Characters From 'The Lord of the Rings' Books That Didn’t Appear in the Movies
There are a staggering number of characters in The Lord of the Rings trilogy of books. Even the most minor among them possess a detailed and long running back story. It is a part of what has made the franchise so timeless. So when it came time for Peter Jackson to decide what characters would make the transition to the big screen, he was faced with a herculean task. There was no way he would be able to include them all, and some of their absences did not go unnoticed. Here are a few of the more notable characters that did not make the cut.
Tom Bombadil
One of the first omitted characters that comes to the mind of fans is none other than Tom Bombadil. An ageless otherworldly being, Tom was first encountered in The Fellowship of the Ring by the hobbits as they left the Shire and traveled through the Old Forest. The quartet quickly found themselves in peril after they run afoul of Old Man Willow, a grumpy sentient willow tree, but they were saved at the last minute by the timely intervention of Bombadil. After rescuing them, he invited them to his home where they spend the next few days with him and his wife Goldberry, before departing for Bree.
Not much was known about Tom Bombadil and how he came to be. However, his power was considered unmatched within the realm of the Old Forest. Given his age and abilities, many fans speculate that Bombadil may be the god above all others in Middle-earth. This theory was given credence by the fact that he predated the arrival of the Valar (angelic-like beings) in Arda from the West. Perhaps his most impressive feat, however, was that he is able to see Frodo when he wore the One Ring. Bombadil was also unaffected by its power and influence when he put on the One Ring.
Glorfindel
Interestingly enough, Glorfindel did not make it to the big screen, but his role did. He was one of the elves dispatched by Elrond, instead of his daughter Arwin, to rescue Frodo and bring him to Rivendell after his harrowing encounter with the Ringwraiths on Weathertop. Glorfindel was chosen for this task because, aside from being one of the mightiest of the elves, he had no fear of the Ringwraiths. In fact, it was quite the opposite, the wraiths feared him. After a brief showdown and a misguided intervention from Frodo, Glorfindel drove the Ringwraiths into the river to be swept away in a manner similar to that portrayed in the film. He would then go on to be an influential player in the Council of Elrond, standing among Elrond and Gandalf as they pondered what was to be done with the ring.
Glorfindel’s origins, and his most impressive tales, began many thousands of years before the Third Age of the trilogy. In his early life, during the First Age, he was given the title Chief of the House of the Golden Flower in Gondolin and was beloved by his subjects. He would later encounter a Balrog after fleeing his besieged realm, and faced the demon singlehandedly, much like Gandalf would later do. Though he defeated the beast, he would later die from his injuries. His time in the Halls of Waiting soon came to an end, however, as his acts of valor and self-sacrifice earned him the chance to be reborn by the Valar. His spirit would be sent back to Middle-earth during the Second Age.
Elledan and Elrohir
While moviegoers are familiar with Arwen, she was not Elrond’s only child. He also had two twin sons, Elledan and Elrohir. In the books they were sent out ahead of the Fellowship to act as scouts as the group arrived at Rivendell to attend the council meeting. They would not appear again until The Return of The King, where they accompanied Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli into the Paths of the Dead to recruit the ghostly army within. From there they continued to fight alongside Aragorn through many of the remaining battles from the trilogy and even remained in Middle-earth with their younger sister for a time before inevitably traveling to the Undying Lands.
Prior to the events of the main trilogy, the pair were sent to rescue their mother, who had been captured and tortured by orcs on her way to visit the twin’s grandmother, Galadriel. The pair was able to rescue her but not before she suffered a grievous wound from a poison dagger. Elrond was able to heal all her physical ails, but the experience left her emotionally scarred and she would later travel to the Undying Lands to fully recuperate. Her departure left its mark on the brothers and led them to harbor a deep disdain for orcs.
Fredegar “Fatty” Bolger
Full disclosure, Fredegar Bolger did appear as an exceedingly brief cameo in The Fellowship of The Ring. He was a guest at Bilbo’s birthday party, and was mentioned by name. While he was technically present, his role in the story was greatly diminished and served more as a piece of fan service, earning him a spot on this list. Readers were first introduced to Fredegar in The Fellowship of the Ring alongside the other hobbits of the Fellowship. When Frodo and his band left the Shire, Fredegar stayed behind to help cover the group’s tracks and dissuade any curious individuals.
Before leaving for Bree, the hobbits bought a new house for Frodo on the outskirts of the Shire. This served as a staging ground of sorts, as the group planned their next move. Like most hobbits, Fredegar was not overly fond of adventure and chose to remain behind as a decoy. He impersonated Frodo to maintain appearances in the Shire and misled any pursuers of the ring. It worked for a time, but eventually the Ringwraiths found their way to the Shire to seek their prize. Fortunately, Fredegar was able to raise the alarm, namely the Horn-Call of Buckland, which caused the Ringwraiths to flee before any damage was done.
The Drúedain
The Drúedain were a group of forest dwelling humanoids with physiques similar to that of dwarves. They resided in the eponymous Drúedain Forest, where they were content to live in solitude from the outside world. Their peaceful nature made them a target for the forces of evil and they were often beset by their malicious agents. To everyone else their “unlovely” appearance, as the elves put it, lea many to believe they were no more than savages. Despite their persecutions, they remained an ally to the good people of Middle-earth.
When it came time to aid the besieged forces at Minas Tirith, King Theoden and his Rohirrim passed through the Drúedain Forest. Upon meeting with the chief Ghan-buri-Ghan, they realized they faced a common foe. The Drúedain were happy to help and guided Theoden and his troops down a secret path, thus avoiding Saruman’s forces that lay in wait on the other side of the forest.
Source: Tolkien Gateway