Underrated Tolkien Characters

[Finrod Felagund]

There are quite a few.

Melian, Morwen, Denethor, Imrahil...

[Valandil]

Amlaith, Araphor, Arvedui, Malbeth... Valandil! ;) :p :D

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Excuse me, aren't we forgetting Tuor!, who saved the bacon of a lot of men and elvsies, while his cousin's rather dysfunctional family gets all the ink.
Like Thingol probably mumbled to Melian: "You can't do business with that hothead Turin."

[Valandil]

Yeah, Tuor was great - but I wouldn't call him under-rated. :)

[Maedhros]

I have always thought that Tuor was way overrated. I mean he had a tough childhood, but he was guided to Gondolin by Ulmo via Voronwë.
He was a good fighter but Echtelion had to save him in Gondolin and then there is the sacrifice of Glorfindel. I wonder how he would have done if his family was cursed by Morgoth as was that of his cousin Túrin.
Even his direct descendant Elrond does not place Tuor in the same category as Túrin or Húrin.
From The Lord of the Rings: The Council of Elrond
Elrond raised his eyes and looked at him, and Frodo felt his heart pierced by the sudden keenness of the glance. `If I understand aright all that I have heard,' he said, `I think that this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck?
`But it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could lay it on another. I do not lay it on you. But if you take it freely, I will say that your choice is right; and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador, and Húrin, and Túrin, and Beren himself were assembled together your seat should be among them.'

Ouch. Seems to think that he was not in the same league as those other Men.

[Beor]

How about Nerdanel? Hell, she pumped out seven kids for Feanor, and put up with him for how long? Man, that had to be a hell of a feat.

[Radagast The Brown]

Originally posted by Beor
How about Nerdanel? Hell, she pumped out seven kids for Feanor, and put up with him for how long? Man, that had to be a hell of a feat. But Nerdanel loved him, and I suppose her children too... I don't think she suffered from being with Feanor either.

[Rían]

Originally posted by Beor
How about Nerdanel? Hell, she pumped out seven kids for Feanor, and put up with him for how long? Man, that had to be a hell of a feat. LOL!!


And I agree with Tuor of Gondolin - Tuor rocks!!!! :D (tho I don't think I'd call him underrated)


I've always liked Duilin and his brother, who had the guts to assail the mumakil with their team of bowmen, even tho they figured they'd get trampled.

[Twista]

Originally posted by Finrod Felagund
There are quite a few.

Melian, Morwen, Denethor, Imrahil...

Would you care to expand on why? :)

[Beor]

Originally posted by Radagast The Brown
But Nerdanel loved him, and I suppose her children too... I don't think she suffered from being with Feanor either.

Yes, at first, but I think it says that she eventually got worn out by the fire of his spirit. I cant quote anything, because someone is borrowing my Sil (spread the wealth, right?), and I may be wrong, but I do believe she got sick of the guy. Seriously. Didnt she go back to her dad or something? You know, the guy who taught Feanor the forging of weapons, or something?

[Artanis]

Nerdanel went to stay with Indis, second wife of Finwë, after she and Fëanor got estranged. This must have been a blow to Fëanor in more than one way, since he was not exactly on friendly terms with Indis and her sons.

Under-rated ... I'm thinking of Morwen, for keeping faith through all her long sorrows, and maybe Haleth. But it would perhaps be more correct to call them exceptional than under-rated.

[Jonathan]

Fatty Bolger!
He was just as brave as the other hobbits, even though he didn't follow them on their adventure. It must've taken a lot of guts to stay behind and wait for the black riders to arrive at Crickhollow. And then the poor hobbit was emprisoned by Sharkey and his servants but endured until he was rescued.

Fatty Bolger deserves as much respect as the other hobbits :)

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Maedhros
Ouch. Seems to think that he was not in the same league as those other Men.
About Tuor, I don't think he's either an underrated or overrated character. He gets more 'screentime' than most. And he is reckoned among the Elffolk, IIRC, so that may very well be the reason why Elrond does not mention him in the line with Turin or Hurin.

[trolls' bane]

Nerdanel? She's and Entmooter right? I don't think she's in the books ;) . Sorry :D.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Fatty Bolger!
He was just as brave as the other hobbits, even though he didn't follow them on their adventure. It must've taken a lot of guts to stay behind and wait for the black riders to arrive at Crickhollow. And then the poor hobbit was emprisoned by Sharkey and his servants but endured until he was rescued.

Fatty Bolger deserves as much respect as the other hobbits :)

Yeah i agree. I'm sure the other hobbits preferred going into the forest.

[Haradrim]

I think the HAradrim are under-rated. You know we were men too. Just because we shared a different opinion you had to stop us form taking over the world. When the HAradrim cant take over who are the real bad guys? Hm? :)

[umbardacil]

i think Ori the dwarf is underrated. he was supposed to be very good at writing but the only quote we have of him is "ori at..." before he was interrupted by beorn in the hobbit. :(

[Nerdanel]

Nerdanel? She's and Entmooter right? I don't think she's in the books ;) . Sorry :D.
you don't? aren't you underrating me now?;)

[Nerdanel]

Nerdanel went to stay with Indis, second wife of Finwë, after she and Fëanor got estranged. This must have been a blow to Fëanor in more than one way, since he was not exactly on friendly terms with Indis and her sons.

Under-rated ... I'm thinking of Morwen, for keeping faith through all her long sorrows, and maybe Haleth. But it would perhaps be more correct to call them exceptional than under-rated.
interesting.. seems like i chose a good character's name.. a woman who went to live with another woman after she got tired of her husband!:D

[Artanis]

interesting.. seems like i chose a good character's name.. a woman who went to live with another woman after she got tired of her husband!:DHahahaha! :D

[Imric]

There are quite a few.

Melian, Morwen, Denethor, Imrahil...

And one of my favorites, Helm Hammerhand. Why doesn't the ninth king of Rohan get more attention?

[Lefty Scaevola]

Helm Hammerhand. Why doesn't the ninth king of Rohan get more attention?Perhaps because he was ugly and he smelled bad? Actually he gets more attention than all but 3 other Kings of the Riddermark. Only Eorl, Theoden, and Eomer gets more press, and two of those were comtemporary to LoTR.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Fatty Bolger!
Fatty Bolger deserves as much respect as the other hobbits :)Yep, I vote for Fredegar.

[Attalus]

Underrated? How about Gildor Inglorion? I admire his wit and panache, and he is the first Elf that we really meet.

[Michael Martinez]

Damrod and Mablung saved the West's bacon. Frodo and Sam could have run off with the Ring, but these two Ithilien Rangers gained the trust of the Hobbits and kept them from fleeing (and probably being hunted down and killed),