The Arda 300

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

Pink Floyd's 'Mother' was Gilraen's song, back near #300. John Lennon's 'Mother' is still to come.

As for Míriel's place, I guess its a good thing I weighted the votes from the initial thread here so high or she wouldn't be anywhere near the top-100. And while that thread of long ago asked the question of who is "most important", I think I've translated that to be who "has the largest stage presence, or top-billing" in the Legendarium, for this list. Míriel, certainly important, unfortunately has but a cameo appearance in the 2nd Act; while Durin's Bane (or Henry IX if you will) has a powerfully climactic role in the 4th Act. Yet they still appear back-to-back...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yes, when I mentioned my input, I was thinking not only of Arda Reconstructed, but also the fact that I rated Míriel so highly in that original thread.

I had forgotten that you used PF's "Mother" for Gilraen. Now I am wondering who it will be for Lennon's. I have a guess, but we'll have to see if I am right.

I particularly liked the use of "Cinnamon Girl" for Finduilas. I thought that was an imaginative choice that I would not have thought of.

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

VtF, I've made edits to the following entries on the main-list: #98 Nienna, #133 Eriol, #247 Azaghâl, and #267 Ghân-buri-Ghân. The latter 2 being just musical changes, while the former 2 were errors I made in the entries, caught too late. #133 simply corrects Gondolin for Nargothrond, and #98 extracts the error concerning the family of Húrin. If its possible for you to easily edit these to the master-list, that would be greatly appreciated!

Top 80 very soon...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

That should not be a problem at all. Thanks for the heads up.

Looking forward to the top 80!

Edit: done!

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

#80 Beleg Cúthalion, chief of the marchwardens of Doriath – sinda soldier
[TG:47,EoA:4,Wik:18,RF:21,JT:31,MD:2,DK:1,JG:1,LR/SL/CH:12,HM/UT:53,HoF+:3=193pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Beleg
A healthy amount of points awarded to him across the board, including 3pts from several favourite-character lists that I included way back. His legacy is bolstered whenever I attempt to order a Cúthalion on tap at a bar, and then explain why that means a Strongbow cider…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUsLvRXJtP8

#79 Fingon the Valiant, 5th King of the Noldor – noldo king
[TG:34,EoA:8,Wik:11,RF:23,JT:19,DD:22,DK:5,LR/SL/CH:7,UT/HM:58,HoF+:7=194pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Fingon
Rescuing Maedhros is obviously his main claim to fame. Note that in Tolkien Gateway, Fingon as the father of Gil-galad is mentioned only under ‘Other versions of the Legendarium’, and is rightly labelled an “editorial mistake”. Fingon’s ultimate slayer appears just below. (The storm of evil threatened his very life every day…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOYlcXF0ok4

#78 Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs – maia balrog lord
[TG:49,Wik:15,RF:7,JT:13,MD:26,DD:23,LR/SL/CH:4,UT/HM:57,HoF+:2=196pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Gothmog,_Lord_of_Balrogs
He’s the highest ranking, and third Balrog to appear on this list, after Durin’s Bane just a few spots back, and the Balrog of the Echoriath, one of the added unindexed characters back near #1200. Maybe there were only 3. Perhaps 7. Maybe, as the tale of the Fall of Gondolin reads, there were Greater and Lesser balrogs in abundance. And perhaps Gothmog was, as his original story reads, the son of Morgoth and the ogress Ulbandi. Nonetheless, as villains go in the First Age, he certainly ranks with Sauron himself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XJkjVMk_oE

#77 Thorondor, Lord of the Eagles – eagle lord
[TG:30,EoA:19,Wik:5,RF:16,JT:27,DD:25,MD:1,DK:1,LR/SL/CH:11,UT/HM:62=197pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Thorondor
Speaking of the highest-ranking of their species…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnlTrq6wLf0

#76 Ingwë, High King of all the Elves – vanya king
[TG:25,EoA:7,Wik:8,RF:8,JT:12,MD:3,DD:12,JG:2,LR/SL/CoH:6,UT/HM:115=198pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ingw%C3%AB
No surprise that this character acquires the most points from UT & HoMe so far at 115. Not until the Doomsman of the Valar appears will that be exceeded. (In a place you only dream of, where your soul is always free, silver stages, golden curtains, fill my head as plain as could be… now if I let you see this place, where stories all ring true… it’s not for me to ask this question as though I were a king… for you have to love, believe, and feel before the burst of tambourines take you there…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q3cqwpnVH0

#75 Elwing the White, Princess of Doriath (f) – sinda princess
[TG:28,EoA:9,Wik:6,RF:22,JT:37,MD:3,DD:38,DK:1,JG:1,LR/SL/CH:10,Let:1,UT/HM:44=200pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Elwing
The survivor of Doriath, and mother of Elrond & Elros, appears well before her husband, for better or worse. (Their respective songs also overlap, as the contexts, but not the genders, in both cases, are applicable…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxIWDmmqZzY

#74 Carcharoth, Wolf of Angband – wolf guard
[TG:32,EoA:27,Wik:7,RF:16,JT:31,MD:3,DD:22,LR/SL/CH:9,UT/HM:54=201pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Carcharoth
Speaking, again, of the highest-ranking of their species… (And as I previously devoted a Dead song because I couldn’t decide between 2, and wanted to honour the Overseer of this list, I’ll do so again – especially noting this being the last weekend they will ever perform, so they say…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftjEGtMvoTM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJi54s3HwTU

#73 Telperion the White, eldest of the Two Trees of Valinor (n) – tree
[TG:28,EoA:24,Wik:8,RF:16,JT:5,MD:4,DK:5.LR/SL/CH:16,UT/HM:97=203pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Telperion
Once again, this is the last and highest-ranking Tree, though one-&-a-half Tree-like entities will still appear. (And the connection being the colour, this is for sador of TORN…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EV49ozdqLU

#72 Radagast the Brown, the Bird-tamer – maia istar wizard
[TG:129:,EoA:10,Wik:13,RF:9,JT:6,MD:5,DD:11,JR:1,LR/SL/CH:4,Let:1,UT/HM:18=207pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Radagast
Yes, Tolkien Gateway (and that means Jackson), affords him an inordinate amount of points that won’t be exceeded until Balin chimes in. But Jackson aside, this member of the Istari was an original Hobbit character, and played a role in LotR. (And as one of the secret elders of a gentle race, all he sees turns to Brown…).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW_WLxseq0o

#71 Shelob the Great, ‘Her Ladyship’ (f) – spider (guard?)
[TG:40,EoA:8,Wik:18,RF:17,JT:19,MD:47,DD:26,JR:2,LR/SL/CH:10,Let:1,UT/HM:18,HoF+:2=208pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Shelob
Unlike those above, she’s not the last of her species that will appear. (Not necessarily a top-100 contender, but a natural choice from my favourite band…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgx7abJH6uI


glossary:

*=as in CT's indexing in UT (ie. characters not appearing in Hobbit/LotR/AdvTB/Sil)
@=guest at Bilbo’s Farewell Party
(f)=female (n)=neutral

POINTS: TG=Tolkien Gateway,EoA=Encyclopedia of Arda,Wik=Wikipedia,RF=Robert Foster’s Complete Guide to Middle-earth,JT=J.E.A. Tyler’s Tolkien Companion,DD=David Day’s A-Z of Tolkien,HC=Humphrey Carpenter’s Biography,JG=John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War,JR=John Rateliff’s History of The Hobbit,DK=Douglas Kane’s Arda Reconstructed,MD=Michael Drout’s Tolkien Encyclopedia,Let=Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien,LR/SL/CH=Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, Children of Húrin,UT/HM=Unfinished Tales, History of Middle-earth,HoF+=votes from the Hall of Fire thread that initiated this project + a composite of selected favourite character lists.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Haven't had a chance to comment (just now got a chance to add the last batch to the Master List). Will be back.

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

No worries, you were in Chicago to bid adieu to the Dead, weren't you? Did they play either 'Friend of the Devil' or 'Dire Wolf'?


#70 Thranduil the Elvenking, 2nd King of the Woodland Realm – sinda king
[TG:88,EoA:27,Wik:7,RF:18,JT:52,LR/SL/CH:5,UT/HM:12=209pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Thranduil
Almost half his points come from Tolkien Gateway, bolstered by Jackson no doubt. But Tyler devotes a page-&-a-half to him also, resulting in a quarter of his points. He can’t be denied, though he longed for yesterday…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S09F5MejfBE

#69 Aredhel the White Lady of the Noldor, Princess of Gondolin – noldo princess
[TG:43,EoA:13,Wik:13,RF:22,JT:32,MD:1,DK:7,JR:1,LR/SL/CH:6,UT/HM:71=209pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Aredhel
Seven points from Kane for this Princess, who appears ahead of her ‘husband’, but just below her son…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVcl0Iw3fs8

#68 Maglor the Minstrel, 2nd son of Fëanor – noldo prince/minstrel
[TG:56,EoA:27,Wik:19,RF:19,JT:42,MD:3,DK:2,LR/SL/CH:6,UT/HM:40=214pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Maglor
In the ‘Lay of Leithian’ Maglor is cited as one of the 3 greatest minstrels, along with Daeron (back at #119) and Tinfang Warble (at #332).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7KRVAWx3nU

#67 Nienor, sister of Túrin Turambar – 3rd-house adan
[TG:38,EoA:2,Wik:27,RF:26,JT:34,MD:2,DK:5,JG:1,LR/SL/CH:14,UT/HM:70=216pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Nienor
I have no words for this unfortunate character (but I have the song…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0im3V8HlU

#66 Maeglin, Lord of the House of the Mole of Gondolin – noldo lord
[TG:43,EoA:8,Wik:9,RF:20,JT:56,MD:2,DK:5,LR/SL/CH:10,UT/HM:66=219pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Maeglin
So, 3 Lords of the Houses of Gondolin remain after Maeglin of the Mole…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmfrPrN1L_s

#65 Hador Lórindol, 5th Lord of the Third House of the Edain – 3rd-house adan lord
[TG:32,EoA:10,Wik:18,RF:12,JT:36,DK:7,LR/SL/CH:22,UT/HM:86=223pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Hador
I think he’s one of the most underrated characters in all of the Legendarium, but #65 ain’t bad. (And he was Golden-haired…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjKtfvKJSuk

#64 Morwen ‘Elfsheen’, mother of Túrin Turambar – 1st-house adan
[TG:27,EoA:23,Wik:24,RF:23,JT:28,DK:3,JR:2,JG:1,LR/SL/CH:15,UT/HM:85=231pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Morwen
Kane is regularly adding 3 or more pts to each character from here on in, especially the women. Morwen is no exception. (Túrin and John Lennon certainly have a few things in common…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eto7S-oBErk

#63 Aulë the Smith – vala smith
[TG:30,EoA:9,Wik:20,RF:22,JT:8,DD:18,MD:10,JR:1,DK:7,JG:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:8,UT/HM:78,HoF+:20=233pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Aulë
He’s the first to appear of the big 3 shapers of Arda, the Valar of Land, Air & Sea: Aulë, of course, shaping the land. (In and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky, and they stand there…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmZoQFYYx8U

#62 Gríma Wormtongue, counsellor of Rohan – rohirrim counsellor
[TG:62,EoA:9,Wik:32,RF:13,JT:22,MD:45,DD:16,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:6,UT/HM:28=234pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Grima_Wormtongue
From here on in, most characters get their own entry in Drout’s Encyclopedia; Gríma being no exception as Janet Brennan Croft does a good job of describing this villain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHDA5nHlDrQ

#61 Celegorm the Fair, 3rd son of Fëanor – noldo prince
[TG:39,EoA:55,Wik:13,RF:26,JT:57,DK:2,LR/SL/CH:6,UT/HM:44=242pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Celegorm
He’s the Fair of the sons, and had his eyes on Lúthien. (Of them all, maybe he needed somebody to love…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPamQDwgjE


glossary:

*=as in CT's indexing in UT (ie. characters not appearing in Hobbit/LotR/AdvTB/Sil)
@=guest at Bilbo’s Farewell Party
(f)=female (n)=neutral

POINTS: TG=Tolkien Gateway,EoA=Encyclopedia of Arda,Wik=Wikipedia,RF=Robert Foster’s Complete Guide to Middle-earth,JT=J.E.A. Tyler’s Tolkien Companion,DD=David Day’s A-Z of Tolkien,HC=Humphrey Carpenter’s Biography,JG=John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War,JR=John Rateliff’s History of The Hobbit,DK=Douglas Kane’s Arda Reconstructed,MD=Michael Drout’s Tolkien Encyclopedia,Let=Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien,LR/SL/CH=Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, Children of Húrin,UT/HM=Unfinished Tales, History of Middle-earth,HoF+=votes from the Hall of Fire thread that initiated this project + a composite of selected favourite character lists.

[yovargas]

Man, I know I am far from the hardcoriest of hardcore Tolkien fans but I'm still surprised that we're this far in and I still don't recognize most of the characters off hand....

[Voronwë the Faithful]

No worries, you were in Chicago to bid adieu to the Dead, weren't you? Did they play either 'Friend of the Devil' or 'Dire Wolf'?

No, we contented ourselves with going to the local shows in Santa Clara last weekend, and watching the webcasts of the Chicago shows in the comfort of our living room. And yes, they did play Friend of the Devil, but not Dire Wolf.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Random notes.

I think it is too simple to call Fingon as Gil-galad's father an "editorial mistake". It certainly seems to us from what we know that that was not Tolkien's last word on the subject, but we neither has access to the full manuscripts, nor full insight into whatever discussions that Christopher may or may not have had with his father. That having been said, yeah, it was an editorial mistake.

Was there any easier musical call that the one for Thorondor?

Interesting, though neither surprising nor wrong, that the "High King of the Elves" is so relatively low on the list. Indeed, Ingwë plays so little role in the tales that it may be surprising that the is that high!

Nights in White Satin for Telperion? Really? REALLY? Great song, but ... really?

But Kashmir for Radagast more than makes up for it. (and despite the obvious gender issues, Boris the Spider is fun).

I'm glad that I was able to bolster Aradhel above her "husband", and I love the irony of your song choice (OT: I'm sure that you have seen Heart's version of Stairway to Heaven that they played for Page and Plant at their Kennedy Center ceremony?)

I laughed out loud when I saw your song for Maeglin.

I'm surprised that Hador is as high as he is.

I was hoping when you said that Lennon's "Mother" was still to come that it would appear for the lovely but stern Morwen. So, so, so perfect. Justifies this list (not that it isn't already justified).

So very glad to see the late Chris Squire and his bandmates make a timely appearance in support of one of the great architects of Arda.

Interesting that you equate Grima with Charles Manson. I'll have to think about that.

Somebody To Love is rather generous for Celegorm, don't you think. Somebody to Possess, more like it.

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

#60 Celebrimbor, Lord of Eregion and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain – noldo lord/smith
[TG:52,EoA:12,Wik:12,RF:17,JT:73,DD:29,MD:2,DK:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:5,UT/HM:18,HoF+:20=242pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Celebrimbor
We begin the top 60 with the greatest craftsman outside of his grandfather Fëanor. Celebrimbor crafted the Three Elven Rings, and co-crafted the Seven, the Nine, and the Doors of Durin (as well as, possibly, an Elessar). Certainly important, but as with most Second Age characters he lacks the narratives that would tend to rank him much higher. Most of what we know about him (outside of the LotR Appendices) is contained in the ‘History of Galadriel and Celeborn’ from UT; in which we get deep dialogue between him and Galadriel. To her he says “you know that I love you (though you turned to Celeborn of the Trees), and for that love I will do what I can, if haply by my art your grief can be lessened”. And so the love of Galadriel inspired most of his creations (and he would have loved to have met her daddy, his grand-uncle in Aman, who appears below…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrv7Hs7k7w8

#59 Finarfin, 3rd son of Finwë and 7th King of the Noldor – noldo king
[TG:57,EoA:8,Wik:8,RF:14,JT:25,DD:27,MD:3,DK:4,LR/SL/CH:13,UT/HM:100=259pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Finarfin
As Fëanor and the successive High Kings of the Noldor took their realm into Middle-earth, Finarfin remained the King of the Noldor in Aman while the lines of his older brothers carried the title of High King. But upon the death of Turgon, Finarfin would have been the undisputed 7th High King of the Noldor. CT seriously messed with the lineage, making Gil-galad the son of Fingon. But Gil-galad was a grandson of Finarfin, and although he may have been the 2nd High-king of all the Eldar of Middle-earth after Thingol, while his grandfather was alive in Aman, the High-kingship (which followed Finwë into Aman) would have passed to Finarfin. As Tolkien Gateway states “he presumably still rules the few remaining Noldor in Valinor”. (Elves never truly die, but one can picture Finarfin, after his nephew Turgon was slain in Gondolin, proclaiming this to his people in Aman…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFz9vf3nG0I

#58 Yavanna Kementári, Queen of the Earth (f) – valier queen
[TG:54,EoA:3,Wik:7,RF:19,JT:13,DD:36,MD:10,DK:4,JR:5,JG:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:6,UT/HM:110=269pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Yavanna
She’s the first of 2 of the Valier that will rank above their husbands, which should help dispel any myths that Tolkien was a misogynist. And she’s almost the last tree-like character to appear on this list, as she apparently spent a great number of years as a giant tree inhabiting Middle-earth. Which brings us finally to the character below…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9394wRPlvf4

#57 Treebeard – ent ‘shepherd’
[TG:54,EoA:4,Wik:36,RF:12,JT:23,DD:34,MD:39,JR:3,HC:1,Let:2,LR/SL/CH:10,UT/HM:34,HoF+:17=269pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Treebeard
Fangorn he was, and the Eldest, and the last of the trees to appear on this list. We’ll enter the top-50 with no more wood; just completely fictional characters written on the very real substance that trees provide. (He once had an entwife, or should I say, she once had him…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79uBB4anxbE

#56 Oromë the Great Rider, Huntsman of the Valar and Lord of Forests – vala lord
[TG:55,EoA:10,Wik:7,RF:22,JT:36,DD:18,MD:4,DK:1,JG:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:17,UT/HM:111=283pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Orom%C3%AB
He had many names, and loved horses, hounds, horns, and hunts. But being the primary Vala to traverse Middle-earth, discovering the Elves, and leading the Eldar through to Beleriand are his ultimate claims to fame. (Note that at the last minute I didn’t go with my favourite band’s ‘Who Are You’, as it pertains to the moment of discovering the Elves, but had to go with this…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewKcjWFiBZs

#55 Námo Mandos, Doomsman of the Valar – vala master
[TG:32,EoA:5,Wik:9,RF:13,JT:7,DD:22,MD:18,DK:7,JR:3,JG:2,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:15,UT/HM:148,HoF+:2=284pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Mandos
He has the most points acquired so far from any separate column of my spreadsheet, and that is 148pts from UT/HoMe. When you’re the timeless soul that he is, you’re always, at least, there…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtGM-JDJFV0

#54 Balin, Lord of Moria and King of Khazâd-dûm – dwarf king
[TG:132,EoA:20,Wik:15,RF:14,JT:18,DD:27,MD:3,JR:23,LR/SL/CH:5,UT/HM:28=285pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Balin
If Tolkien Gateway had afforded him 2 less points, then what I said about Mandos above would have applied to Balin a spot ago, as he has, to this point, the most points from TG at 132; which will be swept away by a dragon next post anyway. (His Chamber of Mazarbul was at one time well-lit from the light-shaft, and coloured white upon black tapestries, so I’m told…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCc00pX_pFA

#53 Celeborn the Wise, Lord of Lothlórien – sinda lord
[TG:112,EoA:13,Wik:25,RF:15,JT:23,DD:31,MD:4,DK:4,JG:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:9,UT/HM:50=288pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Celeborn
Again, a husband that falls short of his wife’s ranking, countering any argument for misogyny with Tolkien. I however am a big Celeborn fan unlike many, as he is Thingol as he should have been, much the same as Galadriel is Fëanor as he should have been, and they bridge the distance of a Sea, uniting Calaquendi and Moriquendi. (Their parting at the end of Third Age would have been emotional to say the least…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX5USg8_1gA

#52 Ungoliant (f) – spider
[TG:43,EoA:6,Wik:16,RF:19,JT:30,DD:18,MD:24,DK:5,JR:5,JG:6,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:6,UT/HM:107,HoF+:3=289pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ungoliant
At one brief point was she the most powerful entity under Eru? Who knows, but maybe?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttbaXI7-r6U

#51 Turgon, King of Gondolin and 6th King of the Noldor – noldo king
[TG:36,EoA:2,Wik:11,RF:48,JT:91,DD:30,MD:1,DK:9,JG:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:12,UT/HM:69,HoF+:3=314pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Turgon
Reluctant follower he was…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv51LO7NOTo


glossary:

*=as in CT's indexing in UT (ie. characters not appearing in Hobbit/LotR/AdvTB/Sil)
@=guest at Bilbo’s Farewell Party
(f)=female (n)=neutral

POINTS: TG=Tolkien Gateway,EoA=Encyclopedia of Arda,Wik=Wikipedia,RF=Robert Foster’s Complete Guide to Middle-earth,JT=J.E.A. Tyler’s Tolkien Companion,DD=David Day’s A-Z of Tolkien,HC=Humphrey Carpenter’s Biography,JG=John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War,JR=John Rateliff’s History of The Hobbit,DK=Douglas Kane’s Arda Reconstructed,MD=Michael Drout’s Tolkien Encyclopedia,Let=Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien,LR/SL/CH=Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, Children of Húrin,UT/HM=Unfinished Tales, History of Middle-earth,HoF+=votes from the Hall of Fire thread that initiated this project + a composite of selected favourite character lists.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

"Time" for Mandos might be the best choice yet.

So now we come to it, the top 50 characters of Arda. How exciting. Who will be higher, Manwë or Varda (probably Varda, because of LOTR. Morgoth or his servent, Sauron (undoubtedly the latter), Bilbo or Frodo (again, almost certainly the latter).

How exciting!

[yovargas]

"Time" for Mandos might be the best choice yet.

Even better than Fangornian Wood??

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

#50 Smaug the Golden – winged dragon
[TG:155,EoA:27,Wik:25,RF:10,JT:25,DD:34,MD:7,JR:12,JG:1,HC:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:8,HM/UT:10=316pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Smaug
Who else could kick off the top 50, just half a year beyond his short reign as a film-star? Nearly half his points come from Tolkien Gateway, the full entry of which is linked above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F29H8OJOnvo

#49 Finwë, 1st King of the Noldor – noldo king
[TG:81,EoA11,Wik:8,RF:9,JT:29,MD:21,DD:15,DK:8,JR:6,LR/SL/CH:5,UT/HM:107,HoF+:20=320pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Finw%C3%AB
He’s the middle of the 3 Elf Ambassadors to Valinor to appear on the list; appropriate as he was the leader of the middle host.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s38ignmTqFQ

#48 Théoden Ednew, 17th King of Rohan – rohirrim king
[TG:78,EoA:11,Wik:27,RF:12,JT:71,MD:37,DD:19,JG:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:21,UT/HM:40,HoF+:8=326pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Théoden
On a previous run-through of this list, both he and Denethor ended in a tie. Here Théoden has slipped a bit, but his eventual heir finishes just ahead of Denethor’s firstborn son, below. (The first song I’ll call the actual #48 classic rock song, somewhat appropriate for the pre-Gandalf-revived Théoden; the 2nd is the more appropriate song for Théoden upon his Ride to the “Battle of Pelennor” – which can be substituted here for ‘Border-of Mexico’…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXqubvXfd-o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOn6enPC7U

#47 Ar-Pharazôn the Golden, 25th and last King Of Númenor – númenórean king
[TG:115,EoA:10,Wik:8,RF:29,JT:60,MD:2,DK:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:12,UT/HM:49,HoF+:40=327pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ar_pharazon
Again, the lack of a Second-Age novel based upon Númenor surely keeps him out of the top 10 or 20. Otherwise he would be much nearer to the top 4 baddies. He does get votes, however, from the initial thread which inspired this list, boosting him into the top-50 at least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l482T0yNkeo

#46 Ulmo the Ancient Mariner, King of the Sea – vala king
[TG:46,EoA:30,Wik:14,RF:28,JT:22,MD:4,DD:18,DK:7,JR:1,JG:2,LR/SL/CoH:19,UT/HM:118,HoF+:20=329pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ulmo
So Aulë was back at #63, while the 2 other Kings of the elements of Arda appear here back-to-back. Ulmo also finds himself appropriately ranking in the middle of the 2 respective couples, as Yavanna was back at #58. (I seem to have made it a policy now to sometimes go with 2 songs, and Ulmo is no exception: the 1st is a brief intro to a mega-album that has no other songs appearing, so an appropriate composite, unfortunately containing Townsend-styled narrative; the 2nd a lengthy metal piece, whose title also fits the Lord of Waters, and which I’ll have to label classic rock song #46…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr8HLiQwpmQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goL9_kWb-b0

#45 Manwë Súlimo, Elder King of Arda – vala king
[TG:41,EoA:11,Wik:11,RF:32,JT:11,MD:9,DD:18,DK:12,JR:6,JG:3,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:15,UT/HM:148,HoF+:20=338pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Manw%C3%AB
He equals the highest total so far for points acquired by UT & HoMe, tied with his compatriot Mandos. They will however soon be eclipsed by another Vala. Some have speculated that it was Manwë, Lord of the Air and Winds, who was responsible for all of the coincidental changes in the winds and weather during LotR…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsIqEq9OFxE

#44 Denethor II, 26th and last Ruling Steward of Gondor – gondorian dúnedan ruling-steward
[TG:107,EoA:18,Wik:24,RF:30,JT:35,MD:43,DD:37,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:17,UT/HM:28=340pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Denethor
Both his sons appear after him, his firstborn just below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H0d5psPiKI

#43 Boromir, 1st son of Denethor II and Captain of the White Tower – gondorian dúnedan captain
[TG:140,EoA:4,Wik:42,RF:21,JT:20,MD:37,DD:25,HC:1,Let:1,LR/SL/CH:16,UT/HM:29,HoF+:5=341pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Boromir
So the Fellowship begins to chime in, with the ill-fated Boromir. Was he more important than Legolas? Tolkien said as much when he declared that Legolas accomplished the least of the 9. Does Boromir have more of a stage presence within the Legendarium? I think not, and I’ll have to stick to that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX0Re3odoco

#42 Maedhros, 1st son of Fëanor and 3rd King of the Noldor – noldo king
[TG:55:,EoA:12,Wik:50,RF:37,JT:81,MD:4,DK:9,LR/SL/CH:9,UT/HM:80;HoF+:5=342pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Maedhros
He’s the highest-ranking son of Fëanor to appear, as he should be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2opHHNFd0Mg

#41 Éomer Eadig, 18th King of Rohan – rohirrim king
[TG:161,EoA:27,Wik:23,RF:18,JT:23,MD:35,DD:23,DK:1,LR/SL/CH:12,UT/HM:28,HoF+:8=359pts]
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Éomer
The gaps between the characters points are now reaching wide margins on average. Fluctuations in online entries and any rounding, or errors, occurring in my tabulations should be highly minimized at this point. Éomer now sets the record at 161pts for any column entry in my spreadsheet, due to Tolkien Gateway; which will happen to be eclipsed with the next entry. (Upon exile, he fought for his meals on the fields of Rohan, the wizard’s wasteland…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaaD9EKTGys


glossary:

*=as in CT's indexing in UT (ie. characters not appearing in Hobbit/LotR/AdvTB/Sil)
@=guest at Bilbo’s Farewell Party
(f)=female (n)=neutral

POINTS: TG=Tolkien Gateway,EoA=Encyclopedia of Arda,Wik=Wikipedia,RF=Robert Foster’s Complete Guide to Middle-earth,JT=J.E.A. Tyler’s Tolkien Companion,DD=David Day’s A-Z of Tolkien,HC=Humphrey Carpenter’s Biography,JG=John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War,JR=John Rateliff’s History of The Hobbit,DK=Douglas Kane’s Arda Reconstructed,MD=Michael Drout’s Tolkien Encyclopedia,Let=Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien,LR/SL/CH=Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, Children of Húrin,UT/HM=Unfinished Tales, History of Middle-earth,HoF+=votes from the Hall of Fire thread that initiated this project + a composite of selected favourite character lists.

[yovargas]

Hurray, I knew 7 out of 10 of those off-hand!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Instant Karma for Maedhros - very nice. Baba O'Riley for Éomer, I don't know.

I'm glad, though a little surprised, to see that Faramir is higher than his older brother.

[Beutlin]

Hurray, I knew 7 out of 10 of those off-hand!

Only seven!?



By the way, I have to say, this list is truly fascinating. Kudos, Dân! When did this whole project start?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Here is the original Middle-earth 1200 thread that Dân started back on April 12, 2010:

viewtopic.php?p=186373#p186373

And here, going back all the way to July 17, 2007 (!!!!!) is the original thread that inspired it:

Who were the most Important Characters in the History of ME?

The work that has been put into this project by Dân is truly main-boggling. And I can honestly say that it is the main reason I am still fronting The Hall of Fire.

[Dân o Nandor on Anduin]

Wow. Are you truly serious about that? If so, I'm overwhelmed!

And yes, its been a Long & Winding Road...

I'm really trying to finish this in July, which would make it around 8yrs. But its also the 100th anniversary to the month of when Tolkien himself claimed his Secondary World first sprouted. John Garth, and many, trace it back to September (1914) and the Earendel poem, but the July (1915) poem 'The Shores of Faery' introduced many of the real elements of the Legendarium.

And many things are also coming to an end. The films are done; the release of the EE's soon will put a cap on that. CT's not getting any younger, and his likely last book, Tolkien's Beowulf, came out last year. Ironically, the last calendar year mentioned in Tolkien's Notion Club Papers was 2014, when Howard Green was to have discovered the lost manuscripts. Finally, Tolkien's favourite tree was just cut down this past Fall.

If you say the sun is setting on this website, I can't say I'm really in a state of shock. But it would certainly fall appropriately amongst all the sad shadows that I've just mentioned.

But then that is the Story of Tolkien's Legendarium, is it not?


The Top 40, ASAP...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yes, I'm serious. But the site isn't going to go away, just my role.

Onward to the top 40!