Guide
to 'The Two Towers' Characters
By
ANTHONY BREZNICAN AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Know your Sauron from
your Saruman? Ever mix up Gimli and Gollum, or an orc and an
Uruk-hai?
As the sword-and-sorcery sequel ``The Lord of the Rings: The
Two Towers'' ventures into theaters, the vastness of author
J.R.R. Tolkien's universe can give viewers a habit for confusing
hobbits.
The new film picks up where ``The Fellowship of the Ring'' ended:
Heroic Frodo and his loyal friend Sam are lost in the hills
of Emyn Muil with the One Ring, which provides devastating power
to its bearer.
The fellowship that was formed to destroy the ring in the volcanic
fires of Mount Doom has fractured in battle. The hobbits Merry
and Pippin were kidnapped, the wizard Gandalf plunged into a
canyon while fighting a demon, and the human Boromir was slain
by enemy soldiers.
Now, the quest begins to turn around two colossal towers, each
with a ghoulish army trying to reclaim the ring.
Although Tolkien created Middle-earth in encyclopedic detail,
here is a very brief overview of the heroes and villains, along
with who plays them in the movies.
Frodo Baggins,
hobbit
Growing up in the hobbits' peaceful land, the Shire, Frodo longed
for adventure. When he inherits the all-powerful One Ring from
his elderly relative, Bilbo Baggins, Frodo must set off to destroy
it to neutralize its violent power. Despite being small and
without magic powers, he is able to withstand the ring's temptations
better than many others. He is the first to volunteer for the
quest that leads to the formation of the fellowship.
Performer: Elijah Wood
Gandalf, wizard
This powerful, magical being has a soft spot in his heart for
the simplicity of the hobbits. After learning that his mentor,
Saruman, has gone over to the side of evil, Gandalf helps Frodo
in the quest to destroy the ring. Although Gandalf appears to
die in the Mines of Moria, wizards can be reborn in more powerful
forms.
Performer: Ian McKellen
Samwise
``Sam'' Gamgee, hobbit
Sam, a simple gardener, becomes a loyal ally to Frodo and promises
Gandalf that he will protect his friend. When Frodo tries to
flee the fellowship in a boat, for fear that the corrupting
power of the ring will destroy them all, Sam nearly drowns trying
to catch up with him. Frodo rescues Sam from the water and they
set off together, with the ring, for Mount Doom.
Performer: Sean Astin
Aragorn, human
Eons earlier, Aragorn's royal ancestor, Isildur, cut the ring
from the hand of its creator, the evil Sauron. But instead of
destroying the ring, Isildur became corrupted by its power and
eventually lost it. Aragorn, heir to the throne, has avoided
humans, living in the wilderness under the name Strider. Now
he hopes to reverse his family legacy by helping Frodo on the
mission to destroy the ring.
Performer: Viggo Mortensen
Gimli, dwarf
The gruff, ax-wielding Gimli feels the dwarfs' old animus toward
the race of elves, but agrees to team up with one of them on
the fellowship because he fears the power of the ring more.
Gimli urges the group to take a shortcut through the Mines of
Moria, where he is shocked to find an entire underground city
of dwarfs has been destroyed.
Performer: John Rhys-Davies
Legolas, elf
An expert archer, Legolas puts aside his disdain for dwarfs
and joins the fellowship. He and Gimli develop first a grudging
respect and then real friendship that could be the seed of reconciliation
between their feuding cultures.
Performer: Orlando Bloom
Peregrin ``Pippin''
Took and Meriadoc ``Merry'' Brandybuck, hobbits
These prankster friends become embroiled in the adventure when
they run across Frodo and Sam during a pursuit by the wicked
Ringwraiths. Later, in a fierce battle, they manage to steer
the enemy away from Frodo but are captured themselves.
Performers: Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan
Arwen, elf
Daughter of elf leader Elrond, this immortal princess is in
love with the human Aragorn, and is willing to become mortal
to spend her life with him. She saves a wounded Frodo from the
Ringwraiths, and inspires Aragorn on his quest.
Performer: Liv Tyler
Galadriel,
elf
This forest queen offers shelter to the fellowship and encouragement
to Frodo, who fears he is too weak to keep the ring. Frodo tries
to leave the ring in Galadriel's care, but she rejects it, realizing
that Frodo can resist its lure better than she.
Performer: Cate Blanchett
Elrond, elf
The immortal Elrond was present at the battle in which Aragorn's
forefather chopped the ring from Sauron's hand. Centuries later,
weary from a lifetime of war, he explains the ring's history
and helps create the fellowship charged with destroying it.
He is protective of his daughter, Arwen, and worried about her
love for a human, Aragorn.
Performer: Hugo Weaving
Bilbo Baggins,
hobbit
Once, as a world traveler who explored the far reaches of Middle-earth
in search of dragon gold, Bilbo happened upon a foul creature
named Gollum, who possessed a magical ring that could make its
wearer invisible. Bilbo retrieved the ring and kept it for decades.
It begins to corrupt him in old age, so he surrenders it to
Gandalf, who passes it to Frodo in hopes it can be destroyed.
Performer: Ian Holm
Theoden, human
King of the land of Rohan, Theoden has fallen under the spell
of Saruman through a spy planted in his kingdom. Although he
intends to do good, the bewitched ruler is not in control of
his power.
Performer: Bernard Hill
Sauron, dark
wizard
Long ago, this dark lord gave rings to all the rulers of Middle-earth,
promising them unlimited power. But he himself had another ring,
which controlled the others and would give him dominance over
all life — until the ring was cut from his hand in battle.
His spirit survives through the One Ring, which was lost for
centuries. From his tower in the Land of Mordor, he has been
gathering his evil forces to find the ring and take it back.
Performer: Sala Baker, assorted special-effects
Saruman, wizard
Once a member of the Council of the Wise, this top-ranking wizard
betrays Gandalf by succumbing to the temptations of Sauron.
While using magic to thwart the fellowship, Saruman turns the
lush countryside around his tower, Isengard, into an industrial
furnace and builds an army of monsters.
Performer: Christopher Lee
Ringwraiths,
former humans
These nine horsemen were powerful kings and sorcerers before
being corrupted by power and forced to serve Sauron. They hide
beneath black cloaks and travel in search of the ring, to return
it to their master.
Performers: assorted stunt artists and special-effects
Orcs and Uruk-hai,
ghoulish soldiers
The orcs are savage, mutated cannibals who attack only in darkness
because the sun weakens them. Sauron has commanded them in vast
armies, but his ally Saruman breeds hybrid orcs called Uruk-hai,
which are fiercer, stronger and impervious to light.
Performers: assorted stunt artists and special-effects
Gollum, Stoor
hobbit
Gollum was once a Hobbit-like creature named Smeagol. After
discovering the One Ring, his obsession with its power transforms
him into a withered, hissing wretch. He calls the ring ``My
precious'' and spends years searching for it after Bilbo takes
it from his lair. Gollum is tortured by Sauron's forces until
he reveals Baggins' name; he later returns to chase Frodo and
the ring.
Performer: Andy Serkis and computer animation
Grima Wormtongue,
human
This duplicitous adviser to the King of Rohan has pledged his
allegiance to Saruman and serves as a spy in the kingdom.
Performer: Brad Dourif
Eowyn, human
Niece to King Theoden, she recognizes a leader in Aragorn and
tests the warrior's love for the elf Arwen.
Performer: Miranda Otto
Eomer, human
Brother of Eowyn and heir to the throne of Rohan. He is loyal
to his uncle, the king, even though he mistrusts the adviser
Wormtongue.
Performer: Karl Urban
Treebeard,
an Ent
A living, walking tree-shaped shepherd is the oldest being in
Middle-earth.
Performer: voice of John Rhys-Davies
Faramir, human
The brother of the slain Boromir, Faramir's respect for Gandalf
prompts him to join Aragorn and the remainder of the fellowship
on the quest to destroy the ring.
V for
Vendetta Night Watch The Hills Have Eyes
Ultraviolet
Superman Returns
Lady in the Water
The Visiting
The Fountain
The Reaping
X-Men 3
Eragon
Spider-man 3
Meet the Robinsons
The Children of Men
A Scanner Darkly
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Silent Hill
Casshern
