Place 3: Sam
The good, sincere Sam has certainly earned this third place. Yes, he may not be a great fighter, is sometimes clumsy and a bit gluttonous, but without him, Frodo would be lost.
One could even argue that Frodo’s mission only comes to a happy ending because Sam is a part of it. He accompanies his friend all the way to Mordor and carries him by hand all the way to the fires of Mount Doom.
He even carries the ring for a short time and resists its power. Sam also fights against Shelob and defeats her. He is the friend that Frodo desperately needs and essentially the one companion every adventurer wishes for on his journey.
Place 2: Aragorn
The heir of Gondor is the born leader. Although he is initially introduced as a mysterious, quiet ranger, we soon realize: Aragorn is an indispensable part of the fellowship. He safely leads the hobbits to Rivendell and from there guides the companions through uncertain territory.
Aragorn accompanies the companions out of Moria shortly after Gandalf has died there. He leads battles such as that of Helm’s Deep, defeats countless enemies, and faces the Mouth of Sauron fearlessly. He convinces the King of the Dead to fight alongside during the final battle.
Moreover, the ring cannot harm Aragorn—although he is a man. On the contrary, he always knows how to behave properly and even declines Frodo’s offer to take the ring. In the end, he accepts his fate and ascends the throne with his great love Arwen.
Place 1: Gandalf
The mere fact that Gandalf is a wizard already gives him a power greater than that of the other companions. Until his supposed death in the Mines of Moria, he is the leader of the group, fighting alone against the Balrog shortly before his fatal fall and defeating him after days of combat. The accompanying iconic quote, by the way, was not in the script.
He then returns as Gandalf the White. Even more powerful than before, he saves Rohan by freeing King Théoden from Saruman’s influence, rushes to the rescue of Helm’s Deep, and proves himself in the final battle of Minas Tirith as a skilled strategist.
The companions needed a wizard like Gandalf. He is the glue that holds them together, and when he suddenly disappears after Moria, the group falls apart. For this reason, and due to his extensive magical powers, Gandalf is, in our opinion, the strongest of all nine companions.
That was our ranking of the 9 companions. Do you agree with the placements, or would you have ranked them differently? We are eager to hear your opinion, so feel free to share it in the comments. If you are interested in another fantastic power ranking, feel free to check out MeinMMO: Harry Potter: The 10 most dangerous Death Eaters in the Power Ranking
