Sixty years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo Baggins' uncle, Bilbo (Martin Freeman), goes on his adventure, chronicled in The Hobbit. Originating as a bedtime story told by author J. R. R. Tolkien to his children, The Hobbit has become one of the most recognized fantasy stories thanks to its whimsical tone, iconic characters, and fantastic dialogue. From 2012 to 2014, Sir Peter Jackson released a trilogy based on The Hobbit, with mixed results.

One area where Jackson succeeded, however, was bringing to life the many powerful characters of Middle Earth. Thanks to phenomenal casting and advancements in CGI, the characters look and feel much like how Tolkien described them, and their impressive feats are on full display. These are the strongest characters in The Hobbit trilogy; they come in all shapes and sizes and showcase their strength in unique yet incredible ways.

10 Bilbo Baggins

Played by Sir Ian Holm and Martin Freeman

The son of Bungo Baggins and Belladona Took, Bilbo lives the life of a hobbit bachelor, wanting nothing more than to smoke his pipe, read his books, and enjoy his meals. His carefree style changes when he is whisked away by the wizard Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) to join the company of Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on their quest to the Lonely Mountain. Though nobody thinks much of Bilbo at first, he soon proves himself to be a reliable ally to the dwarves, especially when he gets his hands on a magic ring.

Compared to other individuals of Middle-earth, Bilbo might not seem like a powerful character, as he is neither a great warrior nor a wise wizard. However, what he lacks in physical and magical abilities, he makes up for in his courage and loyalty. Though he is given several times when he could have abandoned the company and gone home, Bilbo sticks with his friends and is even willing to place himself at risk if it means sparing the lives of others.

9 Thorin Oakenshield

Played by Richard Armitage

In his youth, Thorin lives in Erebor with his father, Thráin (Michael Mizrahi, Thomas Robins, and Antony Sher), and his grandfather, Thrór (Jeffrey Thomas), the King Under the Mountain, until Smaug's (Benedict Cumberbatch) attack. Following Thrór's death at the hands of Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett) and Thráin's disappearance, Thorin becomes heir to Erebor but can't unite the dwarves because he lacks the king's jewel, the Arkenstone. He is eventually pushed to try and burgle the jewel by Gandalf, who also provides him with a map and key from his father that leads to a secret door into the mountain.

As a veteran of numerous conflicts with orcs and dragons, Thorin has some of the best combat experience out of all the dwarves in the company. He is the only member of the company who matches Azog in combat and even cuts off the pale orc's left hand in their first fight. Thorin is also a natural leader, and his appearance in the climactic Battle of the Five Armies helps give the dwarven army a second wind rather than crumbling to Azog's overwhelming forces.

8 Legolas

Played by Orlando Bloom

The son of King Thranduil (Lee Pace) of Mirkwood, Legolas Greenleaf (Orlando Bloom) serves as his father's most trusted warrior and lieutenant, keeping their lands safe from invading evils like giant spiders and orcs. He also harbors romantic feelings for his father's captain of the guard, a Sylvan elf named Tauriel (Evangeline Lily). When the company of Thorin Oakenshield is captured and subsequently escapes from imprisonment, Legolas joins Tauriel in following them, bringing him into conflict with the son of Azog, Bolg (Lawrence Makoare and John Tui).

Legolas might have been an unnecessary change for the Hobbit movies that took away screentime from Bilbo, but there's no denying that the filmmakers captured his great combat skills. Thanks to his immortal life, Legolas had thousands of years to hone his skills in combat, especially archery. He can single-handedly take down squads of orcs all by himself and eventually slays Bolg, a powerful orc able to give an elf as skilled as Legolas trouble.

7 Thranduil

Played by Lee Pace

During the Last Alliance of Men and Elves, Thranduil watched his father and many of his Sindar kin die in the Battle of Dagorlad, which created the Dead Marshes. Thus, Thranduil became the new king of Mirkwood and dedicated himself to protecting his surviving kinsmen, practicing isolation and trading only with other races out of necessity. Tragedy struck again when his wife died fighting orcs at Mount Gundabad, and he became obsessed with obtaining white gemstones withheld from him by the dwarves of Erebor.

Though not as old as other elven leaders, Thranduil remains an accomplished military tactician and powerful warrior. He reveals to Thorin Oakenshield that he fought against the dragons of the north and still bears scars hidden beneath a magical glamour. During the Battle of the Five Armies, Thranduil decimates multiple orcs at once and cuts his way to freedom before being joined by his guardsmen, hinting at his thousands of years of experience.

6 Elrond

Played by Hugo Weaving

Born to elven and human parents in the First Age, Elrond Half-elven (Hugo Weaving) chose the life of an elf over a human and has ruled as the lord of Rivendell since the Second Age and the fall of Eregion. Of Noldor bloodline and wielding the Elven Ring of Air, Vilya, Elrond is one of the oldest and wisest elves in Middle-earth, possessing many talents for healing and harm. Elrond keeps his home open for those in need of rest and is always willing to aid those who need it.

Elrond is one of the few Noldor elves who survived the Last Alliance of Men and Elves against Sauron, and his combat skills remain as sharp as ever. Though he usually remains in Rivendell, he keeps a constant vigil for the forces of evil and is quick to dispatch anything that threatens his borders. Should the need arise, Elrond will also venture out of Rivendell, but this is more of a last resort since the Elven Rings were designed to protect and heal.

5 Galadriel

Played by Cate Blanchett

The single oldest elf in Middle Earth, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), was born in Valinor during the age of the Two Trees and came to Middle Earth with her relatives to battle the first Dark Lord, Morgoth. Armed with Nenya, the Elven Ring of Water, she established Lothlórien, the greatest of the elven sanctums, and ruled with her husband, Celeborn (Marton Csokas). As news of evil spreads, she meets with Gandalf in Rivendell to discuss what to do about it and how the dwarves' quest might affect the world at large.

Galadriel represents the peak of what Tolkien's elves can achieve: she is graceful, ethereal, wise beyond measure, and desires nothing more than to see evil fall and the world prosper. Like Elrond, Galadriel's powers are primarily based around healing and protection; should the need arise, she can unleash great and terrible magic against the enemies of Middle-earth. Using these powers can be costly for her, especially if she travels into the heart of evil.

4 Gandalf

Played by Sir Ian McKellen

One of the five wizards sent to Middle Earth to counteract the evil of Sauron, the mighty Gandalf the Grey wanders among the free people of Middle Earth, offering wisdom, counsel, and encouragement. Concerned about Smaug's rulership of Erebor, he encourages Thorin to recover the Arkenstone and unite the scattered dwarf clans to expel the dragon and reclaim their home. Though he initially planned to help Thorin on his quest, Gandalf must leave them outside Mirkwood to investigate the fortress of Dol Guldur.

Gandalf wields tremendous power through his innate magic and as a bearer of the Elven Ring of Fire, Narya. However, he rarely uses his powers openly, preferring to offer sound wisdom and stir the people of Middle-earth to fight for their freedom. When the need arises, however, he is skilled with both swords and spells, with a special affinity for fire-based magic. Gandalf is one of cinema's most famous wizards, with his might coming as much from his magical ability as it does from his strength of will.

3 Saruman

Played by Sir Christopher Lee

Saruman (Sir Christopher Lee) is the most powerful of the five wizards and sits at the head of the White Council, an alliance of the wisest beings in Middle-earth who act against the evil of Sauron when they find it. When Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy) discovers evidence of dark activity at the fortress of Dol Guldur, Saruman initially dismisses them due to a lack of evidence. However, Gandalf's capture forces his hand, exposing the evil as none other than Sauron.

Audiences remember Saruman as a terrific secondary villain in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but the Hobbit films show him when he was still good. Though he is cautious about heeding Gandalf's warnings, it makes some sense since he is concerned about breaking four hundred years of stability and potentially unleashing a dragon upon the land. When forced, Saruman demonstrates his magical talents against Sauron's Nazgûl and even declares that he will deal with the tyrant himself. At that moment, Saruman was still fully committed to the fight against evil.

2 Smaug

Played by Benedict Cumberbatch

The last of the great fire drakes of the north, Smaug destroyed the human kingdom of Dale and the dwarf kingdom of Erebor to claim their treasures. He then went into dormancy, hoarding his accumulated gold, content that nothing in the region could match his power. When Bilbo sneaks into his lair to recover the Arkenstone, Smaug awakens and decides to have a chat with the hobbit to ascertain his motives and allegiances.

Though not as powerful as the dragons of old, Smaug is still a formidable creature and one of the strongest monsters in all of Middle-earth. Alongside his tremendous size, strength, and ability to breathe fire, Smaug also possesses a keen intellect that allows him to strategize and work information out of others. His only real weakness is his pride, which does lead to him fatally underestimating Bard of Laketown (Luke Evans).

1 Sauron

Played by Benedict Cumberbatch

The greatest servant of Morgoth, Sauron took up the mantle after his master's defeat and sought to dominate Middle Earth using the rings of power, which were controlled by his One Ring. However, Isildur (Harry Sinclair) cut off his finger and separated him from the One Ring, costing Sauron his physical body and forcing him into hiding. Despite this setback, Sauron remained dedicated to his task and gathered orcs, trolls, and wargs to Dol Guldur to wage a surprise war on the North.

Even in his weakened state, Sauron is leagues stronger than any other being in Middle Earth, and should he possess the One Ring, his conquest of the land would be absolute. Along with the considerable dark magic that allows him to overcome the likes of Gandalf, his sheer willpower is enough to rally dark creatures and the spirits of the dead to him. Meanwhile, his deathless nature means that defeat is little more than a minor setback. The White Council only delayed his invasion by sixty years, during which time he nearly brought the free people to their knees even without the One Ring.

NEXT: Every Middle-Earth Movie Extended Edition, Ranked by Importance