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HeWhoArisesinMight
Rivendell
May 12 2014, 11:01pm
Post #1 of 12
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Middle Earth's Hall of Fame
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After ranking the most powerful realms in my Balance of Power in Middle Earth thread, I got to thinking which kings/queens/warriors/heroes/champions were the most powerful over the first Three Ages of Middle Earth. I will not rank these beings because any system would be too arbitrary given the differences in time and the kind of being a person was. Instead, I will nominate them for Middle Earth's Hall of Fame.
To be inducted into Middle Earth's Hall of Fame, a being had to primarily fight against the forces of the Dark Lord (either Morgoth or Sauron) during the First, Second or Third ages. The type of being doesn't matter (Maia, Elf, Man, Dwarf, etc.). The being's accomplishment doesn't have to be limited to the battlefield. It could have been a great rescue, indespinsible council or strategy, refuge for someone, sacrifice for greater good.
Just being great is not enough. Feanor was great, but he also set in motion travesties for the Noldor. I wavered on Turin, but ultimately decided to let him in given that many of his trials and tribulations were the external curse of a powerful Vala.
Here is my first class of inductees into the Middle Earth Hall of Fame:
- Fingolfin, First Age: went toe-to-toe with Morgoth and injured him. Considered the most valiant of all the Noldor
- Finrod Felagund, First Age: killed several of Sauron's werewolves in hand-to-hand combat
- Ecthelion and Glorfindel (tie), First Age: both accomplished the rare feat of killing a balrog
- Gandalf, Third Age: Also killed a balrog in hand-to-hand combat, cast down Saruman, the most powerful wizard of his time.
- Turin Turambar, First Age: slayer of Glaurung. considered the greatest warrior of men
- Hurin and Huor, First Age: their sacrifice for Turgon is probably the greatest of their Age
- Gil-Galad and Elendil, Second Age: leading the Last Alliance against Sauron
- Isildur, Second Age: Defeating Sauron, also he could be demerited for not giving up the ring
- Elrond, Third Age: was too young to do much in First Age. Really shines in Third Age, where is indespensible as member of White Council
- Samwise Gamgee, Third Age: More of a hero to me than Frodo. If it were not for Sam, there would be no Fourth Age of Men
- Aragorn, Third Age: Leader of the Men of West and revived the Dunedain
- Bard, Third Age: Slayer of Smaug the Golden (he does not get enough credit, IMO)
- Eowyn, Third Age: Slayer of the Witch King
OK, this is a large inagural class for the ME Hall of Fame. Most Halls of Fame generally induct half-a-dozen candidates. Since it is my HOF, I will let the entire slate get in this time.
Feel free to nominate those who you think should be inducted into the ME HOF.
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CuriousG
Half-elven
May 13 2014, 12:07am
Post #2 of 12
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Nice to see my favorite people in ME getting recognition.
I would nominate the Beren & Luthien duo for being the only people to get a Silmaril back from Morgoth, though granted it wasn't through combat.
I'd also nominate Earendil for turning the tide in the War of Wrath and killing Ancalagon.
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Na Vedui
Rohan
May 13 2014, 1:05am
Post #3 of 12
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some credit along with Eowyn.
Plus a collective nomination for Treebeard and the Ents for the storming of Isengard - Saruman didn't manage to see them off and they trapped him there for Gandalf to deal with.
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Meneldor
Valinor
May 13 2014, 1:40am
Post #4 of 12
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I second CG's nominees: Beren, Luthien, & Earendil.
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The entire Fellowship should also be in, IMO. Each had at least one crowning-moment-of-awesome.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.
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Bracegirdle
Valinor
May 13 2014, 4:14am
Post #5 of 12
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I "third" Menelor's nominees..
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Bilbo's "Song of Earendil" is my favorite piece of poetry. And oh my, what he accomplished ! And at what cost !
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Elarie
Grey Havens
May 13 2014, 11:50am
Post #6 of 12
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for her use of her ring to preserve Lothlorien as a haven and a defense against Mirkwood and Morder; for her refusal of the One Ring when it was offered to her; and for her foresight in giving gifts to Frodo and Sam that seemed small, but ultimately helped them to reach Mount Doom.
Hop to it, Radagast, we've got dark powers to sleigh.
(This post was edited by Elarie on May 13 2014, 11:51am)
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Bracegirdle
Valinor
May 13 2014, 1:45pm
Post #7 of 12
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8. Isildur would not make my list. He was ‘apparently’ involved in the ‘slaying’ of Sauron, and this was the only deed we know of that would qualify him to be on this august list. He didn’t throw the Ring in the Fire at hand as he was encouraged to do. And because of ‘some’ complacence he lost 200 Knights of Gondor at the Gladden Fields.
10. Yes, were it not for Sam there would be no Fourth Age of Men. Also Frodo we can all agree.
And we could look at this from another viewpoint: Were it not for Gollum Sauron surely would have captured The Ring from Frodo and there wouldn’t have been a Fourth Age of Men. (Not that I would put Gollum on this list.) In fact there are many many reasons the Ring was destroyed beyond the efforts of Frodo and Sam (and Gollum).
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BlackFox
Half-elven
May 13 2014, 1:53pm
Post #8 of 12
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... Tuor?
"Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake." - Henry David Thoreau
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Darkstone
Immortal
May 13 2014, 2:59pm
Post #9 of 12
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The key to understanding the dynamics of the Legolas-Gimli relationship is Gloin’s outburst about the alleged injustice of the Elves imprisoning the Dwaves in The Hobbit. Obviously this is a family grudge, and a grudge probably nurtured by the whole of Erebor and most of the Dwarven people. So Gimli son of Gloin has the choice of accepting and acting on the attitudes of his father, his clan, and his people, or else of charting a new and unknown course of forgiveness and friendship. It takes great courage to go against comfortable tradition. Of course, The Dwarf is more than up to the challenge, chooses the noble course, and virtually single-handedly brings closure to the rift between Elf and Dwarf, ushering in peace between his noble people and the foolish Elves. Along the way he also is a part of the cleansing of Moria of Durin’s Bane, the defeat of Sauron the murderer of so many Dwarven kings, the lifting of the Curse of the Shadow over the Dwarves, the founding of a new Dwarven colony in the South, the crafting of the original Silmaril that Fëanor could not, and the bringing of new technology as a Fourth Age Prometheus to the Men of the West. The Dwarf also provides inspiration to others he meets, leading Legolas and Celeborn to set aside their Elven prejudices, helping redeem Galadriel back to the light, curing Eomer of his prejudice against Elves, and other instances too numerous to mention.
Needless to say, if these are the accomplishments that were allowed to be recorded by Elvish revisionists, one can only marvel at the heroic deeds of The Dwarf that were jealously censored.
The Dwarf rules.
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Philosoraptor sez:
What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it’s supposed to be.
(This post was edited by Darkstone on May 13 2014, 3:06pm)
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HeWhoArisesinMight
Rivendell
May 13 2014, 6:17pm
Post #10 of 12
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My list doesn't have any Dwarves, but regardless Gimli deserves to go in on his own merits. He is a great selection and often overlooked when reviewing the historic deeds of the Fellowship.
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HeWhoArisesinMight
Rivendell
May 13 2014, 6:18pm
Post #11 of 12
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He accomplished a great feat, but his decision to keep the ring and the ruinous aftermath of that is enough to deny him entry to the august ME HOF.
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Wilros
The Shire
May 16 2014, 8:17pm
Post #12 of 12
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I second Beren & Luthien's nomination - their deeds gave hope to all of Beleriand in the face of the growing darkness. A major snub that they weren't on the original list! 
And of course Earendil is certainly deserving as well.
Finally, I submit that Fingon would be deserving of a spot for his bold rescue of Maedhros from Thangorodrim, in addition to his other accomplishments.
(This post was edited by Wilros on May 16 2014, 8:17pm)
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