Gimli - The Dwarf

Gimli is a dwarf of Erebor and is the son of Gloin. He chooses to represent the dwarves on the Quest much to the displeasure of the elf Legolas. He is stubborn, proud and deadly with his axe and has a severe dislike of Elves, like all Dwarves, but slowly warms to Legolas. His cousin Balin rules in the mines of Moria and Gimli is very upset that Moria was been ravaged by Orcs and beasts of worst natures such as the Balrog. He is a warrior at heart and loves to do battle with Orcs. Gimli is played by John Rhys-Davis, who is known for his work as Sallah in Indiana Jones, "There is an energetic ferocity in the Dwarf."

Gimli like Legolas and Aragorn start off in the Two Towers as chasing the Uruk-hai that have taken the Hobbits captive - he struggles a little to keep up with the long legged Elf and Man, "Three days and nights without food or rest." He claims that he is "wasted over cross country but deadly over short distances." He is surprised when Legolas defends him when Éomer makes the comment that "I would cut your head of Dwarf if it but stood but a little higher from the ground." He follows Gandalf to Edoras and onto Helm's Deep - explaining to Éowyn that dwarves don't spring from the ground and that there are female dwarves "That are so alike in appearance to men that you don't even realise," prompting a "Its the beards" comment from Aragorn. He has a little trouble with the horse and falls off it a couple of times and then gets pinned by Wargs and Warg riders in the battle.

He joins Legoals on the battlement at Helm's Deep with the rest of the Elves (after an embarrassing moment with an illadjusted mail shirt). Gimli comments to Legolas, as you can barely see his helmet over the wall, "You could've picked a better spot." As the battle starts the my favourite quote occurs (it balances out the fact that my favourite book quote wasn't included - on the FotR Legolas Page) between Gimli and Legolas: Gimli: "I can't see, what's happening?" 

Legolas: "Shall I describe it to you, or would you like me to find you a box?" Prompting laughter from the short statured Dwarf.

Fans of the book will greatly revere the fact that Peter Jackson put in the "scoring" of Orc kills between Legolas and Gimli, as the battle starts Gimli yells to Legolas: "Legolas, Two." In which the Elf replies: "I'm up to seventeen." Shoots two more Orcs "Nineteen." Then we hear Gimli counting the number of Orcs that he has killed as the camera pans around the battlement - a priceless LotR moment.

Gimli works with Aragorn to give King Théoden time to reseal the gates on the entrance to the Keep. He even asks Aragorn to toss him across with a comment "But don't tell the Elf." As dawn approaches Gimli sounds the great horn of Helm's Deep as the King rides out into the Uruk-hai army.

Gimli is a little bit of the comic relief in this movie again but nowhere near as much as in the previous movie but he is still present. He follows behind Legolas as the company make their way to Isengard then to Edoras and onto Dunharrow and when Aragorn means to travel the route through the mountains, Gimli insists on coming with him, “We’re going with you lad,” to which Legolas adds, “You know the stubbornness of dwarves.” When he reaches the gate to Dimholt, Gimli stops, afraid to go any further but when Legolas enters he remarks, “Awe, an Elf goes underground whilst a dwarf dares not. Awe I’ll never live it down” and enters the pass. He is reluctant ally to the dead folk and when Aragorn means to realise them he tries to convince him otherwise thinking that they might turn against them. On the fields of Pelennor he continues his counting game with Legolas and when the Elf brings down an entire Oliphaunt remarks, “That only counts as one.”

When Aragorn preposes that they march up to the Black Gate, “outnumbered, certain death. What are we waiting for?” And when the Orcs comes streaming out, “ I never thought I’d die fighting side by side with an Elf,” “What about a friend?” “Aye I can do that.”

John had this to say about his ‘adventures’ in his armour: “You see two people carrying up a box with my armour, another two with my weapons, one with my clothes and another with my helmet. They put it all on me and Peter says, ‘Now run up that hill.’”

  Any of the thumbnails

"Stupid Elf..." Posing Growling RotK Preview Making Friends With a Dwarf Group in Moria Posing Camping
Scowling
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