History Characters / TheLordOfTheRingsFilmTrilogy

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These are the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters in Creator/PeterJackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' film trilogy.

For the original versions in [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings the book]] by Creator/JRRTolkien, see [[Characters/TheLordOfTheRings here]]. For characters in ''Literature/TheHobbit'', go [[Characters/TheHobbit here]] for the book versions, or [[Characters/TheHobbitFilmTrilogy here]] for the film versions.
----
[[foldercontrol]]

!The Fellowship

[[folder:In General]]

A group of nine companions that set out from Rivendell on the Quest of Mount Doom, to return the One Ring to the fire that created it and destroy the Dark Lord Sauron once and for all.
----

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Sean Astin was already stocky but gained some more weight for the role of Sam, while the rest of the Hobbits are portrayed by slender actors. In the books, Hobbits are generally portly and said to look friendly rather than handsome or beautiful, which cannot be said for the Fellowship Hobbits here.
* {{Adorkable}}: All Hobbits are generally this but the special mention goes to Sam, as this accounts for a lot of his popularity. Gimli also, whenever he's around Galadriel. He grumbles nervously after asking her for three locks of her hair.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: All the Hobbits. Especially Sam.
* InterspeciesFriendship: The Fellowship is composed of four hobbits, two men, an elf, a dwarf and a Maia. There was already a strong friendship between Aragorn (a human) and Legolas (an elf), and one would develop between Legolas and Gimli (a dwarf).
* LetsSplitUpGang: Frodo and Sam separate from the rest of the Company so the Ring would not corrupt them like it did Boromir.
* PapaWolf: All warriors -- especially Aragorn and Gandalf -- have become this toward the Hobbits, who are the youngest in the company and not very battle-experienced (at first).
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Many of the members don't even know each other at first...
* TheTeam: ...but overtime they would [[IOweYouMyLife risk their lives]] for each other repeatedly. When they're forced to separate, they still remain close and at the end of the movie, they [[BackFromTheDead all meet up again]]. This group mainly consists of the following...
** TheHero: Frodo
** SideKick: Sam (to Frodo's Hero)
** ThoseTwoGuys
*** TheStraightMan: Merry
*** TheFool: Pip
** BigGood: Gandalf
** PowerTrio
*** TheKirk: Aragorn
*** TheSpock: Legolas
*** TheMcCoy: Gimli
** TheLancer: Boromir (to Aragorn's Leader)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Frodo]]
!!Frodo Baggins [-(Creator/ElijahWood)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/baggins_frodo_1389.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."'']]

->''"I spent all my life pretending I was off somewhere else. Off with you, on one of your adventures. But my own adventure turned out to be quite different."''

The protagonist of ''The Lord of the Rings''. He was a hobbit of the Shire who inherited Sauron's Ring from his uncle (technically, cousin once removed) and adoptive father Bilbo Baggins and undertook the quest to destroy it in Mount Doom.
----
* AdaptationalAttractiveness / PrettyBoy: He's young and beautiful (and being played by Elijah Wood doesn't hurt!); in the books, hobbits are more pleasant-looking than beautiful. Then again, Frodo is explicitly described as fairly good-looking for a hobbit. Somewhat justified in that Hobbits do age more slowly than humans.
* AllWebbedUp: This happens to Frodo after he manages to escape from Shelob's hair.
* BadassNormal: Just like his uncle before him, Frodo's an ordinary hobbit who's thrust into extraordinary circumstances that end up changing his once-peaceful and boring life forever.
* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler:He does not get better.]]
* TheChosenOne: Frodo is ''THE'' Chosen One of the series. He inherited Sauron's Ring from Bilbo Baggins and is the one meant to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom.
* CoolSword: Sting, an elven long knife that glows when orcs are nearby. It was given to him by Bilbo, who acquired it during his quest 60 years prior to reclaim the Lonely Mountain.
* TheCorruption: One of the major themes of the story. [[http://www.slashfilm.com/potd-elijah-woods-frodo-had-he-kept-the-one-ring/ Cut images]] from ''The Two Towers'' show what [[WhatIf would have happened if he had kept the Ring]], portraying his transformation into a creature similar to Gollum.
* {{Determinator}}: Poor Frodo goes through absolute hell (with Sam at his side) to destroy the Ring and kick Sauron out of Middle-Earth for good.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: He and Sam disguise themselves as orcs during the last leg of their journey.
* EarlyBirdCameo: In the flash-forward beginning of ''Film/TheHobbit''.
* {{Fingore}}: [[spoiler:Gets his finger ''chewed off'' by Gollum in a desperate attempt to get the One Ring.]]
* FreudianTrio: With Sam and Gollum; represents the Ego.
* GeekPhysiques: Judging from his capture on Cirith Ungol in the films.
* GoodIsNotSoft: "Release him, or I'll cut your throat!"
* HappilyAdopted: Frodo was adopted by his uncle Bilbo several years after the drowning deaths of his parents. Uncle and nephew are shown to have a very close and loving relationship, with Bilbo doting on Frodo at every opportunity and then appointing him as the official heir to Bag End.
* TheHero: In a sense that he is chosen to destroy the One Ring.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Sam.
* HiddenDepths: This applies to all the hobbits, but Frodo in particular is very well-educated thanks to his uncle's careful and extensive instruction on a wide range of subjects.
* HitchhikerHeroes: He and Sam are this as they trek towards Mordor.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Laments that he wished the Ring had never come to him at one point (before he's anywhere near his darkest hour), [[DiscussedTrope prompting Gandalf to respond that all who live to see such times wish this]], and that all he has to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to him.
* KubrickStare: [[spoiler:When he claims the One Ring for himself, he sports this stare for only an instant.]]
* MessianicArchetype: Though he differs from most in that he is flawed and fallible.
* MoralityPet: Has several as he falls into the Ring's influence. Sam is the most obvious one, but in the very beginning the other members of the Fellowship fell into this role as well. Interestingly enough, ''Gollum'' of all people becomes one for him, but for a more interesting reason: seeing what Gollum has become and believing that both he and himself could one day be saved from what the Ring has done to them spurs him to reject its influence at times.
* MoreHeroThanThou: He attempts to abandon all the rest so he doesn't drag them into danger, and almost succeeds entirely.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: He has a couple moments of this: first when was talked down by Sam after threatening him while under the Ring's influence, [[spoiler:after he fails to destroy the Ring, instead knocking Gollum off the ledge by accident in the scuffle to possess it. The look he gives Sam makes it clear that he's deeply saddened by what he did.]] He has another one when he is [[spoiler: betrayed by Gollum in Shelob's cave, and realizes his horrible mistake in sending Sam away.]]
* MyGirlBackHome: Well, his ''uncle'' back home to be exact. Bilbo stays behind in Rivendell to finish his tale while Frodo takes off to Mordor.
* NamedWeapons: The aforementioned Sting.
* ParentalAbandonment: His parents drowned in the Brandywine River. This gets a lot less attention than it does in the books, but elements of it remain.
* ThePowerOfFriendship: Sam's loyalty is what keeps Frodo going.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Blue to Sam's Red.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: It's been noted that Tolkien was quite fond of parallels in his stories, and the burden of Frodo's quest is quite similar to Thorin's in ''The Hobbit''. Both of them share bouts of SanitySlippage (including turning their swords on a friend) as well as being rescued from fiery death by the Eagles, and they both leave Middle-Earth -- though in Thorin's case, he dies. It also helps that they both have piercing blue eyes and dark hair as well as fairly quiet and somber dispositions throughout their respective journeys.
* TurnTheOtherCheek: Towards Gollum/Sméagol.
* WeaponOfChoice: An elven dagger, [[NamedWeapons named Sting]]. He inherits it from Bilbo, who had found it in a troll hoard during the Quest for Erebor. Just like Thorin's Orcrist, Sting was forged by the elves of Gondolin and glows blue when orcs are near, making it vital to Frodo's safety and continued survival.
* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Gives this to Sam at the end of ''The Two Towers'':
-->'''Frodo:''' You've left out one of the chief characters, Samwise the Brave. I want to hear more about Sam. Frodo wouldn't have gotten far without his Sam.
-->'''Sam:''' Now Mr. Frodo, [[HeroicSelfDeprecation you shouldn't make fun]]. I was being serious.
-->'''Frodo:''' So was I.
* YouCantGoHomeAgain: Frodo realizes at the end of his [[TheQuest quest]] that he is [[StrangerInAFamiliarLand irreversibly changed]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sam]]
!!Samwise "Sam" Gamgee [-(Creator/SeanAstin)-]
[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Sam_8022.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:220:''"Hey! Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"'']]

->''"I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to. I don't mean to."''

Frodo's loyal servant and gardner, who was determined to follow his master wherever he went, even when he was not invited. Sam proved to be a brave and loyal companion and became Frodo's closest friend. His Hobbit-sense and his love for Frodo saw them both through danger and hardship to the end of the quest. Sam was unwilling to give up hope even when things seemed darkest.
----
* {{Acrofatic}}: He may be on the pudgy side (even Gollum calls him a 'fat Hobbit'), but he can keep up with the others because he's a Hobbit.
* AdaptationDyeJob: Along with Merry, he is fairly blond in the films, whereas in the books blond Hobbits are a rarity.
* {{Adorkable}}: This accounts for his popularity among {{Fandom}}.
* AndThisIsFor: He, the [[LetsGetDangerous normally]] non-threatening gardener, even did this, dedicating Orc kills: "This is for Mr. Frodo!" (stab) "And this is for the Shire!" (slice) "And this is for my old Gaffer!" (thrust)
* AudienceSurrogate: Along with the other hobbits.
* BadassBookworm: Bilbo taught Sam to read and write, abilities that are relatively rare in the Shire. (Sam’s dad hopes that “no harm will come of it.”) Sam proceeds to [[HiddenDepths surprise his fellow hobbits with his book-lore]], and Frodo winds up leaving the Red Book to him to finish.
* BadassNormal: He beats up orcs with a frying pan and kicks a spider's ass.
* BattleButler: For Frodo.
* BerserkButton: Trying to hurt, kidnap, or kill Frodo in front of him is a mistake you won't live to regret...because you won't live much longer.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Gardener? Check. Loving father and husband? Check. Terrifying opponent to anyone or anything that threatens his beloved master? ''Big'' check.
* TheCassandra: The fact that Frodo becomes sympathetic towards Sméagol doesn't help, either.
* CoolSword: When he wields Sting in Frodo's defence.
* DeadpanSnarker: Usually he's rather polite, but when he gets angry, annoyed or impatient with someone, he displays a surprising creativity in thinking up biting comments. Unsurprisingly, he's at his snarkiest when dealing with Gollum.
* {{Determinator}}: "Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you, but I can carry ''you''!"
* DressingAsTheEnemy: He and Frodo disguise themselves as orcs during the last leg of their journey.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Did a hobbit just kick the crap out of a GiantSpider?
* FreudianTrio: With Frodo and Gollum; represents the Superego.
* FryingPanOfDoom: Sam uses this to whack some goblins in Moria.
* HappilyMarried: At the very end [[spoiler:with his longtime crush, Rosie, alluded to a few times early on.]]
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Frodo.
* HiddenDepths: He has spent most of his life being educated by Bilbo.
* HotBlooded: He definitely has moments of this.
* IgnorantOfTheCall: Doesn't consider himself any sort of hero at all, despite the fact that he performs heroic actions as easily as regular people breathe. The only time he comes close to acknowledging that he's a hero is when, during the fight in Balin's Tomb, he kills a goblin with a frying pan and says, "I think I might be getting the hang of this." Apparently, Tolkein himself considered Sam more of a hero than Frodo.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: All he wants to do is to go back home and be with his friends.
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Along with Faramir, he's just about the only character in the story who the Ring cannot tempt. It should be noted that when he saves Frodo from Cirith Ungol he was tempted very briefly, but gave it back nonetheless.
* JumpedAtTheCall: Indeed, Gandalf gave him [[CallToAdventure the call]] seeing how eager he was.
* TheLancer: To [[TheHero Frodo]].
* MyGirlBackHome: Rosie Cotton, who Sam brings up in the last film after they destroyed the Ring as he describes her dancing and wishes to marry her. [[spoiler:He eventually did.]]
* ThePowerOfFriendship: He uses this time and again to see Frodo's journey through.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Red to Frodo's Blue.
* RoaringRampageOfRescue: When he ventures into the tower of Cirith Ungol to rescue Frodo.
* {{Sidekick}}: [[BreakoutCharacter Ascended]] to hero.
* SimplemindedWisdom: Sam is protected by the power of just a little hobbit common-sense.
* SupremeChef: All hobbits can cook, and they're such gourmands one imagines that most hobbits are good cooks, but Sam is a good cook even by hobbit-reckoning — able to whip up a good meal with just a brace of coneys (that is, a couple of rabbits) and herbs of Ithilien.
* TeamChef: He is seen cooking for the Fellowship once before Saruman's crebain fly in to look for them.
* TenderTears: More prominent in the movie adaptation, though.
* TookALevelInBadass: Went from a timid gardener who had never wandered further than a few miles from home to maiming giant spiders and beating orcs in a fight. Lampshaded when he's beating up goblins with a frying pan in Moria, about halfway between the two: "I think I'm getting the hang of this!"
* UndyingLoyalty: Sam almost defines this trope.
* WorkingClassHero: Out of the four main hobbits, two are the sons of chieftains (Merry and Pippin) and the other is a very wealthy heir (Frodo); Sam is the only one who is not a "gentlehobbit."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Merry]]
!!Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck [-(Dominic Monaghan)-]
->'''Played By:''' Dominic Monaghan
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/200px-248px-0006AC40-2CAA-1FD7-8DAB80C328EC0000_7317.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:''"We're under orders from Treebeard, who has taken over management of Isengard."'']]

->''"But you're part of this world, aren't you?... You must help... please."''

A sensible yet adventurous Hobbit whose concern for his cousin Frodo led him to mastermind the "conspiracy" that ensured that Frodo embarked on his quest with his friends at his side. Despite his feelings of uselessness and self-doubt, Merry becomes a Knight of the Riddermark and plays a significant role in the War of the Ring. Through his loyalty and courage, he helped defeat one of the Dark Lord's most terrible servants, the Witch-King.
----
* AdaptationDyeJob: Along with Sam, he is fairly blond in the films, whereas in the books blond Hobbits are a rarity.
* AdaptationalComicRelief: Speaking of the latter, he and Pippin are given funnier moments, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks and setting them off.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: In the books, he was a more serious character. Here, he is more carefree and comical.
* BadassNormal: Merry, just a normal hobbit, is the one who defeats the Witch-King along Éowyn, out of all the trained soldiers, ProudWarriorRaceGuys and other larger-than-life figures present at the Battle.
* BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: He, along with Éowyn (who also literally breaks her arm), nearly dies from contact with the Witch-King.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: The Witch-King of Angmar vs a Hobbit. Merry (teamed up with Éowyn) won.
* TheFool: Together with Pippin; their personalities are less distinct in the movies.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Pippin.
* IJustWantToBeBadass: When the battle lines are forming, he is dismissed as being unable to fight. But when it goes down, he's the first to march into an army.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: With King Théoden and Éowyn.
* InterspeciesFriendship: Also counts as this. He and Pippin also have this with Treebeard.
* JumpedAtTheCall: He and Pippin share their willingness to protect Frodo.
* KubrickStare: When he's yelling at the Ents for refusing to fight, though it's actually incidental due to him having to look up at them.
* TheMcCoy: When convincing the Ents to fight.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Éowyn, when they both joined the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Blue to Pippin's Red, though it's less noticeable in the films.
* TheSmartGuy: Of the Hobbit foursome. He at least knows his way around more than the other three.
* TheStraightMan: When he and Pippin are left alone, Merry is shown to be very capable and sensible, even wise, at times.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Pippin.
* TookALevelInBadass: The first film showed him as a troublemaker and general nuisance. The third had him facing down the armies of Mordor without the slightest hesitation or fear.
* TricksterArchetype: With Pippin, especially since Merry is the one who starts trouble.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pippin]]
!!Peregrin "Pippin" Took [-(Billy Boyd)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/took_peregrin_4859.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Anyways, you need people of intelligence on this sort of... mission... quest... thing."'']]

->''"What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?"''

A silly and reckless Hobbit who insisted on accompanying his cousin Frodo on his quest to destroy the One Ring. Pippin's youth and curious nature gets him into trouble on occasion, but his steadfast friendship and unquenchable cheerfulness helps carry him and his companions through the darkest times. During the quest, he grows up quickly and becomes an important member of the Fellowship, a member of Gondor's elite Citadel Guard, and later made a Knight of Gondor by Aragorn.
----
* AdaptationalComicRelief: He and Merry are given funnier moments, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks and setting them off.
* BigEater: Even more than most hobbits are. See his quote above.
* BreakTheCutie: He suffered from looking into the Palantír, for starters.
* BuffySpeak: During the creation of the Fellowship: "You need people of intelligence in this sort of mission... quest... thing."
* ConstantlyCurious: He tries grabbing a key from a dwarf's corpse before it falls down the well, then looks into the Palantír just to see it once.
* FireForgedFriends: With Gandalf, who didn't seem to like him very much until their siege of Minas Tirith when they saved Faramir's life.
* TheFool: Being the youngest and most impressionable of the bunch, he's more prone to foolishness than his companions.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Merry.
* InterspeciesFriendship / OddFriendship: He and Merry have this with Treebeard. Once he's brought to Gondor, he befriends Faramir as well.
* JumpedAtTheCall: He and Pippin share their willingness to protect Frodo.
* ManChild: He is the youngest of the Fellowship, after all.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Pippin's curiosity has him attempting to pull a key from a corpse, only for it to fall into the wall which end up catching the attention of several orcs as well as a cave troll.
* PluckyComicRelief: His humor is the one thing that keeps himself and his friends going.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Red to Merry's Blue, though it's less noticeable in the films.
* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Merry and Pippin stole Gandalf's best firework and light it prematurely — [[EpicFail while inside a tent]]. When it actually goes off, Pip lets out the girliest scream you can imagine. Billy Boyd didn't know that the thing was [[EnforcedMethodActing actually going to explode]], so the scream is real.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Merry.
* TookALevelInBadass: From foolish young Took to Troll-slayer. Although his troll-slaying doesn't actually appear in the film, he has to make do with uber-orc slaying.
* TricksterArchetype: An innocent version, with Merry, though this toned down as they make their transition to [[BadassNormal badasses]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gandalf]]
!!Gandalf [-(Creator/IanMcKellen)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silfs_gandalf_9311.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."'']]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gandalf_the_white_in_fangorn_2777.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now - at the turn of the tide."'']]

-> ''"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. Go back to the shadow. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn! You shall not pass!"''

A wizard who assisted both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins in their quests across Middle-Earth. Gandalf is a member of the Istari, a group of Maiar that were specially chosen by the Valar to aid the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth in the fight against evil. The Istari, who are often called wizards by various races, take the form of elderly but hale Men, but possess much greater physical, mental, and magical power (though the Valar prevent them from confronting Sauron with the full force of their power). For over 2,000 years, Gandalf worked faithfully against the rising powers of evil in Middle-Earth.
----

* BadassBeard: He ''is'' a wizard after all.
* BadassBoast: "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"
* BadassBookworm: Even being of the lesser Maiar, he was one of the wisest.
* BearerOfBadNews: Wormtongue names him 'Láthspell'; "ill news is an ill guest."
* BigGood: Gandalf is the main "power behind the scenes" manipulating and directing events to help people resist Sauron, and make sure that they have the information and allies they need, as much as he can.
* BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: He dies from the Balrog ordeal. ([[BackFromTheDead Don't worry]], [[CameBackStrong he gets better]].)
* ButNowIMustGo: In ''Literature/TheHobbit'', as well as the ''Fellowship of the Ring''.
* CameBackStrong: As Gandalf the White, the head of his Order.
* TheChessmaster: He has been playing chess with Sauron over Middle-Earth for ''centuries''.
* CoolHorse: Shadowfax.
* CoolOldGuy: To the hobbits, before they learn of his HiddenDepths.
* CoolSword: Glamdring, which he found during ''Film/TheHobbit''.
* CrucifiedHeroShot: When he falls into the abyss in Moria. Done again when he confronts the Necromancer in Dol Guldur.
* DeadlyNosebleed: After his fight with the Balrog, his body is shown lying on the mountain peak with blood coming out of his nose.
%%* DeadpanSnarker
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Old guy vs. Balrog. Old guy wins.
* DotingParent: Towards the younger Heroes and Warriors in the band.
* DualWielding: Wields both his staff and Glamdring at times.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: YouShallNotPass
* EccentricMentor: To Bilbo and Frodo. He becomes less of it by the time [[spoiler:he was revived.]]
* EruditeStoner: The movies treat the hobbit pipeweed as a GRatedDrug which turns Gandalf into this, especially in ''Film/TheHobbit'', where he at one point encourages Radagast to calm down by giving him a toke.
* FamousLastWords: YouShallNotPass, but technically "Fly, you fools!".
* TheFettered: Per WordOfGod, he's not supposed to use his magic powers without good reason, but instead [[GuileHero outwit the Enemy whenever he can]].
* FireForgedFriends: With Pippin, who he didn't seem to like very much until their siege of Minas Tirith when they saved Faramir's life.
* FriendToAllChildren: When he arrives in the Hobbiton at the beginning of ''Fellowship of the Ring'', the hobbit children are delighted to see him and shout for him to set off fireworks; he happily obliges.
* GoodCounterpart: To Saruman after Gandalf returns as the fresh White Wizard against the fallen White Wizard. Lampshaded in the extended edition of ''The Two Towers''.
--> '''Legolas''': Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman.\\
'''Gandalf''': I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been.
* GoodIsNotSoft: Beats up Denethor when the latter starts raving.
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Definitely Good Smoking. When he's relaxing, he'll usually get out his pipe and start making smoke rings. ''Or smoke ships''.
* GrumpyOldMan: Lampshaded by Gimli when he comes back as Gandalf the White. "This new Gandalf's even grumpier than the old one!"
* HarbingerOfImpendingDoom: Implied by [[ShootTheMessenger his critics]] to be this.
* HeroicSacrifice: In Moria to save the rest of the Fellowship.
* HolyHandGrenade: His powers also exhibit an explosive quality, as seen in ''An Unexpected Journey'' when he completely ''flattens'' the goblin horde with a deafening blast of white light, right before they are about to hack Thorin's head off.
* InterspeciesFriendship: He has many, but especially has one with Bilbo and with Gwaihir, Lord of the Eagles.
* LargeHam: He can be quite bombastic at times.
* LightEmUp: Seems to be his main power, ranging from simple white light to illuminate his path, to protective light bubbles to [[ThePowerOfTheSun sunlight]] manipulation. Predictably, it grows more powerful as he becomes Gandalf the White.
* LiteralMinded: He toys with this in ''Film/TheHobbit'', when he meets Bilbo and their conversation about the meaning of "Good morning." However, it is revealed that Gandalf was doing it intentionally, partly to remind Bilbo of who he was and partly because [[ItAmusedMe it amused him to do so.]]
* ManInWhite: After he [[CameBackStrong comes back stronger]].
* TheMentor: He serves as a mentor figure for Frodo - and Bilbo before him - and is killed by the Balrog.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler:Though he [[BackFromTheDead gets better]].]]
* MessianicArchetype: Died and came back three days later, wearing white robes? [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Yep]].
* NamedWeapons: Glamdring, meaning "foe-hammer" in [[ConLang Sindarin]].
* NiceHat: His wide-brimmed, conical hat is iconic to the character and appears in virtually all artwork and, of course, the films.
* OhCrap: In the Desolation of Smaug:
-->'''Gandalf''': We've been blind. And in our blindness, our enemy has returned.
* OlderThanTheyLook: He looks like he's about 80, but he's been in Middle-Earth for upwards of 2000 years and is in fact older than Arda itself.
* OnlySaneMan: Part of this is [=McKellan=]'s often weary delivery, but Gandalf still often shows himself to be the only one with his mind together and in the right place throughout his many adventures -- particularly in situations where he is desperately trying to give good advice to others and nobody will listen to him, most obviously with Thorin and Denethor. Sometimes feels like SurroundedByIdiots instead -- such as in the Hobbit where attempting to reason with the bullheaded Thorin results in him just leaving for a few hours to vent steam.
--> '''Bilbo''': Where are you going?\\
'''Gandalf''': To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense!\\
'''Bilbo''': Who's that?\\
'''Gandalf''': ''Myself'', Mr. Baggins!
* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The Wizards are really angels disguised as elderly humans.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Galadriel, as evidenced during ''the Hobbit'' when she's the only one who is supportive of Gandalf's quest to slay Smaug.
* PowerEchoes: When an outraged Thorin is about to throw Bilbo from the battlements in ''Film/TheHobbit'', Gandalf lets a bit of his true self show when shouting at him to let his burglar go.
* ShutUpHannibal: Delivers an epic and hilarious one to Denethor after the Steward starts ranting about the hopelessness of the coming battle.
* TookALevelInBadass: He's [[CameBackStrong much stronger]] when he comes back as Gandalf the White.
* TookALevelInKindness: Bilbo mellowed Gandalf out a lot. Prior to meeting him, Gandalf wasn't just grumpy, he was a cantankerous {{Jerkass}}.
* TakingYouWithMe: He and the Balrog both die in their fight, [[BackFromTheDead but only he returns to life]].
* TimeAbyss: He's older than time itself.
* WalkingTheEarth: He's not called "The Grey Wanderer" for nothing, being possibly even more well-traveled than Aragorn is.
* WeaponOfChoice: Staff and his sword, Glamdring.
* WillfullyWeak: Like the rest of the Wizards, Gandalf is actually operating at only a fraction of his full power. This is deliberate as the Valar decied to clothe the Wizards in the bodies of old men as they are meant to combat Sauron by wisdom and persuasion not brute strength or force. His battle against the Balrog is the only time he truly shows his full abilities as this was an enemy unconnected to Sauron but JUST as powerful.
* WizardClassic: One of the most iconic modern examples and a TropeCodifier.
* TheWorfEffect: His staff is destroyed by the Witch-King of Angmar in the extended edition of ''Return Of The King''[[spoiler: and by Sauron in ''The Desolation of Smaug'', just before Gandalf is captured.]]
** WorfHadTheFlu: Though as noted above, he was merely using a fraction of his full power in both cases.
* YouShallNotPass: He says the line when facing down a Balrog, to buy the rest of the Fellowship time to escape.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Aragorn]]
!!Aragorn [-(Creator/ViggoMortensen)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aragorn_strider_9930.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail."'']]

->''"Long have you hunted me, long have I eluded you. No more. Behold! The Sword of Elendil!"''

The 16th Chieftain of the Dúnedain of the North. As the heir of Elendil, the first High King of Arnor and Gondor, Aragorn is the rightful king of both realms, though Arnor fell long ago, and Gondor has been without a king for nearly 1000 years. Aragorn lived much of his life as Ranger, but was eventually crowned King Elessar Telcontar in Minas Tirith as the 26th King of Arnor, and the 35th King of Gondor and First High King of the Reunited Kingdom. He was a great warrior, and as the heir of Isildur (Elendil's eldest son) bore the shards of Narsil, reforged and renamed Andúril ("Flame of the West"), in the War of the Ring.
----
* AdaptationalAngstUpgrade: Aragorn is more unsure about returning to the throne of Gondor, and must be convinced by Elrond to do so. His reason is his ancestor Isildur's failure to destroy the One Ring, and Aragorn fears this weakness has been passed down to him.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: He's the Heir of Isildur and rightful King of the Dúnedain. He's a better tracker and woodsman than the Wood-elf Legolas, a deadly warrior, a skilled battlefield medic, strong-willed enough to use a Palantír and even wrench it out of Sauron's control, and wise enough to know he can't and must not use the One Ring.
* BackToBackBadasses: With Gimli, during the Battle of Helm's Deep fighting the Uruk-hai.
* TheCaptain: Of the Rangers of the North, and of the Fellowship after Gandalf's passage. Also serves as one to the army and navy of Gondor as 'Thorongil'.
* CoolSword: Andúril, reforged from the shards of Narsil, an ancient heirloom of his line.
* CombatPragmatist: Being trained by the Rangers of the North taught him a few things. Including '''punching out''' orcs with his hand or using throwing knives.
* DeathWail: Aragorn lets out one when he finds Merry and Pippin's elven belts on the Orc funeral pyre. [[spoiler:They're not actually dead though, as he later deduces from his Ranger tracking skills.]] In Real Life, it was because Mortensen had just broken his toe on the helmet he kicked and they decided [[ThrowItIn it fit the scene]] so they kept it.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: He must have the Enemy overthrown before he can become king and marry Arwen.
* EngagementChallenge: As above.
* FreudianTrio: With Legolas and Gimli; represents the Ego.
* HeroicLineage: He is part of the long line created by both Beren and Lúthien.
* HeroicWillpower: Although he knows better then to even consider it, when Frodo flat out offers the ring to him, Aragorn manages to fight it's power to tell Frodo not to. Considering how afraid he is of it's power, it's telling.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Legolas. Though it becomes a trio when Gimli enters the picture. Legolas' final scene in ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies'' seems to confirm this, making them actually the second generation with their fathers as precursor.
* HonorBeforeReason: The reason he undertakes his quest for kingship in the first place was because of his love for Arwen.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Refused to follow his destiny for many years. Of course, in the third film, he embraces it wholeheartedly.
* IHaveManyNames: Aragorn, Estel (Hope in Sindarin, given by Elrond), Elessar (elf-stone), Strider/Telcontar, Windfoot, Dúnadan (''the'' man of the West), Longshanks, and Thorongil (the name he used while serving Gondor incognito).
* InterspeciesFriendship: With Legolas for about sixty years, starting from after the Battle of the Five Armies when Legolas [[spoiler: tells is father he cannot go home with him and is in turn told to search out "a young ranger by the name of Strider"]].
* KissingCousins: Arwen is technically his first cousin...sixty-seven times removed, since Aragorn is a direct male-line descendant of Elros, the first king of Númenor and Elrond's brother (Elrond and Elros, being half-elves, were allowed to choose whether to be elf or man; Elrond chose the former, Elros the latter).
* TheLancer: To Gandalf.
* LostOrphanedRoyalty: Aragorn is the rightful heir to Gondor. At the age of 2 his father was killed and he was brought to Rivendell in secret to be raised by Elrond
* LovedINotHonorMore: Towards Arwen.
* MasterSwordsman: He is the master with a sword compared to Boromir's more brutal approach.
* TheMedic: He has HealingHands and other special healing powers due to his lineage.
* MementoMacGuffin: The Ring of Barahir. Not explained in the films, but he is shown wearing it as an EasterEgg or MythologyGag for readers. Elaborated in the Extended Edition of ''Two Towers'', where Wormtongue mentions it to Saruman. The ring itself isn't magical, it is simply an heirloom of the kings of Arnor and Elendil before them - but from this Saruman is quickly able to figure out who Aragorn is.
* MessianicArchetype: He shares this role along with Frodo. Also, he inspired Rohan and the rest of Middle-Earth to fight for their freedom, plus he has gained more followers as he continued his journey. Being destined to be King of Gondor, and being a descendant of Isildur, will make you this.
* MrFanservice: At least in the films.
* NamedWeapons: Andúril, "Flame of the West".
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: He stops Théoden from killing Wormtongue because too much blood had already been spilled. Wormtongue turns around and gives Saruman the secret to defeating the defenses at Helm's Deep; thus, causing nearly all the defenders to be killed. Too much blood, indeed.
* OlderThanTheyLook: As explained in an extended scene from ''The Two Towers''. Thanks to Númenórean/Dunedain descent, he's at his prime at 87. Well, he looks like he's a very fit man in his early forties with a grey hair or two. The Dunedain were "blessed with long life" (as Eowyn says in the scene), living about three times longer than normal men.
* OlderSidekick: To the Hobbits, at first.
* RequisiteRoyalRegalia
** [[AwesomeMomentOfCrowning Crown of Gondor]]
** Ring of Barahir
** [[AncestralWeapon The-Sword-that-was-Broken]]
* RightfulKingReturns: Of course. Gondor's been waiting hundreds of years for The Return of the King.
* RousingSpeech: Before the Battle of the Black Gate.
-->''"By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"''
* RoyalBlood: The purest now left.
* ShutUpHannibal: Swiftly decapitates the MouthOfSauron once he gets sick of his shit.
* SupportingLeader: Former [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]].
* WalkingTheEarth: He has spent many years as a Ranger roaming in the Wilds.
* WarriorPrince: Like most princes of the Men, Elves, and Dwarves.
* WeaponOfChoice: Sword.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Legolas]]
!!Legolas Greenleaf [-(Creator/OrlandoBloom)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/legolas_2637.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East. A sleepless malice. The eye of the enemy is moving."'']]

->''"They have feelings, my friend. The elves began it, waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."''

An Elf of the Woodland Realm in northern Mirkwood in the east of Middle-earth, Legolas was part of the Fellowship in the Third Age. He is the son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood and a Prince of the Woodland Realm as well as a swift messenger and master bowman. Legolas eventually became great friends with the dwarf Gimli, who was also a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
----
* TheAce: To almost ridiculous levels. In ''Film/TheReturnOfTheKing'', he takes down a fully-armed War Mûmak and its crew all by himself.
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: For Tauriel, as explored in the last two ''Hobbit'' films. Of course, never mentioning Tauriel throughout the original trilogy suggests he may have gotten over her (somewhat).
* ArcherArchetype: He uses a bow almost exclusively. Like most elves, he's elegant and graceful, and comes across as somewhat haughty. His archery is even exaggerated from the books, especially with shooting oliphaunts point-blank.
* DualWielding: The only other weapons he ever carries is a pair of knives, and at one point Orcrist.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking / WarriorPrince: He's an elven prince. He also took down what essentially amounts to a war elephant by himself.
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: All this pretty boy gets over the course of the trilogy is a bruise and a little smudge of dirt. [[spoiler:Averted in ''Desolation of Smaug'', where he receives a bloody nose while duelling Bolg.]]
* BerserkButton: Threatening or looking down on the people important to Legolas brings out his NotSoStoic side. In ''The Battle of Five Armies,'' he outright [[spoiler: tells his father that they're going to fight to the death if he hurts Tauriel.]] In ''Fellowship,'' he berates Boromir when the latter insults Aragorn, who is the rightful king of Gondor. And in ''The Two Towers,'' when [[spoiler: Eomer threatens to kill Gimli, Legolas draws his bow and tells Eomer that he would die before Gimli if he tried it.]]
* BottomlessMagazines: Over five films he's run out of arrows exactly once, and he had already killed way more orcs than he had arrows in that instance.
* CaptainObvious: "A diversion." [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname So Named]] in ''Legolas: The Very Special Diaries'', thus becoming TropeCodifier.
* CoolSword: [[spoiler: Gets to wield Orcrist when his group captures Thorin and the other dwarves.]] Which may or may not be a deliberate ShoutOut to a certain Legolas Greenleaf leading Glorfindel's (i.e. the original wielder of Orcrist) group away from Gondolin after it fell and Glorfindel himself died at the hands of a Balrog. Also leads to FridgeBrilliance, as this could be the reason how this as well as Glamdring and Sting survived the fall of the city in the first place.
* CharacterDevelopment: It is evident he used to be something of a {{Jerkass}} in his youth, as shown in Desolation of Smaug. Compare to the much gentler soul he is in the Trilogy. This is apparent even in his appearance - Legolas is much paler in ''Film/TheHobbit'' with particularly icy blue eyes, making for a visual [[DefrostingIceQueen Defrosting Elf Prince]] between the two trilogies.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Makes his appearance in [[Film/TheHobbit the last two Hobbit films]]. He's a supporting protagonist who arguably gets the best fights of the entire second film.
* ElvesVsDwarves: Averted, eventually. Played straight in ''Film/TheHobbit'', however.
* FantasticRacism: As shown in the second ''Hobbit'' movie, Legolas originally shared his father's disdain for anyone who wasn't an elf, especially dwarves.
* TheFairFolk: His father is the king of them.
* FreudianTrio: With Aragorn and Gimli; represents the Superego. But he is the Ego in the group with Tauriel and Thranduil in ''Film/TheHobbit'' films.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: He eventually becomes this with Gimli by the end of the trilogy. He and Aragorn have been implied to be and are frequently portrayed as this by [[{{Fandom}} fans]]. His final scene in ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies'' seems to confirm this, making them actually the second generation with their fathers as precursor.
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Regular in the original, [[UpToEleven taken to a ridiculous level]] in the PJ films.
* InterspeciesFriendship: With Gimli. He's also been this with Aragorn for about sixty years, starting from after the Battle of the Five Armies when Legolas [[spoiler: tells is father he cannot go home with him and is in turn told to search out "a young ranger by the name of Strider"]].
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In ''The Hobbit'' films, he's clearly in love with the elf Tauriel [[spoiler:but when he sees that she's in love with the dwarf Kíli he does his best to warn her that it can't work out]]. Apart from that he doesn't interfere, and he feels sorry for Tauriel [[spoiler: when Kíli is killed in the course of trying to rescue her from the CurbStompBattle she's getting from Bolg. He goes on to save her himself, and finally succeeds in killing Bolg only after an epic battle. Not that it does him any good.]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: In ''The Hobbit'' films. He's callous and insulting towards the dwarves, but he also doesn't share his father's class prejudices and cares about the wellbeing of the world beyond their borders. As of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy, he's mostly dropped the "jerk" part of it and become a nice, if mildly aloof, guy.
* LonghairedPrettyBoy: He's an Elf, so having long hair is kinda inevitable.
* MissingMom: His mother was killed by the orcs in Gundabad and he at one point tells Tauriel that his father has never even mentioned her since. It isn't until the end of the third ''Hobbit'' film that Thranduil notes that she loved her son more than anything else in the world -- which is probably about half of what Legolas wanted to hear.
* MrExposition: When he's not being CaptainObvious.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: While Legolas shared his species FantasticRacism, he did call out his father on their willingness to ignore what's happening in the outside world.
* NotSoStoic: When fighting Bolg in Laketown, his reaction to injury and that for the first time he was left unable to defeat an Orc in single combat leaves him stunned.
** He's very quiet and calm, even in battle, but when Aragorn falls during his fight with the armored troll in ''Return of the King'' you can see him really panicking. You can't hear what he's saying but even if you aren't an expert at lip-reading you can make out that he's screaming his friend's name. In three movies, he loses his cool exactly ''twice''.
* OddFriendship: With Gimli.
* ShortRangeGuyLongRangeGuy: Is the Long Range of the pair.
* OhCrap: The only time he ''ever'' appears [[http://media.photobucket.com/image/legolas%20scared/jewbie/Legolas_mad_2.jpg frightened]] in the trilogy is at the mention of the [[HeroKiller Balrog.]] With good reason: [[AllThereInTheManual any and all military encounters between elf and balrog]] end with the death of the elf, and [[TakingYouWithMe in ONE case, the death of the balrog as well]]. Glorfindel was one of only two elves to successfully slay a balrog (the other was Ecthelion, Second-in-Command of Turgon, High King of the Noldor), and for this deed, he was actually allowed to return to Middle-Earth after his resurrection in Aman.
** In ''The Hobbit'' trilogy, he has another moment of panic when Tauriel is in danger and, for the first time, he has run out of arrows.
* OnlySaneMan: Though Tauriel was first, he pretty quickly realises that [[WhatTheHellHero his father has flaws]], seems to pay attention when Thorin saves his life, and agrees to help Tauriel with the orcs without much of an argument.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Tauriel. It is implied by Thranduil that Legolas has grown quite fond of her.
* RedOniBlueOni: The blue to Gimli's [[spoiler: and Tauriel's]] red.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Though it only gets an offhand mention in the movies, Legolas is the Prince of Mirkwood and son of King Thranduil. Gets expanded upon in ''Film/TheHobbit'', where he disputes with his father over the course the Mirkwood elves should take after the escape of Thorin and Company.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Disobeys his father and leaves the Mirkwood with Tauriel to help fight the darkness, rather than [[SomeoneElsesProblem close their borders and hide from it]].
* TheSmartGuy: Given his advanced age compared to everyone except Gandalf, it often falls to Legolas to give explanations or elaborate on complicated subjects.
* TheStoic: Like his father and most of his elven kin, it takes quite a bit to surprise or frighten Legolas. His NotSoStoic expression when he first hears the Balrog in Moria speaks volumes about how dangerous an opponent it is.
* StrongFamilyResemblance: Aside from the various wigs and prosthetics, both Orlando Bloom and Lee Pace have strikingly similar facial features, so this is definitely the case in the films.
* SubmissiveBadass: Not counting Gandalf, Legolas is easily the strongest and most capable fighter in the Fellowship. He's also devoted to Aragorn and always defers to his leadership.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: He throws the Orcrist at a troll to save Thorin's life.
* TookALevelInKindness: He still has some CharacterDevelopment to go through in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', but he's far nicer there than he is in ''Film/TheHobbit'' sixty years earlier.
* TranquilFury: In ''DOS'', he falls into one of these after Bolg successfully injures him, something that ''nobody else'' has managed. It was only a nosebleed, but the look on Legolas' face was of barely contained rage, and the last we see of him, he's on his horse, trying to run Bolg down and kill him in retribution. Which, given that Bolg is likely fleeing toward the Orc army moving out from Dol Goldur, is probably a bad thing.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Gimli. The fact that Legolas' father kept Gimli's father captive in ''Literature/TheHobbit'' doesn't help, either. Legolas even asks if Gimli is an orc mutant before being told that he is Glóin's wee lad.
* WeaponOfChoice: Bow and [[DualWielding long knives.]]
* WhatTheHellHero: Delivers one to Thranduil after the latter decapitated Narzug, despite having vowed to [[ExactWords release him]].
* WrestlerInAllOfUs: He nails Bolg with a hurricanrana during their duel on the tower bridge.
* YouCantGoHomeAgain: When the battle's done and the mourning starts, Legolas flat out tells Thranduil that, after all that's passed between them, [[spoiler:he can't return to the forest]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gimli]]
!!Gimli [-(Creator/JohnRhysDavies)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gimli_3365.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?"'']]

->''"I'm wasted on cross-country! We Dwarves are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances."''

A Dwarf of Erebor, descended from Durin the Deathless, the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves. Gimli is a high dwarven nobleman and a mighty warrior, as well as the son of Glóin, who helped reclaim the Lonely Mountain with Bilbo Baggins sixty years prior to the War of the Ring. Gimli was a member of the Fellowship of the Ring and was the only dwarf to readily fight alongside elves in the war against Sauron at the end of the Third Age. After the defeat of Sauron, he was given lordship of the Glittering Caves at Helm's Deep and founded a flourishing Dwarven colony there.
----
* AdaptationalComicRelief: From the second film onwards, Gimli takes on more of a comic relief role, still giving one-liners as in the first film but also providing physical comedy. His book counterpart is a much more dignified, well-respected character, although some of his funny moments in the films came from the books (such as his Orc-slaying competition with Legolas, though even that one was altered to his detriment). WordOfGod confirms that Gimli, being a Dwarf, is given this role due to Merry and Pippin maturing.
* AncestralWeapon: He wields the same axes that Glóin did in ''Film/TheHobbit'', who apparently passed them down to his son. It's also revealed that Glóin's father, Gróin, had these in his possession as well.
* BackToBackBadasses: With Aragorn, during the Battle of Helm's Deep fighting the Uruk-hai.
* BadassBeard: He's a dwarf and the son of Glóin; of course he's got one. And as an added bonus, he's also a prominent member of the Longbeards, which is the dwarven clan that's infamous for producing long, impressive beards.
* TheBigGuy: He is one of the fiercest fighters in the Fellowship despite his size.
* BodyCountCompetition: UrExample, with Legolas.
* BoisterousBruiser: See TheBigGuy and RatedMForManly for more info.
* ButtMonkey: Most evident in ''The Two Towers'' and ''The Return of the King''.
* CourtlyLove: To Galadriel.
* DeadpanSnarker
* DualWielding: Carries somewhere between seven and eleven axes. The two he uses most often are Balin's double-bladed great axe (that he picked up in Moria) and his 'walking' axe (used as a walking stick). Frequently, however, he dual wields the walking axe and his bearded axe. He also carries a variable number of throwing axes.
* ElvesVsDwarves: Initially, but subverted when he becomes friendly with Legolas and admires Galadriel's beauty.
* FieryRedhead: Just like his father before him.
* FreudianTrio: With Legolas and Aragorn; he represents the Id.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: He and Legolas eventually become this by the end of the trilogy.
* InterspeciesFriendship: Obviously. They are the first elf and dwarf to have a friendship of any type in thousands of years.
* JumpedAtTheCall: He is usually the most eager to enter a battle and always has a fighting spirit.
* OddFriendship: With Legolas.
* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: TropeCodifier. Just like his father, he's quite the prototypical dwarf: a stout, truculent, proud, and gold-loving guy with an axe and an impressive beard.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Dwarves are very strong for their size.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Red Oni of the pair.
* RatedMForManly: Gimli's personality in the film as [[WarriorPoet opposed to the book]].
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Through his father Glóin, he's distantly related to the line of Durin and the royal family of Erebor.
* ShortRangeGuyLongRangeGuy: Is the Short Range of the pair.
* StrongFamilyResemblance: To his father, Glóin.
* ViolentGlaswegian: In the film.
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Legolas. The fact that Legolas' father kept Gimli's father captive in ''Literature/TheHobbit'' doesn't help, either.
* WeaponOfChoice: [[AnAxeToGrind An axe]]. He wields about five in the films. Also see AncestralWeapon above.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Boromir]]
!!Boromir [-(Creator/SeanBean)-]
[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Seanbean_boromir_6600.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:220:''"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king."'']]

->''"I ask only for the strength to defend my people."''

Eldest son and heir of Denethor, the Ruling Steward of Gondor. Boromir is a Captain of the White Tower, Captain-General of Gondor, a masterful soldier and natural leader who led his beleaguered people to dozens of great victories over the forces of Mordor. Still, Boromir is more concerned with feats of arms than his wiser and more bookish little brother, Faramir.
----
* AdaptationDyeJob: He was dark-haired in the books. Here, his hair's a light brown bordering on blond.
* AnnoyingArrows: Subverted, just like in the book. [[spoiler:It takes a lot of arrows to bring Boromir down, but Lurtz slays him in the end.]]
* AntiHero: Type III. He's only in the Fellowship to have them take the Ring to Gondor under his father's orders.
* BadassBeard: Compared to the book version who has no beard whatsoever.
* BadassNormal: Even a hail of arrows does not stop this guy.
* BigBrotherInstinct: He's very quick to defend Faramir from their father's cruel detractions and shows his brother open affection whenever possible. Faramir's visible devastation at learning of his brother's death says a lot about their relationship. He also develops this for Merry and Pippin during the first movie.
-->'''Boromir''': You give him no credit and yet he tries to do your will! He loves you, Father. \\
'''Denethor''': Do not trouble me with Faramir. I know his uses and they are few.
* TheBigGuy: He's not only a fierce fighter using a sword and shield, but he's also quite hammy.
* BrokenAce: He was a proud, gallant warrior, but the pressure put on him by his father eroded his common sense, and he never thought Sauron could be beaten, which fed his obsession with the Ring.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: No matter how many [[spoiler:arrows are shot into him, he does ''not give up''.]]
* FaceDeathWithDignity: When Lurtz is about to deliver the coup de grace, Boromir looks him in the eye as he waits for the uruk to get it over with.
* FallenHero: He was a valiant warrior trying to save his country, his people's champion, but he couldn't resist the temptation of the Ring.
* FamousLastWords: "I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king."
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Remember that brief moment where Aragorn sees Boromir left his shield when they land? [[spoiler: Probably would've been better if he had remembered.]]
* HumansAreFlawed: Boromir briefly mentions the weakness of men to Aragorn and perhaps embodies it best. At least until...
** HumansAreSpecial: ...he then embodies the best in men by leaping in to save Merry and Pippin from a band of orcs.
* KilledOffForReal: The only Fellowship member [[spoiler:to remain dead and never come back.]]
* TheLancer: To Aragorn. The fact that he's been a jerk to him in the first film doesn't help, either. His fighting style's also a bit clunkier compared to Aragorn's more elegant swordplay.
* ManlyTears: As he lays dying, no less. He sheds some earlier after realizing he has tried to seize the Ring from Frodo.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After realizing that he tried taking the Ring from Frodo by force.
* NiceGuy:
** While he's rather prickly towards Aragorn, he's far more supportive of the Hobbits inclusion in the party, while everyone else (including Aragorn) seems to considers them TheLoad at first. Not only does he teach Merry and Pippin some fencing, but in the aftermath of Moria and Gandalf's death, when Aragorn pushes the devastated Hobbits to keep moving.
---> '''Boromir''': Give them a moment for pity's sake!
** He's also shown to have a very good relationship with his younger brother, who is routinely dismissed or outright ridiculed by their father. When Denethor describes Faramir as being useless, Boromir is visibly angered and doesn't hesitate to come to his brother's defense. He's quite willing to hug and display open affection to Faramir as well.
* ParentalFavoritism: He is often on the receiving end of this treatment from Denethor. The Extended Edition of ''Two Towers'' shows that Boromir ''hates'' being the favorite and his father's tendency to act dismissive of and find fault in everything Faramir does.
* PlayingGertrude: A male example. Sean Bean is only 11 years younger than John Noble, who plays his father Denethor. Somewhat justified in-universe, seeing as Denethor has Dúnedain (i.e. Númenórean) blood and that, like Aragorn, he is [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld Really Eighty-Nine Years Old]] to Boromir's forty-one years at the time of the War of the Ring.
* PosthumousCharacter: Even though he died early on, his background and character is explored by the other characters. It also has a major influence on the plot, with both Denethor and Faramir being heavily effected by Boromir's death.
* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: See the book for more details.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: After trying to take the One Ring (under the Ring's influence, no less), [[spoiler:he dies defending Merry and Pippin from the Uruk-hai.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: The Red to Aragorn and Faramir's Blue.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething / WarriorPrince: While the son of the Steward, Boromir is one of fiercest fighters in Middle-Earth, which is why his father favors him over Faramir. He firmly believes that it's his duty to protect and save Gondor from the continued expansion of Mordor's influence.
* SanitySlippage: Happens gradually as his desire for the Ring slowly drives him mad until he finally snaps and attacks Frodo. He gets better though, for a short time.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Boromir is the manly of this pair.
* SiblingYinYang: He's the polar opposite of his brother Faramir, who is a capable warrior but prefers books and other scholarly pursuits over combat and the battlefield. This doesn't harm their relationship at all, though.
* ThisIsGonnaSuck:
** Creator/SeanBean's delivery of the line "They have a cave troll" in the movie is all ''over'' this trope.
** In the Extended Edition of ''The Two Towers'', he has this reaction upon learning that Denethor has come to congratulate them for retaking Osgiliath. The fact that Faramir is standing right there with him doesn't help matters, especially since Boromir is quite aware of his father's dismissive and cruel nature.
* TragicHero: He dies at the end of the first film after attempting to take the Ring for himself. He's been obsessing over it since being included in the Fellowship and it is not at all helped by the fact that it's his father who's wanting it in the first place.
* WeaponOfChoice: Sword and shield.
[[/folder]]

!Men

[[folder:Théoden]]
!!Théoden [-(Bernard Hill)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/theoden_6166.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Arise! Arise, Riders of Théoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... ere the sun rises!"'' ]]

->''"Dark have been my dreams of late."''

King of Rohan, father of Théodred, uncle of Éowyn and Éomer. Théoden was betrayed by his servant Gríma Wormtongue, who enfeebled and confused him, and through whom Théoden was ensorcelled by Saruman. While Gandalf helped him come to his senses and freed him of Saruman's domination, the damage had already been done: his armies were in disarray, bands of wild men had ransacked the countryside, and his only son and heir was dead. Théoden faced the challenge of standing amongst legends in the midst of his failure to defend his people and his country. Eventually, he found his strength and rallied his people to their greatest victory at the Battle of Pelennor Fields, though at the cost of his own life.
----
* AlphabeticalThemeNaming: This seems to be a trend in Rohirrim families, namely through the paternal side. Théoden's father was named Thengel; his youngest sister, Théodwyn; and his son, Théodred.
* BattleCry: "DEATH!!"
* BigDamnHeroes: Just after the door of Minas Tirith was broken and with the Witch-King seemingly about to be victorious, he arrives with his Rohirrim army and gives hope back to the good guys.
* DyingAsYourself: [[spoiler:At least he believes so.]]
* {{Foil}}: To Denethor. Whereas Denethor went mad from grief from Boromir's death, Théoden managed to pull himself out of his despair and find the courage to save the day. He's also a lot more noble than the more devious Denethor, and he doesn't pick favorites amongst his children. While Denethor ''very'' clearly favors Boromir over the more quiet and sensitive Faramir, Théoden shows a fairly equal amount of concern and favor to Théodred, Éomer, and Éowyn. And despite his grief over Théodred's death, he doesn't harbor any resentment towards Éomer and easily accepts his nephew's position as Rohan's new heir-apparent.
* TheGoodKing: Aside from his poisoning in courtesy of Gríma, Théoden tries very hard to do what is best for his people even if the likes of Gandalf and/or Aragorn goad him into doing so.
* GoodParents: Théoden treats Éowyn and Éomer as if they were his own children, openly showing affection or pride towards them at several points. And upon his awakening, the first person Théoden asked for after seeing to his niece and nephew was his only son and heir, Théodred.
-->'''Théoden:''' No parent should have to bury their child.
* GoOutWithASmile:
-->'''Théoden''': I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company, I shall not now feel ashamed.
* HesBack: When Gandalf finally breaks him out the spell that Saruman had cast over him.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: With Merry.
* LargeHam: Not to the extent of the other Large Hams present, but Bernard Hill plays him very Shakespearean.
* OhCrap: When the Oliphaunts arrive. "BRING IT DOWN BRING IT DOWN BRING IT DOWN!"
* ParentalSubstitute:
** To Éowyn and Éomer. He treats both of his sister's children with great affection and acts more like a father than an uncle to them, expressing regret when relating to Aragorn that he wasn't there for Éowyn when she needed him.
** And oddly enough to Merry, apparently, even though Merry's father Saradoc is alive and well. At least, Merry claims Théoden was as a father to him. Perhaps in the sense that Théoden was a positive authority figure during a time of great maturation in Merry's life.
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: As all Rohirrim are.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: He seems to think so. He's very hard on himself about his failures until he finds the courage to come to Gondor's aid. As he's dying, he smiles knowing that he's earned his place in the halls of his fathers.
* RevengeBeforeReason: A marginal case:
-->'''Théoden''': We shall have peace. We shall have peace when ''you'' answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! When the lives of the soldiers, whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet, for the sport of your own crows, '''we shall have peace'''.
* RousingSpeech: Théoden gets quite a few, but the main ones are at the Battle of Helm's Deep and Pelennor Fields.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: He's '''much''' more capable than Denethor and personally leads his men straight into battle, fighting alongside them without fear for his own life. He gets killed in battle, but dies happy nonetheless.
* TheSouthpaw: Bernard Hill being left-handed and all.
* WarriorPoet: ''"Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?"''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Éowyn]]
!!Éowyn [-(Creator/MirandaOtto)-]
[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Eowyn_3991.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:220:''"The women of this country learned long ago, those without swords can still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain."'']]

->''"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?"''

Éomer's sister, Théodred's cousin, and much beloved niece of Théoden... as well as [[StalkerWithACrush Gríma Wormtongue]]. She's a dedicated shield-maiden of the Riddermark and does not hesitate to battle those who threaten the people of Rohan.
----
* AlphabeticalThemeNaming: Éowyn's father was named Éomund; her brother, Éomer; and her eventual son, Elboron. Though Elboron was more likely named for Boromir, his late uncle. Besides for the fact that his name isn't even Rohirric (Probably Sindarin -- very likely, given his father's taste for the Elvish).
* BadassNormal: Aside from her training as a shield-maiden, Éowyn is a normal human woman. And yet, it was she who killed the Witch-King, a grand feat that many stronger, older, and wiser than her had tried and failed at over the centuries.
* BetaCouple: With Faramir.
* BigDamnHeroes: She arrives in time to save her uncle from the Witch-King.
* BrokenBird: She has been forced to nurse an ailing uncle and endure the sexual harassment of his EvilChancellor for years. Not to mention her ParentalAbandonment issues, her cousin dying in battle, her beloved older brother being banished, and of course a war coming that may destroy them all...
* BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu: She literally broke her arm in the struggle, but she also nearly died from contact with the Witch-King.
* CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds: Ends up with Faramir after learning that Aragorn does not feel the same way toward her.
* DeathSeeker: She wants to die a warrior's death, until she found her love in Faramir.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Goes up against the Witch-King of Angmar and, with Merry's help, defeats him.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Clearly, that's the last thing she wants. Apparently, she didn't make that clear with Aragorn.
* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: She is the King's niece.
* GlorySeeker: Since she's from a ProudWarriorRace, she frets at missing out on all the great deeds in battle because she's a woman. Amplified by becoming a DeathSeeker, since death in battle is most glorious for the Rohirrim. Even after she's injured killing the Witch-King, she doesn't like being stuck with the medics while the army of Rohan confronts Sauron.
* TheGoodChancellor: Théoden left her in charge of the kingdom in his absence, possibly leaving her the throne if he and Éomer didn't return. However subverted as she followed him to war in disguise.
* GoThroughMe: She pulls this on the Witch-King when he tries to kill her fallen uncle.
-->'''Éowyn:''' I'll kill you if you touch him!
* LadyOfWar: As the niece of King Théoden and sister of the heir-apparent, she is ''the'' official holder of this title in Rohan.
* LethalChef: Sadly; despite her efforts to make simple stew for Aragorn, he was unable to take anything beyond one spoonful.
* LovingAShadow: Aragorn's response to her is the [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]].
* MamaBear: Spectacularly inverted. When Théoden is attacked and defeated by the Witch-King, she steps between them and says that she'll kill the Nazgûl if he gets close to her uncle, and demonstrates the credibility of her threat by effortlessly [[OffWithHisHead decapitating]] his mount when he mocks her.
* MeaningfulName: "Horse-joy".
* NoManOfWomanBorn: One of most famous examples of this.
* OhCrap: When she sees how pissed the Witch-King is, and how ''huge'' his [[EpicFlail flail]] is.
* ParentalAbandonment: Orphaned at a young age, but raised by [[ParentalSubstitute her uncle]].
* PairTheSpares / HookedUpAfterwards: With Faramir. The books do a much better job than the films at showing how they fell in love, but the extended edition does remedy this a bit with several scenes of them comforting each other at the Houses of Healing.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Merry, when they both joined the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
* PreMortemOneLiner: "I am no ''man''!"
* [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race Gal]]: There's plenty of this to go around in Rohan, and Éowyn does not allow the males of her family to hog all the glory.
* RebelliousPrincess: She seems to be fairly obedient of her uncle's wishes most of the time, but if a battle for Rohan is taking place, Éowyn will be there.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Blue to Éomer's Red.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Like her brother, uncle, and cousin, Éowyn will not hesitate to take to the battlefield alongside the Rohirrim troops in order to protect her homeland. And when she's not in a combat situation, Éowyn can be seen tending to the needs of her people, especially the Rohirrim women and children.
* SamusIsAGirl: She took up a soldier's armor to go to war. However, it may be that the soldiers around her knew but looked the other way.
* SiblingTeam: An unusual twist on this, as Éomer isn't aware that she's fighting in the Battle of Pelennor Fields with him but collectively they probably manage to do more damage than most of Rohan's army.
* StayInTheKitchen: For years she is relegated to tending Théoden while the men ride off to war. When Théoden himself finally rides off to war she wants to go too, but she's left in charge in his absence. Later she wants to follow Aragorn, but is rejected. She goes in disguise to the Battle of Pelennor Fields anyway where she kills the Witch-King. But played straight as Sauron is defeated, as she and Faramir fall in love and she stops seeking glory and death in battle, instead resolving to be a healer and nurturer. They eventually settle down as Lord and Lady of Ithilien.
* SweetPollyOliver: Considering the mentality of Rohirrim women, it's very likely that Éowyn wasn't the only woman or girl disguised as a male soldier at the Battle of Pelennor Fields. The fact that everyone in Rohan seems to have long hair probably helped them blend in as well.
* TookALevelInKindness: Compared to her cold and stern personality in the books, Éowyn shows her warmer side much more often and even has a pep talk with Merry before they enter into battle. She is also seen laughing at Gimli's 'Dwarf Women' joke.
* WarriorPrincess: As a shield-maiden of Rohan, she definitely qualifies. Her exploits in the Battle of Pelennor Fields get taken up a notch in the movies. Not only does Éowyn take down an oliphaunt pretty much single-handedly, she also temporarily disables Gothmog in a duel, decapitates a Nazgûl dragon, '''and''' defeats the Witch-King of Angmar (with an assist from Merry). She charges into battle alongside her uncle and brother, taking down orcs and oliphants alike. And she slays the Witch-King.
* [[YouKilledMyFather You Killed my Uncle]]: She attacks the Witch-King after he wounds Théoden, causing his death.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Éomer]]
!!Éomer [-(Creator/KarlUrban)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3f3362a533a8c018f31519f1e49a6b43.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Rohirrim! TO THE KING!"'']]

->"''What business does an Elf, a Man, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!''"

Théoden's nephew, Éowyn's brother, and Third Marshal of the great corps of mounted riders that are the main strength of Rohan. Gríma Wormtongue had him exiled to further throw the country into disarray, but Éomer was not so easily dissuaded. As Théoden's nearest male blood relative, the death of Théodred devolves the role of heir-apparent onto him. After Théoden's death, he succeeded him as King of Rohan, and joined Aragorn (as King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom) in his great campaigns that refounded the Kingdom of Arnor, and defeated the Easterlings and Southrons once and for all.
----
* AlphabeticalThemeNaming: Éomer's father was named Éomund; his sister, Éowyn; and his eventual son, Elfwine. Though all Elfwine shares with the previous three is the first letter of his name (which means Elf-friend).
* TheBerserker: Has shades of this.
* BigBrotherInstinct: Towards Éowyn, his younger sister. Some of Éomer's comments also point to him feeling the same way towards Théodred as well.
* CompositeCharacter: He is combined with Erkenbrand, who provided soldiers for the relief of Helm's Deep.
* DemotedToExtra: More or less just there to fight in the movies, although he does get a bit of expansion in the extended versions.
* HotBlooded: He's most at home in a battlefield, fighting orcs and anything else in his way. He screams like hell, too.
* HowlOfSorrow: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an3Ew07FVhE Éomer's reaction]] to Éowyn's [[NotQuiteDead apparent death]] at the Battle of Pelennor Fields involves [[HowlOfSorrow screaming]] and [[ManlyTears sobbing]] that can be described as nothing less than [[TearJerker gut-wrenching.]]
* TheJuggernaut: One of the other two in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields who was unstoppable.
* MeaningfulName: "Horse-famous."
* ParentalAbandonment: Orphaned at a young age, but raised by [[ParentalSubstitute his uncle]].
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: It runs in Rohirrim blood.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He listens to what Aragorn has to say when he catches him with Legolas and Gimli in Rohan, and helps them by giving them mounts.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Red to Éowyn's Blue.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: His uncle is the King, after all. Both of them are from the long line of warriors.
* StayInTheKitchen: Towards Merry, who he sees as a boy, and his sister. He gives her a pointed talk at Dunharrow about how terrible battle is for the inexperienced and how right it would be to stay away with it... you know, for Merry.
* WarriorPrince: He is next in line to take the throne after the death of his cousin, Théodred.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Denethor]]
!!Denethor [-(John Noble)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/denethor_4675.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Why do the fools fly? Better to die sooner than late. For die we must."'']]

->''"Is there a captain here who still has the courage to do his lord's will?"''

Denethor II, son of Ecthelion II, is the 26th Ruling Steward of Gondor, ruling from Minas Tirith in the absence of the King. A capable leader, politician, and soldier, he is nevertheless used to being in charge, and does not like the idea of having to give up power to the rightful heir to the throne. He also suffered in the throes of a deep despair due to the death of his beloved wife and Sauron's lies (which he saw through the Palantír of Minas Tirith, and which Sauron was able to manipulate).
----
* AbusiveParents: Clearly favors Boromir over Faramir, and doesn't seem to care about Faramir until he seemingly dies.
* AdaptationalVillainy: A ton of.
** His refusal to recognize Aragorn as King of Gondor is presented as an act of pure spite or power-hungriness. In the books, he never mentions Aragorn until just before his death. More generally, his denial of Aragorn's claim comes from ancient Gondorian law, specifically that the Council of Gondor had long ago declared that only a member of the House of Anarion (Isildur's younger brother) could be King of Gondor. As Aragorn was Isildur's heir, he was therefore illegitimate. Of course, Denethor was actually wrong, as Aragorn was the heir of both Isildur and Anarion, though he was the latter only by marriage.
** His long struggle via the Palantír with Sauron, which was a major factor in his crossing the DespairEventHorizon, is also removed.
** His decision to send Faramir to retake Osgiliath is presented as a pure suicide mission. In the books, most of Gondor's senior commanders knew that any such attack was likely doomed, but tactically necessary to buy time for Minas Tirith to finish its final preparations.
** He also never told Minas Tirith's defenders to abandon their posts. In the books, even at his most hopeless, Denethor did not cease preparing Gondor for war as best he could.
** Perhaps most importantly, he never said that he would have preferred that Faramir had died and that Boromir had lived (a broad interpretation of his statement that he wishes their places had been exchanged). His reason for disliking Faramir is also removed, that Faramir reminded Denethor too much of his wife, who died young and whom Denethor dearly loved.
* BurnBabyBurn: He tries burning both himself and Faramir, who was barely alive. Thankfully, Gandalf and Pippin came just in time to save the latter, while Denethor...wasn't so lucky. He falls off the cliff of Minas Tirith, still ablaze.
* CharacterExaggeration: The movie plays up his madness and {{Jerkass}}-ness to a far greater extent than the book, so much so that if you weren't familiar with the original, you wouldn't know he had ''any'' redeeming qualities.
* DespairEventHorizon: The counterattack failing, Faramir's apparent death (though he was actually unconscious), and an extremely large invasion force at his doorstep.
* DrivenToSuicide: And unfortunately is about to take his still living son with him (and none of the guys even check for a pulse!).
* FallenHero: He's already fallen by the time we meet him, mainly due to Boromir's death.
* FatalFlaw: Pride and Despair. He refuses to give up his position and falls into despair upon losing his two sons.
* {{Foil}}: To Théoden. Where Théoden managed to pull himself out of his despair and find the courage to save the day, Denethor went mad from grief from Boromir's death. He's also a whole lot more devious than the noble Théoden and doesn't treat his children with equal love and respect.
* {{Jerkass}}: In the movie.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: vs. Sauron, via the Palantír. He kinda loses his mind from there, which might explain his {{Jerkass}} attitude.
* ParentalFavoritism: He highly favors a more-burly Boromir over his more-sensitive brother.
* {{Pride}}: One of his [[FatalFlaw Fatal Flaws]].
* RegentForLife: Like the twenty-five Ruling Stewards of Gondor before him.
-->'''Denethor''': Word has reached my ears of this [[KingIncognito Aragorn son of Arathorn]], and I tell you now... ''I will not bow to some ranger from the north.''
* SelfImmolation: Believing that Gondor will fall anyway, he attempts to burn his son as well as himself; [[spoiler:He alone dies.]]
* TheSpymaster: In the books, he possesses a Palantír, which explains his wide-ranging knowledge. In the films, he lacks the Palantír, and alludes several times to learning (true) things via rumour and reports. Also counts as AdaptationExplanationExtrication.
* TakingYouWithMe: His son, who he believed to be dead.
* TwentyFourHourArmor: Seen as a symbol of his stubbornness and pride, but also redeeming values thereof.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Faramir]]
!!Faramir [-(David Wenham)-]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3c770c7cd0d9fa59682c21681b501b54.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300: ''"I think at last we understand one another, Frodo Baggins."'']]

->"''The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he comes from, and if he really was evil at heart. What lies or threats led him on this long march from home, and would he not rather have stayed there... in peace? War will make corpses of us all.''"

Denethor's younger son and Boromir's little brother. Unlike his brother and father, Faramir does not enjoy combat or power politics, something that has led to him becoming TheUnfavorite of Denethor. However, despite his father's constant detractions, Faramir still tries his hardest to serve and protect Gondor from the invading forces of Mordor. Despite his distaste for violence, he is nevertheless an excellent soldier and captain of the Rangers of Ithilien, an order akin to the Rangers of the North, who ambush Gondor's enemies in its lost territory of Ithilien, as well as a deadly shot with a longbow.
----
* AdaptationalAngstUpgrade: In the movie, he follows in his brother's footsteps and tries to get the Ring to Gondor, due to massive angst over being the less-favored son. The Steward also treating Faramir as TheUnfavorite also was added to justify this change.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Subverted in that he was never a villain, but he was more hostile to the hobbits in the movie than he was in the books, and is tempted by the Ring, until Samwise tells him what the Ring did to Boromir's mind.
* AdaptationPersonalityChange: Faramir becomes tempted by the ring and his ParentalFavoritism issues are more played up.
* BreakTheCutie: Especially in the movie. You can see how near the tears he was when his father says he wished he was dead instead of Boromir. And his brother's death and lack of presence obviously affects him throughout the whole film.
* TheCaptain: Of the Rangers of Ithilien, played straight.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: After the hell his father put him through, it's nice to see that Faramir gets a girl at the end.
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Along with Sam, he's just about the only character in the story who the Ring cannot tempt.
* MissingMom: She was already dead by the time of the trilogy.
* {{Ranger}}: A captain of them in Ithilien, as a matter of fact.
* RedOniBlueOni: The Blue to Boromir's Red.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Faramir is the sensitive one in this pair.
* SiblingYinYang: Boromir is more battle-hardy than his rather conservative brother, as seen in these tropes below.
* SixthRanger: Is sometimes treated as Boromir's replacement in the Fellowship, particularly in the video games.
* TheUnFavorite: His father has been rather dismissive of him.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: In the film version, his capturing Sméagol after Frodo coaxes him out of the Forbidden Pool leads to him thinking Frodo betrayed him, and plotting to kill him and take back the Ring (in the book, Gollum had that one planned out already).
* WellDoneSonGuy: All he wants is to be worthy in his father's eyes.
* TheWisePrince: Though son of the Steward of Gondor he is still effectively a Prince.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Madril]]
!!Madril [-(John Bach)-]

A veteran Ranger of Ithilien and Faramir's [[TheLancer second-in-command]].
----
* CanonForeigner: He was not in the books and was created for the films.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: By Gothmog with a spear.
* MauveShirt: Killed during the Battle of Osgiliath.
* NumberTwo: To Faramir.
%%* {{Ranger}}
[[/folder]]

!Elves

[[folder:Elrond]]
!!Elrond [-(Creator/HugoWeaving)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/elrond_3138.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I was there, Gandalf. I was there three thousand years ago. I was there the day the strength of Men failed."'']]

->''"Nine companions. So be it. You shall be the fellowship of the ring."''

The Half-Elven, Master of Rivendell, father of Arwen, and bearer of one of the three Elven Rings, Vilya the Ring of Air, given to him by Gil-galad before the latter's death at the Last Alliance. He is a venerable warrior, cunning strategist, great loremaster, and ''de facto'' High King of the Noldor, but also opposes Aragorn from a much less lofty post: that of OverprotectiveDad.
----
* BadassNormal: Kicks as much ass as the rest of the White Council in ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies'', despite being ultimately just a guy with a sword compared to the powerful magics the other members command.
* BigDamnHeroes: Is this along with Saruman and Galadriel for Gandalf by rescuing him from Dol Guldur and fighting the Nazgûl.
* BittersweetEnding: The Fellowship defeated Sauron, restored the kingdom of Gondor, and saved Middle-Earth. But Elrond had to part with his daughter Arwen ''forever'', even beyond the end of the world. His twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir, may have become mortal as well, which would leave him with no surviving children.
* CulturedBadass: A renowned loremaster, he also led Gil-galad's army against Sauron in the Second Age.
* TheCynic: Not only has his attitude towards Men gone sour, but he also believes the Dwarves to be too greedy to even complete their Quest.
* GoodParents: It's very clear that Elrond deeply loves his daughter and doesn't wish for her to suffer through a mortal life.
%%* GrayEyes
* HealingHands: He heals Frodo of the poison in the Morgul blade.
* HeinzHybrid: Although he's called "half-elven", he's a descendent of Beren and Lúthien and both of his parents were called "half elves".
* HeroicLineage: He's the son of Eärendil, who's currently flying a chariot with a Silmaril as the morning star.
* ParentalSubstitute: For Aragorn, whom "he came to love as a son."
* PerpetualFrowner: He has semi-permanent scowl on his face and looks like he's constantly annoyed at being SurroundedByIdiots. The only time it really lets up is at the end of ''Return of the King''. {{Justified}} as we usually only see him in times when he has reasons to be unhappy. He does have moments of levity and cracks quite the smile while wryly commenting on the impossibility of separating Frodo from Sam- who had been spying on their secret council.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: He's over 6000-years-old and is one of the oldest elves still left in Middle-Earth, alongside Galadriel, Celeborn, and Círdan the Shipwright. This is also one of the main reasons why Elrond's so cautious and world-weary; he's lived through many of the world's greatest tragedies and wars, and the prospect of losing any more family members to death is just too much for him.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Elrond is definitely tall and dark, and in ''Film/TheHobbit'' he also does seem rather cheeky/snarky at times.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Arwen]]
!!Arwen [-(Creator/LivTyler)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arwen_7073.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone."'']]

->''"This was my choice... ada, whether by your will or not, there is no ship now that can bear me hence."''

Daughter of Elrond, granddaughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. Arwen Undómiel, the Evenstar, is a half-elven woman of great beauty whom Aragorn hopes to marry, though her father demands that his daughter marry no less a man than King of both Gondor and Arnor. She must choose between immortality or a mortal life if she wishes to remain in Middle-Earth with the King of Gondor.
----
* AdaptationalBadass: The film, likely due to some [[CompositeCharacter compositing]] with her predecessor, Lúthien.
* AscendedExtra: She replaces Glorfindel in the first movie and gets a lot of screentime.
%%* BeautyIsNeverTarnished
* BittersweetEnding: She gives up her immortality to stay with Aragorn, but it's indicated that he eventually dies, and she follows him not long afterward.
* CompositeCharacter: Takes over Glorfindel's role as the Elf who takes Frodo to Rivendell, and some aspects of Lúthien.
%%* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses
* HeroicLineage: She's a descendent of Lúthien and Beren, and her dad is a hero in his own right.
* HerosMuse: She functions in this role for Aragorn: the driving force behind his striving to regain his crown is his love for Arwen and the fact that he can only marry her once he is king.
* TheHighQueen: Arwen becomes this to Gondor and Arnor when she marries Aragorn and chooses to live a mortal life.
* IllGirl: She weakens in the third film as her well-being somehow gets caught up in the Ring, or maybe that's just starting to experience the frailty of a mortal life.
* TheLadysFavour: Wove a flag for Aragorn; gave him the Elfstone via Galadriel. Only in the book. In the film, her 'Evenstar' pendent serves the purpose of the trope, though.
* MayflyDecemberRomance: She's got over a millennium on Aragorn.
* MissingMom: Her mother Celebrían, unable to endure the woes of Middle-Earth any longer, had sailed West centuries ago.
* MyGirlBackHome: She is Aragorn's; he frequently thinks of her or flashes back to earlier conversations throughout the films.
* NoOntologicalInertia: Film only, as a consequence of her choice of mortality.
* RavenHairIvorySkin: She's the second-most beautiful woman ever born (after her ancestor Lúthien, whom she greatly resembles), and like Lúthien, her hair is very black and her skin very white.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Just like all of the other elves, Arwen's at least several hundred years old, although she's also considered to be quite young by elf standards.
* SilkHidingSteel: A beautiful elf lady and the daughter of one of the three remaining Elf lords; an excellent rider who is a swordswoman as well. Also, she is bound and determined to stay with Aragorn in spite of her father's wishes.
* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Literally (after Lúthien died).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Galadriel]]
!!Galadriel [-(Creator/CateBlanchett)-]
[[quoteright:326:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/galadriel_rotk_02.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:326:''"You have no power here, servant of Morgoth! You are nameless! Faceless! Formless! Go back to the void from whence you came!"'']]

->''"Much that once was is lost ... for none now live who remember it."''

The Lady of Light, Galadriel is a Noldorin Elf who co-rules Lothlórien as the Lady of Lórien, with her Sindarin husband Celeborn. One of the mightiest and wisest Elves in Middle-Earth, she is a powerful sorceress (possibly; magic is very rare in Middle-Earth, and her true power, and its nature, are only hinted at) and wields Nenya, the Elven Ring of Water, which aids her people in their fight against Sauron's forces. She and her husband also aid and shelter the Fellowship on their quest. After the destruction of the One Ring, she and her husband lead an attack on (the now destroyed) Sauron's citadel of Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood, which she destroys completely (again, possibly by magical means), and thereby destroys the source of Mirkwood's corruption, allowing it to be renamed Greenwood the Great once again. Also one of only two Noldorin elves known to have had blond hair (all others have jet-black hair).
----
* BadassInCharge: She is a Queen of Lothlórien, after all.
* BattleCouple: Galadriel and Celeborn. While Frodo and Sam are on their way to Mordor, Celeborn marshals the forces of Lórien to cross the Anduin and lay siege to Dol Guldur. After a long battle, Celeborn captures the fortress and Galadriel throws down its walls and purifies it.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Although she's an unambiguously good, pure character, ''Battle of the Five Armies'' reveals just how powerful and dangerous she actually is.
* BigGood: With Saruman defecting from the White Council and Gandalf killed by the Balrog, she takes over as the strongest force of good in the series.
* ChewingTheScenery: "You offer it to me freely? I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired this... [[spoiler:In place of a dark lord, you would have a QUEEN! NOT DARK, BUT BEAUTIFUL, AND TERRIBLE AS THE DAWN! TREACHEROUS AS THE SEA! STRONGER THAN THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH! ALL SHALL LOVE ME, AND DESPAIR!"]]
* CurbStompBattle: In ''The Hobbit'', Lady Galadriel [[spoiler:sends Sauron and the Nazgûl flying over the horizon]].
%%* DeusExitMachina
* DoesNotLikeShoes: She is shown going barefoot in her garden in Lórien and even on rocky ground in ''Battle of the Five Armies''.
* Dreamweaver: One of her many powers. She's shown to be able to communicate with people through their dreams, as she does with Frodo at several points on his way to Mordor.
* TheDulcineaEffect: Gimli goes from describing her as a wicked sorceress to pledging himself as her KnightInShiningArmor within days of meeting her.
* EarlyBirdCameo: In ''[[Film/TheHobbit The Hobbit]]'', where she is seen as part of the White Council.
* EffortlessAmazonianLift: She is strong enough to do this; what with giving Gandalf a BridalCarry in ''Battle of the Five Armies''.
* TheFinalTemptation: When Frodo offers her the One Ring, Galadriel is seriously tempted to take it, but ultimately doesn't.
* FisherKing: Over Lothlórien, thanks to [[spoiler:the Ring of Water, which is the only reason Lothlórien has survived for so long]]. When she departs over the Sea, the forest withers.
* GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave: She is Arwen's grandmother and later Aragorn's grandmother-in-law.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Galadriel's temptation reveals that she'd be ''really really scary'' if she had the One Ring.
** In ''Battle of the Five Armies'', we get to see just how powerful she is when she takes on (and banishes) Sauron himself.
* GoldAndWhiteAreDivine: Her look in the films (which is completely accurate to the books) is clearly meant to evoke this trope. Her famous hair is of the deepest gold woven with silver and she primarily wears flowing white gowns adorned with jewellery made from gold and/or {{Mithril}}. Even her crown is made from a woven mixture of gold and mithril (in the original trilogy at least, it appears to be just mithril in The Hobbit films), perhaps also meant to mirror her hair. It is clearly meant to symbolise her divinity as one of the oldest, wisest and most powerful beings in all of the realm and perhaps the sole being (other than Gandalf himself) in Middle-earth that Sauron actually fears. Due to her own powers combined with her ring Nenya he cannot see into her mind without the power of the One Ring. Also, she is the Lady of Light and LightIsGood.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Like all the House of Finarfin. They were the wisest and kindest of the Noldorin royalty (though Galadriel is still badly tempted by the One Ring), the most friendly to mortals, and the ones least guilty of wrongdoing in the Noldorin rebellion.
* HiddenDepths: She coveted the One Ring herself, but overcame that temptation.
* TheHighQueen: She is the ruler of the Elven kingdom of Lothlórien, one of the remnants of the great forest that once spanned Middle-Earth.
** As the daughter of Finarfin and the highest ranking Noldorin Elf left in Middle-earth, she ''could'' have rightfully been crowned as the actual High Queen ''but'' for the pesky fact that Noldorin tradition doesn't allow for female heirs to ascend to the throne so the title of High King automatically went to her great-nephew Gil-galad instead.
* HolyHandGrenade: ''Battle of the Five Armies'' reveals that like Gandalf, her magical powers manifest as huge flashes of blinding energy.
* IHaveManyNames: As was the Noldorin tradition, her 'father-name' was Artanis ('Noblewoman' in Quenya due to her being a princess of the Noldor) and her 'mother-name' was Nerwen ('Man Maiden' in Quenya due to her unusual height and strength). She was given the name Alatáriel (meaning 'maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance' in Telerin Quenya) by her husband Celeborn, the Sindarin equivalent being 'Galadriel', her eventual chosen name. None of these names (barring Galadriel of course) are mentioned in the films, but she ''is'' referred to under many titles including The Lady of Light, The Lady of Lorien, The Lady of the Galadhrim, The Lady of the Golden Wood and The Mistress of Magic.
* ItMayHelpYouOnYourQuest: The gifts she bestows on the Fellowship.
* TheLadysFavour: Three golden hairs from her head. Which is more than [[{{Ubermensch}} Fëanor]] got, [[TakeThat incidentally]]...
%%* LeaveYourQuestTest
* MeaningfulName: Galadriel means "maiden crowned with a radiant garland". It's actually not her birth name, but was instead bestowed upon her by Celeborn, who wished for his wife to have a Sindarin name as well.
* NightmareFace: When she rallies to banish Sauron from Dol Guldur, she briefly appears as a gaunt, sickly glowing wraith-like figure, complete with KubrickStare and VoiceOfTheLegion effect. Possibly a nod to the lore that elves could degenerate into shades if their magic and power fade away, suggesting that she's throwing everything she's got into a DeathOrGloryAttack.
* OddFriendship / PlatonicLifePartners: In the film version of ''The Hobbit'', she seems to ''really'' enjoy Gandalf's company. When she realises that Gandalf knew that the Dwarves were going to sneak out of Rivendell, during the White Council meeting meant to decide if their quest should be allowed to proceed; the regal, elegant and queenly Galadriel begins grinning like a schoolgirl. She also assures Gandalf that she will come to him if he calls her.
* OneWingedAngel: Film only.
* PsychicPowers: She can communicate telepathically.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Galadriel was born in the Year of the Trees 1362, before the Sun, the Moon, and the waking of Man. A moderate estimate of Galadriel's age is 10,000 years old.
* RoyalBlood: Galadriel is of quite a complex mixed royal elven heritage. She is the only daughter of Finarfin, who was at the time of her birth a prince of the Noldor who eventually ascended to be the High King of the Noldor in Aman. Finarfin himself is of both Noldor blood (from his father Finwë's side) and Vanyarin blood (from his mother Indis' side). Also, Galadriel's mother and Finarfin's wife is Eärwen who (being the daughter of Olwë) was also a princess of the Teleri in Aman. Therefore, despite being identified as a Noldorin Elf, she is actually descended from the royalty of ''three'' separate Elf-clans and is really part Noldor, part Vanyar ''and'' part Teleri. This is most likely how she got her infamously beautiful silver-gold hair when the Noldor are usually identified as being dark haired. The gold would be from her Vanyarin heritage and the silver from her Teleri heritage.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Possibly more than any other royal in Middle-Earth. To start, she's one of the bearers of the Three Elven Rings, Nenya of Water, and has kept Lothlórien free of stain for centuries with it. She regularly assists in repelling orc attacks against her realm and as shown in ''The Hobbit'', she also oversees the formation of the White Council, allows Thorin and his Company to slip away from under Saruman's and Elrond's noses, rescues Gandalf from an orc-infested Dol Guldur, and then physically banishes ''Sauron'' and his Nazgûl to Mordor. And that's just a small handful of the things she does ''before'' the ''Lord of the Rings'' even begins.
* SpiritAdvisor: Occasionally her voice speaks to Frodo, and she appears to him in a vision to help him up after he's exhausted from escaping Shelob's lair.
* StatuesqueStunner: In the books, she's described as being nearly seven feet tall and one of the tallest elves ever born. In the films, she's played by the 5'9 Cate Blanchett, who was purposely filmed at angles that would make Galadriel seem much taller than those around her.
* TimeAbyss: She's one of the oldest elves in Middle-Earth.
* WomenAreWiser: In ''An Unexpected Journey'', she reassures Gandalf that he has her support after Saruman dismisses Gandalf's concerns and proof about the Necromancer, and in ''The Desolation of Smaug'', she is the one Gandalf sends Radagast to bring as backup when he confronts the Necromancer.
* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Galadriel's granddaughter Arwen was often said to be the most beautiful Elf in Middle-earth at the time of the War of the Ring, but Galadriel's great beauty was every bit as much the stuff of legend. Tolkien described her as being 'the mightiest and fairest of all the Elves that remained in Middle-earth'. The subject of Galadriel and Arwen's beauty and whose was greatest actually nearly brought Gimli and Éomer to arms. Éomer, having seen them both, preferred Arwen to which Gimli (also having seen them both) replies, ''"You have chosen the Evening; but my love is given to the Morning."''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Celeborn]]

!!Celeborn [-(Marton Csokas)-]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cddbd22d9b62fbcdf5390e03113ebf74.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"You are being tracked."'']]

->''"The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone."''

Galadriel's husband, grandfather of Arwen, and Lord of Lothlórien. He and his wife also aid and shelter the Fellowship on their quest. After the destruction of the One Ring, he and Galadriel lead an attack on Sauron's citadel of Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood, destroying the last of the Dark Lord's strongholds.
----
* BadassInCharge: He is the Lord of Lothlórien, one of the last elven realms left in Middle-Earth.
* BattleCouple: With Galadriel. While Frodo and Sam are on their way to Mordor, Celeborn marshals the forces of Lórien to cross the Anduin and lay siege to Dol Guldur. After a long battle, Celeborn captures the fortress and Galadriel throws down its walls and purifies it.
* BigGood: With Saruman defecting from the White Council and Gandalf killed by the Balrog, Celeborn and his wife take over as the strongest forces of good in the series.
* TheGoodKing: To both the elves of Lothlórien and those who live outside of his kingdom's borders. One of the main reasons why Celeborn and his wife remain in Middle-Earth is to prevent Sauron from returning, and they assist both the Fellowship and surrounding kingdoms of Men at numerous points throughout the series.
* HeroicLineage: He's a Sindarin prince of Doriath and the nephew of Thingol, who was the elven Lord of Beleriand and instigated the Quest for the Silmaril.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Although Celeborn's exact age is uncertain, he ''was'' born sometime before the First Age, which puts him at around the same age or slightly younger than his wife. And since most estimates place Galadriel's age at about 10,000 years, it's likely that Celeborn is also one of the oldest elves still left in Middle-Earth.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Celeborn's a former prince of Doriath and the Lord of Lothlórien, and he's more than willing to team up with his wife to assist the Fellowship and kingdoms of Men in destroying the One Ring. He also defends the Golden Wood against numerous orc invasions and leads the final attack on Dol Guldur, beating the enemy into submission while Galadriel razes Sauron's stronghold to the ground.
* SubmissiveBadass: He's easily one of the oldest, strongest, and most capable fighters in Middle-Earth, but ultimately defers to his wife on most issues.
* TimeAbyss: As shown above, he's one of the oldest elves left in Middle-Earth.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Haldir]]
!!Haldir [-(Craig Parker)-]
[[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dae07870dded5146e5ccd7f004e5f7e2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:275:''"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."'']]

->''"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark."''

An Elven Captain of Lothlórien and commander of the small Elven force sent to aid the Riders of Rohan at Helm's Deep.
------
* ArcherArchetype: Somewhat averted, at least in comparison to Legolas and other elves. Haldir is shown with a bow on two occasions, but he primarily uses his sword throughout the Battle of Helm's Deep.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Haldir's an elven captain -- handpicked by Galadriel herself, which says quite a bit -- and very capable fighter who leads the main charge into combat during the Battle of Helm's Deep. It isn't until the fort is being completely overrun and hundreds of his fellow elves have been slain that an Uruk-hai finally manages to take him down.
* ElvesVsDwarves: Like the rest of his kin, Haldir is shown to be less than fond of dwarves. He even makes a point of telling Gimli that their races haven't willingly fought together since the dark days of the Last Alliance.
* HeroicBSOD: Has one after he's been mortally wounded by an Uruk-hai, seeing so many of his dead kin who could have lived forever.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He comes across as just another haughty and callous elf in ''Fellowship'', but then Haldir and hundreds of Lórien archers appear at the gates of Helm's Deep during Rohan's darkest hour, fully prepared to fight and die alongside Aragorn and the Men of Rohan. Even if he's under Galadriel's and Elrond's orders, it's clear that Haldir believes in their cause and doesn't feel slighted by having to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with non-elven soldiers.
* MauveShirt: Appears briefly in the first film, only to be killed halfway through the Battle of Helm's Deep.
* TheStoic: Like most elves, he remains calm and composed at almost all times, be it when finding invaders in the Lórien Wood or preparing to face down an army of Uruk-hai.
** NotSoStoic: When witnessing the mass slaughter and death of his kinsmen. It ultimately costs Haldir his life.
[[/folder]]

!Other Characters

[[folder:Gollum]]
!!Gollum, originally Sméagol [-(Creator/AndySerkis)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gollum_3306.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!"'']]

->''" They cursed us. Murderer they called us. They cursed us, and drove us away. And we wept, Precious, we wept to be so alone. And we only wish to catch fish so juicy sweet. And we forgot the taste of bread... the sound of trees... the softness of the wind. We even forgot our own name. My Precious."''

Once a Stoor hobbit named Sméagol living in the hobbits' original home along the Great River Anduin, he murdered his cousin Déagol on his birthday after Déagol found the One Ring and refused to give to Sméagol as a present. Sméagol was then exiled. To deal with the stresses of exile, Sméagol's personality fractured, creating the creature known as Gollum, for the hacking cough he developed. Gollum, unlike Sméagol, was cruel, ruthless, twisted and manipulative, but allowed them to survive in the goblin-infested Misty Mountains. Eventually, Bilbo Baggins encountered Gollum as he trekked eastwards on the Quest of Erebor. Bilbo stole the One Ring, and beat Gollum in a game of riddles. Many years later, Gollum, hoping to reclaim the Ring, followed the Fellowship on their journey, starting in Moria. After the breaking of the Fellowship, he ambushed Frodo and Sam as they continued alone, but was captured and eventually served as their guide to Mount Doom. Despite the reemergence of the more-decent Sméagol personality, he could not resist the lure of the Ring, and eventually attempted to lead Frodo and Sam into Shelob's clutches, so he could take the Ring from their bodies, but was killed when he attempted to take the Ring one last time a the Crack of Doom.
----
* AccidentalHero: He did not mean to destroy the Ring, but if he hadn't tried to seize it from Frodo, it would never have fallen into the fire.
%%* AntiHero: Becomes a Type IV in ''The Two Towers'' before slipping back to his old ways.
%%* AntiVillain: Type II.
* BreakoutCharacter: Was essentially a OneSceneWonder in ''Literature/TheHobbit''. Here, he's a big attraction.
* CainAndAbel: The Cain to his cousin Déagol's Abel; Sméagol murdered him for the Ring.
* CatchPhrase: "My Precioussss", "Gollum, Gollum!"
%%* ChronicVillainy
* TheCorruption: Gollum is the result of long-term possession and use of the Ring.
%%* CowerPower
%%* TheDarkSide
* TheDeterminator: A rather dark version. He survives starvation, the dead lands, the marshes, torture, and falling off a cliff, all powered by his lust for his precious.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Gollum's obsession with the Ring is reminiscent of methamphetamine addiction. It turns his body thin and haggard, destroys his identity and willpower, drives him to kill in order to possess it, and generally consumes his life.
** The split between Sméagol and Gollum is strikingly like a classical [[SplitPersonality Multiple Personality Disorder]] stemming from abuse. Gollum is the cold, isolated, abusive personality who cares for nothing but his desires, and Sméagol is the tender, remorseful, self-loathing aspect that longs for forgiveness. [[spoiler: Possibly subverted, as Sméagol was originally a killer with only the barest nudging from the ring -- it's possible that Gollum is the first personality, and that it created Sméagol to suffer the ring's abuses in a way that'd satisfy Sauron.]]
* DrivenToMadness: By the Ring.
* FamousLastWords: "Precious!"
* FreudianTrio: With Frodo and Sam; represents the Id.
* GollumMadeMeDoIt: [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]].
%%* GreyAndGrayMorality
* {{Hobbits}}: At one time he was not unlike Frodo and Sam. This is part of why he's so damn tough.
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: He keeps wavering between "Gollum", the murderous sneaky bastard who wants to kill the thieves, and "Sméagol", the last vestige of his former self who yearns for friendship. Eventually Sméagol sides with Gollum outright.
* HeelFaceDoorSlam: Sméagol gets the upper hand in the second film and puts his trust fully in Frodo... and then Frodo has to trick him into getting captured by the Rangers of Ithilien, who are none too gentle.
%%* HeroAntagonist: [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation Possibly]].
* ImMelting: Falls into the magma in Mount Doom.
%%* InvisibleJerkass
* ManChild: Sméagol is very childlike and even playful, speaking in singsong and capering around. Sometimes he does this when he's happy that Frodo is being nice, sometimes he's happy because he's feeding Frodo to Shelob. And he's both at once during the riddle game with Bilbo.
* MonsterSobStory: He was a regular hobbit once, but the Ring drove him into killing his cousin. If it hadn't been for that, he probably would have had a normal life.
* NotSoDifferent: From a hobbit once, or from Frodo under the power of the Ring.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Five hundred something.
* ReformedButRejected: In the Jackson films, Sam never completely trusts him even when he's loyal to Frodo. [[ProperlyParanoid When he begins plotting in earnest, though]]... In the extended edition, there's a scene toward the end of ''The Two Towers'' where Sam ''does'' apparently start to trust Gollum in earnest, saying that he's being "very decent". And it's ''just'' before Gollum decides to go back to plotting Frodo and Sam's deaths, making this a case of DramaticIrony, and making Sam's fury upon overhearing Gollum's scheming later even more understandable.
%%* SanitySlippage
* SerkisFolk: TropeCodifier in the Jackson films. Gollum is a CGI character, but played on the set by Andy Serkis in a motion capture suit.
* ShadowArchetype: Gollum is a shadow to both Bilbo and Frodo. He is to some extent a shadow to Sam.
* SpannerInTheWorks: "Even Gollum may have something yet to do..."
%%* SplitPersonality
%%* StarringSpecialEffects
%%* SympatheticMurderer
%%* SympathyForTheDevil: And how.
* TalkingToThemself: Usually represented by having him talk to his reflection, with the camera focusing on himself for Sméagol and the reflection for Gollum.
%%* ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil
%%* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Fisssh.
%%* TragicVillain
* VerbalTic: "My Precioussss", "Gollum, Gollum!" He also has a tendency to call random things, usually people "precious" as well and punctuate his sentences with it, as though no matter what he were paying attention to his mind was constantly on the Ring.
%%* VerbalTicName
* WasOnceAMan: The prologue of ''Return of the King'' shows us his gradual corruption by the Ring from a normal Hobbit into the creature Gollum. This was done at the insistence of Andy Serkis, who wanted viewers to see there really was an actor behind Gollum.
%%* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Treebeard]]
!!Treebeard [-(Creator/JohnRhysDavies)-]
[[quoteright:248:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/248px-Treebeard_6197.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:248:''"There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of men for this treachery."'']]

->''I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side. Nobody cares for the woods anymore.''

Treebeard, or Fangorn in Elvish, is the second-oldest being in Middle-earth (after the very first Elf to awaken far in the east, Círdan the Shipwright, still living in Middle-Earth), and the namesake of one of the only remaining primordial forests in Middle-earth. Despite his great age, Treebeard is not counted among the Wise, and is quite unsophisticated.
----
* BadassBaritone: Voiced by John Rhys-Davies.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Gentle and kindly most of the time. Can tear up stone like tissue paper when protecting his forest. Pippin even points this out to Merry.
%%* ConstantlyCurious
* GaiasRevenge: Ents were made specifically to protect the forests from mortal depredations. No surprise that he and the Ents destroy the huge indstrial factory that's been deforesting their "herd".
%%* GreenAesop
* HeroicNeutral: As he says, he's not participating in any of this War of the Ring stuff because everyone's forgotten about caring for the woods he loves.
%%* HiddenDepths
* NeutralNoLonger: Marches against Saruman in response to the direct attack on Fangorn.
* OverlyLongName: His real name is the story of his life, according to him. Like most Ents, he's therefore [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Only Known By His Nickname]].
-->'''Treebeard:''' You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in [[StarfishLanguage Old Entish.]] And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.
* PlantPerson: Essentially a big mobile tree. (Other Ents look more specifically like particular tree species.)
* TimeAbyss: Perhaps the third-oldest physical creature (not counting [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Maiar]]) in Middle-Earth. Círdan, having awoken with the first generation of Elves at Cuiviénen way back in the [[TheTimeOfMyths Years of the Trees]], is older still, and Tom Bombadil is older than the world.
* VerbalTic: Hmm, don't be hasty, now...
%%* WhenTreesAttack
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bilbo]]
!!Bilbo Baggins [-(Ian Holm)-]

See his character sheet in ''[[Characters/TheHobbitFilmTrilogy The Hobbit]]'.
[[/folder]]

!The Forces of Evil

[[folder:Sauron]]
!!Sauron [-(Sala Baker)-]
[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Sauron-2_9655.jpg]]

Originally a Maiar of Aulë, one of the greatest of the Valar (his power of smithing being the most similar to that of God himself, Ilúvatar), Sauron was corrupted by Melkor (himself originally the most powerful Vala), later renamed Morgoth Bauglir (Black Enemy) and became one of his chief lieutenants during the great wars of the First Age. After Morgoth's defeat and imprisonment, Sauron took for himself the title of Dark Lord (as well as King of Men), and eventually exceeded his master in power.
----
* AdaptationalBadass: In the novels, Sauron never fights unless he has to and always loses when he does. In the movie, he's seen wiping out soldiers by the dozen with every swing of his mace.
%%* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking
%%* BadassCape
* BigBad: In the Second and Third Ages. In the First Age, he was TheDragon to Morgoth.
* BlackKnight: His humanoid form was clad in black armour and wielded a mace.
* BlackSpeech: Sauron at one time made an artificial language as a way to communicate across his empire and his allies earlier in the backstory. Thousands of years after being killed in the final battle of the [[TheAlliance Last Alliance]] and getting a new form, only the Nazgûl remembered how to speak it.[[note]]Well, not quite; Gandalf also can still speak it.[[/note]] It fell out of favor with everyone else.
* CarryABigStick: Took a mace with him into his last battle.
* TheChessmaster: Used disguises and clever tactical planning to make the Elves create the Rings, and to later undermine Númenor until its downfall.
* DarkIsEvil: Sauron is not called the Dark Lord for nothing, and CastingAShadow was one of his powers.
* TheDragon: In his backstory, he was TheDragon to Morgoth. This is indeed revealed to be canon in the film verse as of ''The Battle Of The Five Armies'', when Galadriel explicitly mentions Sauron as his servant [[spoiler:as she banishes him]] (Morgoth having already been named as the Balrog's creator without much elaboration in ''Fellowship of The Ring'').
* DragonAscendant: After the Valar defeated and imprisoned Morgoth he became the new Dark Lord.
* TheDreaded: Sauron is the most feared entity in Middle-Earth (except maybe for Balrogs). Even in his weakened state, everyone is terrified of what he's going to do next.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: One of the reasons the whole gambit works. Sauron believes that anyone who possesses the Ring would wish to use it for themselves, leaving them susceptible to his corruption. It's too late when he realizes that someone intends to destroy it. [[SubvertedTrope He turns out correct in the end]], as ''nobody'' actually has the resolve to destroy it willingly, and it gets undone pretty much by an accident.
* EvilGenius: He's one of the smartest beings in Middle-Earth from the very beginning.
* EvilSorcerer: As the Necromancer.
* EvilOverlord: The TropeCodifier for modern fantasy.
* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower.
* FaceHeelTurn: Originally, Sauron was an angelic being and servant of Aulë, the godlike patron of craftsmen and maker of the physical aspect of the Earth; this is how he became such a master at creating items of power. However, he was corrupted by the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, with promises of power.
* FallenAngel: Sauron is a Maia, the same sort of entity as Gandalf, but was corrupted by Morgoth.
* FacelessEye: Creator/PeterJackson interprets the "Eye of Sauron" literally, and depicts Sauron as a flaming all-seeing GiantEyeOfDoom sitting at the top of Barad-dûr. However, the extended edition's palantir scene very briefly shows his armored form holding his palantir
* FantasticRacism: Sauron has made destroying the Númenóreans one of his major goals.
* FateWorseThanDeath: The destruction of his Ring strips him of his powers and leaves him a shadow of his former self.
* FisherKing: The destruction of the Ring removes Sauron from the world, leading to his many minions becoming confused, and the Dark Tower collapses. In the movies, Mordor itself is reduced to ruins.
* FoeTossingCharge: TropeCodifier. In the intro scene we seem him fling soldiers left and right with his mace by the ''dozens'' at a time.
%%* {{Foil}}
* GreaterScopeVillain: In ''The Hobbit Trilogy''. He's Azog and Bolg's boss, but he's not responsible for most of the company's problems.
* HeelFaceTurn: He did this at the end of the First Age, when he truly reformed and wanted to help rebuild Middle-Earth...
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: ...but the corruption from Morgoth was too great, and he couldn't resist the temptation to use the reconstruction to conquer.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: In his {{Backstory}} he was a decent Maia who got a little ''too'' obsessed with order.
* HumanoidAbomination: Sauron's physical form at the beginning is a black-armoured humanoid warrior, but he's anything but human.
* KeystoneArmy: Raised and lost several.
* LargeAndInCharge: In the movie, he appears to be a good 15 feet tall, at least.
* LightEmUp: Even in the finished product, his eye forms a spotlight of sorts.
* LightIsNotGood: In the deleted scene where he appeared as [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sauronemergesfirst_4784.jpg Annatar]].
* LoadBearingBoss: His malign will was functioning as his EvilTowerOfOminousness' foundation, not to mention the primary motivating force of his armies.
* MindRape: His specialty. [-"Thy flesh shall be devoured and thy shriveled mind left naked to the Lidless Eye."-]
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: "Sauron" is Quenya for "abomination". His less-often-seen Sindarin name, Gorthaur, means "terrible dread". He's also known as "The Necromancer" throughout the Hobit.
* ObviouslyEvil: In humanoid form he has SpikesOfVillainy and lead an army of orcs. Nowadays he's a ''flaming eye''.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: He never engages anyone in physical battle after his previous defeat. Though, this isn't to say that he's inactive. His Eye is always on the move, as are his servants. [[JustifiedTrope That said, his status as this is less from not feeling like moving, and more from having no physical body.]]
* OutGambitted: He Out Gambits everyone, and then is in turn OutGambitted by Gandalf. See UnwittingPawn below.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Rather, ''eye''. It's red because it's on fire. Hard to get more ominous than that.
* TakeOverTheWorld: Sauron wants world domination, a smaller and more practical goal than Morgoth's desire to remake the universe in his image.
* TinTyrant: Whenever we actually see Sauron in the films, he's fully covered in plate armor. However, WordOfGod says that his "armor" is actually his ''skin''.
%%* ShadowArchetype: Of Gandalf and Galadriel.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Both his armor and anything made by Mordor.
* UltimateEvil: In the present day, Sauron is the ultimate Enemy of any free, non-evil person.
* UnwittingPawn: Marching up to the Black Gate was a trap, and he walked right into it.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Before his physical body was destroyed in the fall of Númenor. Even afterwards, he's implied to still possess the ability, though he never really gets a chance to use it -- he just can't conceal his true nature any more, meaning it's no longer useful as a disguise.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: His goal was once to establish order in Middle-Earth. [[TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget Emphasis on was.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The One Ring]]
!!The One Ring [-(voiced by Alan Howard)-]
[[quoteright:180:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/180px-TheOneRing_9587.jpg]]

The Ruling Ring created by Sauron alone with the power to dominate the Nine (given to Men) and the Seven (given to Dwarves) he and the Elven-smith Celebrimbor (whom Sauron, in his angelic form of Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, had duped) created in the Ring-Forges of Eregion before the doors of Khazad-dûm.
----
* AffectionateNickname: The Ring has been called "Precious" by Isildur, Gollum, and Bilbo.
* AmplifierArtifact: The Ring doles out power based on its wielder's capacity.
* ArtifactOfAttraction: Those who even so much as look at it will start to covet it.
* ArtifactOfDoom: It is the SoulJar of the EvilOverlord Sauron.
* BlackSpeech: The inscription is written in Black Speech and it sometimes seems to be speaking it; the language is very harsh on the ears.
* BrownNote: If it's not speaking in a whisper, it's in a hideous deep voice.
* CompellingVoice: Its effect on the people around it is represented as sinister whispering.
* TheCorruption: The Ring will corrupt anyone who wears it for a prolonged period of time.
* ClingyMacGuffin: Only one person, Bilbo, has willingly given up the Ring.
%%* EvilSoundsDeep
* HappyFunBall: Boromir notes the irony that the fate of Middle-Earth is bound up in a tiny, unadorned band of metal.
* HatePlague: It engenders powerlust, malice, hatred, and murderous envy in the people around it.
* InvisibilityCloak: Wearing the Ring makes you invisible in the normal world, but you become visible in the Wraith-World, where you can be seen by Sauron and his Ringwraiths.
* LustObject: Everyone is tempted by its power. Even ''Sam''.
%%* MagicAIsMagicA
* NighInvulnerability: The ''only'' thing that can destroy it is lava. Not just any lava, but specifically the stuff from Mount Doom.
* RingOfPower: ''The'' Ring of Power.
* SoulJar: Sauron inserted the majority of his power into it, and without it he is drastically weakened.
* ThisIsYourBrainOnEvil: Several people have compared its effects to those of drug addiction.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Saruman]]
!!Saruman [-(Creator/ChristopherLee)-]
[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Saruman-the-white_6912.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:220:''"Against the power of Mordor there can be no victory."'']]

->''"We must join with Him, Gandalf. We must join with Sauron. It would be wise, my friend."''

The leader of the Istari, an order of wizards sent by the Valar to Middle-earth to aid Men, Elves, and Dwarves in their struggle against the darkness. Unfortunately, Saruman was tempted by the power of the One Ring and turned to evil. Is in fact an angelic Maiar spirit with the appearance of an elderly but vigorous Man.
----
* AffablyEvil: He's quite charming and incredibly charismatic -- at least until you make him seriously angry.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The head of the White Council. He delivers a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown to Gandalf the Grey.
* BerserkButton: Saruman doesn't like being questioned. He's all charm with Gandalf until Gandalf asks if he's lost his mind. Then Saruman attacks him.
* BigBadWannabe: He thinks he can be the Lord of the Rings and usurp Sauron's throne... [[WrongGenreSavvy he is wrong.]]
* BigOlEyebrows: As provided by Christopher Lee.
* BreakTheHaughty: The Ents decimate his forces and leave him trapped in his tower. Then his staff is destroyed by Gandalf and he gets knifed in the back by Wormtongue.
* CompellingVoice: Especially when played by Creator/ChristopherLee.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: He's less loyal to the Dark Lord than he claims.
* EarlyBirdCameo: In ''[[Film/TheHobbit The Hobbit]]'', where he's seen as part of the White Council.
* EvilCounterpart: To Gandalf. He even says that he's what Saruman should have been.
* EvilFormerFriend: Was Gandalf's friend before turning to evil.
* EvilSorcerer: Uses his magic to hinder the Fellowship, create Uruk-hai, and weaken Théoden.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Casting Christopher Lee seems designed to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this trope.
* FaceHeelTurn: He spent most of his time on Arda as a heroic wizard fighting the forces of evil, but his obsession with studying them in order to combat them better led to a HeWhoFightsMonsters situation.
%%* FallenHero: See above.
* FallenHero: ''Film/TheHobbit'' trilogy actually shows us Saruman before his HeelFaceTurn. He also demonstrates that being the strongest of Five Wizards is definitely ''not'' an InformedAbility.
-->'''Saruman''' (to Galadriel, surrounded by Nazgûl): [[{{BigDamnHeroes}} Are you in need of assistance, my lady?]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: He tries to be his old, charming self when everything's gone to pot at the beginning of the extended version of ''The Return of the King'', but neither Théoden or Gandalf are having any of it.
-->'''Saruman:''' Can we not have peace, you and I?
-->'''Théoden:''' We shall have peace... when you answer for the burning of the West Fold! For the children that lie dead there! When the men who's bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg ''are avenged!'' When you hang from a gibbet, for the sport of your own crows! ... We shall have peace!
* {{Foil}}: To Gandalf. Both are wise, but Saruman is proud and isolates himself in Orthanc while Gandalf is still open to learning and travels widely.
* GreenEyedMonster: He's jealous of Gandalf, and has been secretly having agents follow him, and imitating him -- smoking pipe-weed, for instance. ''Literature/UnfinishedTales'' reveals that he's been jealous of Gandalf at ''least'' since they set sail from Valinor for Middle-Earth, probably even before that.
* TheHeavy: For ''The Two Towers'', as he and his forces are terrorizing more or less everybody except for Frodo and Sam. Even towards the end of ''Fellowship'', he's still the primary enemy and holds the honor of being the one to successfully break up the Fellowship.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Saruman became too obsessed with using the powers of the Ring against Sauron.
* {{Hypocrite}}: He rails against Radagast's mushroom habits, claiming it's yellowed his teeth and Gandalf's smoking. Saruman's teeth aren't exactly pearly white themselves, and as it turns out Saruman has a big supply of fabled Longbottom Leaf sitting around in a cupboard.
* InsufferableGenius: He appears to enjoy insulting or belittling those around him, even questioning Galadriel herself at several points during the White Council. Gandalf is the most common recipient of his superiority complex and it makes a lot of sense considering the jealousy that Saruman has harbored towards him for millennia.
* IWantThemAlive: Says this word for word when he orders Lurtz to capture the hobbits, though everyone else is fair game. Good thing too, since if he hadn't explicitly told them to keep the hobbits alive, Merry and Pippin would've wound up on the menu.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Killed by Wormtongue, almost immediately after [[KickTheDog smacking him around.]]]]
* KeystoneArmy: More in the films than in the book.
* LargeHam: "''A NEW POWER IS RISING. ITS VICTORY IS AT HAND! THIS NIGHT, THE LAND WILL BE STAINED WITH THE BLOOD OF ROHAN! MARCH TO HELM'S DEEP! LEAVE '''NONE''' ALIVE! TO WAR!!!!!!''"
* LetMeTellYouAStory: Apparently was prone to this before his corruption. In ''The Hobbit'' film, he spends half his screentime on a tangent about how much he disapproves of Radagast's lifestyle (and his alleged mushrooms) whilst the Council are trying to discuss the Necromancer and the Witch-King. Gandalf and Galadriel are apparently quite used to this.
* LightIsNotGood: Dresses in white.
* MageTower: Orthanc.
* ManInWhite: "Saruman the White". Dresses accordingly. Especially as the movies phase out the "Saruman of Many Colors" aspect.
* ManipulativeBastard: One of the finest in the whole series. Saruman manipulates Théoden by way of a magical spell and TreacherousAdvisor for years, driving the Rohirrim economy into the ground; he also attempts to prevent Thorin and his Company from destroying Smaug and reclaiming the Lonely Mountain, which would return control of the north to Erebor and Dale; and then he after the Necromancer is driven out of Dol Guldur by Galadriel, Saruman insists that he be allowed to oversee the pursuit of Sauron in Mordor.
* NonElemental: His specialty. While Gandalf is a [[PlayingWithFire fire specialist]] and Radagast is a FriendToAllLivingThings, Saruman has no obvious area of interest (except perhaps as a GadgeteerGenius).
* NotSoDifferent: He claims to be this with Gandalf.
-->'''Saruman:''' Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me... what words of comfort did you give the halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death.
* OhCrap: When the Ents storm Isengard and slaughter his forces. Particularly when they break the dam to flood the industrial works.
* OneManIndustrialRevolution: Part of the GreenAesop. He has "a mind of metal and wheels" and turns the lovely park of Isengard into a horrible arms factory that's constantly belching smoke and fire, and ruins the countryside around it.
* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The Wizards are really angels disguised as elderly humans.
* TheQuisling: His job was to ''stop'' Sauron, not join him.
* TheRival: To Gandalf. While Radagast and the blue wizards have disappeared into the East by the time ''Lord of the Rings'' takes place, Gandalf is still around keeping an eye on things in Middle-Earth, including Saruman's dubious actions around Isenguard. This rivalry finally comes to a head when Gandalf discovers that Saruman has been in league with Mordor for ''decades''.
%%* ShadowArchetype: After his FaceHeelTurn, he's this to Gandalf.
* SpikesOfVillainy: His dark tower, Orthanc, is crowned with four spikes, and his staff also has four spikes at the top.
* TheStarscream: He has this trope in mind with his servitude towards Sauron, hoping to take the ring himself, but it never pans out.
* SmugSnake: Good job with the army of ten thousand and weakening Rohan, but maybe it wasn't such a good idea to use the magical forest full of Ents and [[WhenTreesAttack Huorns]] as your primary fuel source.
* SmugStraightEdge: Makes disparaging remarks about Radagast's fondness for mushrooms and Gandalf's use of pipeweed. [[spoiler: Despite being a hypocrite who smokes pipe-weed himself, but doesn't want Gandalf to know this.]]
%%* TooCleverByHalf
* TreacherousAdvisor: To most of Middle-Earth before he reveals his true colors.
* VillainousBreakdown: Théoden and Gandalf goad him into one, thereby revealing his true nature and breaking the power of his hypnotic voice.
* VisionaryVillain: Sees himself as the ruler of Middle-Earth instead of Sauron.
-->'''Saruman:''' [[NewEraSpeech A new powerrr is rrrising!!]]
* WeCanRuleTogether: Offers Gandalf the chance to rule with him.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Originally he wanted to [[EvilIsNotAToy learn everything about the Enemy so that he could defeat him]], but [[FatalFlaw his arrogance led to his downfall]] (for example, using the Palantír against Gandalf's advice).
%%* WhiteHairBlackHeart
* WillfullyWeak: Like the rest of the Wizards, Saruman is actually operating at only a fraction of his full power. This is deliberate as the Valar decided to clothe the Wizards in the bodies of old men as they are meant to combat Sauron by wisdom and persuasion not brute strength or force. However Saruman ignored all that by deciding to join Saroun's forces.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gríma Wormtongue]]
!!Grí­ma Wormtongue [-(Creator/BradDourif)-]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wormtongue_grima_3547.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. "Lathspell" I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."'']]

->''"Why do you lay these troubles on an already troubled mind?"''

Once a Man of Rohan, Gríma entered the service of the evil wizard Saruman, and acted as the agent of his dominance over Rohan before the Fellowship's arrival in Edoras. After being freed from Saruman and Gríma's joint mind control, Théoden spared him, and he returned to Isengard and betrayed the Hornburg's sole weakness to Saruman.
----
* DirtyCoward: He tries to get the hell away when Gandalf starts healing Théoden and crawls and grovels Théoden wants to kill him.
* TheDogBitesBack: Killing Saruman once he had enough of his mistreatment. It happens much sooner than in the books.
* EvilChancellor: To Théoden.
* HannibalLecture: He gives an especially cruel one to Éowyn when his attempt to seduce her fails, declaring her as alone and cold.
* HeKnowsTooMuch: His reason for getting rid of Éomer. "You see much, Éomer, son of Éomund. Too much."
* HeelFaceDoorSlam: Théoden offers him amnesty and he does appear to want to accept it...but he then has enough of Saruman's crap and ends up dying in the resulting altercation.
* ManipulativeBastard: His poisonous words combine with Saruman's enchantments to turn Théoden into a weak old dotard, and Wormtongue convinces him to exile his beloved and loyal nephew Éomer.
* TheMole: Saruman uses Wormtongue to weaken Rohan by weakening its king.
* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: In contrast to all the tall blond not-Vikings, Wormtongue looks like he'd sunburn from torchlight.
* ObviouslyEvil: Lampshaded in the extras. A hall full of handsome, blond-haired warriors in armor and one pale scrawny guy with greasy black hair? Gosh, who could the bad guy be?
* OhCrap: Realizing that his men failed to confiscate Gandalf's staff.
* SmugSnake: He does get a lot of his own way... at first. But he probably should have replaced the gate guard with people less loyal to Théoden himself.
* SycophanticServant: To Saruman, especially towards the end.
* TreacherousAdvisor: He presents himself as Théoden's trusted advisor and confidante, when in reality he's working for Saruman and actively assists him in keeping Théoden under a magical spell. This hasn't helped Rohan in the slightest, either.
* VillainousCrush: To Éowyn. In fact, the reason he joined up with Saruman was Saruman had promised him the object of his lust.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Witch-King of Angmar]]
!!The Witch-King of Angmar [-(Bret [=McIntyre=] / Lawrence Makoare, voice by Creator/AndySerkis)-]
[[quoteright:179:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/179px-Witch_king_Sword_1992.jpg]]

Indubitably the greatest of Sauron's servants, holder of the greatest of the Nine Rings of Power given to Men, and Lord of the Nazgûl. The Witch-King was previously king of the evil realm of Angmar in Northern Eriador, which destroyed the fortress-city of Fornost (and with it, the northern Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor). Soon afterwards, Angmar was itself destroyed by a combined force of Elves and Men of Gondor and (the remnants of) Arnor, after which the Witch-King fled to Mordor.
----
* BadassBoast: "Do you not know death when you see it, old man? This is my hour!"
%%* BlackCloak
* CarryABigStick: Though it's a [[EpicFlail nasty-looking flail]] in the [[TheMovie Movie]].
%%* CastingAShadow: Type 1.
%%* DarkIsEvil
* TheDragon: To Sauron. The Witch-King is his chief servant and goes abroad to do the dirty work.
* TheDreaded: Everyone is terrified of this guy and for good reason.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Chronologically speaking, [[spoiler:he first shows up in ''Film/TheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney'', where he attempts to backstab Radagast with a Morgul blade only for the wizard to successfully fend him off.]]
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: We just know him by his title.
%%* EvilIsDeathlyCold
%%* EvilSorcerer
%%* EvilSoundsDeep
* TheFaceless: In the normal world he has no form except that which his clothes (and crown) give him. We do see his face in the shadow world when Frodo wears the Ring.
* FlamingSword: He makes flames emanate from his sword when he challenges Gandalf in the Extended Edition.
* {{Geas}}: It has been noted that while it is not referred to as such, the prophecy that he shall not fall by the hand of Man is functionally a geas.
* GiantFlyer: His later mount, the Fell Beast.
* ImplacableMan: He and the other Nazgûl can't be truly killed while the One Ring exists.
* IHaveManyNames: Witch-King, Lord of the Nazgûl, High Nazgûl, Black Captain, Captain of Despair, Morgul-Lord, etc.
* LargeAndInCharge: In the third film, he's played by 7-foot, 300-pound bodybuilder Lawrence Makoare, and wears a tall pointed helmet.
* MakeMeWannaShout: He and the other Nazgûl. In the books, they screech very rarely; although enough for the Orcs to give them the nickname "Shriekers". In the film, their [[HellIsThatNoise nightmarish, banshee wailing]] is a punishing audial weapon that is enough to bring grown men to their knees; and is utilized at every opportunity.
* MysteriousPast: His past was never fully revealed. We only get hints of who he used to be. Which is a lot more than we get of his lieutenant, Khamûl the Black Easterling, and the rest of the Nazgûl. He gets a bit of exposé in ''Film/TheHobbit'' that [[WritingAroundTrademarks differs significantly from what Tolkien wrote]], due to Jackson not being allowed to utilize several of the books that contain the Witch-King's past.
* TheNecromancer: Junior level.
* TheNecrocracy: Founded two, the country of Angmar and the city of Minas Morgul.
* NoManOfWomanBorn: Tolkien's answer to this trope was to have him undone by a woman and a hobbit. Merry gets him in the knee to break the protective enchantment[[note]]although the technicalities of the anti-Morgul blade are left out[[/note]] and Éowyn stabs him in the face.
* TheUndead: One of the consequences that the Nine Kings of Men had to face for using the Rings of Power.
* WeakenedByTheLight: Although the Nazgûl don't seem to loathe the sunlight the way Sauron's {{Mook}}s do, Gandalf is able to drive him and the others away with a beam of light.
%%* WeaksauceWeakness: Sunlight, fire, non-men.
* WasOnceAMan: He was once a man of Númenor who was corrupted by his Ring of Power.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Trolls]]
!!Trolls
[[quoteright:180:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/180px-Olog-hai_7231.jpg]]

Monsters originally created by Morgoth as mockeries of the Ents. Now they serve Sauron and other evil beings, and exist in many variations[=/=]subspecies, including the deadly and intelligent Olog-hai, the exceptionally strong but awesomely stupid Cave Trolls, and the large, fast, and darkly cunning Mountain Trolls.
----
* AllTrollsAreDifferent: Tolkien's trolls are giant-like monsters with rocky hides and beast-like intelligence. They permanently turn to stone when exposed to sunlight. The exceptions are Sauron's Olog-hai, more intelligent trolls that are immune to sunlight.
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Subverted with the cave troll in Moria. After it's mortally wounded, [[AlasPoorVillain it comes off as almost childlike]] and you're left to wonder about the chain it was wearing and what its life was like.
* DumbMuscle: Trolls are barely capable of speech and are used simply to crush large numbers of enemies.
* EliteMook: The Attack Trolls followed by the Olog-Hai.
* EvilCounterpart: Apparently intended as Morgoth's answer to the Ents, but nowhere near as strong or wise.
* GiantMook
* MadeOfIron: They die hard.
%%* SmashMook
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mouth of Sauron]]
!!The Mouth of Sauron [-(Creator/BruceSpence)-]
[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Mouth_of_Sauron_4693.jpg]]

->''"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome. Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?"''

A Black Númenórean who serves as Sauron's mouthpiece to the Captains of the West. Unceremoniously decapitated by an enraged Aragorn.
----
* AssholeVictim: Aragorn chops his head off. Bad form for a negotiation, but voluntarily serving Sauron and taunting the heavily-armed men about torturing and killing one of his friends doesn't win you any sympathy.
* AssInAmbassador: After meeting with Aragorn, he essentially demands his surrender.
* BlackSpeech: An interesting form of it. WordOfGod says that his mouth is so horribly damaged and disfigured because the words of Sauron that he speaks are so evil he gets damaged by them.
* BodyHorror: His mouth does not move naturally, and is distorted and grotesque. His movements in general are a bit jarring and jerky. His LEGO minifigure in the Black Gate set reveals that his mouth is his ''only'' facial feature left, with folds of skin and warts where [[EyelessFace eyes should be]]. The designers for the film envisioned him blind, but it didn't matter since being the mouthpiece of Sauron was his only purpose, but a deterioration to the point of only having a mouth adds to the horror. This is probably canon provided by WordOfGod (or at least approved), considering that LEGO [[ShownTheirWork shows their work]] and takes little creative liberties (besides size compression) with licensed properties.
* ColdBloodedTorture: From his dialogue, one gets the impression that he's the one in charge of actually doing this to people who have offended Sauron in some manner.
* DeathByAdaptation: In the books, he concludes negotiations by turning tail and running back to the Black Gate after Gandalf rejects the terms and the rest of the Free Folk give him a DeathGlare. In the extended cut of the film, he mocks Aragorn and is swiftly decapitated.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: 'His name is remembered in no tale for he himself had forgotten it, and he said "I am the Mouth of Sauron"'
%%* EvilSorcerer
* EvilSoundsDeep: Courtesy of Bruce Spence.
* GrossUpCloseUp: His teeth. Egads, his teeth...
* IShallTauntYou: Pretty much his whole "negotiation" with Gandalf.
* KarmicDeath: He was seriously asking for this.
* MouthOfSauron: The [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]].
* OffWithHisHead: Courtesy of Aragorn in the extended cut.
* OneWayVisor: His helmet leaves only his mouth exposed (although as stated above, this hides his NightmareFace).
* OhCrap: When Gandalf rejects his terms, he starts raving, but when the other representatives of the Free Folk give him a DeathGlare, he turns tail and rides breakneck back to the Morannon. In the extended cut of the film, he taunts Aragorn [[OffWithHisHead and is swiftly decapitated.]]
* WasOnceAMan: Implied. See BodyHorror above.
* SlasherSmile: He flashes his pearly... things... in a horrific leer at everyone.
* SmugSnake: Okay, so the army Aragorn brings is horribly outnumbered and basically doomed from the get-go. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to keep gloating about how you murdered a friend of theirs while their leader, who is wielding the blade that did for your master in the last age, is riding towards you looking [[TranquilFury curiously calm]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shelob]]
!!Shelob
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4755481_std_7240.jpg]]

Shelob was one of the countless brood of Ungoliant, a Great Spider and a relic from a time before Sauron's Shadow. Shelob was the greatest of Ungoliant’s spawn, many times larger than even the largest of Mirkwood's spiders. A purely neutral character, she only served herself, and her hunger and bloodlust would be satisfied by any creature she could consume.
----
* AchillesHeel: Her underside is not as tough as the rest of her body; when she gives up trying to paralyze Sam with her venom and decides to crush him, he shoves Sting into her guts. The book emphasizes that unlike dragons, Shelob has no weak spots save for her eyes. Sam is only able to pierce her skin and tissue because she unwittingly slams on his blade with her own, massive strength.
* AnimalisticAbomination: Just like [[Literature/TheSilmarillion Mommy]].
* CastingAShadow: Like her mother, she weaves webs of unlight that are perceptible to the Hobbits, although the "unlight" part is hard to convey on film so they look like regular (but giant) webs.
* DragonWithAnAgenda: Sauron treats her as his pet--specifically a cat, in that he thinks he owns her and she does whatever she pleases.
* EyeScream: Sam stabs her in one eye with Sting during their fight.
* GiantSpider: She's thought to be the daughter of Ungoliant, a spirit on the order of Sauron and Balrogs, who took spider form. She's also related to the giant spiders of Mirkwood, but she's bigger.
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Of the "[[PureIsNotGood pure]] [[InvertedTrope evil]]" variety. She was stated to be immune to the Ring's temptations because power holds no interest for something that just wants to eat everything.
* MeaningfulName: "Lob" is an archaic word for "spider". She's female. "She-Lob".
%%* NighInvulnerable
* OmnicidalManiac: Her ultimate goal seems to be to eat ''the whole planet''. Mercifully, she's nowhere near accomplishing that.
* PrimalFear: Spiders. Big spiders. Not surprising, since Tolkien was bitten by a highly venomous spider as a boy.
* SpidersAreScary: Both Tolkien and Jackson firmly believe in this trope. Shelob is a horrific menace even to the nasties that populate Mordor.
* TimeAbyss: She is said to have been around when the earth was born. Although that is more so her mother Ungoliant.
* TheVoiceless: The fact that she was able to work out a deal with Gollum implies she ''can'' speak, but she never does during her appearance in the text. Or just that she understands speech, and relented her attack when Gollum begged for his life and promised to bring her tasty things to eat.
* WeakenedByTheLight: The thing that finally makes her flinch is the phial of starlight Galadriel gave Frodo.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Durin's Bane]]
!!Durin's Bane, a Balrog of Morgoth
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/s_Balrog_5113.jpg]]

A Balrog of Morgoth, a monster of the First Age, awoken by the dwarves in their delvings beneath Khazad-dûm, who killed Durin VI and drove the dwarves from their oldest and greatest realm. Encountered by the Fellowship as they leave Khazad-dûm. Slain by Gandalf in a titanic battle that began at the lowest abyss of Moria and ended on Durin's Tower, its highest point.
----
* BigRedDevil: He's effectively this [[IncendiaryExponent on fire.]]
* DarkIsEvil: The parts of him that aren't ''on fire'' are black and shadowy and he lives in one of the deepest, darkest places of Middle-Earth.
* EldritchAbomination: At least, you could tell that Sauron's minions were warped versions of their original selves. This demon is one of many "that should not see the light of day".
* EvilIsBurningHot: Balrogs are some of the most feared creatures in Middle-Earth for good reason. They served Sauron's old boss before the Third Age and are all {{Hero Killer}}s. Even the goblins are terrified of it.
* FallenAngel: Believe it or not, that demon who just snared and just happens to have a sword and whip, [[spoiler:belonged to a race of hyper-intelligent warriors from hell that made the Ringwraiths look like pansies. He's the same order of being as Gandalf and Sauron]].
* GodzillaThreshold: His appearance marks the only time in the entire trilogy that Gandalf wields his full power. And even then, [[spoiler: the fight ends in a draw]].
* KnightOfCerebus: The story was already serious, but he upped the ante and paved the way for the Fellowship's breaking by bringing down Gandalf. (Of course, Gandalf [[BackFromTheDead got better.]]) It also introduced the epic one-on-one fights that would occur later in the story.
* LargeAndInCharge: Much larger than the orcs and trolls in Moria, and they seem to be almost as afraid of him as the Fellowship is. In the Creator/PeterJackson films, Durin's Bane is nearly twenty feet tall.
* PlayingWithFire: The movie makes it looks like he's literally a demon of flame. And [[CastingAShadow shadow]].
* RasputinianDeath: Falls down a deep pit along with Gandalf, as they try to stab one another as they plummet down to the bottom. Once they land, they are immediately submerged, carried down the stream presumably, until they reached the base of a mountain, climb the [[EndlessCorridor Endless Stair]] to the peak of Celebdil, where they fought until Gandalf manages to pierce its heart, causing it to fall down to its death.
* WhipItGood: He uses a flaming whip [[DualWield in conjunction with]] a FlamingSword.
[[/folder]]

!Orcs

[[folder:In General]]
!!Orcs
[[quoteright:180:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/180px-Lord-of-the-rings-orcs_819.jpg]]
----
* TheAgeless: Like the Elves they were supposedly created from, but it isn't fully clear.
%%* AlwaysChaoticEvil
* BadBoss: Any given orc in a position of power will probably be one of these.
* BandOfBrothers: Compared to their Orc cousins, The Uruk-hai seems to be this, as they at least treat each other with respect, and when they suffered their first casualty at the Battle of Helm's Deep, their reaction went from threat display to RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
%%* BlackBlood
* BloodKnight: All the Uruk-hai, but Uglúk stands out in particular.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Those orcs who aren't {{Blood Knight}}s are ''really'' into this.
* ConservationOfNinjutsu: The Uruk-hai.
* DirtyCoward: "Standard" orcs, which is why whip-wielding superiors and/or Nazgûl stand behind them.
* EliteMooks: Uruk-hai (Black Speech for "Orc-people").
* EnemyCivilWar: The only thing keeping the orcs held together is the will of Sauron. Whenever that slackens for whatever reason, they remember that they hate each other almost as much as they hate the other races and almost immediately go for each other's throats. Unless there are people of other races nearby, in which case different tribes of orcs will band together to kill them, ''then'' turn on each other.
%%* EvilMinions
* FantasticRacism: Against Elves, Men, and even other Orcs (there is a rivalry between the Orcs of Mordor, the 'Northerners' from the Misty Mountains who are used to running their own affairs, and Saruman's Uruk-hai).
* FauxAffablyEvil: For the most part.
* HalfHumanHybrid: The most likely origin of the Uruk-hai.
* ImAHumanitarian: They're not very... selective in their diet.
* ManipulativeBastard: Grishnakh.
%%* {{Mooks}}
* MookLieutenant: Lurtz from the Fellowship film adaptation, Uglúk from ''The Two Towers'', and Gothmog from ''The Return of the King'' film adaptation. Gothmog also appears in the book, but it's never specified whether he is an orc or a human.
* NoCureForEvil: Averted. Orcish medicine is among the most advanced in Middle-Earth, but it tends to be very painful and has heavy scarring.
* OurOrcsAreDifferent: Actually, to a degree they ''are'', despite being the [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]]. Tolkien's actual orcs are much more advanced and intelligent, and not as physically powerful, than the crude barbarians AlwaysChaoticEvil orcs are generally portrayed as.
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: Uruk-hai only. "Standard" orcs are sneaks and cowards.
* SmugSnake: Grishnakh.
* TortureTechnician: Just about any orc with brains will be one of these.
* UnskilledButStrong: The Uruk-hai are stronger and faster than orcs so they fight mostly by throwing their weight around. Their army as a whole shows this at Helms Deep where their primary strategy is a ZergRush with little direction and leadership.
* WasOnceAMan: The origin that made it into the books is that they were once elves. This is only one possibility, though, and [[FlipFlopOfGod it kept changing right up until Tolkien's death]] -- he didn't like the implications that had for their eternal souls, even though he did not want evil to be capable of independent creation, which would have conflicted with his UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}}.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lurtz]]
!!Lurtz [-(Lawrence Makoare)-]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lurtz_2_5428.jpg]]
----
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Saruman makes him the leader of his first breed of Uruk-hai because he's the strongest and smartest one, plus the first thing he did was slaughter the orcs who helped pull him out of the breeding pits.
* BadassInCharge: Of his Uruk-Hai scouts squadron.
* BloodKnight: When dismembered and impaled does not stop him from continuing the fight.
* BodyPaint: Saruman's symbol (a white hand) on his face.
%%* BowAndSwordInAccord
* TheBrute: As if mortally wounding Boromir wasn't enough, Lurtz is incredibly dangerous in close combat too. He can match swords with Aragorn and the brutal punches he deliver leave Aragorn dazed, while he himself shrugs off anything Aragorn throws at him (including the knife through his leg) until Aragorn manages to hack off an arm.
* CanonForeigner: He has no ''direct'' counterpart in the novels, though a few reviewers made a bit too much of this: he's not so much a "major new character", as that they basically took one of the "generic Orc chieftains" from the novels and bothered to give him a name.
* CombatPragmatist: Throws an Uruk-hai shield to pin Aragorn against a tree in order to decapitate him.
** He kills Boromir by firing arrows from range while wearing him down by throwing Uruks at him.
* DefiantToTheEnd: When Aragorn sticks his sword through Lurtz's gut (after literally disarming him), Lurtz grabs the sword and drags himself closer while growling in Aragorn's face.
* {{Determinator}}: Even after getting an arm cut off and being impaled by a sword, he still tries to get closer to Aragorn.
* TheDragon: To Saruman in ''The Fellowship of the Ring''.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Step one, get "born." Step two, strangle the guy who delivered you.
* EvilGloating: Although he growls instead of delivering some kind of BreakingSpeech, he takes obvious relish in Boromir's demise, drawing his bow slowly and delaying the actual kill shot while Boromir is kneeling helpless... which allows Aragorn to interrupt with a flying tackle.
* HeroKiller: Kills Boromir.
* MonsterProgenitor: The very first bred Uruk-Hai.
%%* MookLieutenant
* OffWithHisHead: This is how Aragorn ''finally'' kills him.
* SuperPrototype: Considerably stronger and smarter than the scouts he commands.
%%* WildHair
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gothmog]]
!!Gothmog
->'''Played By:''' Lawrence Makoare

* AdaptationalBadass: He doesn't fight anyone in the books.
* AllThereInTheManual: His name is never stated in the movies, we only know he's supposed to be Gothmog due merchandise.
* AscendedExtra: In the book he gets mentioned exactly ''once'' as "the Lieutenant of Minas Morgul" - his species isn't even disclosed. The movies make him a far more imposing commander.
* HandicappedBadass: Able to match Éowyn in combat despite a limp and one useless arm.
* BadassBoast: "The age of Men is over. The time of the Orcs has come!"
* BadBoss: Like all Orc leaders, Gothmog does not give a damn about his troops. His reaction to seeing them die by the droves in the gates of Gondor is shouting at their incompetence.
* BodyHorror: Gothmog looks like a giant tumor.
* TheDeterminator: His effort to kill Éowyn is quite remarkable.
* DirtyCoward: Notable ''aversion''. While basically all non-Uruk-Hai Orcs seem to be cowards, Gothmog is the exception.]
* DontYouDarePityMe: When he dismounts his warg he stumbles slightly, and another orc tries to help him walk only for Gothmog to angrily push him away and walk by himself.
* EvilCripple: The entire left side of his body is completely deformed, making his arm useless and his leg limp.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Alongside GutturalGrowler.
* {{Gonk}}: One of, if not the ugliest orc in the movie, which is no small achievement.
* FourStarBadass: Leader of the troops at Pelennor Fields.
* GutturalGrowler: He sounds a lot like Doctor Claw.
* HandicappedBadass: Despite being a cripple, he is by far the most competent Orc in the third movie.
* KickTheDog: Beheading an entire battalion of soldiers and launching their heads against the terrified citizens of Minas Tirith.
* NonchalantDodge: The infamous scene in which, upon noticing a rock being launched in his direction, Gothmog stays perfectly still and calm until the last possible moment, then he dodges and follows up with a SpitefulSpit in the rock.
** Also counts as HypocriticalHumor; he had earlier told his troops to hold their ground even as they were being bombarded with rocks, and only when one is about to hit him does he go back on his own word.
* RasputinianDeath: Wounded in the leg, has his arm chopped off, then impaled with an axe, ''then'' slashed in the back. Only in the extended edition, though (the threatical version leaves his fate ambiguous).
* SlasherSmile: "Bring up the Wolf's Head!"
* SpitefulSpit: See RasputinianDeath above.
* TheStrategist: The main Orc strategist in the movies.
* StupidEvil: Averted, given that he's an Orc general. Meant to show how Mordor's Orcs are a better organized fighting force than they were during the Prologue, when they just swarmed across the battlefield like a feral mob and got mowed down by more organized enemies. Gothmog doesn't so much have brilliant tactics but "common sense" - i.e. when facing a cavalry charge, he bellows at his troops to form ranks, "pikes in front, archers behind!" This is still a ''drastic'' force multiplier for the Orc army, given that their previous strategy was "blindly rush at an oncoming cavalry charge until we trip them up with piles of our own dead".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gorbag]]
!!Gorbag

* UndyingLoyalty: Unlike Shagrat, which is why they end up fighting.
* TheNapoleon: The shortest Orc of the movies.
[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Grishnákh]]
%%!!Grishnákh
%%->'''Played By:''' Stephen Ure

%%* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice
%%* NotQuiteDead
%%[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Snaga]]
%%!!Snaga

%%* OffWithHisHead
%%[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sharku]]
!!Sharku

* GoodScarsEvilScars: Has a distinctive Warg-inflicted claw scar across his face.
* MeaningfulName: AllThereInTheManual, but his name (which in the books was the orcs' nickname for Saruman) means "old man", and he's an old orc.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Uglúk]]
!!Uglúk [-(Nathaniel Lees)-]
[[quoteright:180:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/uglk_6210.jpg]]

The leader of the Uruk-hai scouts after the death of Lurtz. He and his squadron were the ones that captured Merry and Pippin at Amon Hen and headed towards Isengard.
----
%%* EvilSoundsDeep
* ImAHumanitarian: The Mordor orcs grow increasingly eager to eat the hobbits, and the squadron is starving, so what does he do? Beheading one of the orcs.
-->'''Uglúk:''' Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!
* IWantThemAlive: Prevents the Mordor orcs from eating the hobbits because he believes that one of them is carrying the One Ring.
* KilledOffScreen: By Éomer's Rohirrim squadron.
%%* MookLieutenant
* UndyingLoyalty: Obeys Saruman's orders without flinching.
[[/folder]]

----

* GreenEyes: Film version only. They sometimes look blue, though.

* TheTeam: ...but overtime they would [[IOweYouMyLife risk their lives]] for each other repeatedly. When they're forced to separate, they still remain close and have a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming at the end of the movie when they [[BackFromTheDead all meet up again]]. This group mainly consists of the following...

* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Did a hobbit just kick the crap out of a GiantSpider? [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome ''Oh'' yes.]]

* FamousLastWords: "[[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king."]]

* TheLadysFavour: Three [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming golden hairs]] from her head. Which is more than [[{{Ubermensch}} Fëanor]] got, [[TakeThat incidentally]]...

* WillfullyWeak: Like the rest of the Wizards, Gandalf is actually operating at only a fraction of his full power. This is deliberate as the Valar decied to clothe the Wizards in the bodies of old men as they are meant to combat Sauron by wisdom and persuasion not brute strength or force.

** ThoseTwoGuys / PluckyComicRelief

*** TheLeader / TheKirk: Aragorn
*** TheSmartGuy / TheSpock: Legolas
*** TheBigGuy / TheMcCoy: Gimli

* TheTeam / TrueCompanions / FireForgedFriends / UndyingLoyalty: ...but overtime they would [[IOweYouMyLife risk their lives]] for each other repeatedly. When they're forced to separate, they still remain close and have a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming at the end of the movie when they [[BackFromTheDead all meet up again]]. This group mainly consists of the following...

For the original versions in [[TheLordOfTheRings the book]] by Creator/JRRTolkien, see [[Characters/TheLordOfTheRings here]]. For characters in ''Literature/TheHobbit'', go [[Characters/TheHobbit here]] for the book versions, or [[Characters/TheHobbitFilmTrilogy here]] for the film versions.

* EarlyBirdCameo: In the flash-forward beginning of ''[[Film/TheHobbit The Hobbit]]''.

* CharacterDevelopment: It is evident he used to be something of a {{Jerkass}} in his youth, as shown in Desolation of Smaug. Compare to the much gentler soul he is in the Trilogy. This is apparent even in his appearance - Legolas is much paler in Film/TheHobbit with particularly icy blue eyes, making for a visual [[DefrostingIceQueen Defrosting Elf Prince]] between the two trilogies.

* FallenHero: TheHobbit trilogy actually shows us Saruman before his HeelFaceTurn. He also demonstrates that being the strongest of Five Wizards is definitely ''not'' an InformedAbility.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Chronologically speaking, [[spoiler:he first shows up in ''Film/TheHobbit: An Unexpected Journey'', where he attempts to backstab Radagast with a Morgul blade only for the wizard to successfully fend him off.]]

!!The Mouth of Sauron [-(Bruce Spence)-]

* FacelessEye: Creator/PeterJackson interprets the "Eye of Sauron" literally, and depicts Sauron as a flaming all-seeing GiantEyeOfDoom sitting at the top of Barad-dûr.

!!Éowyn [-(Miranda Otto)-]

!!Éomer [-(KarlUrban)-]

!!Elrond [-(HugoWeaving)-]

* BadassGrandpa: Takes the guise of an old man when he comes to Middle-Earth.

* BadassGrandpa: He's eighty-seven years old, but looks like he's in his forties thanks to his Númenórean ancestry.

* BadassGrandpa: All three of his children are at least in their early twenties, so he definitely qualifies. He fights at Helm's Deep and Pelennor even at his old age, and makes a good accounting of himself.

* BadassGrandpa: Grey-haired and the most visibly old of Faramir's rangers.

* [[BadassGrandpa Badass Grandma]]: She's Elrond's mother-in-law and grandmother to Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir.

* BadassGrandpa: He's Elrond's father-in-law and grandfather to Elladan, Elrohir, and Arwen.

* BadassGrandpa: He's so old that he refers to the wizards as "young Saruman" and "young Gandalf."

* BadassGrandpa: He beats the crap out of Nazgûls easily, and after his FaceHeelTurn, defeats Gandalf.

* BadassGrandpa: One of the eldest orcs in existence, still leading a band of Warg riders and nearly killing Aragorn.