Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring, as described in the first volume of The Lord of the Rings, which bears the same name, is a union of 9 representatives of free peoples from all over Middle-earth, the number chosen to be equal to the number of the Ringwraiths. The task of the Fellowship is to help Frodo bear the One Ring to the land of Mordor where he can destroy it by throwing it into Mount Doom. The Nine Walkers set out on their quest at the beginning winter after their fellowship was formed at the Council of Elrond.

The fellowship is led at first by Gandalf, but after his fall in the mines of Moria Aragorn leads them until the fellowship is broken by Boromir's treachery and the attack of the Orcs.

Although the Fellowship disintegrated after Boromir's death, having passed only half of the way to Mordor, it assisted Frodo in passing the first, extremely perilous part of the journey, beyond which there was little need for the Fellowship's remarkable fighting skills. Instead, the remaining members of the Fellowship succeeded in awakening the free peoples of Anduin to the menace hovering above them and bringing about the military setback of Sauron, which then enabled Frodo to complete his mission.

The members of the Fellowship are:

• Dwarf:
  • Gimli
• Elf:
  • Legolas
• Hobbits:
  • Frodo Baggins
  • Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry)
  • Peregrin Took (Pippin)
  • Sam Gamgee
• Men:
  • Aragorn
  • Boromir
• Wizard:
  • Gandalf

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When published in three volumes, the first volume of The Lord of the Rings is called The Fellowship of the Ring.