Best Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit Character

J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth saga is still -- nearly 100 years after its debut -- arguably the preeminent high-fantasy property in pop culture, with numerous books, two blockbuster film trilogies, some charming animated adaptations, video games, and a big-budget Amazon Prime TV series. From The Shire to the Misty Mountains, Tolkien's world remains fertile soil for creators nearly 50 years after his death. Now, in advance of the new β€œRings of Power” series coming to Amazon Prime in September 2022, the Great Pop Culture Debate podcast wants to determine: who IS the best character from Tolkien's two flagship properties, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit? Is it Gandalf, Galadriel, Aragorn, Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins, Gollum, Samwise Gamgee, Treebeard, Eowyn, Gimli, Legolas, Boromir, Faramir, or someone else altogether?

Host Eric Rezsnyak and panelists Bob Erlenback, Michael Schwarz, and special guest Zack Derby form a fellowship to determine the most compelling character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s primary Middle-earth sagas, just in time for the new β€œRings of Power” TV series on Amazon Prime!

Check out the listener bracket to follow along at home! Make a copy, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours!

Did your favorite not make the bracket? Become a Patreon supporter of the podcast and see if we discussed it in our warm-up devoted to our favorite runway looks that just missed out on the competition.

RELATED CONTENT:

Best Final Fantasy Game

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Best β€œGame of Thrones” Character

Best β€œBest Picture” Oscar Winner

Round 1 Match-Ups:

Match-Up 1: Aragorn/Strider vs. Bilbo Baggins

Match-Up 2: Boromir vs. Galadriel

Match-Up 3: Faramir vs. Treebeard

Match-Up 4: Legolas vs. Tom Bombadil

Match-Up 5: Frodo Baggins vs. Eowyn

Match-Up 6: Gimli vs. Gandalf

Match-Up 7: Samwise Gamgee vs. Theoden

Have a say in future episodes!

Finally, if you want to have a say in what episodes we tackle next, vote in our Topic Polls! And we would love to have you pick your faves in the polls currently open for your votes!

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EPISODE CREDITS

Host: Eric Rezsnyak

Panel: Bob Erlenback, Michael Schwarz

Special Guest: Zack Derby

Producer: Mike Rapin

Editor: Jeffery Perry

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