Frodo Baggins

Frodo is a Hobbit (or halfling), born on September 22 of the year 2968 of the Third Age to Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck. He spent most of his life in The Shire.

In 2980 of the Third Age, Frodo lost both his parents in a boating accident. Being a young minor of twelve he was taken in by his mother's family, the Brandybucks. In 2989, Frodo came under the guardianship of Bilbo Baggins, whom he thinks of as his uncle (though Frodo was actually his first and second cousin once removed, since his mother is Bilbo's first cousin, and his father is Bilbo's second cousin). Frodo was twenty-one years old at the time, still far short of his coming of adult age at thirty-three. The childless Bilbo chose Frodo as his adoptive heir, and brought him to live at Bag End.

Bilbo and Frodo share a common birthday on 22 September, but Bilbo is seventy-eight years Frodo's senior. At the opening of The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo and Bilbo are celebrating their Thirty-Third and Eleventy-First (111th) birthdays, respectively, on 22 September, T.A. 3001.

Frodo was entrusted with the keeping of the One Ring when Bilbo left for Rivendell after the celebration. Gandalf warned Frodo that the Ring must never be used and should be kept secret. (At the time, he was not yet certain that it was a Ring of Power.) Frodo kept the Ring hidden for 17 years, until T.A. 3018, when Gandalf returned to confirm that it was indeed the One Ring. Gandalf sent him away with Sam Gamgee, Frodo's gardener and eventually his dearest friend. Together with his cousins Peregrin "Pippin" Took and Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck, and later the ranger Strider, they made it to the House of Elrond. There, at Elrond's Council, it was decided that the Ring must be destroyed by casting it into the Crack of Doom. A Fellowship was formed to protect Frodo as the Ring bearer. His quest to destroy the Ring forms the main story of The Lord of the Rings.

Frodo carried a small Elven sword (actually a dagger, the weapon is the comparitive size of a short sword to a hobbit) called Sting and wore a coat of Dwarven chainmail made of mithril under his clothes, both given to him by Bilbo. At Lothlórien, Galadriel gave him an Elven cloak and a phial carrying the light of the star Eärendil to aid him on his quest.

While waiting for Gandalf at the disused watchtower Weathertop, Frodo was stabbed by the Witch-king of Angmar, the chief of the Nazgul, with a Morgul blade. Without the assistance of Elrond, the wound would have turned him into a wraith. Even so the wound troubled him for years to come, never healing completely.

Among the Fellowship, Frodo was most affected by Gandalf's apparent death in Moria, having grown up with the old wizard as a kind of grandfather-figure. He was also the most relieved when Gandalf returned, seemingly from the dead.

The Fellowship separated at Amon Hen after one of its members, Boromir, was killed by Orcs while defending Pippin and Merry, an attempt at redemption after he tried to take the Ring for himself. Frodo and Sam headed toward Mount Doom. At about this time, the creature Gollum began to follow them, seeking to reclaim the Ring he had possessed for centuries. Frodo eventually captured and "tamed" Gollum, using him as their guide to Mordor. The two formed a sort of bond, as they both knew all too well what a heavy, seductive burden the Ring was.

Gollum eventually betrayed them, however, leading them to Cirith Ungol, the lair of Shelob, where he planned to take the Ring after the giant spider had eaten them. Shelob bit Frodo and put him in a coma, but he was saved from death when Sam fought her off. Sam could not save him from a pack of Orcs, however, who carried him off to their dungeon. Thankfully, Sam had pocketed the Ring before the Orcs arrived.

Sam rescued Frodo from the Orcs, and the two set off for Mount Doom. By this time, however, Frodo was considerably weakened by the Ring's influence; when they reached the volcano, Frodo finally gave in to its power and took it for himself. Moments later, however, Gollum attacked him and bit off his finger, taking the Ring. Gollum then lost his balance and fell into the waiting lava, taking the Ring with him and finally destroying it. Frodo and Sam were saved by a flock of Eagles of Manwë as the volcano erupted and collapsed.

Upon his return to the Shire, Frodo cleared out the criminal mob, led by his cousin, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, and the fallen wizard Saruman, that had taken over the region during his absence.He refused however, to carry a sword or any weapon. He saw to it that any enemies captured were not killed. He never recovered from the physical and emotional wounds he suffered during the War of the Ring, and was in particular taken ill on the anniversaries of the days of his wounding on Weathertop and his poisoning by Shelob. He briefly served as Mayor, but had to resign due to his failing health. Two years after the Ring was destroyed, Frodo and Bilbo as Ring-bearers were given the right to travel to Tol Eressëa where, though remaining mortal, they might rest and be healed, together with Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel. They boarded a ship from the Grey Havens and passed over the sea on 29 September, T.A. 3021. Having no children of his own, Frodo left his estate and passed on the Red Book to Sam, who, according to Hobbit legend, followed Frodo across the sea sixty-one years later, following the death of his wife Rosie (nee) Cotton.

Gandalf the Wizard

Gandalf is the best-known of the Maiar of the people of Valinor. He was known as Olórin who dwelt in the gardens of Irmo and was the pupil of Nienna. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Wizards to Middle-earth, Olórin was proposed by Manwë, in order to counsel and assist all those in Middle-earth who opposed Sauron. He is said to be one of the wisest of that order, rivalling Saruman, with whom he had a strained, competitive relationship.

In The Hobbit, Gandalf appears to the Hobbits of the Shire, where he spent a great deal of time, as little more than a vain, fussy old conjurer who entertained children with fireworks during festivals and parties. He (partially) reveals his true nature and power to Bilbo Baggins, when he arranges and partially accompanies a band of thirteen Dwarves to regain the Dwarvish treasure of the Lonely Mountain that was stolen many years before by the dragon, Smaug. It is on this quest that Gandalf finds his sword, Glamdring, and that Bilbo finds the One Ring (though at the time it is mistaken for a lesser ring).

Unknown to the Dwarves or Bilbo, Gandalf had joined the quest in order to investigate what he suspected to be the resurgence of Sauron (or the "Necromancer", as he is referred to in The Hobbit) in Mirkwood. During the Dwarves' quest, Gandalf twice vanishes — once to scout their path, the second time to "attend to other pressing business", the nature of which he refuses to discuss. Some years before, he had encountered Thráin II, father of the quest's leader, Thorin Oakenshield, dying in Dol Guldur, and the Dwarf king entrusted him with a map to Erebor. As Dol Guldur had once been one of Sauron's strongholds, Gandalf feared that Sauron's agents were at large again. He met Thorin years later and agreed to go on the quest as a way to investigate further. He insisted, however, on bringing Bilbo along as a "burglar", someone who could sneak into places Dwarves couldn't access and gather information.

When Bilbo finds the One Ring, Gandalf is immediately suspicious of the Hobbit's story of how he acquired it. He privately confronts Bilbo and forces the truth out of him, and is deeply troubled by his story of the ring's powers, as they seem eerily familiar. Perhaps even more troubling to him is that Bilbo, a proper, honorable hobbit, would uncharacteristically lie about his story.

He disappears when the company reaches Mirkwood, and does not reappear again until the Battle of Five Armies breaks out. After the battle, he accompanies Bilbo back to the Shire.

Gandalf spends the years between 2941-3001 T.A. travelling Middle Earth in search of information on Sauron's resurgence and Bilbo's mysterious ring. He spends as much time as he can in the Shire, however, strengthening his friendship with Bilbo and befriending Bilbo's heir, Frodo. It is also at about this time that he first begins to be suspicious of Saruman.

In 3001 T.A., he attends Bilbo's "Eleventy-First" (111th) birthday party, bringing many fireworks and a giant flying firework 'dragon', indicating his knowledge of chemistry as well as magic. At the end of the party Bilbo puts on the ring and disappears at the end of his speech, as a prank on his neighbors. Troubled by this, Gandalf confronts his old friend and tries to persuade him to leave it to Frodo. Bilbo becomes hostile and accuses him of trying to steal the ring—which he calls "my precious," much as Gollum, the creature Bilbo had taken the ring from, had. Horrified, Gandalf stands to his full height and almost orders Bilbo to leave it behind. Bilbo returns to his senses, and admits that the Ring had been troubling him lately. He then leaves, the first Ring-bearer in history to have relinquished it voluntarily.

Over the next seventeen years, Gandalf travels extensively, searching for answers. Having long sought for Gollum near Mordor, he meets with Aragorn, who had captured the creature, in Mirkwood. Gandalf interrogates the wretched creature and learns that Sauron had forced Gollum to tell what he knew about the ring under torture, adding to Gandalf's suspicions that Bilbo carried the One Ring.

Upon returning to the Shire, in Chapter 2 of The Fellowship of the Ring, he confirms his suspicions by throwing the Ring into Frodo's hearth fire and reading the writing. He tells Frodo the full history of the Ring, urging him to leave with it and make for Rivendell, the home of the Elves, knowing he is in grave danger if he stays at home.

Riding near the Shire, Gandalf encounters Radagast the Brown, who asks him to seek out Saruman because the Nazgûl have come forth and crossed the River Anduin. Gandalf leaves a note for Frodo with Butterbur, an inn-keeper in Bree, and heads towards Isengard. Once there, he is betrayed and held captive by Saruman, who had already come under the influence of Sauron due to his use of the Palantír. Eventually rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle, Gandalf only reaches the Shire after Frodo has set out and does not meet up with him until Frodo reaches Rivendell on October 20.

Taking leadership of the Fellowship (nine representatives of the free peoples of Middle-earth "set against the Nine Riders"), he and Aragorn lead the hobbits and their companions on an unsuccessful effort to cross Mount Caradhras in winter. Then they take the "dark and secret way" through the Mines of Moria, where they meet an ancient demon, a Balrog, one of the Maiar corrupted by Melkor in the First Age.

Since Gandalf and the Balrog were both Maiar, they were beings of the same order. As they faced each other, Gandalf broke the Bridge in front of him, but as the Balrog fell it wrapped its whip around Gandalf's ankle, dragging him into the abyss. As the Company looked in horror, Gandalf cried "Fly, you fools!" and was gone. Neither he nor the Balrog was killed by the fall, and Gandalf pursued the creature for eight days until they climbed to the peak of Zirakzigil. Here they fought for two days and nights. In the end, the Balrog was cast down and it broke the mountain-side as it fell. Gandalf himself died following this ordeal and his body lay on the peak while his spirit travelled outside of Time.

Gandalf was "sent back", resurrected by Eru, returning as a more imposing figure, Gandalf the White. After being found by Gwaihir he was healed of his injuries and reclothed in white robes by Galadriel in Lorien. In Fangorn forest he encounters the Three Walkers (Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas) who were tracking Fellowship members (and Frodo's cousins) Merry and Pippin. Arriving in Rohan, Gandalf finds that its king, Théoden, has been weakened by Saruman's agent, Grima Wormtongue. He breaks Wormtongue's hold over Theoden, and convinces the king to join them in fighting Sauron. They then go on to prosecute the war against Orthanc and Barad-dûr.

After the overthrow of Saruman, Gandalf breaks his staff and banishes him from the Order of Wizards. He then takes Pippin with him to Gondor to aide in the defense of the city. Gandalf buys the city precious time by facing off against the Witch-king of Angmar, the Lord of the Nazgûl, giving the Rohirrim enough time to reach the city during the Battle of Pelennor Fields.

Gandalf leads the final battle against Sauron's forces at the Black Gate, waging an all-out battle to distract the Dark Lord's attention away from Frodo and Sam, who were at the very same moment scaling Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Without his efforts, Sauron may well have learned where the two Hobbits were and killed them before they could complete their task.

Three years later, Gandalf, now having spent over 2,000 years in Middle-Earth, departs with Frodo, Galadriel, Bilbo, and Elrond across the sea to the Undying Lands.

Aragorn

Aragorn was born on March 1 in 2931 of the Third Age, the son of Arathorn II and his wife Gilraen. Aragorn is a direct descendant of the elder son of Elendil, Isildur (he is Isildur's great x 37 grandson). Elendil founded the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor in Middle-earth after his homeland of Númenor was destroyed in S.A. 3319. Aragorn is named after his ancestor, Aragorn I. In a note written well after the initial publication of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien gave Aragorn's height as 6 feet 6 inches tall.

Through his ancestor Elendil (whom he has an astonishing resemblance to, according to those who have met both), Aragorn is a descendant of Elros Tar-Minyatur, Elrond's twin brother and the first king of Númenor.

When Aragorn was only two years old, his father was slain when an arrow pierced him in the eye, while hunting Orcs. Like many of his ancestors, Aragorn was fostered in Rivendell by the elf-lord Elrond Halfelven. At the request of his mother, his identity was kept secret, as she feared he would be slain like his father and grandfather if his true identity as the Heir of Isildur became known. Aragorn was named Estel (Sindarin for "Hope") instead, and was not told about his heritage until he came of age in 2951.

At that time, Elrond revealed to "Estel" his true name and ancestry, and delivered to him the shards of Narsil and the Ring of Barahir. He withheld the Sceptre of Annuminas from him till he "came of the right" to possess them. It was also around this time that, in the woods of Imladris (the Elvish name of Rivendell), Aragorn met and fell in love with Arwen, daughter of Elrond, who had newly returned from her mother's homeland of Lórien.

From then on, Aragorn assumed his proper role as sixteenth of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain Rangers of the North, and went into the Wild, where dwelt the remnants of his people, whose kingdom had been destroyed through civil and regional wars centuries before.

In 2953 he was not present in Rivendell for the last meeting of the White Council. Aragorn met Gandalf the Grey in 2956, and they became close friends. At Gandalf's advice he and his followers began to guard a small land known as the Shire, inhabited by the diminutive and agrarian Hobbits, and he became known among the peoples just outside the Shire's borders as Strider.

From 2957 to 2980 Aragorn took great journeys, serving in the armies of King Thengel of Rohan, and Steward Ecthelion II of Gondor. Many of his tasks weakened Sauron and his allies, which during the War of the Ring helped the West survive. His name in Gondor and Rohan was Thorongil (Eagle of the Star), and with a Gondorian attack force he led an assault on the long-standing rebel province of Umbar in 2980, taking the city and slaying its lord. After the victory at Umbar, "Thorongil" left the field and to the horror of his men, went East.

Later in 2980 he visited Lórien, and there once again met Arwen. He gave her the heirloom of his House, the Ring of Barahir, and Arwen pledged her hand to him in marriage, renouncing her Elvish lineage and accepting the Gift/Doom of Men: death.

Elrond withheld from Aragorn permission to marry his daughter until such time as his foster son should be king of both Gondor and Arnor. This seemingly harsh condition should be judged both in light of its most similar precedent — the elf-lord Thingol's request that the mortal Beren wrest a Silmaril from the Dark Lord Morgoth before marrying Thingol's daughter Lúthien — and of Elrond's (and Aragorn's) knowledge that to marry a mortal his daughter would be required to herself choose mortality, and thus deprive the deathless Elrond of his daughter while the world lasted. Elrond was also concerned for Arwen's own happiness, fearing that in the end she might find death, both her own and that of her beloved, difficult to bear.

In 3009 Aragorn went at Gandalf's request into Rhovanion in search of Gollum. He finally caught the creature in the Dead Marshes in sight of Mordor, and brought him as a captive to Thranduil's halls in Mirkwood, where Gandalf questioned him.

On September 30, 3018, Aragorn was waiting in the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree, near the northeastern borders of the Shire, where he introduced himself to Frodo Baggins, and began his role in the War of the Ring. Aragorn was aged 87 at that time, nearing the prime of life for one of royal Númenórean descent.

The restoration of the line of Elendil to the throne of Gondor is a subplot of The Lord of the Rings; Aragorn's adventures not only aid Frodo in his Quest, but also bring him closer to his own kingship — which, although his by lineage, has due to historical and legal circumstances been left open for centuries, with the people of Gondor under the rule of Stewards, while it was widely doubted whether any of the royal line still lived. Shortly after Isildur's departure, Meneldil had severed Gondor from Arnor, although the formal title of High King remained with the northern line. This was reinforced by the Stewards Pelendur and Denethor who felt it was their right as the House of Anárion to not to bow down to Isildur. At the time, the common sentiment of the people of Gondor, including Boromir, was disdain for the northern line's lack of power and dignity, despite their legitimacy and unbroken line. Aragorn overcame all doubts as to his legitimacy with his accomplishments during the War of the Ring, as well as by his gracious and noble character. During the last weeks of the war, he won over the most important figures in Gondor, including the last nominally-ruling Steward, Faramir.

Aragorn was the founder of the West's endgame strategy in the War of the Ring. Prior to the downfall of Isengard, there was no clear plan which recommended itself to Gondor and Rohan, but when Aragorn recovered the Palantir of Orthanc, a stone which allowed direct communication with Sauron, he was determined to show himself as the Heir of Isildur. He fooled Sauron into believing that he possessed the One Ring. Following up on this ruse became Gandalf's basic policy when he took over Gondor's military command after the incapacitation of the Steward Denethor II.

He proved beyond any doubt, his right to kingship, when he commanded the Army of the Dead; for it was a task that could be achieved only by the rightful king. In the words of Malbeth the seer of Arvedui's time, a day would come when one of the line of the kings would seek out the paths of the dead, and he would be in need of haste.

Aragorn's unexpected arrival at the Battle of Pelennor Fields leading Gondor's Southern Army turned the tide of the battle and brought about the decisive victory over Mordor's armies.

Essential to Aragorn's personal popularity in Gondor were his abilities as a healer, which he exercised most notably on the evening following the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Aragorn healed Faramir, who had been expected to die; this won him the immediate recognition of the Steward as the rightful heir to the throne, and his humility and self-sacrifice gained him the hearts of the inhabitants of Gondor's capital city.

In order to ensure safe passage across Mordor for Frodo to fulfill his quest, Aragorn then led the Army of the West out from Minas Tirith to make a diversionary feint on the Black Gate of Mordor itself in the Battle of the Morannon. On the occasion he deferred to Gandalf, who served as the spokesman for the Host of the West. Aragorn's combat contributions to the battle, while undoubtedly great, were inevitably overshadowed by the destruction of the Ring, the fall of Barad-dûr, and the rescue mission mounted by Gandalf to find the Ring-bearer.

Upon Sauron's defeat, in late 3019 T.A. (and marking the beginning of year 1 of the Fourth Age) Aragorn was crowned as King Elessar (Sindarin, translated as Elfstone), a name given to him by Galadriel. He married Arwen shortly afterwards, and ruled the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor until 120 F.A. (3141 T.A.) His reign was marked by great harmony and prosperity within Gondor and Arnor, and by a great renewal of cooperation and communication between Men, Elves, and Dwarves, fostered by his vigorous rebuilding campaign following the war. He died at the age of 210, after 120 years of reign. He was succeeded on the throne by his son Eldarion. Arwen, gravely saddened by the loss of her husband, gave up her now-mortal life shortly afterwards in 121 F.A., aged 2,901.

Aragorn and Arwen also had a number of daughters, whose names are not included in Tolkien's legendarium.

Aragorn was called the Dúnadan ("Man of the West" [Númenorean], given by Bilbo in Rivendell), Longshanks (given by Bill Ferny in Bree), and Wingfoot (given by Éomer). He was the founder of the House of Telcontar (Telcontar is "Strider" in Sindarin, after the mistrustful nickname given him by the rustics of the North), which ruled Gondor well into the Fourth Age of Middle-Earth; in records, his full ruling name is given as Elessar Telcontar ("Elfstone Strider").

Samwise Gamgee

Sam is Frodo Baggins' servant who proves to be the most loyal of the Fellowship of the Ring. A gardener by trade, Sam seems to be a simple Hobbit of plain speech. However, his love for Elves, his gift for poetry, and his belief that the world contains greater wonders than most hobbits are aware of (all nurtured by his tutor Bilbo Baggins) set him apart from the beginning. It is Sam who first introduces the theme of the Elves' sailing from Middle-earth, a subtle foreshadowing of Bilbo and Frodo's final journey across the Sea. He lives with his father, Hamfast Gamgee, known as "The Gaffer", on Bagshot Row in the Shire, close to Bag End. Sam's mother is Bell Goodchild; he has five siblings: Hamson, Halfred, Daisy, May, and Marigold.

As "punishment" for eavesdropping on Gandalf's conversation with Frodo regarding the dangers of the One Ring, Sam is made Frodo's first companion on his journey to Rivendell in the beginning of The Lord of the Rings. Sam saves Frodo's life more than once during the quest to destroy the Ring, and he accompanies him all the way to Mount Doom.

After Shelob attacks and seemingly kills Frodo, Sam takes the Ring, intending to complete the quest. Because he holds the Ring for a time, he is considered one of the Ring Bearers.

After the War of the Ring, he marries Rose "Rosie" Cotton back in the Shire. They have thirteen children: Elanor the Fair, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks, Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin, and Tolman. After Will Whitfoot resigns his post as Mayor of Michel Delving (the largest town in the Shire and the "unofficial capital"), in F.A. 7 or S.R. 1427, Sam is elected Mayor of the Shire for the first of seven consecutive 7-year terms.

After his wife dies in the year 62 of the Fourth Age (Shire Reckoning 1482), Sam entrusts the Red Book to Elanor and leaves Middle-earth to sail across the Sea and be reunited with Frodo in the Undying Lands, though they would eventually die a mortal death.

Boromir

Boromir was the eldest son of Denethor II, last ruling Steward of Gondor in the Third Age of Middle-earth, and brother to Faramir.

He was one of the Nine Walkers who made up the Fellowship of the Ring in The Lord of the Rings.

In a note written well after the initial publication of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien gave Boromir's height as 6 feet 4 inches tall. He was powerfully built, hardy and strong, black haired and grey-eyed like all the Dúnedain, and one of the most skilled warriors of his time.

This stamina and physical strength, together with a forceful and commanding personality, meant that he had quickly risen to command in Gondor's army: he was made a Captain of the White Tower, and eventually became Captain-General, also bearing the title High Warden of the White Tower.

One of Boromir's most famous successes as a captain was the rearguard action at Osgiliath which heralded the War of the Ring, werein he was reported to have saved many lives.

As one of the Company of the Ring, Boromir set out from Rivendell armed with a large sword, a shield, a helmet and his ancestral hunting horn. Tragically, Boromir is ultimately slain by arrows as he wore no body armour after leaving Gondor.

In response to a prophetic dream, Boromir rides to Rivendell where he is invited to attend the Council of Elrond. There he attempts to persuade the Council to let him take the One Ring to Gondor so that it can be used in the defence of the realm, but is told that it cannot be used without corrupting its user and alerting Sauron to its presence.

He subsequently joins the Fellowship of the Ring and travels with them through Moria and then Lórien, where he is greatly disturbed by Galadriel's testing of his mind.

Seduced by the lure of the One Ring, he tries to seize it from Frodo at Amon Hen, leading to the breaking of the Fellowship. He dies at age 41 trying to prevent Orcs from capturing Merry and Pippin in the beginning of The Two Towers, thereby redeeming himself for trying to take the Ring.

Gimli

Gimli is a Dwarf of Durin's Folk who is chosen to accompany Frodo Baggins as a member of the Fellowship of the Ring on the quest to destroy the One Ring. An honourable and tough warrior favouring the axe as his weapon with the occasional flair for poetics, he has become an archetype for dwarves in contemporary fantasy settings.

Gimli is the son of Glóin, one of the former companions of Bilbo Baggins. He is by far remote a descendant of Durin the Deathless, father of the Dwarven people Gimli belongs to, but is not a member of the royal line. (Gimli is also the first cousin once removed of Balin, Lord Of Moria.) Gimli is introduced at the council of Elrond, which he attends together with his father to bring news of his home, Erebor. Gimli is chosen by Elrond as one of Frodo's companions.

Within the Fellowship, Gimli initially clashes with Legolas, because of various reasons: Elves and Dwarves are still feuding over the ancient destruction of Doriath, and more recently Thranduil, Legolas' father, once imprisoned Gimli's father Glóin (as described in The Hobbit). Despite this, Gimli and Legolas slowly become friends, as they find mutual respect for each other.

As the Fellowship is forced to enter the desolate mines of Moria Gimli is at first enthusiastic, hoping to find a colony of his people there, led by Balin. This hope turns to naught however, as Moria is found to be infested with Orcs, and the Fellowship has to fight its way out after discovering the tomb of his cousin. After Gandalf the Wizard falls into darkness struggling with a Balrog, the Fellowship finally escapes the mines. It is then that Gimli must enter the forest of Lothlórien, populated by Elves which are not friendly to Dwarves. Gimli is told he alone must be blindfolded if he is to enter the forest, and his refusal nearly leads to a violent situation, which is only defused when Aragorn proposes that the entire Fellowship be blindfolded.

Gimli's opinion of Elves drastically changes when he meets Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien: her beauty, kindness, and understanding impresses Gimli so much that, when given the opportunity to ask for whatever he wishes, asks not treasures or magical items, but rather one of Galadriel's silver-gold hairs, which he will treasure forever. An interesting historical note is that, according to "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" in Unfinished Tales, this same request was made, thousands of years previously, by Fëanor, greatest of the Ñoldorin Elves (whose creation of the Silmarils may have been inspired by that same silver-gold hair). Galadriel refused Fëanor's request, but she grants Gimli's, perhaps because of his humility.

Gimli's love and respect for Galadriel is further demonstrated at his first encounter with Éomer of Rohan. Éomer speaks ill of the name Galadriel, having been told false rumours about her. Gimli responds to this with overtly harsh words, leading to a hostile situation that again had to be defused by Aragorn.

By the end of the first volume, he strikes an unlikely friendship with the Elf Legolas. In the second (The Two Towers), Gimli proves his valour in combat in the Battle of the Hornburg, though he is wounded. In that battle, he and Legolas engage in an Orc-slaying contest which results in a stronger bond between the two (Gimli wins by one; he kills 42 to Legolas' 41). Later, Gimli's vivid description of the Glittering Caves of Aglarond moves the Elf to promise to come back and visit when the War is over. (They eventually do fulfil this promise, with Gimli also consenting to visit Fangorn Forest.) Their friendship is a model for overcoming prejudice; they even ride together on the same horse.

After the War, Gimli would lead a large number of Durin's folk south to establish a new Dwarf kingdom at Aglarond, and he became the first Lord of the Glittering Caves. The Dwarves of the Glittering Caves, led by their Lord Gimli, would repair much of the physical damage incurring during the War of the Ring. Most notably, they rebuilt the Great Gate of Minas Tirith with a new one made of mithril and steel, as well as improving upon the existing layout of the entire city.

Gimli was 139 years old (born in 2879 of the Third Age) when the Fellowship of the Ring set out from Rivendell, making him 52 years older than Aragorn. His date of death is not known, and according to the Red Book of Westmarch, some say that he travelled with Legolas into the West (perhaps granted permission at the request of Galadriel), the first Dwarf to visit the Undying Lands.

Meriadoc Brandybuck

Merry, is a Hobbit, a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth, featured as a central character throughout Tolkien's most famous work, The Lord of the Rings. Merry is one of Frodo's closest friends. He loves boats and ponies and has a great interest in the maps of Middle-earth. He is also related to Frodo several times over.

Merry was born in 2982 of the Third Age. He was the only child of Saradoc Brandybuck (2940-F.A. 11), Master of Buckland, and Esmeralda Took (2936-?), the younger sister of Paladin Took, making him first cousins to their son Pippin, who is clearly his closest friend.

Merry is the most perceptive and intelligent of the hobbits: for example, even before Bilbo Baggins leaves the Shire, he knew of the One Ring and its power. He guards Bag End after Bilbo's party, protecting Frodo from the various and often unwanted guests. He also is the force behind "the Conspiracy" of Sam, Pippin, Fredegar Bolger (more commonly known as "Fatty", due to his plump form), and himself to help Frodo. Thus, at the beginning of Fellowship of the Ring, Merry is well prepared and organised—he assembles their gear and brings ponies. His shortcut through the Old Forest does not serve them well, though they were saved by Tom Bombadil, and were not pursued by the Black Riders. At the Barrow-downs, he acquires his sword, a work of Westernesse.

At Bree, he is actually not present in the Prancing Pony when Frodo foolishly puts on the ring; instead, he is outside taking a walk, and is nearly overcome by the Nazgûl who arrive. At Rivendell, he is seen studying maps and plotting their path. His approval to the Fellowship comes with only a little less reluctance than Pippin's; they are the two youngest members, and Elrond had planned on sending them back home. At Amon Hen, he is captured along with Pippin by a band of Saruman's Orcs, although he makes a good account for himself, and was valiantly defended by Boromir.

Escaping with Pippin into Fangorn Forest he is met by Treebeard and the newly risen Gandalf the White. Along with Pippin, he drinks significant amounts of Ent-draught and gains in height. Accompanying Treebeard to the Entmoot and later to Isengard, he and Pippin are set as the guardians following Saruman's fall. It is here that he first encounters King Théoden of Rohan, and is reunited with the four of the remaining members of the Fellowship.

Separated by Pippin and Gandalf's journey to Gondor after Pippin looks into the palantír, he swears fealty to Théoden and becomes his esquire. Without permission from his liege, he rides to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in the care of young Dernhelm. As the Riders of Rohan are attacked by the Nazgûl and Théoden is injured, Merry and Dernhelm face the Witch King of Angmar alone. Here, Merry's companion is revealed to be Éowyn, White Lady of Rohan, niece to the King. Battling both fellbeast and the Nazgûl alone, Éowyn is well assisted by Merry's crucial move: his sword, built for this very purpose, is one of the few weapons able to pierce the Ringwraith's form, at great expense to himself. This is enough to allow Éowyn to finish off the Witch King (or it may be that Merry's blow is the fatal one). Merry hears Théoden's last words, but is unnoticed by the honour escort of Riders and is found wandering the city by Pippin. He is saved by the healing of Aragorn and recovers fully.

For his bravery in battle, Merry is knighted by King Éomer as a Knight of the Mark. During the scouring of the Shire, he is in the forefront of the Battle of Bywater, particularly in using the Horn of the Mark presented to him by Éowyn.

Upon his return, he and Pippin are clearly seen as being the tallest of hobbits, taller even than the legendary Bullroarer Took. Merry married Estella Bolger sometime after the end of the Third Age. He became the Master of Buckland in 11 of the Fourth Age. Although he is not recorded as having any children within the family trees, he clearly has at least one son. At the age of 102, he returns to Rohan and Gondor with Pippin, dying there around the year F.A. 64.

Peregrin Took

Pippin, is one of Frodo Baggins's youngest but best friends. In Peter Jackson's film trilogy commencing with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, he is played by Billy Boyd.

Pippin had three older sisters, Pearl Took, Pimpernel Took, and Pervinca Took. His parents were Paladin Took II (2933-13 F.A.), Thain of the Shire, and Eglantine Banks. Pippin's dear friend Meriadoc Brandybuck is the son of Paladin's sister Esmeralda Brandybuck.

The hair on his head and his feet (which are exceptionally hairy, even for a Hobbit) is almost golden and curly. At the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring he is smaller than the rest of the Hobbits because he is the youngest.

Pippin is six years younger than Merry, and thus is far younger than Frodo, who is fifty. He is a worthy accomplice to Merry's plans, but shows his age as well; he is still a cheerful, if occasionally thoughtless Hobbit, and is first to miss the comforts of Hobbit life. At Rivendell, Pippin is nearly denied the chance to accompany Frodo by Elrond who seriously considers using the youngest Hobbit as a messenger to the Shire. Gandalf, however, supports his and Merry's claims of friendship and loyalty, and Pippin is chosen as the last member of Fellowship.

Remaining with the Fellowship until Amon Hen, Pippin is captured by a Orc-band, which includes some of the Saruman's evil Uruk-hai, along with Merry. While held captive by the Orcs, he leaves his elven brooch (a gift from Lorien) as a sign for Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, who are in pursuit. During a skirmish amongst his captors, Pippin manages to cut his bonds using a sword held fast by a dead Uruk. In the land of Rohan, they manage to escape when the Orcs are attacked by a company of Rohirrim, the local people. Upon their escape, he and Merry befriend old Treebeard, leader of the Ents. They rouse the other Ents to fight against Saruman and they attack his stronghold Isengard, partially crippling his power.

It is Pippin who picks up the palantír of Orthanc after Gríma Wormtongue foolishly throws it as a missile; later, in an almost equally foolish act, Pippin actually steals it out of Gandalf's hands while the wizard sleeps. Looking into the stone, he has a terrifying encounter with Sauron himself. Because of this, Gandalf separates him from his friends and brings him to the city of Minas Tirith. Meeting Denethor, Steward of Gondor, he volunteers for service to repay him for the death of Denethor's son Boromir, who had died trying to defend Merry and Pippin from the Orcs. This amuses Denethor, who accepts the Hobbit's offer and makes him one of the elite Guard of the Citadel. Later, it is Pippin who rushes to fetch Gandalf when Denethor, driven to despair by Sauron's deception, sets out to burn his remaining son Faramir and himself alive.

Pippin was part of the Army of the West led by Aragorn that assaulted the Black Gates in a desperate gambit. During the final parley with the Mouth of Sauron, Gandalf instructed that members of each race that opposed Sauron be present at the parley, including Gimli for Dwarves, Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir (Elrond's twin sons) for Elves, and Pippin for Hobbits. During the last battle before the Morannon, Pippin manages to slay a troll before being knocked unconscious when the dying troll fell on him. Gimli later recognizes his Hobbit feet under the troll and drags him out of the battle, saving his life. After the restoration of the monarchy he is knighted by King Elessar, who then grants him indefinite leave to return home. Later he and Merry are instrumental in overthrowing Saruman's forces during the Scouring of the Shire.

In the year 6 of the Fourth Age Pippin marries Diamond of Long Cleeve, when she is 32 and he himself is 37. They have one son, Faramir. Faramir Took later marries Samwise Gamgee's daughter Goldilocks.

In the year 13 of the Fourth Age Pippin becames the 32nd Thain of the Shire, a position he held for 50 years before retiring in 63 of the Fourth Age and revisiting Rohan and Gondor with Merry. He remained in Gondor for the rest of his life.

Pippin probably died sometime after the year 64 of the Fourth Age. His 'true' Westron name was Razanur Tûk, shortly Razar meaning small apple.

Legolas

Legolas Greenleaf is a Sindarin Elven prince who becomes a member of the Fellowship of the Ring. With his superior elven eyesight and hearing, together with excellent skill at arms, particularly archery, Legolas is a valuable resource to the other eight members of the Fellowship. Tolkien himself states, however, that Legolas accomplishes the least of the nine members of the Fellowship.

Legolas serves as a link to the earlier story, The Hobbit, because he (like Gimli the Dwarf) is the son of a character from the previous tale.

Legolas is the son of King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm of Northern Mirkwood, who appears as "the Elvenking" in The Hobbit; his father rules over the Silvan Elves who dwell there. He is introduced in the first part of The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, at the council of Elrond of Rivendell, where he comes as a messenger from his father to discuss the escape of Gollum from their guard. Legolas volunteers or is chosen to become one of the members of the Fellowship that sets out to destroy the One Ring. He accompanies the others in their travels from Rivendell to Amon Hen.

When the Fellowship is snowed down while crossing Caradhras, he scouts ahead to find the Sun, while Aragorn and Boromir drive a path through the snow. Unlike them, he is little affected by the blowing winds and snow; he does not even wear boots, only light shoes, and his feet scarcely make imprints on the snow.

After their attempt to cross Caradhras is foiled, their leader Gandalf takes them on an underground journey through Moria, an ancient Dwarf-kingdom, though some (including Legolas) do not wish to go there. Before they reach Moria, however, Legolas helps fend off an attack of Sauron's wolves in Hollin. Once in Moria, he helps fight off the Orcs whom they encounter there, and recognizes Durin's Bane as a Balrog of Morgoth.

After Gandalf is lost while facing the Balrog, Aragorn takes charge of the Fellowship and leads them to the Elven realm of Lothlórien, the Golden Wood. Legolas serves as the initial spokesperson for the company, speaking with the inhabitants, the Galadhrim, whom he considers close kin.

Within the Fellowship, there is friction between Legolas and the dwarf Gimli, because of the ancient quarrel between Elves and Dwarves after the destruction of Doriath in the First Age, and also because his father, Thranduil, once threw Gimli's father, Glóin, in prison (as described in The Hobbit). Legolas and Gimli become friends, however, when Gimli greets the Lady of the Golden Wood with gentle words.

They take leave of Lothlórien, but not before recieving several gifts. While the Fellowship is travelling over the River Anduin, he shoots down a nearby fell beast with one shot.

After Boromir is killed and Merry and Pippin are captured by Orcs in The Two Towers, he, Aragorn and Gimli set forth in pursuit of the two (Frodo the Ring-bearer and Sam had gone ahead on the road to Mordor). They meet the revived Gandalf and the Rohirrim, fight in the Battle of the Hornburg, and witness Saruman's (partial) downfall at Isengard, where they are reunited with the two.

In the Battle of the Hornburg, he and Gimli engage in an Orc-slaying contest (Gimli wins by one with 42, but the real result is stronger mutual respect).

In The Return of the King, he and Gimli accompany Aragorn on the Paths of the Dead, along with the Grey Company. After Aragorn summons the Dead Men of Dunharrow to fight for him, he watches them scare away the Corsairs of Umbar from their ships at Pelargir. He fights in the Battles of the Pelennor Fields and the Morannon, and watches as Sauron is defeated and Barad-dûr collapses.

After the destruction of the One Ring, he stays in Minas Tirith for some time, as Aragorn is crowned King of the Reunited Kingdom as King Elessar and marries his love Arwen. Later, Legolas and Gimli go off travelling together through Fangorn Forest. Eventually, Legolas comes to Ithilien with some of his people, with his father's leave, to live out his remaining time in Middle-earth helping to restore the devastated forests of that war-ravaged land.

It is told in the Red Book (first written by Bilbo Baggins, continued by Frodo Baggins and supposedly finished by Samwise Gamgee) that after the death of King Elessar, Legolas builds a grey ship in Ithilien, and leaves Middle-earth to go over the Sea to Valinor, the Blessed Realm, and Gimli the Dwarf goes with him.

The name Legolas is a Silvan dialect form of pure Sindarin Laegolas, which means Greenleaf (thus, Greenleaf is not his surname, as is sometimes erroneously believed; nor is it an epithet (like Oakenshield), but a translation of his name). It consists of the Sindarin words laeg, green; and golas, a collection of leaves, foliage (being a prefixed collective form of las(s), leaf). The Quenya form (mentioned in the Book of Lost Tales in the context of another character of that name) is Laiqualassë.

There might, however, be a certain meaning to his name: laeg is a very rare, archaic word for green, which is normally replaced by calen (cf. Calenhad, mutated Parth Galen and plural Pinnath Gelin) and is otherwise almost only preserved in Laegrim, Laegel(d)rim (Sindarin form of Quenya Laiquendi), the Green Elves of the First Age. It may be that Thranduil named his son Legolas to at least in part refer to this people, who were remote kin and ancestors of the later Silvan Elves, the people Thranduil ruled and to whom - very likely - Thranduil's wife belonged.

Apparently, only Hobbits (and the Men of Bree) used surnames (like Baggins or Gamgee), as recorded in the Red Book. Men and Elves alike used the patronymic (son of) formula. In English, therefore, a fuller name would be "Legolas son of Thranduil" or "Legolas Thranduil's son". In Sindarin, that would be Legolas Thranduilion, -ion meaning "son of".