User:TheGySom/Secondary Characters in Lord of the Rings
The secondary characters in Lord of the Rings are those who play a major role, but who are not the focus of the story or have a great impact on a number of plot lines.
Aragorn
Aragorn II, son of Arathorn, is also known as Strider to the Hobbits and men of Bree. He is chief of the Rangers, and as the foster son of Elrond of Rivendell, sets out on many adventures of knights-errantry under various names. Gandalf left a letter for Frodo Baggins to penetrate his guise, but the letter was delayed and the two nearly failed to meet. An old rhyme about All that is gold does not glitter establishes Strider as Aragorn.
It is revealed in The Return of the King that Aragorn is the rightful heir to the land of Gondor, In his family's absence the kingdom was ruled by a long line of stewards in the king's name, and his return was nearly thwarted by the arrogance of the last steward Denethor. He tried to kill his son Faramir and then committed suicide, throwing himself on a burning pyre which he set himself.
The handover of power was accomplished peacefully, upon Faramir's recovery. Aragorn died peacefully on March 1st of the year 120 of the Fourth Age.
The return of the king to Middle-earth was a long-hoped-for event. The decay and other problems facing the land are attributed to people who "had never heard of the king" or had rebelled against his rule.
In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn is played by Viggo Mortenson.
Bilbo Baggins
Bilbo Baggins, was the main character of The Hobbit, and returned to play lesser role in The Lord of the Rings.
Through much of the beginning of his life, he lived a quiet life in Hobbiton, a hobbit village. Tolkien initially portrays him as timid and businesslike, but he draws upon deep resources of courage and fortune to emerge an unlikely hero.
He was the son of Bungo Baggins and Belledonna Took, and master of Bag End after his father. Bilbo never married, but rather adopted his nephew Frodo Baggins as his heir.
In The Hobbit he along with 13 dwarves and a wizard went on a difficult adventure and defeated a dragon, with the help of a magic ring.
In The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo left Frodo in custody of The Ring before beginning his travels again. In his absence, Frodo received his inheritance of Bag End. He is later found at Rivendell writing his memoirs, before eventually traveling to Tol Eressëa where he celebrated his 131st birthday.
Boromir
Boromir is a human character in the book series Lord of the Rings. He is the captain of Gondor, brother to Faramir, and son of Denethor II.[1]
Though it is revealed during the introduction of Boromir that his intention is to use the One Ring for the purposes of power, it is later revealed that his father, Denethor II, had tasked him the quest of bringing the ring back to Minas Tirith before even setting out. Unfortunately, during the ambush at Amon Hen by orcs, after Boromir subsequently tried (and failed) to entice Frodo to journey towards Minas Tirith, he was slain in battle. His repentance for the treachery of wanting the ring was to protect both Merry and Pippin to the death, being finally brought down by arrowfire. [edit] Films
In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of Lord of the Rings, Boromir is played by Sean Bean.
Gimli
Gimli, son of Gloin, is a dwarf in The Lord of the Rings. He joins the Fellowship of the Ring at the Council of Elrond. He left Middle Earth with Legolas in the year 1541 of the Fourth Age.
In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, Gimli is played by John Rhys-Davies, who was actually the tallest member of the main cast in real life.
Legolas
Legolas is an elf from Mirkwood. He is initially sent to Rivendell to bring the news that Gollum had escaped from Mirkwood. Legolas ended up joining the Fellowship of the Ring, and participating in various battles in the War of the Ring. He left Middle Earth with Gimli in the year 1541 of the Fourth Age. His father was Thranduil.
In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, Legolas is played by Orlando Bloom.
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Meriadoc Brandybuck, Master of Buckland (usually just called Merry) is a Hobbit from Middle-earth. He was a first cousin of Peregrin Took (Pippin), and also held several different relations to Frodo Baggins.
In the books, Merry is often described as one of the smartest Hobbits - indeed, he is a great lover of cartography and seafaring. Merry and Pippin were captured by a band of Orcs from Isengard as the Fellowship rested near Amon Hen. However, the duo escaped into Fangorn Forest, where they encountered an Ent named Treebeard, whom they convinced to attack Isengard. They soon ran into King Théoden, who led them back to the rest of the Fellowship after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. He victoriously faced the Witch-King of Angmar along with Éowyn. He returned to the Shire after the destruction of the One Ring, and was buried in Rath Dínen after his death. [edit] Films
In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of Lord of the Rings, Merry is played by Dominic Monaghan.
Peregrin Took
Peregrin Took, better known as Pippin, is one of the four Hobbits who helped Frodo leave the Shire secretly in The Lord of the Rings. He had more curiosity than was good for him, which twice endangered the Fellowship of the Ring. He threw a stone down the well in Moria, which alerted the Orcs and aroused the Balrog. In The Two Towers, he stole from Gandalf the palantir which he had saved from the waters of Saruman's destroyed fortress, and looking into it was interrogated by Sauron.
Gandalf healed him and forgave him, carrying him on horseback to the fortress-city of the last Steward of Gondor, where he entered into the service of the city and was instrumental in preventing the murder of Faramir.
In Peter Jackson's film adaptations of Lord of the Rings, Pippin is played by Billy Boyd.
Samwise Gamgee
Samwise Gamgee is the servant and companion of Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. He was caught eavesdropping on a conversation between Frodo and Gandalf about rings, dragons and Elves and "punished" by Gandalf by being ordered to accompany Frodo on his quest.