Hero of the Month - Edition N°19

For the edition N°19, we go back in the Middle Earth, to see the most badass dwarf of the Tolkien's universe: Gimli, son of Gloin.

Gimli is the son of the dwarf warrior Gloin, who was one of the members of Thorin Oakenshield's company, which reconquered the town of Erebor from the hands of the dragon Smaug. Gimli would have liked to participate in the expedition but was refused, considered too young at the time. A few years later, Gimli accompanied his father to Rivendell to attend the council of Elrond, to decide what to do with the One Ring. During the council, Gimli tries to destroy the ring but fails, the object being indestructible by ordinary weapons. Gimli does not hesitate to show his anger against the elves and says to Legolas that he would rather die than see the ring in the hands of an elf.

When the community is formed, Gimli volunteers to represent the dwarves. During the journey, Gimli will propose several times to go through the mines of Moria, to go faster and meet his cousin Balin. Because of the traps of Saroumane, the group has no other choice and goes to the mines. But when they arrive, they discover that the Moria is no more than a tomb, filled with the mommified bodies of the dwarves, and infested with goblins. Gimli will also discover, with great sadness, the tomb of Balin. In an epic battle against goblins and a balrog, Gimli manages to survive. In the Lothlorian (in a cut scene from the first film), Gimli confesses to Legolas, that he fell in love with Lady Galadriel, that he finds her more than beautiful and that he asked her, with her permission, to obtain a strand of her silver hair, which she accepted, giving him three strands, which Gimli now keep with him. During the Uruk-Hai attack in the forest, Gimli once again fights with Aragorn and Legolas, but they fail to save Boromir. Gimli now follows Aragorn and Legolas in their hunt to find the Uruks who kidnapped Merry and Pippin during the attack.

Gimli will always follow his two friends, who will not find Merry and Pippin, but will make a meet they did not expect: Gandalf appears to them, having survived the balrog and Moria. Together they went to Edoras, the capital of the Rohan kingdom, and saved King Theoden, whose spirit had been poisoned by Saruman.

Because of the growing threat of Isengard, the Rohan's people are exiled to Helm's Deep, and Gimli is part of the journey. During the Battle of Helm's against the giant Uruks army, Gimli is present, alongside Legolas and elves, and is the only dwarf present in the battle. He will once again demonstrate his thirst and skill for combat by killing a large number of Uruks and will not hesitate to throw himself alone into the fray from the top of a rampart to protect Aragorn. Gimli survives the battle, and it is during this battle that the friendship between Gimli and Legolas begins to appear a little, both having made a "contest" of the one who would kill the most enemies.

In "The Return of the King," Gimli stays with Aragorn and Legolas, his two inseparable friends, and accompanies King Theoden and his troops to a rallying camp, before leaving for the Gondor and helping them against Sauron's troops . But finally, after a revelation from Elrond to Aragorn, Gimli follows him, with Legolas, in the depths of the mountain, in search of a kind of cursed army, which could prove to be a major advantage against the armies of Sauron.

In the mountain, the three companions will meet terrifyingly an army of ghosts, the army of the dead, who in their lifetime had sworn to serve the ancestor of Aragorn, Isildur, but who had betrayed the latter, and Isildur cursed them for this, wishing that they never find rest before the fulfillment of their oath. Aragorn, as heir of Isildur, rallies the dead to his side, promising them the rest they hope so much if they help him.

During the battle of Minas Tirith, Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas arrive, the army of the dead with them, and sweep the last orc troops still present. Again, Gimli and Legolas make a contest. Legolas manages to kill an Oliphant, but Gimli considers that despite the size, it counts only for one.

After that, Gimli participates in the final battle in front of the Gate of Mordor, where his friendship with Legolas is confirmed when the elf asks the dwarf if he is ready to die at the side of a friend, and Gimli answers that yes, he can do it. Gimli fights with all his might, like all his companions in battle, and he survives, witnessing the destruction of Sauron. Gimli also attends the crowning of Aragorn, as king of Gondor.
Even if it is not shown in the films, after the defeat of Sauron, Gimli and Legolas continue to be friends, and one day, with the agreement of Lady Galadriel, Gimli is allowed to leave the Middle Earth, with Legolas, towards the elven lands, becoming surely the first dwarf to receive this honor.

Mathias, the Killmaster

Fire and Blood \m/