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{{work}}
{{Characters need descriptions}}
These are the [[Loads and Loads of Characters]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' by [[J. R. R. Tolkien|JRR Tolkien]].
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See also the character sheet for ''[[The Silmarillion/Characters|The Silmarillion]]'' and ''[[The Hobbit (novel)/Characters|The Hobbit]]'', which are set in the same universe (and, indeed, feature some of the same characters).
== The Fellowship of the Ring ==
=== Frodo Baggins ===
Frodo Baggins is a principal protagonist of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. He was a hobbit of the Shire who inherited Sauron's Ring from his Bilbo Baggins and undertook the quest to destroy it in Mount Doom.
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* [[Determinator]]
* [[Disney Death]]: He ends up surviving being bitten by Shelob. Of course, in this case, they actually give an explanation for why he survived (at least in the film) via the Orcs when they discover him.<ref>To put it bluntly, biting him and thus injecting him with her venom was only the ''first'' part of the process of ingestion, and the venom acted more as a paralyzing agent than an actual fatal substance.</ref>
* [[The Hero]] or [[Supporting Protagonist]]
* [[Hidden Depths]]: This applies to all the hobbits.
* [[Hitchhiker Heroes]]
* [[Honor Before Reason]]▼
* [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]
▲* [[Honor Before Reason]]
* [[I Just Want to Be Normal]]: Laments that he wished the ring had never come to him at one point (before he's anywhere near his darkest hour), [[Discussed Trope|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.
* [[I Should Write a Book About This]]: Frodo is the in-universe author of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''.
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* [[Parental Abandonment]]: His parents drowned in the Brandywine River.
* [[The Power of Friendship]]
▲* [[Power Trio]]: Frodo represents the Ego
* [[Stranger in a Familiar Land]]: Frodo realises at the end of his [[The Quest|quest]] that he cannot call the Shire his home, nor indeed any place in Middle-Earth. He's been changed too much.▼
* [[The Quest]]
▲* [[Stranger in a Familiar Land]]: Frodo realises at the end of his [[The Quest|quest]] that he cannot call the Shire his home, nor indeed any place in Middle-Earth. He's been changed too much.
* [[Tender Tears]]
* [[Thou Shalt Not Kill]]
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* [[Weapon of Choice]]: An elven dagger, [[Named Weapons|named Sting]].
=== Samwise "Sam" Gamgee ===
Samwise Gamgee, Frodo Baggins' loyal servant, 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.
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* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]: Did a hobbit just kick the crap out of a [[Giant Spider]]? [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|Hell yes.]]
* [[The Everyman]]
* [[The Final Temptation]]: At the pass of Cirith Ungol.▼
* [[The Hero]]: There are many debates as to who, Frodo or Sam, is the real hero of the story; most people agree that they are equally deserving of the title. [[Word of God]] favored Sam as the story's "Chief Hero" (In his ''Letters'' #131).
* [[Hidden Depths]]
* [[Honor Before Reason]]▼
* [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]
▲* [[Honor Before Reason]]
* [[I Just Want to Be Normal]]
* [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness]]: his probably the only person who cannot be tempted by the One Ring. In fact he believes that resisting the ring isn't a big deal.
* [[Jumped At the Call]]: Indeed, Gandalf gave him [[Call to Adventure|the call]] seeing how eager he was.
▲* [[The Final Temptation]]: At the pass of Cirith Ungol.
* [[The Not Love Interest]]: For Frodo.
** [[Heterosexual Life Partners]]
* [[The Power of Friendship]]
* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: 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.▼
▲* [[Power Trio]]: Samwise represents the Superego.
* [[The Reliable One]]: Indeed, he's the only one of the Fellowship who doesn't leave the path to Mount Doom.
* [[Sidekick]]: [[Breakout Character|Ascended]] to hero.
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* [[Tender Tears]]
* [[Thou Shalt Not Kill]]
▲* [[Took a Level
* [[Undying Loyalty]]: Sam almost defines this trope.
* [[What a Senseless Waste of Human Life]]: Wonders about this when he sees Men killing Men (Rangers of Ithilien vs. the Haradrim) for the first time.
* [[Working Class Hero]]: 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". He treats the others with deference, but he is still shown shown to be a heroic character.
=== Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck ===
Meriadoc Brandybuck was a sensible Hobbit whose concern for his cousin Frodo Baggins 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 became a Knight of the Riddermark and played a significant role in the War of the Ring. Through his loyalty and courage he helped to defeat one of the Dark Lord's most terrible servants.
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* [[The Straight Man]]: To Pippin.
* [[Those Two Guys]]: With Pippin.
* [[Took a Level
* [[Trickster Archetype]]: With Pippin.
* [[Weapon of Choice]]: An Arnorian witchblade, designed to hurt Nazgûl.
=== Peregrin "Pippin" Took ===
Peregrin Took was just in his tweens when he announced his intention to accompany his cousin Frodo Baggins on his quest. Pippin's youth and curious nature got him into trouble on occasion, but his steadfast friendship and unquenchable cheerfulness helped carry him and his companions through the darkest times. During the quest, he grew up quickly and became an important member of the Fellowship and a Knight of Gondor.
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* [[Audience Surrogate]]
* [[Badass Boast]]: When Saruman's lackeys mock Frodo and company when they return to the Shire, Pippin lets them know who they're dealing with.
{{quote|
* [[Badass Normal]]
* [[Batman Gambit]]: Getting Treebeard to go by Isengard, destroying Saruman's armies.
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* [[Plucky Comic Relief]]
* [[Those Two Guys]]: With Merry.
* [[Took a Level
* [[Trickster Archetype]]: An innocent version, with Merry, though this toned down as they make their transition to [[Badass Normal|badasses]].
=== Gandalf ===
The modern [[Wizard Classic|archetypal wizard]]. In the Third Age, the Valar (basically greater angels) sent five Maiar (basically lesser angels) to Middle-earth to aid the struggle against Sauron, clothed in the forms of old men and forbidden to use their power directly. Of these, two fled east and were never heard from again. Of the remainder, Gandalf embodied wisdom, Saruman knowledge, and Radagast, nature. Though Saruman is presented as the head of the Council of the Wise, the elves originally wanted Gandalf, who declined the position. They nevertheless entrusted him with Narya, the Ring of Fire (one of the three Rings of Power gifted to the elves), which had previously been held by Círdan the Shipwright.
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* [[Man in White]]: After he [[Came Back Strong|comes back stronger]].
* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: [[The Plan|He pulls all manner of gambits]], and is not above using both friend and foe as [[The Chessmaster|pieces on his chess board]].
* [[Mentor Occupational Hazard]]: Though he [[Back
* [[Named Weapons]]: Glamdring, meaning ''foe-hammer'' in [[Con Lang|Sindarin]].
* [[Nice Hat]]
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* [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old|Really Older Than Arda]]
* [[Robe and Wizard Hat]]: One of the most memorable.
* [[Signature Colors]]: Gandalf "The Grey" always wore grey robes. After his return as Gandalf "the White" and slight personality change, he wore only his white robes.
* [[The Strategist]]
* [[Story-Breaker Power]]: He's a Maia, an angelic being of the same order as Sauron, but he's actually forbidden from using his full strength by the Valar. The victory over Sauron must come from normal people, Gandalf and the other Istari can only act as their guides and advisors.
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* [[You Shall Not Pass]]: [[Trope Namer]]. [[Beam Me Up, Scotty|In the book it's "You ''cannot'' pass".]]
=== Aragorn ===
Aragorn is the chief of the Dúnedain, Rangers of the North. One of the dying breed of Númenóreans, Aragorn is raised in secret by Elrond in Rivendell, unaware of his true identity as the Heir of Isildur. When he comes of age Elrond reveals all to him, and he meets and falls in love with Elrond's daughter Arwen. After she reciprocates, some 30 years later, Elrond tells Aragorn that he can only have her hand in marriage if he becomes the King of Gondor and Arnor. Aragorn spends the next few decades battling orcs and aiding Gandalf in tracking and opposing the agents of Sauron, particularly Gollum. In his youth he also travels far and wide, notably as a [[The Captain|captain]] of Gondor and Rohan (under a pseudonym, Thorongil), to be the best he can in order to pursue his destiny.
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* [[Kissing Cousins]]: Somewhat justifiably. Although he married a first cousin, the fact that it was a first cousin '''sixty-seven times removed''' makes it something of a moot point from a genetic standpoint.
* [[Last of His Kind]]: Sort of. He's not literally the last of the Númenóreans, but he makes it very clear that there aren't many of them left thanks to a raid at their village, himself included.
* [[
* [[Meaningful Name]]: His name is translated as "revered king".
* [[The Medic]]: He has [[Healing Hands]] and other special healing powers due to his lineage.
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* [[Weapon of Choice]]: Sword.
=== Legolas ===
Legolas is the son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood, and is sent by his father to Rivendell to deliver news of Gollum's escape. There he becomes one of the nine members of the Fellowship. Compared to the rest of the Fellowship, he is rather lighthearted as is shown by his dialogue. He and Gimli do not get along well due to the longstanding animosity between dwarves and elves, but before the War of the Ring is over, they have become friends. While traveling with the Fellowship, Legolas is told by Galadriel that if he hears the cry of a gull, he will be drawn to the sea. True to Galadriel's prediction, he hears the cry of a gull. It is not until many years after the War of the Ring ends, however, that Legolas builds a ship and sails to Valinor.
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* [[Weapon of Choice]]: Bow and long knife.
=== Gimli ===
The token dwarf. Gimli son of Gloin attends the council at Rivendell and volunteers to participate in the Fellowship, at least partially because his arch-nemesis Legolas has just done the same. After that he primarily runs around as a [[Boisterous Bruiser]], forming an [[Odd Friendship]] with Legolas. Legolas even took him with him across the sea to Valinor, making Gimli the only Dwarf to dwell in that land.
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* [[Weapon of Choice]]: Axe. [[Crazy Prepared|Several of them.]]
=== Boromir ===
Son of Denethor the steward of Gondor. Boromir is a mighty warrior of his people and their champion.
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== Men ==
=== Théoden ===
King of Rohan, uncle of Éowyn and Éomer. Théoden is betrayed by his servant Gríma who enfeebled and confused him. While Gandalf helped him come to his senses, the damage has already been done: his armies are in disarray, bands of wild men have ransacked the countryside and his only son and heir is dead. Théoden faces the challenge of standing amongst legends in the midst of his failure trying to find his own strength again which he eventually does in the Battle of Pelennor Fields.
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* [[Royals Who Actually Do Something]]
=== Éomer ===
Théoden's nephew, and marshal of the great corps of mounted riders which is the main strength of Rohan. Gríma has him exiled to further throw the country into disarray, but Éomer is not so easily dissuaded. As Théoden's nearest male blood relative, the role of heir-apparent devolves onto him.
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* [[The Wise Prince]]
=== Éowyn ===
Éomer's sister, and much beloved of Théoden... as well as [[Stalker with a Crush|Gríma]]. Because Arwen has such little face-time in the novels, Éowyn is essentially [[The Smurfette Principle|the token female of the story]]. Being an [[Action Girl]] only made things worse.
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* [[Sweet Polly Oliver]]
=== Faramir ===
Boromir's younger brother, but the two are quite different; while Boromir is tempted by the lure of the Ring, Faramir [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness|tosses it away with ease]]. (This was changed [[Rule of Drama|for dramatic reasons]] in the film.) He becomes even more central in the third novel, as the action moves to his homeland of Gondor.
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* [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man]]: Faramir is the sensitive one in this pair. And being the ''sensitive'' one of the pair he is shown leading a commando team well behind enemy lines, holding troops together with nothing but charisma while the Nazgûl are hovering above him, and defeating a great warrior in single combat. From all of which you will infer, he is part of a [[Badass Family]].
** When he meets [[Love Interest]] Éowyn, the [[Badass Princess]] of a [[Proud Warrior Race Guy|Proud Warrior Race]] that includes [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?|herself]] ''and'' her Berserker brother, they're both recovering from serious illness, and Faramir still comes off as one of the greatest warriors of the age:
{{quote|
* [[Sibling Yin-Yang]]
* [[Uncanny Family Resemblance]]: Faramir is said to look like Boromir's twin, despite being a younger non-twin sibling.
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* [[The Wise Prince]]: Practically his defining trait.
=== Denethor ===
Denethor is the Steward of Gondor, ruling the nation from Minas Tirith in the absence of the King. He is used to being in charge, and does not like the idea of having to give up power to the (possibly) rightful heir to the throne. Denethor denies Aragorn's kingship on the basis that he is not Anarion's heir, whom the council of Gondorian nobles has always held the be only proper holder of the title 'King of Gondor.' Aragorn actually ''is'' Anarion's heir as well, but he is not a direct male-line descendant as he is from Isildur.
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* [[The Chessmaster]]
* [[Despair Event Horizon]]: Faramir's apparent death and an extremely large invasion force at his doorstep, along with visions in the Palantir which caused him to believe that Sauron had captured Frodo and thus obtained the ring:
{{quote|
* [[Driven to Suicide]]: And unfortunately is about to take his still-living son with him.
* [[The Eeyore]]
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* [[24-Hour Armor]]: Seen as a symbol of his stubbornness and pride, but also redeeming values thereof.
=== Imrahil ===
Denethor's brother-in-law and the Prince of Dol Amroth, a fiefdom of Gondor. Imrahil is a noble man with elven blood who leads the knights of his city to the defense of Minas Tirith. He carries Éowyn off the battlefield and becomes the acting ruler of Gondor after Denethor's suicide, but cedes authority to Aragorn, the rightful king. After the War of the Ring, Éomer married his daughter Lothíriel.
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* [[The Wise Prince]]
=== Beregond ===
A common man of Gondor who serves as a soldier in Minas Tirith. Beregond is appointed Pippin's guide to the city and quickly becomes close friends with the hobbit, as does his son Bergil.
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== Elves ==
=== Elrond ===
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 upon the latter's death at the end of the Second Age. He is a venerable warrior and cunning strategist, but also acts as opposition to Aragorn from a much less lofty post: that of [[Overprotective Dad]].
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* [[Theme Twin Naming]]
=== Arwen ===
Arwen Undómiel, the Evenstar, is a elven woman of great beauty whom Aragorn hopes to marry. Unfortunately, she shows up in only three chapters of the story, the second one being her wedding to the King of Gondor, so readers can be forgiven for perceiving her as a [[Shallow Love Interest]]. Tolkien rectified by including more about her romance with Aragorn [[All There in the Manual|in the appendices]].
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* [[World's Most Beautiful Woman]]: Literally (after Lúthien died).
=== Galadriel ===
* [[Action Girl]]: In her youth. According to one version in ''[[Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth
* [[Beware the Nice Ones]]
* [[Big Good]]
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== Other Main Characters ==
=== Bilbo Baggins ===
The main character of ''[[The Hobbit]]'', who inadvertently sets ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' in motion with his discovery of the Ring. Frodo's "uncle" (really his older cousin) and father-figure, Bilbo's 111th (and Frodo's 33rd) birthday opens the story; Bilbo, feeling the Ring's effects on him, leaves the Ring to Frodo and sets out on his last adventure. Years later, Frodo meets Bilbo again in Rivendell, whence he has retired.
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* [[Where There's a Will, There's a Sticky Note]]
=== Gollum ===
A seemingly minor character from ''[[The Hobbit]]'' who played a key role in this book. Sméagol, once of a race not unlike the Hobbits, was fishing with Déagol when they encountered the ring. They both immediately coveted it and Sméagol murdered Déagol for it. He retreated for over 600 years deep into the mountains and became a degenerate creature named Gollum (after a throat noise he makes) feared by the goblins. The ring, having a mind of its own, slipped from Gollum's fingers intending to be found by a goblin but it was instead found by Bilbo who used it to confound Sméagol and escape his current danger. When Bilbo had the chance to strike down Gollum, he pitied him and let him live.
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* [[Cower Power]]
* [[Creepy Long Fingers]]
* [[Day Hurts Dark-Adjusted Eyes]]: And apparently can't adjust back.▼
* [[The Dark Side]]
▲* [[Day Hurts Dark-Adjusted Eyes]]: And apparently can't adjust back.
* [[The Determinator]]
* [[Famous Last Words]]
* [[Foil]]
** [[Shadow Archetype]]: Gollum is a shadow to both Bilbo and Frodo. He is to some extent a shadow to Sam.
* [[Glowing Eyes of Doom]]: [[Color Coded for Your Convenience|Green for Gollum, Yellow for Smeagol]]
* [[Gollum Made Me Do It]]: [[Trope Namer]].
* [[Wolverine Publicity|Gollum Publicity]]
* [[Grey and Gray Morality]]
* [[
** [[Was Once a Man|Was Once A Hobbit]]▼
* [[Heel Face Revolving Door]]
* [[Hero Antagonist]]: [[Alternate Character Interpretation|Possibly]].
* [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]
▲** [[Was Once a Man|Was Once A Hobbit]]
* [[I'm a Humanitarian|I'm A Hobbitarian]]: Intended to eat Bilbo if he won (and even if he lost) the riddle game in ''The Hobbit''.
* [[I'm Melting]]
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* [[Nice Job Fixing It, Villain|Nice Job Fixing It Gollum]]: In the climax of Return of the King, Gollum seizes the Ring from Frodo, before falling into the lava in Mount Doom.
* [[Not So Different]]: From a hobbit once, or from Frodo under the power of the Ring.
▲* [[Power Trio]]: Gollum represents the Id.
* [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old|Really Five Hundred Years Old]]
* [[Reformed but Rejected]]: Sam never completely trusts Gollum even when he starts having doubts about betraying them. But then, [[Properly Paranoid|he WAS fixing to betray them the whole time]].
* [[Sanity Slippage]]
* [[Sssssnaketalk]]▼
* [[Spanner in the Works]]: "Even Gollum may have something yet to do..."
* [[Split Personality]]: Less so than in the movie, where the Sméagol/Gollum schism is greatly played up, but still present.
▲* [[Sssssnaketalk]]
* [[Starring Special Effects]]
* [[Sympathetic Murderer]]
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* [[Yandere]]: [[Murder the Hypotenuse|"My one... my own...]] [[Cargo Ship|my Precioussss..."]]
=== Tom Bombadil ===
A strange... ''person'' who lives in the Old Forest just outside the Shire. Tom is the forest's "Master" and nothing can harm him within its borders. His nature is a
Tom was originally the star of a humorous poem Tolkien wrote in 1934 that had no connection to Middle-earth, and appeared in ''The Lord of the Rings'' as a sort of guest-star. He later got his own spinoff in 1962, ''The Adventures of Tom Bombadil'', a book of poems presented as in-universe poems from Middle-earth.
* [[Ambiguously Human]]: Tom appears to be a short beared man in a funny hat with yellow boots. What he actually is, no one knows. He is older than even the elves and is implied to be as old as the world. Even more perplexing is that it's even implied that he just appeared in Arda and was not created by anyone's direct or even indirect actions be they Valar or even Eru himself.
* [[Angel Unaware]]: While no one knows what Tom is, it is very likely, given his age and power that he is some form of higher being or spirit in physical form. All of the things he can do from song magic, to his knowledge and ability to appear anywhere are similar to the abilities that the Valar and Maia possess.
* [[Arcadian Interlude]]
* [[Call on Me]]
* [[The Cameo]]: As mentioned above, Tom's presence in the book is a nod to one of Tolkien's older poems.
* [[Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass]]: Tom is a short man who acts jolly all the time, speaks in verse or rhyme often, and enjoys all manner of hijinks and shenanigans. He also has obsolute power within his forest, can banish horrifying undead barrow wights, and his songs aren't just songs. They are of the same type as the songs of Eru, the Valar, and the strongest magic users that have ever existed. Dopey Tom may seem but you underestimate him at your peril.
* [[Eccentric Mentor]]
* [[Friend to All Living Things]]: Except badgers. And willow trees.
* [[Great Gazoo]]
* [[I Have Many Names]]: "Tom Bombadil" is just what the Hobbits and the Men of Bree call him. He has many other names, including Iarwain Ben-Adar ("Oldest
* [[The Immune]]: The One Ring is the most powerful artifact of evil as it's a sentient object that houses a vast portion of the Dark Lord Sauron's essence. Anyone who even sees the ring will be compelled to try to possess it. It can corrupt even some of the most powerful beings like Gandalf and no one can resist its charms... except for Tom. Tom is not affected by the ring. At all. Tom doesn't care about the ring. Tom is not impressed with the ring. Tom thinks the ring is funny. Tom casually uses it for magic tricks and to top it off puts it on only to take it off again and continue his foolery.
* [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness]]: More like Incorruptible Pure Neutrality. The Ring has no power over
* [[Music Soothes the Savage Beast]]
* [[Nature Spirit]]
* [[Nice Hat]]
* [[Rhymes on a Dime]]: Tom is a funny little man who loves to speak in rhyme and verse.
* [[Shrug of God]]: Tolkien deliberately left his true nature obscure. Fan debate has raged for decades.
* [[Single
* [[Stating the Simple Solution]]: It's suggested that Gandalf give Tom the ring since Tom is immune to the ring's power. Gandalf shoots that down immediately because
*# Tom is a [[Cloudcuckoolander]] that can't be trusted with such a serious responsibility,
*# the ring will only stay with people it can use or has need of which Tom is neither; the ring would try to leave and Tom would let it due to the first reason,
*# Gandalf doubts that even Tom could keep out the entire horde of Sauron if they learn he has the ring, and
*# Tom is tied to his forest and, while he might be able to leave it, is implied to be much weaker outside of it and Sauron is already poised to conquer middle earth so simply keeping the ring from Sauron wouldn't have saved the day regardless.
* [[Time Abyss]]: He's older than the world.
* [[Wacky Wayside Tribe]]
=== Treebeard ===
* [[Badass Grandpa]]
* [[Beware the Nice Ones]]: Gentle and kindly most of the time. Can tear up stone like tissue paper when protecting his forest. Pippin even [[
* [[Constantly Curious]]
* [[The Fog of Ages]]: He doesn't remember what Entwives look like.
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* [[Green Aesop]]
* [[Heroic Neutral]]
{{quote|
* [[Hidden Depths]]
* [[Neutral No Longer]]: After seeing the devastation Saruman has wrought.
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== The Forces of Evil ==
=== Sauron ===
The eponymous Lord of the Rings. The lieutenant of Morgoth, the original Dark Lord, Sauron was responsible for much suffering of Elves and Men in the Elder Days. When Morgoth was banished, Sauron ultimately picked up in his place. His first gambit was to teach the Elves to crafts the magic rings (ultimately the three for the Elves, seven for the Dwarves, and nine for Men). He then crafted his own One Ring as an extension of his being through which he meant to dominate each race. However, the elves were on guard against this evil and the dwarves were too focused on material wealth. Sauron made his first bid through force but was routed and his body destroyed. However, his ring anchored him to our realm and would allow him to regather.
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* [[The Dreaded]]
* [[Eldritch Abomination]]
* [[Evil Cannot Comprehend Good]]: One of the reasons the whole gambit works
** [[Subverted Trope|He turns out to be correct in the end]], as ''nobody'' actually has the resolve to destroy it willingly, and it gets undone pretty much by an accident.
* [[Evil Genius]]: He's one of the smartest beings in Middle-Earth from the very beginning.
* [[Evil Mentor]]: To Celebrimbor.
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* [[Names to Run Away From Really Fast]]: "Sauron" is Quenya for "abomination". His less-often-seen Sindarin name, Gorthaur, means "terrible dread".
* [[The Necromancer]]: It's in his title, and his specialty as a Maia was in manipulating the connection between minds and physical bodies/objects.
* [[Normal Fish in a Tiny Pond]]: Sauron, while powerful, is nowhere near the top when compared to everyone else in the Celestial hierarchy. As a Maia, he was a lesser spirit akin to a normal angel in Judeo-Christian mythology. (His master, Melkor, was basically Lucifer and the strongest of the Valar who would be the same as mythical gods or archangels in terms of power and strength.) The problem for everyone in Middle-earth during the third age and the time-period the story takes place in is that pretty much everyone who can punch at or above Sauron's weight class are either dead, imprisoned, on another plane of existence or in seclusion. Thus, in spite of his lesser power compared to other evil beings that have existed, Sauron is still a serious threat and poised to conquer Middle-earth.
* [[Obviously Evil]]
* [[Orcus on His Throne]]: He never engages anyone in physical battle after his previous defeat
* [[Our Angels Are Different]]: Sauron, like the Wizards, is an angel in humanoid form.
* [[Out-Gambitted]]: He Out Gambits everyone, and then is in turn [[Out-Gambitted]] by Gandalf. See [[Unwitting Pawn]] below.
* [[Playing with Fire]]: His [[Dark Lord]] form is described as looking very dark, like it is blackened from the immense heat of his body, and anybody who gets too close is burned by him.
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* [[Take Over the World]]
* [[Treacherous Advisor]]: Sauron was this to Ar-Pharazôn And also an [[Evil Chancellor]]
* [[Ultimate Evil]]:
* [[Unwitting Pawn]]: Marching up to the Black Gate was a trap, and he walked right into it.
* [[Voluntary Shapeshifting]]:
* [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]]: His goal was once to [[Order vs. Chaos|establish order]] in Middle-Earth.
=== The One Ring ===
Yes, the One Ring is a character, the one around whom everyone in the series bases their actions. Sauron made it, lost it, and wants it back. Gollum is addicted to its presence. The White Council want to destroy the Ring, Frodo volunteers, and the Fellowship of the Ring protect him on his quest.
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* [[Invisibility Cloak]]: 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.
* [[Kill It with Fire]]
* [[Logical Weakness]]: The One Ring is a powerful [[Amplifier Artifact]] and the [[Soul Jar]] for the dark lord Sauron. It is sentient and can influence the world around it subtly. However it isn't all-powerful and has limits/weaknesses.
** For all of its power, it's just a ring. It can't go anywhere or do anything on its own. It sat a the bottom of a river for over a thousand years until it was found.
** It corrupts by twisting and using the greatest desires of the people who wear it. It's ability to corrupt is dependent on the ambitions or how strong the wearer's desires are. Those with small desires or no strong desires are best to handle it as it would take time for them to be corrupted.
** It cannot corrupt those who are beyond its creator's power and by extension, beyond its power.
* [[Lust Object]]
* [[Magic A Is Magic A]]
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* [[This Is Your Brain on Evil]]
=== Saruman ===
The leader of the Wizards and the White Council, Saruman the White possessed great knowledge and skill at crafting, but was proud and haughty. He dwelt in the tower of Orthanc at Isengard. Saruman was originally a steadfast enemy of Sauron, but in time came envy Sauron and began searching for the One Ring. At first he steered the White Council away from opposing Sauron, hoping that the Dark Lord's rise would bring the Ring back into the open, but Sauron ensnared him through his use of the Seeing-stone of Orthanc and Saruman became his servant. Saruman raised an army of Orcs and subverted the land of Rohan through his minion Wormtongue, but still searched for the Ring in hopes of betraying Sauron and claiming his power.
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* [[You Can't Make an Omelette]]: Discussed. <small>[[Kirk Summation|"He who breaks a thing to discover what it is has left the path of wisdom."]]</small>
=== Gríma Wormtongue ===
A man of Rohan who was seduced by Saruman's promises of power, Wormtongue was King Théoden's advisor. He used clever words and "leechcraft" to wear down the aging king's mind, weakening the kingdom and allowing Saruman's armies to run rampant.
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* [[Treacherous Advisor]]
=== The Lord of the Nazgûl ===
The nine Nazgûl were kings of Men to whom Sauron gave nine Rings of Power in the Second Age. Seduced by power, they fell into evil, and eventually passed into a state of undeath. The Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths, are extensions of Sauron's will who exist only to do his bidding. They are his most terrible servants, and the greatest among
Roughly two-thousand years before the War of the Ring, when Sauron was in hiding, the Lord of the Nazgûl was sent into the north to found the kingdom of Angmar under the identity of the Witch-king. There, he undermined and ultimately destroyed the North-kingdom of Arnor in a series of wars. At that time, it was foretold that no man could slay him. When Sauron declared himself openly, the Witch-king returned to Mordor, conquered Minas Ithil, and slew the last king of Gondor. When the War of the Ring began, he led the hunt for Frodo and the Ring.
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* [[Was Once a Man]]
=== Orcs ===
* [[The Ageless]]: Like the Elves they were supposedly created from, but it isn't fully clear.
* [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]]: All ork officers. It comes with the territory.
* [[
** Orc-hood is almost as much a state of mind as it is genetic (cf. Tolkien's statement that "We were all orcs," re: [[World War
* [[Bad Boss]]: Any given orc in a position of power will probably be one of these.
* [[Black Blood]]
* [[Blood Knight]]: All the Uruk-hai, but Ugluk stands out in particular.
* [[Cold-Blooded Torture]]: Those orcs who aren't [[Blood Knight
* [[Conservation of Ninjutsu]]: The Uruk-hai,
* [[Dirty Coward]]: "Standard" orcs, which is why whip-wielding superiors and/or Nazgûl stand ''behind them''...
* [[Enemy Civil War]]: The only thing keeping the orcs held together is the will of Sauron. Whenver 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.
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: They regard accusations of cannibalism (that is, eating other
* [[Evil Minions]]
* [[Fantastic Racism]]: 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).
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** [[Mook Lieutenant]]: Ugluk, Grishnakh, Shagrat, and Gorbag.
* [[No Cure for Evil]]: Averted. Orcish medicine is among the most advanced in Middle-Earth but it tends to be very painful and has heavy scarring.
* [[Our Orcs Are Different]]: Actually, to a degree they ''are'', despite being the [[Trope Namer]]. Tolkien's actual orcs are much more advanced and intelligent, and not as physically powerful, than the crude barbarians [[
* [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]]: Uruk-hai only. "Standard" orcs are sneaks and cowards.*
* [[Punch Clock Villain]]: Subverted. They talk like Cockney speaking British soldiers out of Kipling. But soon you realize that when they want entertainment, they don't want to play cricket or go to a pub but to torture a prisoner.
* [[Smug Snake]]: Grishnakh.
* [[Those Two Bad Guys]]: Shagrat and Gorbag.
* [[Torture Technician]]: Just about any orc with brains will be one of these.
* [[Was Once a Man]]: The origin that made it into the books is that they were once elves. This is only one possibility, though, and [[Flip-Flop of God|it kept changing right up until Tolkien's death]]
=== Trolls ===
* [[All Trolls Are Different]]: Tolkien's trolls are giant-like monsters with rocky hides and beast-like intelligence. (The talking trolls in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' may or may not have been artistic license on Bilbo's part.) They permanently turn to stone when exposed to sunlight. The exceptions are Sauron's Olog-hai, more intelligent trolls that are immune to sunlight.
** The trio from ''[[The Hobbit]]'' are mentioned having been geniouses among trolls in the Appendix of the [[Lot R]]. Also, since Aragorn recognises their old cave as a typical troll-cave (which had a hinged door), trolls smart enough to build simple shelters are implicictly at least relatively common.
* [[
* [[Dumb Muscle]]
* [[Elite Mook]]: The Attack Trolls followed by the Olog-Hai.
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* [[Smash Mook]]
=== Men of Darkness ===
A general term for Mannish cultures not related to the Dúnedain, referring to their relative lack of sophistication; essentially barbarians. In the Third Age, most of them have been seduced and/or enslaved by Sauron, whom they worship as a god-king. Unlike the Orcs, enemy Men are not evil by nature; they evoke sympathy from their enemies (but still die in droves) and are treated fairly in defeat. The Men of Darkness fall into various cultural groups:
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* [[Mooks]]
** [[Elite Mook]]: The Southron chieftain with the black serpent banner.
* [[One Steve Limit]]:
* [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]]: The Haradrim in particular wear this hat.
* [[Punch Clock Villain]]: Most of them fought for Sauron because he'd deceived and/or threatened them into joining him.
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* [[Worthy Opponent]]: The Easterlings and Haradrim were seen this way by the Gondorians. The Dunlendings also end up seeing the Rohirrim this way after their fair treatment in defeat.
=== The Mouth of Sauron ===
* [[Ass in Ambassador]]: After meeting with Aragorn, he essentially demands his surrender.
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* [[Smug Snake]]
=== Shelob ===
* [[Achilles' Heel]]: 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.
* [[Casting a Shadow]]: Like her mother, she weaves webs of Unlight that are perceptible to the Hobbits.
* [[Dragon with an Agenda]]: Sauron treats her as his pet. Shelob doesn't care. He actually compares her to a pet cat, as she was a pet that rejected his authority.
* [[Eldritch Abomination]]: A borderline case as she is the offspring of a "natural" giant spider and Ungoliant, a primal spirit of darkness that would take the form of a giant spider-like thing. Shelob is twisted and demonic looking with features that aren't shared with other giant spiders and she inherited some of her mother's power such as spinning webs of darkness. It's also implied that she had other abilities but never gets the chance to showcase them.
* [[Eye Scream]]: Sam stabs her in one eye with Sting during their fight, and then blinded in her other eyes by the Phial of Galadriel.
* [[Giant Spider]]: Really just a spider-like monster, described to have pincers in her feet and great insect-like eyes, among other taxonomical oddities.
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* [[Omnicidal Maniac]]: Her ultimate goal seems to be to eat ''the whole planet''. Mercifully, she's nowhere near accomplishing that. Ungoliant, her mother, tried and failed at this as well. She ended up ''eating herself.''
* [[Primal Fear]]
*[[Semi-Divine]]: Shelob is a child of Ungoliant, which was a primal spirit of darkness that originated from the void around creation and Arda. While Ungoliant wasn't a Valar nor created by Eru, she was in the same category of power as the Valar and as a spirit of the same type of being though twisted and monsterous.
* [[Shrug of God]]: Whether Sam killed her or not.
* [[Spiders Are Scary]]
* [[Time Abyss]]: Although not to the same extent as her mother, Ungoliant, Shelob is still very ancient. She was implied to have been born early in the First Age, and came to Mordor before even Sauron came there.
* [[The Voiceless]]: 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.
** Her mother Ungoliant in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' could talk, as could her descendants in ''[[The Hobbit]]''. All told, makes Shelob herself being able to talk seem pretty
* [[Weakened by the Light]]
=== The Balrog ===
An ancient demon who fled deep underground after the Wars of Beleriand in the First Age, the unnamed Balrog was awakened from its torpor in the Third Age when the dwarves of Moria [[Dug Too Deep]] for mithril. The monster killed the dwarves' king and drove them out of their halls into exile. Centuries later, the Balrog, now known as Durin's Bane, was encountered by the Fellowship as they traveled through Moria. Gandalf held off the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and both fell into an abyss. After a pitched battle that lasted for days, the wizard slew the demon, but died from his wounds shortly after. Gandalf came [[Back
* [[Big Damn Villains]]: His appearance terrifies the Moria orcs so much they stop caring about the Fellowship.
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* [[Whip It Good]]: He uses a flaming whip [[Dual Wield|in conjunction with]] a [[Flaming Sword]].
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