For my money, it should be personality and character that win this game. Unfortunately, as is often the way in Reality shows, most of the really great personalities have already been voted off.
But there is one ...
Let's look at the remaining trio:
First,
Hama:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Anguirel
We know nothing *from the book* of Hama's family.
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I would go further and say that we know next to nothing of Hama himself from the book. What was he? A bouncer and a warrior. That's it. the sum total of his character as we know it. And he has shown little more in the show. OK, so he made Aragorn leave Anduril at the Door of Edoras, and I respect him for that. But really, he was only doing his duty. As he was when he fell at Helm's Deep. The man, from what we know and have seen of him, has no personality. No colour whatsoever.
What about
Gimli? Yes, he was brave and loyal to the Quest. He has a certain sense of humour. And he struck up an unlikely friendship with Legolas. But only after the two had been together for a long time. His natural instinct, and the one which I feel that we must judge him on, is to tow the line and bear the traditional and irrational grudge which Dwarves hold againt Elves. Yes, it's reciprocated, but "an eye for an eye" is hardly an excuse (*
glares at most fellow voters*
). And while the oft repeated complaint that Gimli and Legolas have no character is generally over-stated, there is, sad to say, some truth to it. Of all the principal characters, we learn the least of these two. And then there are Gimli's less attractive qualities. He is grim, dour, often irritable and rather "scratchy". I am afraid that he is hardly Mister Personality.
And, finally, I come to
Merry. Like others of his race, a purveyor of fine food, fine wine and fine pipeweed, Merry is someone who dispays a great love for life and all it has for offer. Undoubtedly as brave and loyal as Gimli, if not more so (given that the Dwarf has the advantage of physical stature and training over him), but with an infinately greater personality. A loyal friend, particularly to Frodo and Pippin, he set out on the Quest for the Ring out of friendship without knowing what lay ahead of him, but knowing that, whatever it was, it was grim and fearful. He masterminded the "conspiracy" which was unmasked at Crickhollow and went on to display great intelligence and practicality throughout the Quest (skills which he has put to great use on the Island, I might add - it was he who first mapped the Island and charted its flora and fauna so that the contestants might supplement their meagre rations from its natural bounty). And, of course, he participated in the greatest battle of the War of the Ring and played a central role in bringing down the Enemy's most powerful and dreaded Captain, almost at the cost of his life. Merry also showed that he could learn from his experiences, putting that which he had learned on the Quest to good use in organising the rebellion against Sharkey's men in the Scouring of the Shire. Is it any wonder that, after all this, he settled down with his wife and children? Yet he did not rest. He served his people dutifully as Master of Buckland and then again showed his adventurous spirit by particpating in this show.
Need I go on?
The only really deserving winner out of the three that are left. I give you ...
++MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK