Top Tuesdays: Top Hobbits.

That's right, folks! My top five Hobbits! Hobbits are a race of beings that inhabit the Shire, which is in a corner in Middle Earth. They are generally under four feet high and have a lot of hair. They can disappear when they don't want to be seen, because they are stealthy (it also helps if they have a magic ring that makes them invisible).

5. Frodo.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Frodo, the main player in the Lord of the Rings trilogy... He's just never been my favorite. He's heroic and saves Middle Earth... and... he's a main character. I've never been overly fond of the heroic, humble main character (Luke Skywalker is another example).

4. Merry.

 

Merry's pretty cool. And he has some nice lines in The Fellowship of the Ring. That's about it....

3. Pippin.

 

Come on, it's Pippin. You HAVE to love Pippin! He and Merry are best buds who have not yet reached adulthood (33 in Hobbit years). They are happy-go-lucky and grow a lot over the course of the books (because, of course, they have been Taken To Isengard and take part in a battle or two and have all sorts of adventures).
Pippin has the majority of good lines. "It comes in pints?" That line has been in my head all day because of Thinkgeek.com. They are selling Doctor Who pint glasses and I was just waiting for someone to post in the comments "it comes in pints?"

2. Sam.

 

Sam. Frodo's loyal gardener. He follows Frodo literally to the end of the (Middle)earth at risk to his own life because he promised Gandalf to watch over Frodo. He's like a puppy, except better. Sam is an amazing friend and just an amazing guy all around.

1. Bilbo Baggins.

 

Bilbo is not typically your typical hero. Gandalf basically signs him up for an adventure without his consent and because of Bilbo's Tookish curiousity, he can't help but go along with the Dwarves to take back their home.
Bilbo likes the fine things in life: his pipe, food, a clean hankerchief, food....
Through his adventures, he finds courage that I'm sure he didn't know he had. He isn't driven by necessity like Frodo and ends up being very brave. He wants to show off his burgaler skills which gets him in more trouble than it's worth.
Bilbo is one of my favorite characters in the Tolkien world, and, indeed, in the literary world. And he doesn't have to swear every other world, take revenge for the death of his brother, or sleep with every girl on the block.
Plus, he's got hairy feet. You gotta have a hero with hairy feet every once in a while.

Live long and prosper! And who is YOUR favorite Hobbit?