Silmarillion's Mightiest Heroes Top the Fellowship

The Fellowship of the Ring is one of fantasy's most famous teams, but Screen Rant argues that a dozen heroes from Tolkien's deeper mythology accomplished things that make the quest to destroy the One Ring look modest.

The outlet's list draws from "The Silmarillion," the collection of stories set thousands of years before Bilbo's birthday party. In that First Age, Elven kings challenged dark gods in single combat, mortals faced ancient dragons, and heroes infiltrated strongholds to steal jewels from the most powerful evil Middle-earth has ever known.

Screen Rant leads with Fingolfin, the High King of the Noldor. After the devastating battle called Dagor Bragollach, he rode alone to Angband and challenged Morgoth, Sauron's master, to a duel. Fingolfin wounded Morgoth seven times and permanently injured his foot before being killed. No member of the Fellowship marched to the gates of the greatest evil alone and demanded a fight.

Lúthien gets her own spotlight. She defeated Sauron with magic, helped Beren escape captivity, and entered Angband, where her song put Morgoth and his court to sleep so Beren could cut a Silmaril from the crown. Screen Rant notes she directly overcame beings far more powerful than anything the Fellowship faced, using sheer magical ability rather than courage and unity alone.

Túrin Turambar is described as one of the deadliest human warriors Tolkien created. He killed Glaurung, the first great dragon, by striking it from below as it crossed a ravine. The dragon's size, intelligence and supernatural influence made the feat extraordinary, especially compared to Smaug in "The Hobbit."

The list also includes Ecthelion, who killed Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs, during the fall of Gondolin, and Glorfindel, who took down a Balrog at Cirith Thoronath before being restored to life. Screen Rant points out that Gandalf, a Maia, died fighting a single Balrog. That an Elf managed to kill the Balrog's captain makes those stands truly epic.

Beren, Húrin, Finrod Felagund, Fëanor and Maedhros round out the ten. Many are deeply flawed characters whose pride and choices led to tragedy, but their martial ability and endurance go beyond anything seen in the later Third Age.

Screen Rant says the contrast shows why so many First Age stories remain tantalizing candidates for future adaptations. The Silmarillion offers a version of Middle-earth where even its greatest heroes seem larger than life, with battles, romances and tragedies that could rival anything already brought to screens.

• Fellowship
• First Age
• J.R.R. Tolkien
• Lord of the Rings
• Middle-earth
• The Silmarillion