13 Supporting Movie Characters You Loved More Than The Hero

8. Samwise - Lord Of The Rings

Samwise Gamgee is basically the Neville Longbottom of the Lord Of The Rings universe and without his plucky underdog vibe, there's no way JK Rowling's least likely hero would have come to be.

In contrast to Frodo Baggins' more annoying wholesomeness (which gives way to a natier undercurrent that is pretty heavily connected to his relationship to the ring, admittedly), Samwise is pure of heart but also slightly more world-weary. He's the slightly nerdy sidekick to the more popular lead (a fantasy Cameron to Frodo's Ferris Bueller, perhaps) and without him, the Fellowship would have failed.

Even when the finale of The Return Of The King outstays its welcome, we all still rejoiced at the sight of Sam settled down with kids and a wife, because it's just exactly what he deserved.