Who's your hero: Frodo, Sam, or Aragorn?

[tblue]

Sam Gamgee for me.

[petronius]

1. Sméagol - the dude battled his demons without any ass-kissing friends

or pompous powerful mentors, and still managed to save the world...

[tblue]

3. Wow. Really? That's the last thing I expected.

I like your original thinking. But he wasn't tryyyyying to save the world. He got Sam in trouble with Frodo, and set up Frodo for Shelab. He got slaphappy and fell into the fires. But it was an accident. He was a tragic figure if there ever was one. Really amazing how they did that character in the films. Yeah, he was fun to watch. I loved when he was switching back and forth from Smeagol to Gollum. Brilliant!

[petronius]

6. I was kidding about the world saving; it certainly was an accident

But I can't think of another character who started deeper in the weeds, with a tougher road, and less support, than the Sméagol personality. And he nearly made it; he failed at the end, but so did Frodo really.

None of us are going to be handed epic quests, or blessed with heroic or wizardly companions, or have ancient destinies leading us to glory. But we are going to face darkness and demons of one sort or another within ourselves - what character better to look to for guidance and inspiration than that poor little victimized but still battling hobbit from the banks of the Anduin?

:)

[Iggo]

8. I usually say Boromir.

He was tempted and as corrupted as one could be without putting on the ring.

And he was no prize to start with, either. But in the end he was a true friend and a hero.

But I like your take on Smeagol.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Aragorn!

I love being around Princes!

He is such a romantic heroic figure...

*sigh*

[tblue]

4. Definitely high on the coolness scale.

Yeah, he was a quiet hero. Really wise and gentle but so brave. Wish we had him for real!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. I wish we did too!

[dawg]

9. The thing about Aragorn in the movies ...

is that I don't think the character was supposed to be all that handsome. I love Viggo as an actor (and he seems like a good guy in real life), but I always thought of Aragorn as being a guy who was really good on the inside but not so great looking on the outside.

Of course, Hollywood has to sex everything up a little.

[tblue]

16. At first I thought he was miscast, too.

I thought Sean Bean (Boromir) looked more like the Aragorn in my mind's eye. I got used to Viggo eventually.

[dawg]

7. Sam.

Sam's decision to have mercy on Gollum, not killing him even though he deserved it, was the final turning point that allowed the ring to be destroyed.

Also, he carried the ring for a while but willingly returned it to Frodo when the time came to do so. That showed considerable strength of character.

[MilesColtrane]

10. Aragorn

Because he was tappin' Arwen.

(That is one hot elf.)

[surrealAmerican]

11. Tom Bombadil

I'm a bit of a sucker for the aloof, mysterious characters. He was about as random an occurrence as there could be in those books.

[dawg]

14. Not affected by the ring at all.

I'd love to be Tom, to find my Goldberry and just leave the rest of it all behind. (Except for my boys, of course.)

[KamaAina]

12. Duh! Gandalf.

:P

[Deep13]

13. Yup, Gandalf...

though it looked like Galadriel always came through in a pinch with some gift that made the difference at a crucial time.

But the essence of heroism is putting oneself in danger and Galadriel never leaves her forest home, so I have to say Frodo who volunteered for the most dangerous, critical part of the mission.

[RSillsbee]

15. Bilbo NT