As perhaps the most iconic fantasy series of the modern era, The Lord of the Rings has captivated readers and audience members with its majestic world-building, depth, and characters. Figures such as the wise and jovial Gandalf, brave and noble Aragorn, and loyal Samwise have stayed with and inspired entire generations. As The Lord of the Rings franchise continues to evolve and grow, as demonstrated by Amazon’s upcoming TV series, new characters and conflicts will come to the forefront.
The upcoming video game Gollum will no doubt do the same and shed some additional nuance on existing beloved characters. However, there are already some memorable game-only LOTR characters that deserve tribute and love.
7 Beleram
Forgotten to the sands of time, War in the North is not a game that most people will recall. Released back in 2011, the game had a lukewarm reception despite having an interesting premise. However, it did introduce an interesting character in the form of Beleram.
As the only eagle with some sort of characterization within the entire LOTR franchise, Beleram is rescued early on in the game. From there on, the eagle takes on a primary role in fighting back against orcs and trolls consolidating in the North. The gentle giant may even give its life for the cause depending on the actions players take.
6 Baranor/Warad
A rare example of an important character of color within the Tolkien Legendarium, Baranor originally hailed from Harad but was subsequently adopted by a wealthy Gondorian family in Minas Ithil. From there, he eventually joined the military and slowly worked his way up the ranks, becoming a Gondorian sergeant and frontline commander.
As a playable character in Shadow Oo War: Desolation of Mordor, players get to experience an unconventional POV in an unusual part of Middle-earth that was previously unexplored: the desert. Further background reveals and characterization makes Baranor a fascinating figure in his own right.
5 Eltariel
Known as the "Blade of Galadriel", Eltariel serves as Galadriel’s assassin sent to put down the Nazgul and keep them out of the fight for as long as possible. As a lawfully good-aligned character, Eltariel has a complicated relationship with the rings of power and with the characters tied to them, namely Talion and Celebrimbor.
Eltariel's inner conflict is inflamed when she witnesses how the new ring of power (formed during the events of Middle-earth: Shadow of War) was able to make the ringwraiths vulnerable to death, and she becomes a willing subject to be used to contain Sauron. This central conflict, which challenges her morals and judgments, and her preference to win the favor of Orcs and Olloks (versus subjugating them) make her an interesting character within the franchise.
4 Talion
As the main protagonist of both Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Talion is the Aragorn who fell from grace whilst still retaining a sense of nobility and duty. Once a proud family man and ranger captain, Talion lost it all; well, almost. Talion returns as a wraith and manages to convince Celebrimbor to go on the warpath against Sauron.
Although he embraces his darkness more and more throughout the games, Talion still understands what’s at stake and justifies his actions in the name of holding back the ultimate evil. Players will come to empathize with and respect Talion as a ranger who has more layers underneath him.
3 Celebrimbor
Celebrimbor is mentioned several times in the LOTR lore and was instrumental in the creation of the Three Rings of Power meant for the Elves. However, his character is greatly reimagined in the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War video games, showing him wanting vengeance and retribution for Sauron’s actions.
Consumed by wrath and ruthlessness, Celebrimbor brought a whole new dynamic to the classic Good vs Evil theme within the franchise as he was willing to supplant the reigning evil. The non-canonical Celebrimbor is an exciting character because he represents the idea of what if elves were evil or willing to embrace it to achieve their goals.
2 Shelob
Completely reimagined in the games as a misunderstood black-haired beauty, Shelob is more than just a massive spider seeking to consume her prey. In Shadow of War, she is known to have been a former ally and lover of Sauron before he betrayed her.
Seeking revenge, Shelob helps Talion realize Celebrimbor’s unsavory ambitions to replace and enslave Sauron. She also aids Talion to take down both Sauron and the Bright Lord. In an alternative lens, Shelob aids Frodo’s journey by attacking him which was meant to hasten both Samwise and Frodo’s attempt to destroy the ring.
1 The Archer Class
Star Wars: Battlefront but in the style of LOTR, Conquest allowed players to replay and relive classic (though unrealistic) battles that occurred during the LOTRs trilogy. Though players can choose between several classes and heroes, the archer class stands out on top.
Easily the most versatile class, the archer class can overcome the scout’s invisibility whilst fire arrows can instant headshot kill enemy archers and mages. Fire arrows also do 70% damage to warriors making the archer class super effective. Mastering this class isn’t a walk in the barrow downs but once players get the swing of it, enemies will melt before them.