The Lord of the Rings has been relevant in the cinemas since the early 2000s (give or take some older, less popular animated films), and will most likely not be going away anytime soon, given its popularity and abundant fanbase. The Lord of the Rings has given audiences some of the most memorable moments and incredible characters that have defined a generation of fantasy filmgoers, akin to the vast array of great characters in franchises like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Updated March 7th, 2023: If you love The Lord of the Rings, you'll be happy to know that we've updated this article with new entries.
The Lord of the Rings follows a hobbit named Frodo Baggins, who lives a care-free life in the Shire until his uncle Bilbo leaves behind 'the One Ring to rule them all,' which must be destroyed to restore peace and order to Middle-earth. While Prime Video is filming the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Warner Bros. is working on multiple Lord of the Rings movies, it’s only fitting that the best characters should be looked over and remembered for the legacy that they brought to the series and future films.
10 Boromir
A valiant warrior, steward-prince of Gondor, and a member of the Fellowship who falls prey to the allure of the One Ring and tries to take the Ring from Frodo, the complicated Boromir (played by Sean Bean) is one of a few The Lord of the Rings characters who moves between good and evil.
Boromir appears in only the first two volumes of The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers) – but his redemption arc is one of the most moving parts of the entire saga.
9 Éowyn
Played by Miranda Otto in Peter Jackson's film series, Éowyn is the de facto princess of her uncle King Théoden’s court at Rohan and a human woman with no special powers. However, Éowyn is not a fragile beauty waiting for someone to rescue her. She disguises herself as a man to join the battle and proves herself a fearless warrior and the strongest character in the franchise. 20 years later, Éowyn’s iconic "I am no man" scene still deserves to win all the awards.
8 Gollum
In The Lord of the Rings, there is probably no character more tragic than Gollum (voiced and performed by Andy Serkis, using motion capture). He starts out as a simple hobbit, Sméagol, but discovers the shiny gold ring and almost immediately becomes obsessed with his 'precious'. It turns him into a monster. Gollum is a warning of what Frodo could become, Frodo's psychological shadow figure. His sad story might be the darkest of future Lord of the Rings films.
7 Samwise Gamgee
While Sam (played by Sean Astin) can come across as annoying and overbearing, when it came to Frodo’s quest to destroy the one ring, he was, nevertheless, a true friend to the very end. Sam was introduced as Frodo’s gardener as well as an introverted hobbit who couldn’t muster up the courage to dance with his crush, despite Frodo’s insistence.
Sam’s overzealous enthusiasm to help his friends, specifically Frodo, has proven to be an admirable character trait that has lingered on throughout The Lord of the Rings, even after Frodo leaves Middle-earth.
6 Gimli
Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) is a loudmouthed dwarf with a big ax and a bigger heart. Much like Sam and the others on this list, the bombastic dwarf has a drive and a fire in him that is always evident in his screen time.
On the surface, the dwarf is initially shown to be unkind and selfish, as he has shown a savage dislike for the members of the fellowship, specifically Legolas the Elf. In the lore of The Lord of the Rings, elves and dwarves have not gotten along the best, but throughout the series, Legolas and Gimli grow to have a powerful bond, which shows the dwarf’s true compassion and heart.
5 Galadriel
Lady Galadriel (Cate Blanchett played her in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies, while Morfydd Clark played her in Rings of Power) was one of the bearers of the Three Rings of Power, and when audiences first see her in The Lord of the Rings, they see her as a mysterious Lady of the woods.
This royal elf has been known for her strength and for her self-control against the manipulating power of 'the One Ring.' In a scene with Frodo Baggins, Galadriel shows the hobbit what may happen if he fails to destroy the ring. Frodo attempts to give the ring to Galadriel, but she resists its power and showcases her virtues through her discipline and self-control.
4 Legolas
The noble elf Legolas (played by Orlando Bloom) has a wicked resume, being a highly-skilled bowman with quick-witted agility. He had an undying allegiance to his elven brothers and sisters, but was often seen as emotionless and militant in his intentions within The Lord of the Rings.
However, after working with his fellowship team members and suffering many of their losses and enduring his own tragedies, fans can sympathize with his plight. As stated before, Legolas and Gimli (as elf and dwarf) never had the easiest relationship and were usually fiercely competitive, but they both stood by each other fighting orcs until the very end.
3 Aragorn
Aragorn was the son of Arathorn and commonly referred to as “Strider” in his introduction at the Tavern in Bree. After the evil Nazgul attack the four hobbits, Aragorn fends them off even after Frodo is stabbed by one of the evil riders. The warrior (played perfectly by Viggo Mortensen) saves the hobbits’ life with the help of his love Arwen. He was a valiant fighter and warrior who fights for his friends and refuses to back down, and ultimately earned himself the title of king.
2 Frodo
Frodo, the bearer of 'the One Ring,' is undoubtedly an iconic figure in the history of The Lord of the Rings. He is a kind and adventurous young hobbit with a courageous demeanor. He makes the enormous decision to take the Ring and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom in the evil land of Mordor.
It can easily be said that without Frodo (Elijah Wood), there would be no The Lord of the Rings, and no global phenomenon. His sacrifice is what made the finale of the series so magnificent and heart-wrenching for fans.
1 Gandalf
Finally, it all comes down to a wizard who has been remembered in cinematic history nearly as much if not more than the likes of Albus Dumbeldore and Merlin. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) was a powerful and knowledgeable wizard who was friends with Bilbo Baggins, and in the first movie was able to convince Baggins to give up the ring and learned more of its vicious powers. Throughout the course of his quest with the Fellowship in The Lord of the Rings, he challenges his nemesis, Saruman the White, defeats a Balrog, and is resurrected as Gandalf the White.
He is a wise wizard who has been characterized as one of the greatest characters written in film history. His power combined with his intellectual soundness is a treat to watch, gracing the silver screen with both a wisdom and kindness almost unparalleled in fantasy history.