Who is the real hero of Lord of the Rings?

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It's becoming clear that there are a lot of disagreements about this subject :tongue:

OP. This is my thoughts (I've been thinking about this today): Basically, as you can see from this thread, you could probably name upward of 20 characters and justify that they are the hero of the story. What I was thinking is that this whole quest (even from before the "start", i.e. the forming of the Fellowship) is a team game. This isn't a story about one guy fighting against evil. It's a story about a lot of people working together to overcome evil. So you could argue that the hero is actually the side of good - the ones we see in the story.

However; I'd argue as well that while every "team member" (not just the Fellowship - I'm thinking Bilbo, Glorfindel, Galadriel, Gollum, Faramir, Theoden etc.) has a role to play, there are still characters whose contribution is more heroic. Just like in a football team for instance - you can't play as well without 11 players, but there'll always be a Man of the Match. And really to my mind, the man of the match for this story is, and probably always will be, Sam. He is the one that we see the most character change in, and indeed the one that comes from the lowliest roots to actually do this. He is not blessed with long legs, fighting skills, agility, or even intelligence, particularly, and yet he fights just as hard as anyone else. Aragorn, what he does is amazing, but he's a warrior and a king. Gandalf is a mighty wizard. Gimli, a fighting dwarf. Legolas, an elven prince. And then Sam... the lowly gardener :smile:

I really should revise now :tongue:

Reply 81

username877577

This thread makes me feel even more guilty for never having watched it ;'(

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 82

cant_think_of_name

Original post by Olympiad

This thread makes me feel even more guilty for never having watched it ;'(

Posted from TSR Mobile

Better to read it then watch it :wink:

Reply 83

Diety

Original post by Olympiad

This thread makes me feel even more guilty for never having watched it ;'(

Posted from TSR Mobile

I am actually in the process of writing a list of films you have to see, in order to correct your cinematic noobishness :tongue:

But as someone else just said, in an ideal world, read the books first. But I didn't, and they are really long and slow to start, and since your situation is so grave, I recomend immediate film watching! :biggrin:

Reply 84

username877577

Original post by Diety

I am actually in the process of writing a list of films you have to see, in order to correct your cinematic noobishness :tongue:

loooool, this makes me feel even more guilty as if it is a serious matter :O
My plan for today:
• Watch the last episode of the documentary you told me about (though I'll have to find it on YouTube now)
• Watch Lord of the Rings (I'll attempt it anyway)

Original post by cant_think_of_name

Better to read it then watch it :wink:

I shall! I have so many films I need to catch up on :O

Reply 85

Diety

Original post by Olympiad

It IS serious! :biggrin:

LOTR is I one of the best and most successful film franchises in history! :angry:

Isn't the last one still on iplayer? It should be...

You really shouldn't watch the whole lot today; they are three long films! If you are going to start watching them, just watch the Felliwship (the first one) today, then the next one tomorrow or another day :wink:

(edited 10 years ago)

HODOR?

Original post by Diety

It IS serious! :biggrin:

LOTR is I one of the best and most successful film franchises in history! :angry:

Documentaries are so much more interesting than films :O
I did go to the cinema on Saturday to watch the Great Gatsby!

woops just checked - it is, for some reason the link didn't work in your PM for the last one.

I watched the first on Monday after my exam, the second yesterday so finally the last today :smile:

Reply 88

Diety

Original post by Olympiad

Pretty shocking aren't they!

I'm going to try and include at least one doccumfntary film in the list :wink:

Reply 89

username877577

Original post by Diety

Pretty shocking aren't they!

I'm going to try and include at least one doccumfntary film in the list :wink:

Yup, interesting! I wasn't aware of much of what they said.
Looking forward to the list now :eek:

Reply 90

placenta medicae talpae

The real hero is Fatty Bolger.

Reply 91

Diety

Original post by placenta medicae talpae

The real hero is Fatty Bolger.

Totally agree :biggrin:

left there to distract the riders whilst the rest of them ride off and take the glory!

Reply 92

lilacwanda28

Original post by Diety

It IS serious! :biggrin:

LOTR is I one of the best* and most successful film franchises in history! :angry:

*correction
the best, my friend. The best.

Reply 93

boba

This is a huge almost dissertation worthy topic! how are you going to fit all of this into 5000 words?? do you get to add an appendices?

Reply 94

St. Brynjar

Original post by Hal.E.Lujah

It depends what you mean by focal point then, personally my use of the slang means something consequential to the plot. Do you just mean to say its a high point perhaps? It is a great scene, though obviously irrelevant in the OPs interest.

No, it's definitely one of the main scenes encompassing the themes and messages of LoTR in my opinion. All those men sacrificing themselves to give Frodo & Sam five more minutes. Gimli finally finds peace with fighting alongside an elf. In my opinion, that's what Return of the King is all about. It's not a science and people interpret it in different ways of course.

Reply 95

boba

personally if I was doing this project I wouldn't even try and come to a conclusion on who is "the" hero of the story. I would explain why all of the candidates are heros of the story, comparing and contrasting their heroism to each other, other literature and real life examples if possible and then finish with a conclusion on how just like in real life when such a grave scenario occurs the heroism in many people is brought out and highlight how a combined effort was needed as one person would never be enough to (among other things) destroy the ring, save the people of helms deep, have a heroic last stand, convince the dead warriors to come and help, stand up to a super crazy dragon thing knowing it was certain death to save companions.

sure in the end it was only sam frodo and gollum there when the ring was destroyed but without the others everyone would of been either dead of enslaved long before that anyway..

Reply 96

lilacwanda28

Original post by boba

This is a huge almost dissertation worthy topic! how are you going to fit all of this into 5000 words?? do you get to add an appendices?

yes - I just ordered the Letters of J.R.R Tolkien from Amazon and will read those letters through the summer to see if there is anything I can take from those. If not, it'll just make a nice summer read anyways!