Five forgotten characters from The Lord of the Rings who undoubtedly deserve their own interesting spin-off TV series or movie.
The Lord of the Rings franchise has hundreds of unique and interesting characters, but out of them all; none may deserve their own unique spin-off stories quite like these five.
Five forgotten Lord of the Rings characters who deserve their own spotlight
Haldir
Haldir was a Silvan Elf of Lothlorien and the leader of the Marchwarden, a group of Elven scouts whose job it was to patrol the dangerous borders of the Golden Wood. In both Tolkien’s classic books and Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy, Haldir’s leadership shines through as he intercepts the Fellowship just after their harrowing escape from the Mines of Moria, but there’s much more to this Elven warrior than meets the eye.
In The Two Towers, Haldir makes a grand return when he leads an army of 500 Elven warriors to aid the defence of Helms Deep and whilst the regiment fights fiercely against Saruman’s Uruk-hai, he is tragically killed during the battle.
Interestingly, this entire scene was created for Jackson’s movie adaptation as no Elves (aside from Legolas) were present during the battle in the original text; in fact, Haldir was said to be defending Lothlorien against the orcs who followed the Fellowship from Moria at the time of the siege.
Picture this: a thrilling spin-off delving into Haldir’s life before he crossed paths with the Fellowship. Imagine witnessing his rise to prominence, leading the border guards of Lothlorien in a fierce battle against the menacing orcs of Moria encroaching on their territory. Let’s also not forget his bond with Aragorn, evolving from comrades and brothers-in-arms to rank-and-file representatives of their two races and eventually, close friends.
King of the dead
The King of the Dead was the ghostly apparition from Dwimorberg whom Aragorn was able to summon to help defend Minas Tirith in The Return of the King. Originally known as ‘King of the Mountains’, this warrior was previously in charge of the ‘Men of the White Mountains’ during the Second Age of Middle-earth.
Picture this: a spine-chilling spin-off that takes us back to the time of the King of the Dead’s betrayal. These once loyal followers worshipped Sauron before changing their allegiance to Isildur and the race of men. But when the War of the Last Alliance called upon them to fulfil their oath, they faltered, leading to their cursed existence between the realms of the living and the dead.
We could witness the conflict that tore at the very soul of the King and his followers as they debated which path to choose. That being said, there is a good chance that we could see the King of the Dead (pre-curse) in future seasons of The Rings of Power, which is also set in the Second Age of Middle-earth.
Bill the Pony and Shadowfax
In what could certainly be one of the more unique spin-off stories from The Lord of the Rings, the unsung heroes of the franchise include both Bill the Pony and the stallion, Shadowfax.
Bill the Pony was purchased by Sam in Bree after the rest of their horses had been stolen. Despite being old, frail, and weak, Bill’s health improved significantly upon arriving in Rivendell and after being let go at the Moria gates, he returned to Elrond on his own accord.
Interestingly, in the original books, Bill later played a key part of the Battle of Bywater (a fight for control of the Shire in the latter stages of the war); he would even become a semi-celebrity in the Shire after kicking a conman called Bill Ferny, who was his former master and a spy for Saruman.
Similarly, Shadowfax was the beautiful horse summoned and ridden by Gandalf during The Two Towers. This stead is a descendent of, and the chieftain of the greatest race of horses in Middle-earth with hyperintelligence and speed that could only be matched by flying Eagles. Shadowfax was also pivotal as transportation during the siege of Minas Tirith and according to The Lord of the Rings Fandom page, he also accompanied Gandalf across the sea and into the West.
The animal characters of The Lord of the Rings are often forgotten but if there was any type of spin-off that focused on our four-legged heroes, Bill and Shadowfax could make fascinating central figures.
Barliman Butterbur
Enter Barliman Butterbur, the owner of The Prancing Pony, the famous inn that sheltered our beloved Hobbits on their journey just before meeting Aragorn. But don’t let his unassuming demeanour fool you; Barliman had a life full of intrigue and a deep connection with none other than Gandalf.
Imagine this: a gripping prequel tale that unravels the mysteries of Barliman’s past, exploring how he came to own The Prancing Pony. Witness the different races of Middle-earth mingle as they cross paths within the walls of his inn and delve into the clandestine world of secret messages and espionage masterminded by none other than Gandalf himself.
Radagast the Brown
Similar to Barliman Butterbur, a possible spin-off focusing on Radagast the Brown would likely heavily involve Gandalf, as both are members of the five wizards sent to Middle-earth to contest the will of Sauron.
Despite being immensely powerful and potentially one of the strongest warriors that could have joined the alliance, Radagast isolated himself during the War of the Ring and instead concerned himself with the well-being of the plants and animals of Middle-earth. Whilst Radagast is absent from Peter Jackson’s original trilogy, the character features prominently in The Hobbit movies by not only discovering the Necromancer but also aiding Thorin’s company on their adventure.
Imagine a prequel series that focuses on a younger (a relative term when talking about thousand-year-old wizards) Radagast as he comes to learn about the flora and fauna of Middle-earth. From Ent’s and Wargs to his giant Rhosgobel Rabbits, this animal-focused spin-off would breathe new life into Middle-earth in a manner that we are yet to fully see explored.
Which character from The Lord of the Rings would you like to see get their own story?
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