The Middle Earth Popularity Cup

[Nogrod]

Boromir sure is one of those dearest to me in the LotR, but now I'm afraid he faces a bit too tough a competition.

Maedhros and Boromir are both alike in that they both craved for masterpieces of smithery and were ready to step out from their moral obligations to their friends, relatives, kin or allies to get that.

But there the similarities end for me.

Compare thir history of heroism in battle and governance; Boromir took one small town from the orcs... and didn't even manage to save two hobbits - and that's it. With Maedhros you have Dagor Aglareb, defending Himring (and with that denied the entrance to Beleriand) when all else was lost, forcing the union to regain lost lands and setting the siege of Angband which was lost mainly to the treachery of men etc

Or compare their tragicness. Boromir didn't get what he wanted and frustrated because of his people. Maedhros took part in the tragic events at Alqualondë, saw his father die firsthand after a glorious victory over Morgoth, was imprisoned in Thangorodrim for years, fought in Dagor Bragollach and Nirnaeth Arneodiad which were not lost because of him, took part in the second kinslaying because of the oath...

Compare their motives in their tragedy: Boromir got lured by a Ring and went mad with megalopsykhia concerning only his personal glory and petty humans of one town while Maedhros was bound by an oath to the Valar and he kept it to the bitter end even if he knew it would destroy him.

So it will be

++ Maedhros

for me.

Go first age, go!