The Fellowship

Origin
Members
Travels
Break-up
Reuniting
Fates
Images

Origin:

    Council of Elrond - The Fellowship met at Rivendell at the Council of Elrond, without being called. It appeared to be divine intervention by the Valar.
    The Valar - Hid the Ring with Gollum, sent the Istari including Gandalf to Middle-earth, placed the Ring in Bilbo's hand, had Frodo raised by Bilbo as their instrument, sent visions and prophecy, chose the Ringbearers and Fellowship, brought them to Rivendell, sent Eagles.
    The Istari - Gandalf recognized the Ring and all it meant, aided the Ringbearers Bilbo and Frodo, warned others of the need for action, aided all the Fellowship
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Members:

    Aragorn II - leader, fighter: sword and some bow, highly skilled tracker. Connection to Rivendell and to Rangers. Extremely widely traveled.
    Boromir - fighter, physical strength. Connection to Gondor.
    Frodo - most capable Ring carrier in Middle-earth due to being a hobbit, spirit, lack of desire for power, already having all he wanted, likable. Also used a special sword and special chain mail. Stealthy.
    Gandalf - leader, advisor, wizard, fighter, knowledge and wisdom.
    Gimli - fighter - axe. Peace between Dwarves and Elves. Connection to the Dwarves as son of member of Thorin's company and relation to royalty.
    Legolas - eyes and ears of the group, distance fighter - highly skilled bow, melee fighter with a knife (two in the movies). Connection to all the Elves; prince of Mirkwood, distant relative of Lord Celeborn, friendly with Rivendell.
    Merry - stealth, independent thought, organizer. Made connection to Fangorn, Rohan.
    Pippin - stealth, charm. Made connection to Fangorn, Gondor. Also sword-fought.
    Sam - Gave physical strength to Frodo, spy, great moral support, total loyalty. Also sword-fought, stealthy.
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Travels: where, met, and accomplishments

    Rivendell - Brought the Ring and Fellowship together, gave mission, supplies, and scouted ahead.
    Caradhras - proved they had to go through Moria
    Eregion/Hollin - fought wolves and Watcher, found entrance to Moria.
    Moria - passed through Moria despite all obstacles, destroyed the Balrog. Death of Gandalf, allowing rebirth as a stronger Istar. Gollum began tracking.
    Lothlorien - resupplied, rested, threw off trackers except Gollum. Canoes improving travel.
    Amon Hen - Frodo finally forced to do as he intended and break away from the Fellowship. Sam joined him. Boromir's death trying to keep the hobbits from being taken by Orcs. Merry and Pippin captured by Orcs helping break the Fellowship from Frodo to Aragorn, as Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas went to rescue the two hobbits.
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The Fellowship Fragments: who, where, met, accomplishments

    The Redeemed - Boromir
    The Ringbearers - Frodo and Sam
    The Three Hunters - Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas
       Make connection with Eomer and his Eored.
       Reunite with Gandalf. Save Rohan. Sent to Minas Tirith. On the way there, they aim Eowyn and Merry at the Witch-king (unknowingly), collect the Rangers and twin sons of Elrond for the army, redeem the ghostly Oathbreakers, free Umbar, and collect an army and fleet.
    The Two Pebbles that start an avalanche - Merry and Pippin
       Merry and Pippin cause the Ents to attack Saruman and the Huorns to attack the Orcs at Helm's Deep
       Merry joins the Rohirrim and helps Eowyn kill the Witch-king, who is the leader of the enemy attack on Minas Tirith.
       Pippin misleads Sauron with the Palantir, helping distract Sauron from Frodo and setting up Aragorn's later diversion.
       Pippin joins the Gondorians. He saves the life of the Steward, Faramir, who will pass on the kingdom to Aragorn without a civil war, and will act as his trustworthy Steward when Aragorn goes to wars.
    The White Wizard - must act for all the Istari, given greater power, uses it well.
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Reuniting: who, where, met, accomplishments

    Fangorn Forest - Merry and Pippin meet up with Fangorn. Gandalf reunited with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas.
    Rohan: Helm's Deep, Isengard - Saruman's power broken. Gandalf brings Erkenbrand's forces to Helm's Deep. Huorns finish destroying the Orcs at Helm's Deep. The Ents destroy Isengard and undertake the guarding of Saruman. Merry and Pippin reunite with Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas. The rangers including Elladan and Elrohir join Aragorn. Merry joins the Rohirrim and rides with Eowyn. Pippin has been seen through the Palantir of Orthanc by Sauron and is suspected of carrying the Ring, so Gandalf hauls him at high speed by Shadowfax to Minas Tirith, adding to the deflection from Frodo.
    Paths of the Dead - Aragorn requires more warriors and must stop the Corsair fleet from hitting Minas Tirith. To do this he takes the Paths of the Dead to collect the Dead who owe him service and to speed his trip. With him go the Grey Company (rangers plus Elladan and Elrohir), Gimli, and Legolas. The Dead are released after taking the ships by fear. Legolas is hit with Sea-longing, but resists it for a very long time, until the death of Aragorn.
    Minas Tirith - Pippin joins the service of Gondor and saves its last Steward, Faramir, from burning alive, preventing potential civil war at the time Aragorn claims the throne. Merry and Eowyn kill the leader of the Enemy forces who is also head of the Nazgul, the Witch-king. Gandalf takes over the leadership of Minas Tirith. Aragorn leads the humans, Grey Company, sons of Elrond, Gimli, and Legolas on the Corsair ships to attack the Enemy from the other side and prevent them from having reinforcements. Aragorn takes up the kingship.
     Mordor: Aragorn leads an attack on the Black Gate of Mordor, to keep Sauron from spotting Frodo and to remove the armies from Frodo's way. Pippin kills a giant Hill Troll and saves the life of Beregond, who will become a loyal follower of Faramir in Ithilien. Frodo, Sam, and Gollum take the Ring through Ithilien, past Minas Ithil, through Cirith Ungol, to Mt. Doom and destroy the Ring, although not in a straightforward manner as Gollum and for a short time, Frodo, want to keep the Ring.
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Fates: after the destruction of the Ring

    Aragorn - Rules the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor, allied to many. Married Elrond's daughter Arwen. Has children: son Eldarion and numerous daughters. Excellent rulership, puts down the many left-overs from Sauron.  Long and honorable life, leaves kingdom to his son, Eldarion.
    Boromir- Redeems himself giving his life in defense of the hobbits, Merry and Pippin
    Frodo - After helping clear out Saruman, aids the rebuilding of the Shire, Mayor, finishes writing his part of the Red Book and passes it to Sam. Goes to Valinor.
    Gandalf - Visits Tom Bombadil, letting the hobbits use what he has taught them to clear the Shire, and the other races do the same, undoubtedly watching to see how they do. Returns to Valinor.
    Gimli - Aids in rebuilding Minas Tirith including new gates, stonework. In Rohan, he creates and becomes lord of the new dwarf colony of the Glittering Caves of Aglarond. Goes with Legolas to Valinor after Aragorn's death.
    Legolas - Aids in rebuilding Minas Tirith so that it is more than stone.  In Ithilien, creates and leads the only new elf colony since Greenwood the Great, and the last, giving a refuge to elves whose lands no longer are protected by a ring or lord, restoring the forests.  Aids Faramir in building his new princedom, makes gardens for him.. Aids the Reunited Kingdom in times of war. Remains in Middle-earth despite sea-longing until Aragorn's death, builds a ship and takes Gimli with him to Valinor. They are the last of the Fellowship by that time.
    Merry - After helping clear out Saruman and his minions from the Shire, he becomes head of the Brandybucks. He is buried in Minas Tirith with Aragorn and Pippin.
    Pippin - After helping clear out Saruman, he becomes Thain of all the Hobbits. He is buried in Minas Tirith with Aragorn and Merry.
    Sam - After helping clear out Saruman, he uses Galadriel's present to restore the Shire and a mallorn to replace the Party Tree, marries Rose Cotton and raises children, takes care of Frodo with all of them living in Bag End, and is Mayor (after Frodo) many times. After Rosie's death, he passes the Red Book to their daughter, Elanor, and goes to Valinor.
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Images:

Image: "The Fellowship". Group portrait. Artist: Catherine Karina Chmiel. Rolozo Tolkien page
Image: "The Council of Elrond". Fellowship with Elrond around a table. Artist Peter Caras. Source Rolozo Tolkien page .
Image "Leaving Rivendell". Danbury Mint Plate. Artist Ted Nasmith. Rolozo Tolkien page.
Image Climbing snowy Caradhras mountain. Pre-production art for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. Rolozo Tolkien.
Image: "Dances with Wolves". Fellowship fighting the wolves in Eregion/Hollin before reaching Moria. Artist: Catherine Karina Chmiel. Rolozo Tolkien page
Image:  Fellowship around a campfire in the woods listening to Gandalf. Artist: Peter Xavier Price. Rolozo Tolkien page.
Image: "Night Chat". Frodo and Aragorn talking by the campfire. Artist: Catherine Karina Chmiel. Rolozo Tolkien page
Image: "The Fellowship". Black and white cartoon of the stressed group. Artist: Stephen Blanda. Rolozo Tolkien page
Image "The Fellowship". Waiting for the Gate of Moria to open. Artist Paul Rivoche. Rolozo Tolkien page.
Image "Glamdring". Gandalf's sword glows in Moria as Orcs approach. Also seen: Gimli, a hobbit (Frodo?), and Legolas. Artist Paul Gregory. Rolozo Tolkien page.
Image "The Mines of Moria". Shows the two groups, balrog leader on one side, Gandalf leading on the other. Artist David Wyatt. Rolozo Tolkien page.
Image: "Lorien". Haldir with the blindfolded Fellowship. Artist: Catherine Karina Chmiel. Rolozo Tolkien page
Image Boating past the Argonath into Gondor. Pre-production art for the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movies. Rolozo Tolkien
Image: "Departure of Boromir". Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn place Boromir and artifacts in the funeral boat. Artist: Anke-Katrin Eiszmann. Rolozo Tolkien site
Image "The Crowning of Elessar". Gandalf puts on the crown, the Gondorians and Fellowship observe. Danbury Mint Plate. Artist Ted Nasmith. Rolozo.
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