The Middle Earth Popularity Cup

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

++Glaurung
He's a Dragon. No contest.
Dragons are The Coolest Thing Ever.
Shame he was up against Thorin who is also very, very cool and bad-tempered and bearded and things that I usually like....but Dragons win.

My words exactly.

It was a funny thing I heard from the radio last week (okay, I downloaded it from the Fora tv). There was a catholic professor who discussed his faith and he made a remark going something like this (I'm not going to try and find the exact quote as the program lasts something like 1½ hours): the catholic-based literature is interesting as it has all the hues and colours of the world with the contradictions and "unbelievables" and everything's a mess. But with the protestant literature only the baddies are interesting as the goodies are just plain bores.

Even if I am a non-believer, I have been raised in a protestant society and not even Tolkien's catholicism and his spirit as a writer can move my head from voting

++ Glaurung

Goodies are most of the time uninteresting. Thorin less so as there are many traits in him that make him stand out from the traditional goodie-gallery (hurray catholicism? ). Sadly just not enough to be an opponent to Glaurung...


How are you deciding on these match-ups Skip? I would have loved to see both of these in the next round! Fex. Sauron of the LotR is beaten by Thorin with no effort. Okay, Sauron of the Silmarillion is more of a challenge as there he has something like a personality... how did the prof. lose the grasp of such a magnificient character in the LotR?

Maybe I'll open a thread for this last question as it really started bothering me right now as I thought of it...

[the phantom]

Glaurung took over Nargothrond. Thorin's done nothing so astounding.

And because of the important part he played in the tale that may be my favorite of all (The Children of Hurin), I must vote-

++Glaurung

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

How are you deciding on these match-ups Skip?

First I chose 84 characters from JRRT's books, more or less arbitrarily. Then I E-mailed a poll and a questionnaire to 764 randomly selected Tolkien-fans, asking for their input on questions regarding the complexity, importance and charm of the characters in the list. Using the information gathered I came up with a list of 32 characters, 8 of which were seeded in order to avoid having the top names come up against each other in the early rounds. More or less like that. More less than more maybe.

Back to the subject. I never cared much for Thorin to be honest. When I first read the Hobbit he really infuriated me with his pompous, greedy and stubborn ways. Now I've warmed up to him in partly, but hey, Glaurung is such a badass. I think his bane, the sneaky and spineless Turin, said it best:

Originally Posted by CoH

His power is rather in the evil spirit that dwells within him than in the might of his body, great though that be

Smaug liked to have crispy dwarves for supper. I bet his mighty ancestor is no different and Thorin is a just a pre-dinner snack for the great wurm:

++Glaurung (the score is 6-5 to the dragon at present)

(Admittedly he did get a mouthful at the Nirnaeth though)

Originally Posted by Legate

Come on, people. Crawling on the ground? How inappropriate for the Father of Dragons! Such a disgrace! A big, fat dust-eating worm? Down with him!

Hey now, what did he need to fly for? Flying is for sissies really. Like starlings, butterflies and sparrows.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by skip spence

First I chose 84 characters from JRRT's books, more or less arbitrarily. Then I E-mailed a poll and a questionnaire to 764 randomly selected Tolkien-fans, asking for their input on questions regarding the complexity, importance and charm of the characters in the list. Using the information gathered I came up with a list of 32 characters, 8 of which were seeded in order to avoid having the top names come up against each other in the early rounds.

You're kidding, right? Right?

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

You're kidding, right? Right?

Like I said, I did it more or less like that. Much more less than more, admittedly.

[skip spence]

Glaurung has defeated Thorin by six votes to five.


Match 7 of Round 1:
Beren is said to be the greatest Man ever to walk Middle Earth and he's got the hottest missus in history too. But is that enough against Boromir, who despite falling for the temptation of the ring is a celebrated member of the fellowship?

Boromir vs. Beren

[mormegil]

++Beren

If I ever have a son I wish to name him Beren. Plus I'm mad at Boromir88

[Gollum the Great]

++Boromir

My fave. from LOTR. No Question.