Verily my compassion overcometh my wrath. Who are YOUR famous five?

[Thinlómien]

Maedhros - Though he's a hero and an admirable person, he has his flaws and that's what I like a lot. Characters that are too good annoy me. Maedhros is wise, brave, a good leader and thoughtful. And I don't know why, but proud and short-tempered characters - if they're not too proud or too short-tempered - always intrigue me. I like Maedhros's personality and I love it how he's the balancing force so often, trying to cool down his little brothers and negotiate with the other Noldo leaders. Furthermore, the scenes of burning of the ships of Alqualondë and Fingon rescuing Maedhros are both among my favourites in the Silmarillion.

Galadriel - She's gorgeous. Wise and powerful and more than a match to the males of her time. Not some whining, passive beauty who at most gives advice to her father/brother/husband, like so many of Tolkien's women. Galadriel is a strong-willed and intelligent woman who does things herself and is capable of many things. She's proud but not pompous and she can observe and stay in the background if she chooses to. And, of course, there's that very cool mirror of hers...

Théoden - I love his gentleness. Though he has lived through horrible times, he has lost so many close to him and he is rresponsible of the future of his people, he has not become harsh nor lost his good heart. Théoden is a wise and valiant man and his sense of humour just rocks. I guess he's the kind of person who everybody would love to have as their grandfather, or if one lived in Rohan, as their king.

Gandalf - I think he hasn't been appreciated enough lately. Mostly we see him only as "the big wizard". It pains me sometimes. He's a great personality! I absolutely love his sense of humour and his sharp tongue. He's wise and compassionate, but to balance things he's quite short-tempered. He's an awesome guy, eh?

Boromir - He's one of those achingly human characters in the books. Of course it is wrong of him to try to take the ring from Frodo. But you can see his reasons for it and understand him. Something in his personality and charisma greatly impresses me. He's one of those people of whom you could say "he's a great man". He's noble and brave and he has that fault of short-temper that seems to intrigue me. And his death is just something so heroic and beautiful.


But why just five? I would have loved to include at least Beorn, Balin, Merry, Melian, Finrod, Beleg, Morwen, Húrin, Ulmo, Bard and Haleth as well, but....

[smeagollives]

1. Smeagol (Smeagol lives and precious is with him)
2. Samwise (the best friend, one could wish for)
3. Bilbo (i liked him since my father red the hobbit to me when i was 6, liked him better in "the hobbit", than in lotr)
4. Saruman (i do not know why, but i like him)
5. The Gaffer (reminds me of our neighbour)

[Lolidir]

Frodo - as he portrays human nature...no matter how far we go and how hard we try, often enough we fall so many times

Sam - for being the friend that we should all strive to be

Elrond - as said before his story encompasses so much of the History of ME.

Smeagol - as he shows that no matter how despised and how much we hate someone...we cannot count out that they may yet have a role to play.

Aragorn - it was something i read in another book, its the ones that dont look for leadership or power that often are the Greatest leaders

Morgoth
Celebrimbor
Bilbo
Feanor
Luthien

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

My Favourate Characters are:
Samwise Gamgee "Samwise the Brave"
Peregrin Took "Pippin"
Meriadoc Brandybuck "Merry"
Bilbo Baggins "Mad Baggins"
Lobela Sackville-Baggins- I like her because she stood up against the ruffians in the scouring of the Shire
I also like Smeagol but not Gollum.

[The 1,000 Reader]

1. Frodo, for reasons that are probably obvious to everyone here.

2. Sam, for reasons that are probably obvious to everyone here.

3. Hurin. I just admire his last stand: he knows that he is doomed, the only one alive, and surrounded by Morgoth's hosts, yet he somehow finds the strength and will to take up an axe and more or less go crazy, hacking up pretty much everything he can find before finally being subdued by a mountain of bodies on top of him, numerous hands still grasping him, and the Balrogs. Say what you will about your Saurons and Elronds, but to me Hurin is more outstanding, despite his mortal self.

4. Gandalf. He's calm, collected, wise, brave, and friendly. He also shows emotion, ranging from joyful to grim, feeling like a regular person instead of the stern, angel-winged being you'd expect from someone with his origins. There's just something I like about Gandalf.

5. The Witch-King. In LOTR and the Sil, Sauron and Morgoth were always distant figures who hid behind their armies and were afraid. The Witch-King, however, felt like a powerful evil that sought you out and acted by his own hands, whether it be hunting for the One Ring or assaulting Minas Tirith. He bested the Kingdom of Arnor with (at first) the small, frigid realm of Angmar, did so in a relatively short (compared to Morgoth's campaigns) period of six-hundred years, and his victory was a sound one: there was no army to swoop in and save the day, no Valinor or Rohan on the horizon. Arnor was bested and no more. When Angmar fell, he just moved South, made Minas Morgul, and started assaulting Gondor. When Gandalf told him to leave the gates of Minas Tirith, he merely laughed and insulted Gandalf. Finally, even though his end wasn't brought about by the Ring's destruction or in a "fair" sword fight, the Witch-King still felt powerful and nearly unstoppable, feelings I certainly didn't get from the losses of Morgoth and Sauron. Besides, a sword wreathed in fire and eyes to match it just sounds awesome.

[littlemanpoet]

Faramir - believable nobility.

Frodo - amazing strength of will, ability to realize what's really going on in the black heart and mind of Sméagol, and compassion.

Eowyn - courageous even in despair.

Galadriel - formidable, beautiful, wise & sorrowing.

Sam - simple, loyal, courageous.

[Lindale]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Boromir - He's one of those achingly human characters in the books. Of course it is wrong of him to try to take the ring from Frodo. But you can see his reasons for it and understand him. Something in his personality and charisma greatly impresses me. He's one of those people of whom you could say "he's a great man". He's noble and brave and he has that fault of short-temper that seems to intrigue me. And his death is just something so heroic and beautiful.

The ultimate personification of human nature (the good and the evil) are in him! His breaking the oath to protecting Frodo is just a matter of evaluation--which is more important to him, the Elven advice or his daddy's city? For him, before he fully understood things, or rather when lapses occurred, the Elves and especially Elrond and the bloke Aragorn do not realize the threats of Mordor and the stuff he perceived the boost that the Ring can give. Ah well. Can we really blame him for this? The thing that got me though was that he had to die. Maybe because Tolkien wanted the guys with the stain of "evil" in their hearts to die? look at Feanor, Gollum, Turin, all those tragic heroes.

2. Feanor

The most talented and greatest of the Noldor, but... pride and temper is his downfall. I sympathize with that. Great minds, some blokes at school say, are often misunderstood. True for Feanor. And you see that he's no typical 'good boy'--on the contrary, he's the guy that will go to all ends to get what he wants.

3. Luthien

Love conquers all for this girl, even to the point of challenging Hell. Ah well. She fell in love. Sometimes that really happens. (and the fact that she and her lover were able to do what the forces of the Noldor and the Sindar could not do.)

4. Eowyn

Unlike Arwen who sat at home doing her embroidery or whatever she did to finish the banner, Eowyn chose to ride to death when she got rejected by the man she thought she loved. Despair, and pride. I love characters with pride. But at some point after the end, I got a little wacked because she chose the gentle guy. At first I thought she was going to be a Valkyrie or something.

5. Turin???

But not that much. He's like Oedipus, damned if he does this, damned if he doesn't. Poor bloke. But you got to admit that some of the stuff were his fault. Maybe not the death of Beleg, but the fall of Nargothrond. (And you gotta admit to o that Orodreth was stupid to listen to a mere mortal against the advices of a god's messengers.) Nienor was certainly not his fault, but... hah. He mistook the instinctive love for a sister for a wifely devotion!

Poor Hurin! Watching his kids getting more and more wretched, what could he have felt?

[McCaber]

In no particular order...

Ecthelion
Tuor
Earendil
Fingon
Maedhros

[Aganzir]

Boromir
I agree with everything said about him. It really wasn't his fault that he got tempted by the Ring and tried to take it from Frodo. He represented the other side of the coin among the Fellowship: he was there mainly because he was returning to his own country, but he helped them anyway - and died along the way.
It must been heavy for him to submit to Aragorn: Aragorn was the leader of the Fellowship after Gandalf's death, the rightful heir of Gondor's throne etc., but Boromir managed anyway, and even respected him.

It was a terrible pity that Boromir died, but what else could have happened to him? He tried to take the Ring from Frodo, and would have been ashamed for it for the rest of his life, had he still lived. Would he have been able to face Frodo after that? Anyway, he made amends for his deed by trying to save Merry and Pippin (Tolkien seemingly forgave him that he had had to try to take the Ring); he didn't die as one of those bad fellows.
Furhermore, he's proud, attractive, valiant, noble... What more can a woman ask for?

Saruman
One of the saddest moments in Lotr is when they meet Saruman on the road. He's so... defeated, but still full of pride and anger. And they treat him really unjustly. Even though he sent his armies against Rohan and whatever, he doesn't deserve to be scorned like that.

It's his power and intelligence that I like most - and that voice! I must confess I've always almost wished Gandalf hadn't rejected his offer to join him. Poor Saruman! Why are the Wizards always being so mean to each other?

Tom Bombadil
Old Tom Bombadil - he's such a merry fellow, and my first favourite character ever. Living in a house in the middle of forest. Independent and powerful. Sympathetic.
And I just loved the Adventures of Tom Bombadil. He's so funny and sharp-tongued.

Eärendil
Certainly one of the most wonderful characters in Tolkien's mythology. He brought hope to Men and Elves and became a star. Now that's beautiful. And he came from the sky and slew Ancalagon in the War of Wrath.
It was both comfortable and a little sad when Amandil referred to Eärendil in Akallabêth ("... and that I shall show you no such sign as Eärendil showed long ago."). It's so clear there will never be someone other like him - not in Middle-earth.
I haven't read that many fantasy books, but I dare guess having a character with much resemblance to Eärendil would be too obvious plagiarism. At least I hope so.

Fingolfin
He challenged Melko to a duel even though was sure to lose. And look how he treated Fëanor although he was being so, well, unfriendly. I wish my little brothers were as devoted and kind to me.
He was the greatest king of the Noldor ever (though he, too, suffered from a certain kind of folly, which seems to be in the genes of the House of Finwë). The most proud and most valiant.

There are so many others I could have included; Maeglin, Maglor, Tuor, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, Old Man Willow, Thorin Oakenshield, Eöl... (Am I cheating or something? It was supposed to list five, I have 12.) Actually, Fingolfin could be replaced by any of those.

It would be interesting to find even one list I've made as a child - I can clearly remember writing several top5 lists of the characters of the Lotr, Sil etc., but I've no idea anymore who were included in the lists.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

It would be interesting to find even one list I've made as a child - I can clearly remember writing several top5 lists of the characters of the Lotr, Sil etc., but I've no idea anymore who were included in the lists.

Can't resist to post this here. You have given me a "have nice summer" -card when you were 12, and your top list (to which you refer as the final one ) is as follows:

1. Gimli
2. Boromir
3. Éomer
4. Denethor
5. Pippin
6. Finrod
7. Fëanor
8. Eöl
9. Eorl the Young
10. Saruman

So both different and alike.

I wish I could find mine... I had loads of them too. I think I still have some notebooks in which I've listed those but I'd first have to find those notebooks which might prove quite a difficult task given how unorganised person I am...

~*~

I think it's very interesting to look at who people name as their favourites. Ecthelion, who is only briefly mentioned in the Silmarillion (and UT? but I know he's in Lost Tales, but still) has gathered mentions from as much as two people. Also, some members of the Fellowship, Legolas and Gimli, have gathered no mentions this far. I find it odd in a way. I like them both, but neither belongs to my absolute favourites. I wonder if it's just that other people feel the same way, or are there real Legolas&Gimli -haters around?

[Groin Redbeard]

This is an interesting topic, I'd like to see some of the newer people post in here and see what they think.

Dain II Ironfoot
A truly remarkable ma... er, I mean dwarf! A natural leader, he led his people to great prosparity ever since the battle of Azanulbizar! The last great leader of the dwarves in my opinion, I absolutely loved his fareness with the treasure of the Lonely Mountain, any lesser dwarf would have kept it and started another great war. I loved, and was sad at the same time, that he died with his boots on in the the battle of the Dale defending the body of his ally King Brand at the age of 236! A true King fighting for his people and leading them unto his last breath. Here's to you Dain II, the last great dwarf king!

Gandalf
He reminds me of a grandfather looking after his children. He is so unselfish in sacrificing himself, and sometimes others, all for the purpose of defeating Sauron. I love it when he sits down and starts recounting tales of long years past. Here's to the selfless and ultimate Loremaster!

Gimli
A dwarf that did what few dwarves could be capable of doing, becoming friends with an elf. I love his dedication that he gives to his friends. A typical dwarf would think first of his people before seeking to help people of other races, but Gimli followed his mission through to the end helping people that dwarves would generally be unconcerned about. Here's to the loyal Gimli!

Faramir
Wiser and quieter than his brother, Faramir strikes me as a great philosipher rather than a soldier. His wisdom certainly saved Frodo and Sam's quest, the right man in the right place at the right time. Here's to the noble Faramir!

Frodo
The greatly underestimated hobbit from Bagshot Row! His sacrifice was the ultimate test of courage, to lose everything and anything that he loved. Leaving his home on a quest that would probably seal his doom, and would seal the fate of Middle Earth. The weight of something so great on something so small is remarkable in itself, but to actually have him succeed is an even greater wonder! Here's to the resiliant and brave Frodo Baggins!


There are around three others that I'd like to mention, but it's only suppose to be five characters.

[Eönwë]

I'm going to go for some more obscure characters:

(in no particular order)

Tom Bombadil
Hurin
Ulmo
Cirdan
Aghan?

(if I can't have the last one, as he's just a myth, then I'll replace him with Sam, who has always been my favourite character in LOTR, after Tom Bombadil, of course)

But if sticking to LOTR:

Tom (Again)
Sam
Old Gandy
Faramir
The Gaffer