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Dominic Monaghan portrays Merry in the Motion Picture Trilogy.

Meriadoc Brandybuck

Biographical information

Other names

Merry, Holdwine, Kalimac Brandagamba

Titles

Master of Buckland, Esquire of Rohan

Date of birth

TA 2982 (SR 1382)

Year ascended to the throne

Date of death

FO 65 (SR 1485) (age=103)

Realms ruled

Spouse

Estella (Bolger) Brandybuck

Weapon

Barrow-blade

Physical description

Race

Hobbit

Culture

Shire-hobbits, Bucklanders

Gender

Male

Height

over 4'5"/134 cm

Hair color

Eye color

Peter Jackson's Film Trilogy

Actor

Dominic Monaghan

Voice

Simon Chandler (LOTR), Casey Kasem (Return of the King)

Character

Meriadoc Brandybuck, or Merry for short, was a Hobbit, and one of Frodo's cousins and closest friends. He loved boats and ponies and had a great interest in the maps of Middle-earth.

BiographyEdit

Merry was born in TA 2982. He was the only child of Saradoc Brandybuck (TA 2940 - FO 11), Master of Buckland, and Esmeralda Took (TA 2936 - ?), the younger sister of Paladin Took, making him first cousin to Paladin's son Pippin, who was clearly his closest friend. Merry was considered the most perceptive and intelligent of the hobbits: for example, even before Bilbo Baggins leaves the Shire, he knew of the One Ring and its power. He guarded Bag End after Bilbo's party, protecting Frodo from the various and often unwanted guests. He also was the force behind "the Conspiracy" of Sam, Pippin, Fredegar Bolger (more commonly known as "Fatty", due to his plump form) and himself to help Frodo. Thus, even before the Quest of the Ring begins, Merry was well prepared and organized; he assembled their gear and brought ponies. His shortcut through the Old Forest served them well, because they avoided the Black Riders and met Tom Bombadil, who helped them. At the Barrow-downs, Merry acquired his sword, a work of Westernesse.

At Bree, he was not present in the Prancing Pony when Frodo foolishly put on the ring; but was outside taking a walk, and was nearly overcome by the Nazgûl who arrived. At Rivendell, he was seen studying maps and plotting their path. His approval to the Fellowship came with only a little less reluctance than Pippin's; they were the two to relay news to the people of the Shire about Frodo's journey, but in the end Gandalf, believing in the friendship and loyalty shown to Frodo and Sam, requested that Elrond allow the two hobbits to come along. At Amon Hen he was captured along with Pippin by a band of Saruman's Uruk-hai, but he made a good account for himself, and was valiantly defended by Boromir.

Escaping with Pippin into Fangorn Forest, he was met by Treebeard and the newly risen Gandalf the White. Along with Pippin, he drank significant amounts of Entwash, which contributed to speedy gains in height and hair growth. Accompanying Treebeard to the Entmoot, and later to Isengard, he and Pippin were set as guardians following Saruman's fall. It was here that he Merry encountered King Théoden of Rohan, and was reunited with the remaining members of the Fellowship (save Frodo and Sam).

Separated by Pippin and Gandalf's journey to Gondor, Merry swore fealty to Théoden and became his squire. Without permission from his liege, he rode to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in the care of young Dernhelm (who was actually Éowyn, though Merry didn't know it). When Nazgûl attacked the Riders of Rohan and Théoden was injured, Merry and Éowyn faced the Witch King of Angmar alone. Here, Merry's companion was revealed to be Éowyn. Battling both fell beast and the Nazgûl alone, Éowyn was well assisted by Merry's crucial move: his sword, built for this very purpose, was one of the few weapons able to pierce the Ringwraith's form, but at a great expense to himself. This was enough to allow Éowyn to finish off the Witch King. Merry heard Théoden's last words, but went unnoticed by the honour escort of Riders and was found wandering the city by Pippin. He was saved by the healing of Aragorn and recovered fully.

For his bravery in battle, King Éomer as the new King of Rohan, knighted him and gave him the name of "Holdwine". During the Scouring of the Shire, he was in the forefront of the Battle of Bywater, using the Horn of Rohan presented to him by Éowyn.

LegacyEdit

Upon their return he and Pippin both got married to two beautiful hobbit women. They were also the tallest of hobbits, taller even than the legendary Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took (due to drinking large amounts of Entwater). Merry married Estella Bolger sometime after the end of the Third Age. He became the Master of Buckland in SR 1432 (FA 11). He wrote Old Words and Names in the Shire. Although he was not recorded as having any children within the family trees, he clearly had at least one son. At the age of 102, he returned to Rohan and Gondor with Pippin, dying there around the year FO 64. He was laid to rest in Gondor, and when Elessar died in the Fourth Age 120, he and Pippin were tombed beside the great king.^[1]

Portrayal in AdaptationsEdit

"But I want to fight!"

—Merry

Meriadoc Brandybuck was played by Dominic Monaghan in all three of the Peter Jackson's Film Trilogy of the The Lord of the Rings.

WeaponsEdit

SwordEdit

Merry uses a short barrow-blade for melee combat in books and video games, but in the movies he loses his barrow blade and instead wields a Rohirrim short sword and wears a helmet, shield and leather jerkin. The blade dissolved during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields when it was used to stab the Witch-king of Angmar.

Throwing Weapons Edit

Merry can use rocks to hit opponents from a distance. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game), he uses throwing knives instead of rocks like all other Hobbits. In his case, however, his daggers are slightly stronger.

AppearanceEdit

Taut. He has a head of curly hair and strong backbone.

In the booksEdit

In the moviesEdit

The Line of Merry Edit

Gormadoc Brandybuck = Malva Headstrong
                       |
                     ----------------------------  
                     |             |            |
Hanna Goldworthy = Madoc         Sadoc       Marroc
                 |
              Marmadoc = Adaldrida Bolger
                       |  
                  ------------------------------------------
                  |                             |          |
               Gorbadoc = Mirabella Took    2 daughters  Orgulas
                        |   
                     ------------------------------
                     |           |                |
 Menegilda Goold = Rorimac    5 children       Primula = Drogo Baggins 
                 |                                     |
      --------------------------------------    Frodo Baggins              
      |                                    | 
     Saradoc = Esmeralda Took           Merimac
             |                             |
 Meriadoc (Merry) = Estella Bolger      Berilac

See also : Middle-earth and Brandybuck

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