Summary
The Lord of the Rings:The Rings of Powerhas begun a second season on Amazon, along with the popularity and controversy it sparked with season one. The story is told using only scant bits of Tolkien lore, and the fandom for the beloved series from the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien is either fascinated or horrified by some of the modern writers' choices.
The film trilogy by director Peter Jackson is still regarded as one of the best film trilogies of all time and did an excellent job at bringingThe Lord of the Ringsto audiences, so anything that comes after is going to face unforgiving scrutiny. Throughout the three films, fans witness someterrifyingly strong individualswho hold the outcome of Middle-earth at their very fingertips.
Updated on July 07, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:Between the Amazon show, new video games slated to release in the coming years, and LEGO partnering with the brand, there’s never been a better time to be a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. Fans who are also gamers can enjoy the recent updates to Lord of the Rings Online, and the D&D One universe, which began 50 years ago with inspiration from the literary trilogy, is seeing its biggest expansion and upgrade in decades. Rings of Power, meanwhile, distinguishes itself by looking into the older and darker side of Middle Earth with some daring new material. Lord of the Rings now exists in various forms of media, and each take features a variety of powerful characters. When it comes to the original trilogy, however, these characters are arguably the strongest.
14Samwise Gamgee
Resisted The One Ring
Strength can be measured in a multitude of ways, but it’s hard to deny what Samwise Gamgee meant to bothThe Fellowship of the Ringand specificallyFrodo on his journey to Mordor. Mental and emotional strength can be just as formidable as its physical embodiment.
Samwise being there for Frodo and showcasing a sense of loyalty and belief rarely seen from others in the series is a big part of them being successful and reaching their end goal. Sure, in a one-on-one fight, Samwise will lose out to almost anyone or anything standing across from him, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t strong beyond belief.
13Gimli
Son Of Gloin And The Fellowship’s Toughest Warrior
Despite the Dwarves of Middle-earth being a strong and capable race, they have little to no appearance inThe Lord of the Ringsfilm trilogy. That’s where Gimli, son of Gloin, comes in as the race’s sole representation amongthe Fellowship and other main characters.
One would think a man of his stature and build would have a tough time keeping up with the combat prowess of a man like Aragorn or an elf like Legolas, but Gimli is arguably the Fellowship of the Ring’s toughest warrior. Despite his limitations, he makes exceptional use of his power and stamina and showcases why the Dwarves stand as a real threat, which is something that gets lost on audiences when the tragedy in the Mines of Moria is revealed.
12Legolas
The Prince Of The Wood Elves
Legolas may have fallen into the trope of elves being divinely attractive and ethereal on screen, but that doesn’t take away from just how dazzling and effective he is in battle. Sure, Elves have the advantage of living long lives and, in turn, accumulating tons of experience and knowledge, but it also doesn’t hurt that they tend to be extremely dextrous and skilled in moments of conflict.
He can also silently track targets thanks to his unnaturally light feet and has the sight of a sniper rifle scope. Enemies will quickly realize that Legolas' charm and kindness shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness, asthis Elf can end a dispute in a matter of seconds.
11Aragorn
Descendent Of Numnoreans And Heir To The Throne Of Gondor
On the surface, Aragorn appears to be nothing more than a highly skilled fighter and survivalist, but his lineage provides a biological advantage hidden under the facade of a typical human appearance. He is a descendant of the Numenoreans, an ancient race of men that are said to live for hundreds of years.
He may appear rather young, but in all actuality, the eventual High King is 87 years old during the events of the trilogy. He ends up serving over 100 years as the king anddies at the ripe old age of 210. Many thought he was half-elf due to his tall stature and lifespan, but that’s a result of his lineage through the race of Numenoreans.
10Gwaihir The Windlord
The King Of The Giant Eagles
Not a day goes by that someone on the internet doesn’t make a joke about how Frodo should have ridden a Great Eagle to Mordor and simplydropped the One Ring into the volcano. The truth is that this was impossible for a variety of reasons. The first is that Sauron and his forces would have seen them coming.
These eagles are huge, and it wouldn’t make sense for the Fellowship of the Ring to risk their plan this way. Giant Eagles are much larger in the books than they are in the films, and in a way, it seems like they were always destined to be the ones to save Frodo and Samwise from the top of Mt. Doom. After this takes place, they simply leave Middle-earth.
9The Balrog
Also Known As Durin’s Bane
Any novice or unknowingLord of the Ringsfan watching the film trilogy likely referred tothe creature that supposedly kills Gandalfas “the Balrog.” The truth of the matter is that this particular foe is actually named Durin’s Bane. Gandalf the Grey may not be as powerful as his reincarnated White form, but the fact that this hellish beast stood toe-to-toe and came out victorious to some extent is rather impressive in its own right.
The Lord of the Ringsis mostly focused on the power struggle of humanoid races of Middle-earth, so the appearance of something so unfamiliar and demonic captivated audiences and made them interested in just how capable Durin’s Bane was in a proper fighting arena.
8The Witch-King Of Angmar
The Lord Of The Nazgul
The Witch-King of Angmar serves as the lord of the Nazgul. He also happens to be one of the few things in theLord of the Ringstrilogy that is visually disturbing and fear-inducing to audiences. It is said that, despite possessing plenty of power and ability, he never reached his full potential.
Fan theories suggest that the Witch-King of Angmar is one of the three noble lords of Numenor, which could explain his potential for power growth. It was ultimately his hubris (not ability) that led to his downfall at the hands of Eowyn during one of the final confrontations in the War of the Ring.
7Eowyn
Shieldmaiden And Slayer Of The Witch-King Of Angmar
“No mortal man can kill me” isn’t a prophecy that says the Witch-king can never be killed; it’s a riddle that revealswhocan kill him. Eowyn is introduced inThe Two Towerswhen Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli arrive in Edoras, the seat of King Theoden of Rohan.
Eowyn describes herself as a “shieldmaiden.” She trained with a shield and sword in a tradition that looks more Nordic than medieval European, and she disguises herself as a man when she covertly joins her uncle’s army. The way she conceals her identity from those around her makes it even more satisfying when she reveals herself to the Witch-king and utterly destroys him.
6Treebeard
A Leader Among The Ents
Sure, Treebeard takes hours to utter a simple thought, but when he and the Ents are in motion, they’re a force that is quite hard to deal with. As giant sturdy trees with the dexterity of a typical human being, they quickly dismantle Saruman’s forces and then gently return to the cover of the forests.
Treebeard is the oldest of his people, which likely means that he is the most powerful. He doesn’t take decisions lightly (or quickly, for that matter), so his attack on Isengard was a calculated maneuver. This isn’t too shabby for someone Gandalf described as “the oldest living thing still walking under the Sun on Middle-earth.”
5Elrond
A Direct Descendent Of Beren And Luthien And The Lord of Imladris
When Elrond is introduced in theLord of the Ringsfilm trilogy, he’s mostly seen as an older consultant and isn’t displayed as a fearsome or capable Elven warrior. The truth of the matter is that most Elves who have lived for as long as he has naturally become quite powerful simply due to the skills, knowledge, and tools they pick up throughout their life.
For Elrond, his strengths lay in his ability to heal others. He didn’t obtain and maintain his position as the Lord of Rivendell by accident, as he also possesses outstanding wisdom and foresight, which grants him the ability to look beyond the moment and plan accordingly. Elrond may only be Half-Elf, but that doesn’t stop him from being powerful and formidable in his own right.
