The Lord of the Rings has replete of scenes when people get to show off their cool, from Aragorn swinging open the gates of Helm’s Deep to Sam carrying Frodo the final stretch to Mount Doom. Although not every character had the opportunity to demonstrate their magnificence, those who did were all the more unforgettable for it.
Upon those anticipating even more wonderful characters in the next Rings of Power series, here is a complete list of the coolest characters in Middle Earth from the movies, as voted for by Ranker’s cinema enthusiasts.
Aragorn
Aragorn’s path, in which he first has no interest in being king until he is compelled to step up more and more as a leader to fulfill his full potential, is one of the strongest subplots in The Lord of the Rings. On the battlefield, Aragorn demonstrates his bravery by confronting whatever foe stands in his way.
When the character is compelled to make difficult decisions and inspire others around him away from the battlefield, he demonstrates his kingliness. Without Aragorn’s leadership, the kingdoms would not have banded together to confront Mordor, and that takes charm. Aragorn has always had appeal, whether he is a mystery ranger clothed in black or a king in regal armor.
Arwen
Even as events bring her into confrontation with her father, Elrond, Arwen maintains a calm demeanor in the movies, maybe because she is many times older than the typical human. Arwen first appears suddenly in The Fellowship of the Ring, assisting in the delivery of a wounded Frodo to Rivendell, and she immediately exudes a heroic attitude.
This vision is only heightened when she uses her magic to generate a flood of water to keep the Ringwraiths from following them. As the films progress, Arwen is seen giving up her immortality for the sake of her love for Aragorn, eventually becoming queen alongside him, the proper place for such a legendary figure.
Elrond
Elrond comes to mind when Elves are thought of as smart, knowledgeable, and kind to those in need. While being a magnificent figure usually entails a lot of action and incredible physical accomplishments, Elrond achieves the same effect by simply imparting wisdom and assistance to others.
After witnessing Isildur seize the Ring of Power for himself all those years ago, it’s unsurprising that Elrond has had reservations about anyone entrusted with the Ring ever since. Elrond is nothing if not compassionate, despite his sharp words at times, especially for his daughter and Aragorn.
Éowyn
There’s nothing more badass than proving everyone wrong and doing far more than anyone expected, and Éowyn is the epitome of this. Éowyn is enraged that her uncle, King Théoden, has denied her the opportunity to fight after she has trained in swordsmanship.
She takes matters into her own hands after the second time, disguising herself as a man and riding with the army to Minas Tirith. Éowyn shows herself by defeating the Witch-king and generating one of the most memorable moments in the entire trilogy, bringing along Merry, one of her best companions from The Lord of the Rings.
Faramir
Faramir had some heroic shoes to fill as the younger brother of Boromir, who had already died protecting Merry and Pippin from a group of Uruk-hai. Indeed, nothing he could achieve would ever allow him to exceed his older brother, even as captain of the Ithilien Rangers, in the eyes of his father Denethor II.
Faramir might have used the Ring of Power to guarantee his own legacy, but instead demonstrates that he is even more powerful than his brother in this aspect. Even when Denethor dispatches Faramir on a perilous mission to retake Western Osgiliath, Faramir performs admirably before succumbing to battle wounds.
Galadriel
Lady Galadriel had a tremendous impact on both the fate of the Fellowship and the viewer, despite her brief appearance in the film. Galadriel, who rules over the woodlands of Lothlórien as one of Middle Earth’s most powerful and wise Elves, would have been justified in attempting to seize the ring when it fell into her possession.
Instead, she gives Frodo a vision of how awful she would be if she had that type of corruptive power before giving the fellowship things they couldn’t have completed their journey without. There’s something awe-inspiring about gently assisting others without expecting anything in return.
Gandalf
Gandalf seemed more like a scholar and entertainer than a hero when he initially appeared in the movies as a genial, pipe-smoking old guy. He doesn’t even have to wait until the end of the first film to shed his disguise and demonstrate his prowess and bravery, battling a Balrog that even the Orcs in the Mines of Moria wouldn’t dare to approach.
Gandalf’s best attribute has always been his capacity to be both a powerful wizard capable of tremendous battle feats and a compassionate advisor to his comrades in times of need, and it helps that he’s played by Sir Ian McKellen, one of Britain’s greatest performers. It’s easy to see why Gandalf is considered the coolest character in the trilogy, since he rises to the occasion in some of the most fantastic scenes.
Gimli
Dwarves are the exact opposite of Elves, being little, scruffy, and unglamorous, thus they should be significantly less cool. Gimli, on the other hand, epitomizes what makes Dwarves fantastic with his gruff demeanor and dry sense of humour. Dwarves are all about keeping things genuine, whilst Elves are big on display and serenity.
Despite the fact that Legolas constantly outclasses him in battle, Gimli outwits his elf companion, turning the ancient war between their species into a friendly game of wits. Gimli manages to be amazing even at his most despicable moments in the movies, such as being thrown by Aragorn or being unable to see over the wall at Helm’s Deep.
Legolas
There aren’t many characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy who are more remarkable on the battlefield than Legolas. He has incredible aim, reflexes, acrobatic abilities, and so much more. Although the character may come across as arrogant at first, Legolas comes into his own once he is given the opportunity to back up his remarks with action.
Being good in battle is fantastic in and of itself, but a major part of Legolas’ cool appeal comes from his growth as the films progress. Legolas demonstrates the kind of respect and humility that makes a person truly endearing when he goes from being distrustful of Gimli to calling him a friend.
Samwise Gamgee
Coolness may appear in the most unlikely of places and among the most unlikely of people. Sam is a plain gardener in the Shire before agreeing to join Frodo on their adventure, but he is able to rise to the occasion and show the others what true heroism looks like even in the most trying of situations.
Some of the Lord of the Rings scenes that only get better with time are Samwise carrying Frodo on his back to Mount Doom when his companion can no longer walk and giving a speech about being in a story to cheer up his fading comrade. A trustworthy buddy is sometimes the best thing a person can be.
