WARNING!!! The following article has spoilers for the entire Lord of The Rings trilogy.

Summary

• Galadriel, Grima Wormtongue, and Elrond stand out as some of the best characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
• These characters, played by talented actors, bring depth, power, and emotion to the epic fantasy storyline.
• From wise elves to cunning villains to noble warriors, these characters help shape the rich and captivating world of Middle-earth.

There are many characters in Peter Jackson's epic, award-winning fantasy trilogy but the best Lord of the Rings characters rise above the rest. Adapted from the classic novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, the three Lord of the Rings films tell the story of Frodo Baggins and his quest to destroy Sauron’s ring of power in the fires of Mount Doom. The movies went on to earn nearly $3 billion dollars at the box office (via Box Office Mojo) and earned 30 Academy Award nominations, winning 17, including Best Picture for the final film, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, a rare feat for a fantasy movie.

The best Lord of the Rings characters are excellent adaptations of their counterparts who appear on the pages of the novels. There are hundreds of names in Tolkien’s legendarium and Jackson makes an effort in his movies to include the most significant figures to paint the important motivations in the plot while not bogging down the storytelling. Every character who appears in the movies is well-acted, explained, and depicted. Even so, there is a distinct set of characters who make the biggest impact and bring the most action, heart, and drama to the Lord of the Rings franchise.

The entire Lord of the RIngs trilogy is available to stream on Max.

15 Galadriel

Played By Cate Blanchett

While her story was expanded on significantly in Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, she didn't appear all that much in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, despite her relatively short screen time, Galadriel still managed to be one of the most memorable characters in the movies. From providing the voice-over to the exposition-filled opening to The Fellowship of the Ring to providing Frodo with his all-important Phial to light the journey to Mordor, Galadriel served an important role despite not being overly prominent.

However, what makes Galadriel among the best Lord of the Rings characters is that she is clearly incredibly wise and powerful, rivalling even Gandalf and Saruman. Cate Blanchett managed to bring a suitable sense of Gravitas to the character which let audiences know that, while she wasn't directly intervening in the fight against Sauron, she could probably have turned the tides of the conflict in favor of either side should she have wanted to (especially when she warned Frodo what would happen if she took the One Ring herself).

14 Grima Wormtongue

Played By Brad Dourif

While the majority of the best Lord of the Rings characters are heroes, no good fantasy is complete without a roster of memorable villains. While Sauron and the armies of Mordor are the undisputed chief antagonists, the main villain doesn't have much of a personality on-screen (as stark and unforgettable a visual as the Great Eye is). Saruman is also an undeniable villainous presence, especially in The Two Towers. However, an incredibly underrated Lord of the Rings villain is Grima Wormtongue.

How easily he was able to corrupt King Théoden of Rohan speaks volumes for his aptitude for cunning and trickery.

While he's nowhere near as powerful as his master Saruman, Brad Dourif's performance as Grima makes him impossible to look away from. He is every bit as cunning and slimy as his name suggests, and how easily he was able to corrupt King Théoden of Rohan speaks volumes about his aptitude for cunning and trickery. What's more, as the Lord of the Rings extended editions show, Grima has something of a redemption arc, as it is he who stabs Saruman after feeling remorse for his part in the attack on Helms Deep.

13 Elrond

Played By Hugo Weaving

Elrond is the Elven Lord of Rivendell, and it is he who first draws the Fellowship together in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. He is a shrewd yet wise ruler of his people, both qualities played to perfection by Hugo Weaving. Ultimately, Elrond's main flaw in the eyes of many viewers is his hesitance to get more involved in the fight against Sauron, instead choosing for him and his people to allow the fate of Middle-earth to be in the hands of the race of men. ittedly, this was partly due to his faith in Aragorn, but his decision still managed to raise more than a few eyebrows.

However, while Elrond's judgment in the darkest hour of the Third Age of Middle-earth may have been questionable, he more than proved himself as a warrior over the millenia, and has fought Sauron more than once in the past. As the opening to The Fellowship of the Ring showed, Elrond was right there with Isildur when Sauron was vanquished for the first time. He also provided invaluable assistance to Aragorn multiple times throughout the trilogy, even if he did not get directly involved in the battle.

12 Faramir

Played By David Wenham

Boromir's little brother, Faramir (played by David Wenham), would have arguably made a much better addition to the Fellowship than his older sibling. The Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien proved himself to be absolutely fearless on multiple occasions, whether it was scouting through the ruins of Ithilien while it was still under siege to gather vital intelligence for Gondor, or riding out in defense of Minas Tirith even when he knew it would likely end in his death. What's more, unlike Boromir, he was never once tempted by the One Ring.

It was also clear through their interactions that Gandalf had a great respect for him, which speaks volumes for his value as a warrior and the caliber of his character.

Faramir is something of an unsung hero in The Lord of the Rings, as he wasn't directly involved with Frodo's quest to bring the One Ring to Mordor. However, that doesn't mean he wasn't an incredibly captivating character. He was also one of the most easy to sympathize with, as his mistreatment at the hands of his father Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, was incredibly heartbreaking at points. It was also clear through their interactions that Gandalf had a great respect for him, which speaks volumes for his value as a warrior and the caliber of his character.

11 Théoden

Played By Bernard Hill

Théoden is perhaps one of the few humans of Middle-earth that Aragorn seems to respect as an equal, and also one who suffers significant emotional loss early on when he awakens from Saruman's spell to discover that his son, Théodred, had died. He holds himself responsible for this, blaming himself for not having a strong enough will to resist the poisonous words and influence of Saruman and Grima. However, what makes Théoden one of the best Lord of the Rings characters is how he overcomes his grief and leads the Rohirrim to victory at Helms Deep and beyond.

While he may have suffered a tragic death at the end of The Return of the King, Théoden is still both an incredibly skilled warrior and a noble leader, with the people of Rohan looking to him for guidance even after it became clear he'd been under Saruman's sway for some time. On top of this, Théoden was also clealry committed to his family, as he adopted his sisters orphaned children and raised them as his own, with Aowyn's love for him clear when she's with him during his final moments.

10 Saruman

Played By Christopher Lee

Sauron may have been the chief antagonist of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but he's not exactly a character audiences can warm to since he has no speaking lines and doesn't appear much in the trilogy at all. Saruman, on the other hand, is the total opposite, and is one of the best Lord of the Rings characters because he puts a human face to the evil plaguing Middle-earth. Saruman is beloved villain in Lord of the Rings because of Christopher Lee’s menacing performance as the powerful wizard.

Lee’s booming voice and formidable gravitas serve the character exceptionally well

Saruman the White was once the head of the White Council, but his mind was eventually corrupted by Sauron, and he turned against those he was supposed to protect. Saruman is exceedingly intelligent and his ability to control the minds of others with his words is a sinister and unique power. Lee’s booming voice and formidable gravitas serve the character exceptionally well, making Saruman one of the best Lord of the Rings characters. It’s never hard to understand why the forces of good fear his turn to evil so much.

9 Éowyn

Played By Miranda Otto

If there's one criticism of both the original Lord of the Rings books and film trilogy it's that there's a distinct lack of female representation, which is a key reasons that Éowyn (Miranda Otto) stands out. Not only is Éowyn one of the few female Lord of the Rings characters in the franchise, she also more than proves she's one of its most capabale warriors too. In Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Éowyn dresses as a man to in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and strikes the killing blow on the Witch-King of Angmar.

Éowyn is one of the purest examples of bravery in the Lord of the Rings, as she fights against evil on the field and even in her own hall against Saruman. As shieldmaiden of Rohan, Éowyn represents stability, strength, and an unwillingness to bend in the face of evil, a particularly irable trait as she has every opportunity to stay behind and avoid the threats.

8 Merry And Pippin

Played By Dominic Monaghan And Billy Boyd

The four Hobbits are essential to the story of Lord of the Rings, as it's through them that the core themes of bravery in the face of insurmountable odds are best personified. While Frodo and Sam are ultimately responsible for the destruction of the One Ring, this doesn't at all detract from their two companions when they initially set off from The Shire. Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) are a double act in Lord of the Rings and their separation in The Return of the King serves to show their closeness by revealing how lost they are without each other.

Their arc, from vegetable thieves to warriors in great battles, is important to show that everyone who left the Shire changed, not just Sam and Frodo.

They have one of the greatest bromances in Lord of the Rings, starting the journey setting off fireworks and ending it as the first to follow Aragorn at the Black Gates. The hobbits also serve as much-needed comic relief throughout the movies. Their arc, from vegetable thieves to warriors in great battles, is important to show that everyone who left the Shire changed, not just Sam and Frodo.

7 Frodo

Played By Elijah Wood

Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is arguably one of the most important Lord of the Rings characters. He has to carry the burden of the Ring throughout the trilogy and the balance of good and evil hangs on the completion of his task. The weight of his quest nearly overcomes him at multiple points, but he still soldiers on. Few characters in Lord of the Rings willingly take on as heavy a burden as Frodo, and he shines as an example of unflinching bravery in the face of almost insurmountable evil.

One of the major themes of Lord of the Rings is that even the smallest person can have the most profound effect on their world. Frodo exemplifies this and also serves as the crucial statement that even succeeding in a dangerous task can leave scars that are not easily healed. He ends the story sailing to the Undying Lands for a peaceful life with Gandalf and his uncle, Bilbo, a reward he more than deserved for his sacrifices.

6 Gimli

Played By John Rhys-Davies

The only dwarf in the Fellowship is both an essential source of humor in The Lord of the Rings and one of its best characters. Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) the Dwarf is one of the fiercest Lord of the Rings characters and a loyal friend, particularly to Legolas, whom he begins at odds with before eventually softening to him. Their back-and-forth is a joy to watch and helps bring some much-needed levity to the Lord of the Rings films.

Gimli also has several surprisingly emotional moments in the movies too, especially when he learns of the fate of the dwarves in Moria.

Gimli is more than just comic relief, however, and is as fearsome as any warrior. He threatens horse lords, cave trolls, a king of the dead, and more, all in the name of saving Middle-earth. His crudeness is a welcome change of pace from the occasionally stifling gallantry of his fellows. Gimli also has several surprisingly emotional moments in the movies too, especially when he learns of the fate of the dwarves in Moria.