probably had a crush on - (No, I shouldn't instill evil thoughts into the pure minds of the barrow-downers!) But now that I think back on it, I can finally understand the reason why so many people think Sam with his unswaying devotion and faithfulness is heroic. Tho' Beleg is perhaps a better candidate for your admiration, perhaps, since he was (1) faithful (2) died tragically. (Tragedy is awesome!) While my heroic ideal is irreversibly fixated on a tragic-flaw-leads-to-death concept, I am finding a newfound respect for Sam Gamgee as well.

He didn't just fight Uruks; he fought to protect Merry and Pippin. I'd also add that, considering the disparity between them and Boromir in importance, it seems an even more noble act for a distinguished scion of Gondor to lay down his life to protect two inconsequential hobbits.

I completely agree with you. He didn't die to save a golden-tressed maiden that he was in love with, or lords and ladies. He gave his life to save two little trembling hobbits who had no one else to protect them; a truly heroic deed.