Accomplishments and Personal Growth of All Members of the Fellowship

[durinsbane2244]

er, i think that everyone is forgetting a lot of what aragorn did...he didn't JUST reclaim the throne of Gonder...even without the ranger work before the trilogy, he saved Frodo from Nazgul, he led the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep, he got the Army of the Dead, he liberated Gondor, HE MARCHED ON THE BLOODY BLACK GATES OF MORDOR! [that's courage], he healed all the people [including Faramir, who i like a lot better than Boromir] and he then reclaimed the throne of Gondor, and Gandalf definatly did more than Sam...sorry, but he did! so:

1.frodo, he didn't do a lot numberwise, but what he did was huge.
2.gandalf, he led them all, organized them all, brought the rohirrim, led the men at gondor before aragorn arrived, saved faramir, saved the fellowship from the Balrog [Durin's Bane! ], liberated Theoden, defeated Saruman, and put Aragorn on the throne...did i miss anything?
3. Aragorn...look up there^
4.sam, already listed.

and from there i pretty much agree...

[Radagast The Brown]

I think that in the accomplishments list Legolas should be last. Tolkien says so himself, in a quote from Unfinished Tales that I can't write here since I don't have the book in English, but it's in the Istari part, about the Last Alliance. (Try looking in the index for Legolas - the last of the pages mentioned should be it)

[Curubethion]

Originally Posted by Radagast The Brown

I think that in the accomplishments list Legolas should be last. Tolkien says so himself, in a quote from Unfinished Tales that I can't write here since I don't have the book in English, but it's in the Istari part, about the Last Alliance. (Try looking in the index for Legolas - the last of the pages mentioned should be it)

So I guess that's one part Peter Jackson really got right.

[Maerbenn]

The passage (together with its context) Nurvingiel and Radagast The Brown are referring to reads:

Elendil and Gil-Galad were partners; but this was ‘the Last Alliance’ of Elves and Men. In Sauron’s final overthrow, Elves were not effectively concerned at the point of action. Legolas probably achieved least of the Nine Walkers. Galadriel, the greatest of the Eldar surviving in Middle-earth, was potent mainly in wisdom and goodness, as a director or counsellor in the struggle, unconquerable in resistance (especially in mind and spirit) but incapable of punitive action. In her scale she had become like Manwë with regard to the greater total action. Manwë, however, even after the Downfall of Númenor and the breaking of the old world, even in the Third Age when the Blessed Realm had been removed from the ‘Circles of the World’, was still not a mere observer. It is clearly from Valinor that the emissaries came who were called the Istari (or Wizards), and among them Gandalf, who proved to be the director and coordinator both attack and defence.

[Elanor]

I guess Gimli is more remarkable than Legolas because he was the only dwarf to get involved with the Fellowship, while the others stayed in their caves hoarding their treasure... whereas quite a few elves were involved in some way. I guess what I'm saying is that Gimli stands out from the other dwarves more than Legolas stands out from other elves.

[Spock]

..and for a limited time his photo w/autograph is available for under $40 USD.

[Nurvingiel]

LOL Spock.

That is a good point about Gimli Elanor, but it makes me wonder why exactly Gimli achieved more than Legolas. They seem pretty equal to me (unless what you said is exactly why he achieved more).

[durinsbane2244]

hmm...really, the credit can be given to gimli for breaching the elf-dwarf barrier, he really connected [hehe ] with galadriel and thus befriended legolas, so he brought to races together...

[Spock]

begins humming "Michael Row The Boat Ashore".....

[Elanor]

Well, I think they accomplished about the same, but Gimli grew more than Legolas did.

[Jon S.]

I'm not sure it's fair or even helpful to say "X achieved more than Y" or "Z achieved the least." I look at the fellowship as a team effort with each member contributing his part.

A football analogy would be saying the quarterback or running back achieved the most because they handled the ball most frequently and get the credit, stats-wise, for the yards, when a savvy fan would understand that neither would have achieved anything at all absent the work of their offensive linemen.

[mithrand1r]

Originally Posted by Jon S.

I'm not sure it's fair or even helpful to say "X achieved more than Y" or "Z achieved the least." I look at the fellowship as a team effort with each member contributing his part.

A football analogy would be saying the quarterback or running back achieved the most because they handled the ball most frequently and get the credit, stats-wise, for the yards, when a savvy fan would understand that neither would have achieved anything at all absent the work of their offensive linemen.

Excellent point.

Although I still think it is interesting to think about which members had a larger role in the success of the Fellowship.

I will list some of their accomplishments.
(I am writeing in general terms although I am sure there are more)
There msut be more items, but I am drawing a blank.

Gandalf:
Help to encourage/lead the free people of MiddleEarth against Sauron's forces.
Leads the fellowship through their trip to Moria.
Leads the fellowship after Fangorn forest.

Aragorn:
Gandalf's trusted associate.
Kinded the fellowship after Gandalf left.
Led the hobbits to Rivendell from Bree.
Was key in getting the oathbreakers to fulfill their oath.
Helped Sauron to strike in haste, via palentir.
Knowledgeable of many areas/people of middle earth.

Frodo:
Take ring to cracks of doom.
Help restore order to the shire.
Becomes wiser from journey.

Sam:
Helps Frodo with his quest.
Always stood by Frodo.
Had no illusions about what his capabilities were

Merry & Pippen: (since I forget who is who )
Save Farimir from death
Help others realize true nature of palantir.
Encourage Ents to help the free people of middle earth
Help in defeat of Witch King. (save Eowyn from Witch King.)
Became more serious in nature as a result of their travels.

Gimli:
Saved Eomer.
Well spoken before Galadriel.
Loyal to fellowship.

Legolas:
Helps fellowship throughout trip from Rivendell.

Boromir:
Helped to protect Merry& Pippen. (although if he didn't panic Frodo this may not have been needed.)
Helped Fellowship in journey from Rivendell to Falls of Roaros(sp?)

[durinsbane2244]

1. merry did the witchking
2. pippin did the palantir
3. falls of rauros
4. all correct..

[Elanor]

Good point, Jon S. It was a team effort, and they should all be admired for advancing the cause of all free people. And good explanation, mithrand1r. I think it is interesting to look at the different ways they all changed.

[clep_web]

Originally Posted by Elanor

At the end, where Frodo just dwindles and fades away, Sam becomes a strong leader and passes on his wisdom to his children, IMO the greatest growth of all.

IMHO Sam was actually the hero behind the whole book. Without him Frodo would have been lost in Mordor, Sauron would have gotten the Ring and the rest would be history.

[Serenoli]

I agree with clep-web. Everything that evryone in the Fellowship did was hopeless if Frodo did not complete his task, and Frodo could never have done it without Sam. And it makes me mad that when its all over, it is Frodo who gets put into all the songs, and gets all the glory. And then when they get back to the Shire, it is Pippin and Merry who gain the most honour, not Sam.

But that is also part of why I like him so much. He did not go to Mordor to fulfill a duty, or expecting glory at the end, yet he showed so much courage and instinctive wisdom.

[clep_web]

Originally Posted by Serenoli

I agree with clep-web. Everything that evryone in the Fellowship did was hopeless if Frodo did not complete his task, and Frodo could never have done it without Sam. And it makes me mad that when its all over, it is Frodo who gets put into all the songs, and gets all the glory. And then when they get back to the Shire, it is Pippin and Merry who gain the most honour, not Sam.

But that is also part of why I like him so much. He did not go to Mordor to fulfill a duty, or expecting glory at the end, yet he showed so much courage and instinctive wisdom.

Well, Sam was made Mayor for seven times or so, and he had a happy contented life and at the end of it, he got to go to Aman as well.

[Spock]

I never knew Sam went to Jordan.

[clep_web]

Originally Posted by Spock

I never knew Sam went to Jordan.

Lol, that's funny

[Lefty Scaevola]

Character development, well Aragon got a girl shorrly after the denouement, and thre of the hobbits got girls in the epilouge on the appedicies, but Boromir got orc arrows, Gandalft and Frodo never got a girl, and we have no indication the Legolas or Gimli did.