Place 1: Bilbo Baggins
Although he initially resisted, Bilbo Baggins became a true adventurer. With his sword Sting, he fought against spiders, outsmarted trolls, bested Gollum in a deadly riddle contest, and even stole from a dragon. Throughout, he displayed courage, cleverness, and compassion – even towards his enemies.
Furthermore, Bilbo was of course also a Ring-bearer. He possessed the One Ring for a proud 60 years. Although he occasionally made use of its power, he was never possessed like Gollum once was. More importantly: Bilbo was the first to willingly renounce the Ring. Although he was prompted by Gandalf, this is still quite impressive after such a long period of influence.
With his adventures, Bilbo inspired many other Hobbits, especially Frodo. Without him, the story of Middle-earth would likely have unfolded very differently.
Do you agree with the ranking? Who do you think is the strongest Hobbit? Let us know in the comments!
Comparing Hobbits with each other is already difficult. Comparing their qualities with those of other races from Middle-earth is even harder. My colleague Christoph Waldboth has attempted this and compared all nine companions in a ranking: The Lord of the Rings: Frodo and his companions in the power ranking – Who is the strongest?
