The Middle Earth Popularity Cup

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Give the guy a break, he was cursed by a God you know, a Vala who together with his lesser cousins made the earth and almost everything on it. With his luck and the lousy childhood and adolescence, can we really blame him for being a bit messed up? I agree with Legate that he was hard to get in the Silmarillion but great in Children Of Hurin.

++Túrin

[Elmo]

Turin for the win. He's far more interesting more realistic character. Everyone has his bad and good side so I have more affinity with him.

+ + Turin

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

++Beorn

Because I really, really have issues with Turin.

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

I don't see why you have to try and downgrade some Tolkien's characters just because you don't have anything good to say about the character you voted for! Both of them are amazing characters who deserve to win, but perhaps you should remember the old adage: if you don't have anything good to say don't say anything at all!

Groin, I vote for who I want but I am not taking this very seriously. I'm trying to have fun and make some people laugh, generally I only make me laugh but it's still a laugh. Remember this is mirth and not necessarily a serious forum. If this was in Novice and Newcomers, for example, I'd be a bit more serious with it. I actually love Aragorn but it's fun to poke fun.

Anyway,

++Turin

Have you ever smelled wet bear?

[the phantom]

Beorn is a bit too much of a Tom Bombadil for me to like. Oh, he's likable on a personal level, but he doesn't fit nicely into Middle Earth given the info we have on him.

Turin though- his story is perhaps my favorite of all. And I feel he should be compensated for the terrible curse placed on him and the things that resulted. And he really was a good guy deep down. Just see his dealings with Mim, his friendship with Beleg, and his treatment of dear old Sador, and you'll see the type of guy he is when he's not being driven to the brink by unbelievably bad luck (thanks to Morgoth's curse).

++ Turin

[Strongbow]

++Beorn

Mmm...honey and clotted cream.

[Ilya]

++Turin

Gotta love it when Tolkien channels Greek tragedy. Besides, bears are brutal killing machines.

[Nerwen]

++Túrin

I'm glad to see someone takes the bear threat seriously!

[Tuor in Gondolin]

I'm glad to see someone takes the bear threat seriously!

So its finally revealed.
Nerwen is Stephen Colbert !

[Nerwen]

Vala-less killing machines!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by the phantom on Beorn

he doesn't fit nicely into Middle Earth given the info we have on him.

That's very much true indeed.

Also Túrin is just marvellously tragic hero.

++ Túrin

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Another tight contest but Túrin was strongest in the end, winning by 10-7, thus securing the last spot in the quarter finals. Is this another instance where early success will turn sour in the end for Neithan the Wronged? The quarter-finals will begin tomorrow.

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The second round offered plenty of good and even matches but few surprises. The biggest upset was without a doubt the demise of Frodo Baggins himself, at the hands of the relatively obscure Beleg Strongbow.

A few statistics so far:

Gandalf has received 24 votes so far in total which is 5 more than Galadriel who comes second.

In matches between a character born in the first age and a character born in the third age, the first age player has come out on top 75 % of the times.

Three of the nine members of the fellowship is still in the running. Five character are representing the Silmarillion while four are representing The Lord Of The Rings.

Odds from Betberry:
17/6 Gandalf; 5/1 Sam; 7/1 Boromir; 12/1 Túrin; 15/1 Maedhros, Galadriel; 50/1 Sauron; 100/1 Beleg

The quarter finals:

Beleg Strongbow (8) - Sauron (6)
Maedhros (6) - Boromir (8)

Gandalf (7) - Galadriel (6)
Samwise (6) - Túrin (10)

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Quarter Final 1:

In arguably the weakest 1/8 final, Beleg, who sensationally knocked out Frodo in the second round, faces Sauron, who has plenty of support on this board, probably more for his entertaining werewolf isle than for his evil schemes for world domination.

Beleg vs. Sauron:

[mormegil]

++Beleg

I vacationed with him once and he was a great chap!

[Elmo]

++ Sauron

Now there was a maia who knew how to get things done.

[Nerwen]

Actually, Elmo,

++Sauron

was only one Maia.

[Morthoron]

++Sauron

[Gollum the Great]

++Beleg

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

++Beleg

Because he smells of curry

[the phantom]

Ooh, tough one here. Both would be great to advance. I'd love to champion the underdog here (Beleg is one of my favorite characters), but I think advancing Sauron would lead to more interesting semis and finals perhaps. Plus you simply can't pass over his accomplishments and the amazing amount of time that he was able to be a force in Middle-Earth.

++ Sauron

[Tuor in Gondolin]

++ Beleg

If you're going to walk down a dark alley,
who better for reliable, potent muscle?

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by the phantom

Plus you simply can't pass over his accomplishments and the amazing amount of time that he was able to be a force in Middle-Earth.

Yes if you count all the time we was a mere malicious presence, but essentially a non-entity and wasn't really in power but other than that yes he was great. C'mon he spent the majority of time trying to get his power back and bowing to the might of Numenor. He was a pawn of Melkor who his real purpose was to get him back and he failed.

[the phantom]

Yes if you count all the time we was a mere malicious presence

I do count that time, because his will and his servants were still a force in Middle Earth through that time. That's more than you can say for pretty much everyone else.

And yes, he did for a time bow to Numenor, but it was all a plot to bring about its downfall. Which he pulled off, thank you very much.

[Strongbow]

++Beleg

Namesake, rather than avatar.

[Groin Redbeard]

++Sauron

Has done more for the sake of evil than any other character in Arda, besides Morgoth.

[Elmo]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

++Sauron

Has done more for the sake of evil than any other character in Arda, besides Morgoth.

Exactly, everyone loves a trier.

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by the phantom

I do count that time, because his will and his servants were still a force in Middle Earth through that time. That's more than you can say for pretty much everyone else.

And yes, he did for a time bow to Numenor, but it was all a plot to bring about its downfall. Which he pulled off, thank you very much.

So then Galadriel is your pick eh?

[the phantom]

So then Galadriel is your pick eh?

Huh? Her match isn't until later. This is the Sauron-Beleg match.

Are you trying to draw a parallel between Sauron and Galadriel? She never took down Numenor. And she definitely didn't come within an inch of taking over the world. And her actions didn't cause the shape of the earth to be altered either. She's not comparable when it comes to deeds. Her chance for victory lies in personality, her positive dealings with others (Aragorn, Gimli, etc), and possibly her looks.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

++Sauron

Beleg just never did anything for me. shrug

[Andsigil]

++Beleg

He was a true friend, indeed.

Besides, I just hate evil on principle, no matter how interesting it might be.

[Ilya]

++Beleg

If this were some sort of power cup, the one in need of clearasil would have it. But, Beleg's far more personable.

[Nogrod]

Go Beleg, Go!

++ Beleg

Let's resist the Betberry odds!

Originally Posted by tp

I'd love to champion the underdog here (Beleg is one of my favorite characters), but I think advancing Sauron would lead to more interesting semis and finals perhaps.

On the contrary! We only need to eliminate Boromir, Gandalf and Sam after kicking Sauron out and this will really become interesting!

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

On the contrary! We only need to eliminate Boromir, Gandalf and Sam after kicking Sauron out and this will really become interesting!

Not Sam! All the others are fine.

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Beleg has sensationally reached the semi-finals by defeating Sauron 8 votes to 6.

Quarter final 2:
You could say these guys are morally ambiguous but their form has been entirely good so far. Maedhros knocked out Bilbo in the first round while Boromir was too strong for Saruman in the second round. Only one can progress further. Who will it be?

Maedhros - Boromir

[Morthoron]

Hmmm..I voted against both of these dudes if I recall. Well, I guess I have to go on sheer battle prowess for this round, as I don't really care for either. Mad one-handed Maedhros would mop the floor with angsty Boromir.

++Maedhros

[Elmo]

Boromir++ Wasn't complicit in child-murder for one. And had a great lament written about him.

[mormegil]

++Maedhros

Chicks dig guys with one hand...

[Nogrod]

Boromir sure is one of those dearest to me in the LotR, but now I'm afraid he faces a bit too tough a competition.

Maedhros and Boromir are both alike in that they both craved for masterpieces of smithery and were ready to step out from their moral obligations to their friends, relatives, kin or allies to get that.

But there the similarities end for me.

Compare thir history of heroism in battle and governance; Boromir took one small town from the orcs... and didn't even manage to save two hobbits - and that's it. With Maedhros you have Dagor Aglareb, defending Himring (and with that denied the entrance to Beleriand) when all else was lost, forcing the union to regain lost lands and setting the siege of Angband which was lost mainly to the treachery of men etc

Or compare their tragicness. Boromir didn't get what he wanted and frustrated because of his people. Maedhros took part in the tragic events at Alqualondë, saw his father die firsthand after a glorious victory over Morgoth, was imprisoned in Thangorodrim for years, fought in Dagor Bragollach and Nirnaeth Arneodiad which were not lost because of him, took part in the second kinslaying because of the oath...

Compare their motives in their tragedy: Boromir got lured by a Ring and went mad with megalopsykhia concerning only his personal glory and petty humans of one town while Maedhros was bound by an oath to the Valar and he kept it to the bitter end even if he knew it would destroy him.

So it will be

++ Maedhros

for me.

Go first age, go!

[Groin Redbeard]

++Boromir

Elmo is right when he talks about Boromir not being as complicated and Maedhros is and I think that is the main reason that people can relate to Boromir more. Unlike Maedhros, Boromir wasn't out to get revenge for his father or cause misery all for the sake of jewels. Instead Boromir set out with noble intentions of seeing the quest through until his road parted with Aragorn to Minas Tirith, but was in time corrupted by the Ring. Let's face it, Boromir's death was heroic and more tragic than Maedhros'.