While franchise entertainment has become a pillar of 21st-century cinema, few sagas have been able to match the pop-culture impact and phenomenal quality of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Following Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and his allies on their quest to destroy the one ring, the film series has become an enduring icon of modern film for its incredible story, breathtaking visual display, awe-inspiring action sequences, and, of course, its many fantastic characters.
With so many brilliant characters on display, it should come as no surprise that The Lord of the Rings has so many great duos. Ranging from unexpected alliances between rivals to epic and tormented tales of love and even to pairings that stand as the ultimate depictions of friendship in cinema, these incredible duos help define the greatness of what is one of the most triumphant feats in film history.
10 Aragorn and Boromir (Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean)
“I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king.”
Boromir’s (Sean Bean) corruption by the One Ring and his ambition to use it as a weapon against Mordor sees tensions rise between them several times, but there is powerful unity between him and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) throughout The Lord of the Rings:The Fellowship of the Ring. While their views on leadership and how best to combat the rise of evil may differ, they are far better defined by the traits they share that make them close.
Both men are sincere in their declaration to safeguard Frodo and the Fellowship and hold great mutual respect for one another due to their bravery and will to do good. The defining moment in the duo’s bond happens when a dying Boromir says he would have followed Aragorn as his king. As Aragorn comforts and mourns his passing friend, the mutual admiration between them is solidified for all to see.
9 Éowyn and Merry (Miranda Otto and Dominic Monaghan)
“Courage, Merry, courage for our friends.”
As unconventional as it may be, the bond between Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Éowyn (Miranda Otto) is one of the most thematically pointed and powerful in the trilogy. A lady of Rohan, Éowyn yearns to fight for her freedom and the freedom of the kingdom she loves. At the same time, Merry wants to go to war along with his friends, and he doesn’t want to let them down. Still, others refuse to let them fight since Éowyn is a woman and Merry is a hobbit.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King gives both characters an opportunity to prove themselves on the battlefield, with Éowyn and Merry becoming an iconic yet underrated duo in the trilogy. Not only do they display their courage and valor while fighting for what they love, but they also kill the Witch-king of Angmar (Lawrence Makoare) in a pivotal moment that has become synonymous with the trilogy as a whole.
8 Gandalf the Grey and Bilbo Baggins (Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Ian Holm)
“And what about very old friends?”
Although the bulk of their relationship is explored in The Hobbit trilogy, Gandalf the Grey and Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) begin the trilogy as old friends who reunite when Gandalf arrives in The Shire to celebrate Bilbo’s 111th birthday. The love between them is evident from the moment Gandalf announces his arrival, slicing through Bilbo’s grouchy reclusiveness as he hurries to invite the wizard into his house with the warmest of welcomes.
While the duo have some stern altercations concerning the One Ring and Bilbo’s attachment to it, there is never an absence of care and admiration between the two of them. Bilbo is largely the reason why Gandalf holds the hobbits in such high regard, thanks to his courage and simple moral purity, qualities Gandalf remembers even after decades of being apart. They may not be the most prolific pairing throughout the trilogy, but the rekindling of their friendship is a perfect opening to the film.
7 Frodo and Gandalf (Elijah Wood and Sir Ian McKellen)
“All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”
Frodo Baggins has lots of mentors and allies in his quest to destroy the One Ring, but few are as loyal and supportive as Gandalf. Their friendship is evident from their first moments on screen, when Frodo confronts Gandalf upon arrival at the Shire and mockingly scolds him for being late. Through much laughter and celebration, the foundation of their joyous bond is firmly established.
However, the duo’s relationship only grows more important when Middle-earth’s battle against the ring escalates, and Frodo is tasked with taking the ring to Mordor. Always willing to share his wisdom and insights, Gandalf is a reliable guide to Frodo, one who the hobbit reveres as the ultimate friend in trying times. In fact, such is the impact of their friendship that it is easy to forget that they only really share the screen for the first half of The Fellowship of the Ring before Gandalf falls to the Balrog and Frodo and Sam split off on their own.
6 Aragorn and Arwen (Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler)
“I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.”
Romance is not something The Lord of the Rings casts a strong focus on, but that doesn’t mean the trilogy is completely bereft of love stories. The most famous comes in the form of Aragorn’s complicated relationship with Arwen (Liv Tyler), the elven daughter of Lord Elrond (Hugo Weaving). Introduced as Frodo suffers from being stabbed by the Ringwraiths, Arwen helps Aragorn by taking Frodo to Rivendell to be healed by the elves.
While their romance flounders as Middle-earth’s looming demise sees Arwen forced to make an impossible decision on her future, she is an ever-present love for Aragorn that he always holds dear. The duo’s marriage when Aragorn is crowned the king of Gondor is a perfect climax to their characters’ stories and their romantic arc that was tested vigorously throughout the films.
5 Frodo and Gollum (Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis)
“I have to destroy it, Sméagol. I have to destroy it for both our sakes.”
Friendship may not be the right word to describe the bond that forms between Frodo Baggins and Gollum (Andy Serkis), but the duo is a powerful one nonetheless. Gollum lingers on the periphery in The Fellowship of the Ring. However, Gollum formally meets the hobbit in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers when Frodo and Sam take him prisoner following his failed attempt to reclaim the ring while the hobbits are sleeping.
Despite being completely untrustworthy, Frodo can’t help but be drawn to Sméagol, as he is the only being nearby capable of understanding the torment of the burden he carries. Frodo is sympathetic to Gollum’s moral corruption at the hands of the ring and hopes he can find some redemption as he guides the hobbits to Mordor. While the pairing ends when Gollum attacks Frodo in Mount Doom and destroys the ring in the process, the relationship is still one of the most unique and intriguing of the trilogy.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Release Date
- December 18, 2002
- Runtime
- 179 minutes
4 Gandalf and Pippin (Sir Ian McKellen and Billy Boyd)
“Fool of a Took.”
Gandalf’s love for all the hobbits is well portrayed throughout the films, even if some test the measure of his compassion more than others. This, of course, refers to Pippin (Billy Boyd), the bumbling hobbit who finds all manner of ways of getting himself into trouble. Harshly described by Gandalf as a “Fool of a Took” after one such instance, it would be easy to think that Gandalf holds a genuine contempt for the haphazard halfling.
However, as much as the duo’s interactions are played up for comedy, a deeper and more caring bond is always there, one that truly emerges in The Return of the King when they travel to Gondor. From lighting the beacons to fighting against impossible odds together, Gandalf and Pippin end the trilogy as one of the sincerest and most loyal pairings as well as one of the funniest and most unlikely.
3 Legolas and Gimli (Orlando Bloom and John Rhys-Davies)
“What about side by side with a friend?”
Elves and dwarves are natural enemies in Middle-earth. Thus, the relationship between Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) doesn’t start in the friendliest of fashions when they meet at the Council of Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and join the Fellowship of the Ring. However, the bond that develops between them is one of genuine friendship and mutual respect, even if it never loses a sporting rivalry.
It is easy to recall the duo’s contests in battle, slashing through orcs and Uruk-hai with each trying to amass a higher body count than the other. Their drinking game following the Battle of Helm’s Deep in the Lord of the Rings extended editions is another highlight of the pairing’s penchant for friendly comic relief. But it will always be moments like the iconic line “What about side by side with a friend?” as they face insurmountable odds together, that best defines what is one of the greatest and most heartwarming friendships in The Lord of the Rings.
2 Merry and Pippin (Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd)
“You need people of intelligence on this sort of mission… quest… thing.”
The hobbits are undeniably the heart and soul of The Lord of the Rings, and while Frodo and Sam (Sean Astin) may be the central heroes of the story, Merry and Pippin best exemplify the mischievous yet innocent fun of the Shire. Introduced as inseparable friends who share a troublesome appetite for adventure, they are quickly whisked away with the Fellowship on their journey, supplying plenty of laughs along the way.
Far more than mere comic relief characters, Merry and Pippin are instrumental in the fight against evil. They inspire the ents to rise against Isengard to deliver a swift and decisive victory, and despite being separated, both play pivotal roles when Mordor attacks Gondor. The ultimate example of pure, unbridled, joyous friendship, Merry and Pippin define the plucky goodness of Middle-earth.
1 Frodo and Sam (Elijah Wood and Sean Astin)
“There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
Image via New Line Cinema
With the fate of Middle-earth in his hands as he sets out to voyage to Mordor to destroy the One Ring, Frodo undertakes a seemingly impossible quest. A huge reason why he is successful in his unlikely endeavor is the unwavering support of his best friend, Samwise Gamgee. While his courage can never be questioned, Sam’s greatest value to Frodo is his ceaseless optimism and his steadfast belief that good will triumph over evil, no matter how dire the situation may get.
The bond between the two hobbits only grows stronger the deeper into their perilous journey they get, with the scenes of them in Mordor, braving the desperate and deadly last leg of their trek together, being as unforgettable as they are powerful. Not only one of the best duos in The Lord of the Rings, Frodo and Sam’s legendary friendship makes them arguably the greatest duo in cinematic history.
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