World-weary as people may feel, there’s something comforting about the black-and-whiteness of the Tolkienverse. Bad guys are bad, and good guys are good. Aside from Pippin, who, according to Gandalf, is extremely nuanced in the ways of good and evil, many of the characters in The Lord of the Rings exhibit cut-and-dry qualities that we all wish to possess. Sam is brave and has good cooking sense, Faramir is humble and hides his daddy issues, and Gimli is loud and stubborn, but the most loyal friend you’ll ever find.



