The Lord Of The Rings started off as a challenging read, but ultimately became J.R.R. Tolkien's legacy, with Peter Jackson's movie trilogy reaching unfathomable heights. Middle-earth is home to many powerful races and formidable creatures, but the way the power of man fits into this fantastical world is often overlooked.

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The wizards, dwarves, hobbits, elves and orcs are a celebrated part of the trilogy but there are several humans able to hold their own when up against these other races, whether verbally or on the battlefield. There were even numerous instances of mighty humans taking their place at the top within the lore of the LOTR, before the events of the movie trilogy.

10 Grima Wormtongue Was A Parasite & Manipulator But He Ultimately Killed Saruman

Grima Wormtongue in Isengard in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Grima Wormtongue wasn't gifted in battle or physically strong. But the former man of Rohan was always a cunning manipulator. However, when Theoden escaped his spell and declared Grima an enemy of Rohan, Grima returned to Saruman's side.

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In The Return Of The King (Extended Edition), Theoden, Gandalf and the others confronted Saruman, and Theoden offered Grima redemption. Grima subsequently stabbed Saruman in the back, with Legolas sending an arrow into Grima in return. Grima's last act was against Gandalf's wishes but this nod to Sauroman's end in the books revealed a certain amount of strength in Wormtongue's soul.

9 Gamling Served Theoden Loyally & Survived Most Of The Fierce Battles

Gamling Lord of the Rings

Gamling and Hama were men of Rohan sworn to King Theoden, serving him loyally. When Hama was killed by a warg during the Ambush of the Wargs, with refugees and the Riders of Rohan on their way to Helm's Deep, Gamling had to hold his own long enough for backup to arrive. His salvation came in the form of Legolas.

Gamling then assumed Hama's responsibilities, which included tending to King Theoden and leading sections of the army when they returned Gondor's call for aid and assistance. At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, he worked well with Eomer in fighting and felling the Mumakil, the giant war elephants, also known as Oliphaunts. However, he apparently died somewhere in the battle, per the Extended Edition of The Return Of The King.

8 Faramir Did His Father's Bidding, No Matter What

Faramir at Minas Tirith in Lord of the Rings

Forever cursed with living in his brother Boromir's shadow and seen as being inferior in his father's eyes, Faramir's story in the LOTR trilogy was rather tragic. By no means a weak soldier or person, Faramir always did his duty, following his father's orders until the very end. Faramir was wounded by an arrow in battle, but not mortally, and his father insisted on proceeding with his funeral by lighting a pyre in a strange and unsettling scene.

7 Eowyn Stood Up For Theoden & Destroyed The Witch-King

Grima Wormtongue and Eowyn

Eowyn will forever be immortalized in the halls of LOTR lore. Famously, she screams "I am no man" before plunging her sword through the helm of the Witch-King of Angmar.

As a woman, Eowyn was forbidden from riding with King Theoden and his army. But by disobeying her adopted father and uncle, she ultimately prevented King Theoden from dying a grizzly death. Even though she had to hide her face just to win the right to fight with the others, she earned her moment of glory.

6 Elendil Was Known As The Greatest Warrior Of All Of Dunedain

Elendil Cropped

The Fellowship Of The Ring introduced the lore of Middle-earth, centering on Isildur and how he seized The Ring from Sauron. The initial battle was not led by him, but by his father Elendil. Elendil was the High King of Gondor at the time. Despite simply being swept aside by Sauron and easily killed, his courage in charging at the monster was unquestionable.

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He was known as a good king, a brave warrior and a good father. He managed to inspire the realms of Men while also striking an alliance with the Elves. The subsequent rage that built up within Isildur upon seeing his father slain by Sauron was ultimately what led to the events of the Lord Of The Rings movies.

5 The One Ring Corrupted Isildur And Spelled His Demise

Isildur standing before the fires of Mount Doom with the One Ring

Although he was once one of the strongest and most powerful kings of Gondor, Isildur succumbed to the power of the One Ring and was ultimately to blame for Sauron's resurgence and revival.

Isildur, Aragorn's distant ancestor, initially acted courageously by fighting Sauron and cutting the One Ring from the hand of his powerful foe. Afterward, he neglected his duty and chose not to destroy the Ring in the fiery depths of Mount Doom, but instead kept it for himself. He later fell while fleeing a band of orcs, a death not at all befitting of the man he once was, and his precious was lost along with his life.

4 Upon Being Released From Saruman's Control, Theoden Was Reborn A Strong-Willed King

King Theoden riding his horse into battle

Theoden, played by Bernard Hill, didn't exactly cover himself in glory upon his introduction. He seemed old, tired and mad. This was later revealed to be Saruman and Wormtongue's work, achieved via poisoning, negative influence and disinformation.

The King of Rohan, Theoden was eventually snapped out of his stupor by Gandalf, and he became the ruler he had always been in his heart. However, King Theoden even went above and beyond. He not only led his army to Gondor's aid, he also faced the Witch-King in battle, falling in a defiant blaze of honor and glory.

3 Eomer Was A Beloved & Fierce Warrior, Setting Him Up As A Great King Of Rohan

Eomer glanes to the side while standing with the Rohirrim in The Lord of the Rings

Not everyone remembers that beloved New Zealand actor Karl Urban played Eomer in Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings movie trilogy. Eomer and his sister, Eowyn, were orphaned and adopted by King Theoden. This would eventually place Eomer on Rohan's throne, following Theoden's death.

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Eomer was a fierce warrior and Grima Wormtongue considered him a threat. Eomer fought for justice and respected the Fellowship. His ascension all but guaranteed strong ties between Gondor and Rohan after the film trilogy concluded.

2 Boromir May Have Been Tempted By The Ring But He Ultimately Gave His Life To Save Others

Boromir speaks during the formation of the Fellowship in Lord of the Rings

Played by the legendary Sean Bean, Boromir was a part of the Fellowship of the Ring. The Fellowship was tasked with escorting Frodo and the One Ring to Mordor, in order for the young hobbit to destroy it once and for all. Plans began to go awry, however, when Boromir was tempted to take the Ring for himself.

Boromir immediately regretted his actions and sought redemption. He achieved this goal when he sacrificed himself,  going down in a blaze of glory when he attempted to rescue Merry and Pippin. Boromir was his father's favorite, he was a distinguished warrior with exceptional skills in battle, and his death broke Denethor mentally.

1 Aragorn Rose To Gondor's Throne

Aragorn leads the charge at the Battle of the Black Gate in Lord of the Rings

Aragorn's rise and journey from meeting the hobbits as a ranger to becoming the rightful King of Gondor is one of LOTR's most powerful character arcs. Viggo Mortensen's iconic performance as Aragorn managed to cement this greatest of Men in audiences' hearts forever.

Aragorn defied the odds on numerous occasions, from leading the Army of the Dead into battle to commanding the forces of Men in their final battles with Sauron's followers. By becoming the true king of Gondor, he also gained access to subtle magic that allowed him to heal Merry and restore the Shards of Narsil to their true glory. He is easily the most influential and powerful Human in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.

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