The 4 Bravest Hobbit Moments from The Lord of the Rings

Every March 25, fans of Middle-earth around the world celebrate all things J.R.R. Tolkien on Tolkien Reading Day. Coinciding with the destruction of the One Ring in Middle-earth’s calendar, it is a day of celebration for the world of Tolkien.

At their core, Tolkien’s stories are tales of loyalty and courage in the face of hardship that have inspired generations of fantasy fans. In honor of Tolkien Reading Day, here are our four favorite moments of bravery from the four main Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings.

Meriadoc Brandybuck – Wounding the Witch-king

Merry laments always being the one left behind, forced to watch his fellow Hobbits be swept up into the events of the War of the Ring. As King Théoden musters the Rohirrim to make for Dunharrow, Merry swears fealty to him and becomes an Esquire of Rohan. As the Rohirrim prepare to ride to Gondor’s aid, Théoden tells Merry that he will not be able to go any further. Merry begs to help in the fight, but the king tells him that none of his riders can bear him as a burden. As Merry despairs, Éowyn sweeps the halfling into her saddle and bids him to ride with her.

The two unlikely warriors end up being crucial to victory on the Pelennor Fields. Although the Rohirrim had turned the tides of the battle, the pendulum swings in Mordor’s favor once again as the Nazgûl descend from the skies. Éowyn faces the Witch-king alone after Théoden and Snowmane are taken down by the Nazgûl’s fell beast. Merry is inspired by Éowyn’s bravery and feels she should not die alone. As Tolkien wrote, “the slow-kindled courage of his race awoke,” as he looked on. He crawls toward the Witch-king unnoticed thanks to his size and stabs him in the knee. Wounded and stunned, the Nazgûl falters in his attack on Éowyn. Éowyn seizes the opportunity Merry gave her and slays the Witch-king.

Peregrin Took – Guard of the Citadel

Peregrin Took, the youngest of the four Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings, is perhaps the least likely hero in the Fellowship. Having joined Frodo all but by mistake, Pippin is whisked into a journey far more perilous than he could have ever imagined. Pippin is often impulsive and his lack of forethought leads to consequences ranging from inconvenient to catastrophic. Galadriel offers Pippin encouragement during his time in Lothlórien, telling him, “Do not fear, young Peregrin Took. You will find your courage.” Galadriel’s words of wisdom prove to be true. Pippin offers himself up as a distraction so Frodo can escape, survives capture by the Uruk-hai, and is instrumental in rallying the Ents to attack Isengard.

While in Gondor, Pippin ignores Gandalf’s order to not speak and offers his services to Lord Denethor as repayment for Boromir’s sacrifice. Denethor accepts, and Pippin quickly realizes that his role will be more than ceremonial. Gandalf orders Pippin to stay out of the fight as Mordor lays siege to Minas Tirith. Pippin, in arguably his bravest moment, once again ignores Gandalf’s orders and enters the fray despite his overwhelming fear. He watches in shock and horror as the armies of Mordor pour out of the siege towers, but acts quickly when he sees an Orc charging at Gandalf’s back. Gandalf is awestruck, and as Pippin beholds his own blade in awe, Gandalf proudly remarks, “Guard of the Citadel, indeed.”

Frodo Baggins – Going to Mordor Alone

Frodo initially has very little say in the responsibility thrust upon him when his Uncle Bilbo left him the Ring. As the Ringwraiths close in on Hobbiton, Gandalf urges him to leave the Shire and make for Bree, sending Samwise Gamgee with him as a companion. After he recovers from an attack by the Nazgûl in Rivendell, Frodo is invited to the Council of Elrond to discuss the fate of the Ring.

Frodo learns more of the Ring’s dark history, and also learns that the fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance. He bravely volunteers to take the Ring and departs Rivendell with a Fellowship from each of the races of Middle-earth. The Fellowship begins to break in Moria when Gandalf falls, and is all but shattered as Boromir tries to take the Ring and Uruk-hai descend on their camp at Amon Hen. For the first time, Frodo has seen what his efforts to destroy the Ring will cost him.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli hold off the hordes of Isengard and Merry and Pippin offer themselves up as a distraction; Frodo is forced to go on alone. As he stands on the shore of the river Anduin, Frodo weeps in despair as he holds the Ring in his palm. Frodo remembers the talk he had with Gandalf in Moria, hearing Gandalf’s words echo in his mind: “All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.” Resolve plays across Frodo’s face as he courageously accepts what must be done. Having faced perils and losses he never anticipated when he offered to be the Ringbearer, Frodo knows he must go on nonetheless. He stuffs the Ring into his pocket and leaps in a boat to make for Mordor alone.

Samwise Gamgee – Slaying Shelob

From the moment he departed the Shire with Frodo, Sam’s courage was never in question. Between Ringwraiths, Orcs, and Uruk-hai, Sam staunchly faces perils at Frodo’s side. He insists on accompanying Frodo to Mordor despite Frodo’s protests that Sam stay behind. Following their release by Faramir in The Two Towers, Frodo and Sam depart Osgiliath. Sam imagines their journey as one of the great tales and pretends to tell stories of Frodo’s journey with the Ring. Frodo notes that Sam was leaving out an important character: Samwise the Brave.

Sam truly earns this name for himself when he goes after Frodo in the pass of Cirith Ungol. Faced with Orc corpses and giant webs, Sam presses on through the dark tunnels. He retrieves Frodo’s sword Sting and the Light of Eärendil along the way. When he exits the mountain pass, he finds Shelob preying upon Frodo. Undeterred by the monstrosity before him, Sam commands the giant spider to drop his friend. Sam’s courage does not waver as he faces off against Shelob despite the abysmal odds against the ancient beast. Sam uses his size to his advantage and fatally wounds Shelob, forcing her to retreat. In doing so, he ultimately saves Frodo’s life and prevents the Ring from falling into Gollum or Sauron’s hands.

Despite what their stature and idyllic lives thus far would suggest, these four Hobbits are perhaps the most courageous beings in the War of the Ring. Among resurrected wizards, kings of old returning, and immortal elves, it is remarkable to think that great acts of courage from the smallest, most simple-hearted folk in Middle-earth were pivotal moments to assure that goodness prevailed.

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