Favorite Middle Earth Character

[Greg Davis]

Ok, my first thought had been to make this a poll-based thread, but when I started listing possible favorite characters, I came up with way too many...

However, I'm interested to know who your favorite Middle-Earth character is. For me, it's a toss-up between Eol (the "Dark Elf" smith from the First Age), Celebrimbor (the Elven smith who was the primary forger of the Rings of Power), Feanor (who wrought the Silmarils), Gandalf and Aragorn. Also, though he's not a canon character, my own creation, Belegur, is one of my favorites. Generated under some modified Rolemaster rules, I've played him longer than any other character in any system, and I've probably put more work into him than any other character...definately my favorite roleplaying character (though that's a topic for a different thread, altogether).

I suppose that's one of the reasons why I'm looking forward to Decipher LOTR so much...a chance to play my favorite character again (as I don't play Rolemaster anymore).

As you can probably tell from my list, the majority of my characters were individuals who smithed, or crafted. This is something that normally doesn't hold much interest for me, but becuase of the intricacy of Tolkien's works, the details that he provides sometimes makes the items and works as interesting as the people that make them. Also, the noblilty of the majority of the characters makes them interesting to me, particularly Aragorn who, even though he knew he was destined to rule, never seemed to consider himself any better than anyone else, or treated anyone that he would consider a friend or an ally any better than he would expect to be treated.

Well, I guess what it boils down to is that I really like Tolkien's writings, and the characters of those writings...

So, what about all of you? Who's your favorite, and why?



Greg

[Phantom]

Legolas. I've always liked the Elven Ranger type. Like my 3ed D&D character.

Since you also mentioned a non-canon character I will plug one of mine, Grenjal of Rohan. I, like the people of Rohan, have a fondness of horses.

Also I like Gimli for his fighting spirit and Boromir and Faramir as they are great Captains.

[Liquidator Queeg]

I must admit that my favourite Middle-Earth character changes from time to time, depending on my mood, or what aspect of Tolkien's works is in the forefront of my mind. However, Galadriel always manages to remain close to my heart.

I'm not sure if it's her nobility, her fatalistic sadness, or her sheer wisdom and strength--I suppose it's a combination of the four.

For example, I always loved the Mirror scene in Lothlorien where she speaks to Frodo: it's one of the first times we truly see Frodo begin to come to grips with his fate; and Galadriel shows an endearing sympathy for him, as she tells him that his unenviable fate is ultimately "the footstep of Doom" for the Elven peoples. The fact that she tries to test Frodo, and winds up being tested herself by Frodo's offer of the Ring (albeit unconsciously on his part), is an incredible twist of storytelling. And Galadriel's "I shall be as beautiful and terrible as the morning and the night" speech ... Well, it just rocked on toast!

So, yeah, I'd have to pick Galadriel as my favourite character. I always imagined I'd be just as marble-mouthed as Sam Gamgee if I ever met her. She must've been a fox, after all!

On the other hand, Luthien Tinuviel was quite a tragically noble character, in the classic Shakespearean "damned-to-love" vein...

Nah, I can pick only one. I'll stick with Galadriel.

Steve

[Greg Davis]

I think that the sort of responses that have appeared so far (thanks, by the way, for responding!) are indicative of the masterful writing of Professor Tolkien...he put so much into each character, including the villains, that it's hard to really put a finger on one and say, "Yep, THAT'S my favorite character", and be able to leave it at that...



Greg

[Sarge]

For the major characters, I'd have to choose Aragorn. Favorite minor characters... well, there's Faramir, Beren and Luthien, Feanor and his seven sons, most of the Rohirrim... I'd also like to know more about Prince Imrahil and the Knights of Dol Amroth.

[Commodore 2]

Aragorn all the way!!!

[Lee T]

While I read this book the only characters that managed to get my interest where the two hobbits travelling with the ring (sorry but I don't remember their names ). I was very much tempted to skip every chapter not about them.

[Gaunt_Man]

My favorite character is probably Húrin, the Edain's greatest warrior. Not many people (or elves!) can go up against seventy trolls and a Balrog and live to tell about it (yeah, he didn't WIN, but he survived).

Second favorite is probably Eorl the Young, first king of the Rohirrim (I too am a Rohirrim fan).

Third is probably Frodo, the "wounded king". An incredibly noble hero who sacrificed a lot to do the right thing.

[Kaiddin]

Finrod Felagund - the pinacle of loyalty.
Theoden - the grandfatherly image.
Samwise - the reluctant real hero. Not a hero because of his might, just a hero because he had to be.

[REG]

I don't want to sound like a broken record skipping but... my fave is Aragorn.

[Greg Davis]

Well, when I narrow down the field to the characters from The Lord of the Rings, then my favorite is Aragorn. The nobility of the character, mixed with his compassion and empathy makes him really endearing to me.

The one time I played a noble character in D&D (a human prince named Gregor), I tried to pattern him after Aragorn. Heck, he was even a Ranger! I couldn't convince my DM to give me an awesome sword that needed to be repaired though...he said, in the words of Picard, "The line must be drawn here!"


Greg

[Phantom]

The Elven Ranger I played in our most recent D&D had a lot of Aragorn as well as Legolas.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

Well, far and away my favorite character is most definitly Gollum.

My pressciousssssss.....

I also like Fangorn (hoom hoom), Theoden, Wormtongue, Saruman...and, of course, who couldn't love Gandalf?

[jahn]

Legolas. I've always loved that name. Can't remember the character at all now though.

[Calcoran]

Why, that would be Aragorn ... or Gandalf ... or Sam, Fangorn, Gimli ... I've got to chose one, haven't I? Aragorn then.

No, wait, we're not restricted to the third age, are we? Feanor maybe ... or Fingolfin. That's it, Fingolfin! I liked him from the start, but that last fight against Mordor, when everything seemed lost ... it just brought tears to my eyes, it was ... magic.