Merry Brandybuck

"My lady, you are fair and brave and have much to live for, and many who love you. I know it is too late to turn aside. I know there is not much point now in hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan, capable of great deeds. But I’m not. I’m a Hobbit. And I know I can’t save Middle-Earth. I just want to help my friends. Frodo. Sam. Pippin. More than anything, I wish I could see them again."

- Merry to Lady Éowyn Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck is a young hobbit of the Shire who is the cousin and best friend of Pippin Took, a cousin of  Frodo Baggins and a friend of Sam Gamgee. Being very loyalty to his friends and family, Merry fought in his battle and just wished to see the friends he was separated from again. In the first leg of his journey, Merry accompanied Frodo Baggins on his quest to destroy the One Ring to end Sauron's reign of terror. However, he and Pippin were kidnapped by Orcs and taken to Isengard, but later made their escape when they were unintentionally rescued by Treebeard and reunited with their friends in Isengard. During the final days of the War of the Ring, Merry was separated from Pippin, who went with Gandalf to Gondor, Merry pledged his service to King Théoden and befriended the king's niece, Lady Éowyn. After Frodo destroyed the Ring, Merry returned as a veteran of the War of the Ring and eventually succeeded his father as the Master of Buckland. He later married Estella Bolger and they settled down in the homeland of Merry's ancestral roots.

Early Life
"He’s always followed me, everywhere I went, since before we were tweens. I would get him into the worst sort of trouble, but I was always there to get him out."

- Merry to Aragorn on his life with Pippin Born to Saradoc Brandybuck and Esmeralda Took, Merry was born a few years before his cousin Pippin. Growing up, the cousins were best friends, often getting into trouble since they were teens. At this young age, he befriended Frodo and Sam.

As a young man, Merry met Gandalf, who eventually knew that Merry and Pippin were trouble-makers and often caught them in the acts.

Personality
A Hobbit of many troubles, Merry was a hobbit who was selfless, friendly, brave, heroic, and somewhat childish. As a child, it was actually Merry who got his cousin, and best friend, Pippin Took in trouble. However, he always knew how to get him out of it and it was noted that he was the one who made all the decisions, notably when Pippin pointed out it was Merry each other.

Often a trouble maker, Merry was initially more mature than Pippin and knew when to stop with trouble, as he chastised Pippin about his curiosity.

Once befriending someone, Merry was unwilling to abandon them, even in their time of need. For example, he wanted to save his friends fighting the war with the One Ring, saved Lady Eowyn from the Witch-king of Angmar, and was sad to be separated from Pippin. He even admits that his only wish is to see his friends and family again. Merry also would not allow Frodo to go alone, especially joining when Sam did. He was very close with Pippin, Frodo and Sam, being childhood friends with them. He would often look after his cousin, and was protective of his friends.

Merry was also noted for being incredibly brave, his bravery being one of the reasons why he was knighted in the first place.

Family

 * Saradoc Brandybuck - Father
 * Esmeralda Took - Mother
 * Rorimac Brandybuck - Paternal Grandfather
 * Menegilda Goold - Paternal Grandmother
 * Adalgrim Took - Maternal Grandfather
 * Maternal Grandmother
 * Paladin Took - Maternal Uncle
 * Pippin Took - Maternal Cousin and Best Friend
 * Primula Brandybuck - Paternal Great-Aunt
 * Frodo Baggins - Cousin Once Removed
 * Bilbo Baggins - Second Cousin
 * Hildigrim Took - Great-Grandfather
 * Rosa Baggins - Great-Grandmother

Allies

 * Fellowship of the Ring - Teammates
 * Gandalf - Savior
 * Sam Gamgee
 * Legolas
 * Boromir † - Attempted Savior
 * Aragorn - Savior
 * Gimli - Friend
 * Men of Rohan
 * Éomer - King and Friend
 * Éowyn - Close Friend, Supporter and Rescuee
 * Théoden † - King
 * Gamling
 * Men of Gondor
 * Faramir
 * Elves of Rivendell
 * Lord Elrond - Former Host
 * Arwen
 * Elves of Lothlorien
 * Celeborn
 * Galadriel
 * Haldir †
 * Rúmil  - Temporary Enemy
 * Orophin  - Temporary Enemy

Enemies

 * Saruman † - Former Captor
 * Sauron
 * Nazgul
 * Witch-king of Angmar
 * Orcs
 * Mauhúr
 * Grishnákh
 * Snaga
 * Uglúk
 * Lugdush
 * Uruk-Hai
 * Lurtz

Behind the Scenes

 * In the novels Merry Brandybuck was the cousin of Pippin Took through their mother and father respectively. He was also a friend of Frodo's. He became a member of the Fellowship of the Ring and eventually joined the ranks in the Rohan army but was forbidden to ride into battle until Eowyn under the guise of a man willingly bore him. Because of his bravery, Merry was knighted by Eomer. He eventually became the Master of Buckland, married Estella Bolger and passed away in old age.
 * Unlike the film, Merry did not participate in the Battle of the Black Gate and was present for unknown reasons.
 * Dominic Monoghan portrayed Merry in The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.