1. Samwise Gamgee – The Lord Of The Rings
Maybe an obvious pick for the #1 spot, but Samwise Gamgee is probably the biggest unsung hero of all time. It’s been established that Tolkien himself considered Sam the actual hero of The Lord of the Rings, but it’s always worth reiterating the exact reasons why Samwise Gamgee did more for Middle Earth than any other LotR character.
Frodo might be the Ringbearer, but Sam remains at his side, seemingly untempted by the power of the Ring. He even carries it himself for a while (when he believes Frodo is dead), but willingly gives it over upon discovering his best friend survived. He also travelled with Gollum (who he didn’t trust), and attempted to protect Frodo from his machinations. After mounting thousands of steps, Sam’s sent away for his mistrust, only to reach the bottom and discover he was right all along. Without hesitation, Sam runs back up those steps out of sheer love and loyalty in order to save Frodo.
When Frodo tries to go it alone, Sam follows him. When Frodo loses heart, Sam rallies him. When Frodo can’t walk, Sam carries him. Every time Frodo seems to start struggling with his quest, Sam is there, helping him continue. There’s no greater sidekick in all of cinema than Samwise Gamgee, and he’s quite possibly the biggest unsung hero ever to exist. (In film, at least.)
And that’s our list. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow Corner of Film on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @corneroffilm to keep up to date with all our excellent content!
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