Biggest Heroes in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion

[Ivriniel]

Originally Posted by Belegorn

I'd leave room for disagreement on this only because there were Bilbo and Gollum who lived with the Ring much longer than Frodo and obviously used it more often, and there were periods when they were to a great degree not downtrodden at its loss. Gollum for a while when under Frodo's wing while Frodo had the Ring was turning it around, after nearly 500 years with it, and Bilbo actually let it go after about 50-60 years with it.

Frodo was under the pump, relative to Gollum and Bilbo, because Sauron's power had grown, greatly at the time Frodo had the Ring. He also bore it in Mordor and, as was noted in text, the Ring's power grew as it approached the place of its making.

My heroes:

Beren and Luthien. They pulled it off--Sauron's creepy tower, and then Morgoth's throne. She did it for love.

Meriadoc and Eowyn and slaying the Nazgul - I still tear up about that one....some brave shorty and love-crazed ice maiden stand before this thing of maximum creepy and do it in. One for women, and one for short things.

And an *all time* favourite - Silmarien of Andunie, first female in the Line of Elros and keeper of the line of the Faithful

[Mithalwen]

She did it for her own interests, to satisfy her own lust, and got my Finrod killed...she is a villain, the hideous baggage, we hates her, we hates her forever!

[The Mouth of Sauron]

Cirdan. For enduring the longest boring seaside retirement in history.

[cellurdur]

It's hard to compare such things like this, because we all have different capacities. think all we can be expected to do is to do our best. Frodo did that and this is why he was a hero and the ring was destroyed. He gave every last bit of energy he had to destroying the ring. Luthien and Earendil may have been able to destroy it, because they had greater natural talents, but that does not make them any more of a moral hero than Frodo.

In terms of the greatest deed then Luthien and Beren have to be first, because they accomplished the most difficult task. They alone were able to do what the entire army of the Noldor failed to do; take a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Belegorn

It'd have to be Eärendil and Frodo to me because their actions turned the tide of the times. They may not have been the strongest of their species but were perhaps the greatest by what they did. I'm not sure who I'd choose from the 2nd Age, maybe I'd give a dual trophy to Gil-galad and Elendil since they wrestled and beat Sauron.

Second age has to be Gil-galad for me. He doesn't. Fall for Sauron'wiles as annatar, rules wisely and well for an age, builds vital alliances with Numenor then finally does the classic Noldor king dramatic and valiant death.

First age, Finrod, Beleg, Tuor and Idril, Fingolfin


Special mention for Cirdan and Elrond, models of self sacrifice

[Pervinca Took]

For the Second Age, I think I'd maybe choose Amandil. Heartbreaking self-sacrifice.

[Inziladun]

It's not an easy choice, but in LOTR I might lean to Gandalf. Unlike Frodo and Bilbo, who did heroic things with relative ignorance of the big picture, Gandalf was charged with the awesome responsibility of organizing the resistance to Sauron. He should have had the assistance of his fellow Wizards, but they were either wandering in the Wild East, playing with the birds, butterflies, and squirrels in Mirkwood, or plotting to rule the world. Gandalf, through all his trials, showed admirable patience, and to me even more importantly, he never lost sight of the end goal, toward which everything he did led.

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

It's not an easy choice, but in LOTR I might lean to Gandalf. Unlike Frodo and Bilbo, who did heroic things with relative ignorance of the big picture, Gandalf was charged with the awesome responsibility of organizing the resistance to Sauron.

Frodo knew big picture. He knew Ring's evil & nature when Gandalf told him about the Ring. And when he decided to take the Ring to Mordor, it was HIM who saw the 'big picture.' Others, Including Gandalf and Elrond had academic knowladge of the Ring. But Frodo knew the torment of it.
As for Bilbo, I haven't read the book yet, and seen only first movie.

[Lotrelf]

Yes,Pervinca, it was his illness in March. Though, why did he decide to go after that?

As for strength thing, I agree. From the text, it is clear that Frodo is NOT unable to fight. When they're in danger at Weathertop, it is Frodo who stabs Witchking. "He was hardly less terrified than the other Hobbits."(not exact quote, but it said something like this.) Before the Ring starts taking hold of him, it's him, among the hobbits who fights. Later in story, Ring gets heavier. We are given how it was affecting him i.e. He was the most weary among the three, He lagged and Sam had to ask Gollum to stop so that they don't leave their master behind etc.etc.