He did plenty. In the movie he lit the beacon to call Rohan. Fought in the battle for Minas Tirith, where he saved Gandalf's life. Saved Faramir's life. Saved Merry's life.

Sauron himself questioned Pippin and came away with the conclusion that he should apply his army and attention toward Minas Tirith and Gondor rather than continuing to look for the real ring-bearer right under his nose. Essentially made the entire gambit with Frodo possible.

This has been a pro-Pippin PSA

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 months ago

He was technically responsible for the deaths of two of the most powerful beings in his universe. Pippin is the OG Kratos.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 78 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Alternate take:

#PippinDidNothingWrong #IdiotsArePeopleTwo

[–] bob_lemon@feddit.org 45 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

But what about second Gandalf?

[–] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 60 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Gandalf woke the Balrog.

It's an abandoned mine, things are going to fall and make noise from time to time and they're probably used to it.
You know what doesn't happen all the time in a mine?
People don't yell "Fool of a Took!" In the language of your sworn enemy at the top of their lungs.

[–] SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca 28 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah and I feel like the Balrog could sense the presence of a Maiar nearby.

But maybe that's just a Star Wars Force thing, I don't really know how magic works in LOTR.

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

It works the way that the happy tentacle owner and Balrog and Orcs were working together to exterminate Balin's expedition.

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Technically it's not how it happened in the book IIRC. Nobody was throwing corpses into that well. Just stones. And it wasn't in the hall of Mazarbul. It was in some guards' room near the gate.

Their entry into Moria, bothering the nice guy guarding it, was enough to wake the Balrog.

[–] ryan213@lemmy.ca 38 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, not sure if "killed Gandalf" but definitely "got Gandalf killed" is more accurate.

[–] lambalicious 27 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Might recall wrong but Frodo did not destroy the One Ring, didn't he? He tried to protect it and use it but tripped on a meat-hungry Gollum at the last second.

[–] Boozilla@lemmy.world 26 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Yes, I think the most accurate version is Gollum accidentally destroyed it while stealing it from Frodo.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"Accidentally"

Eru Ilúvatar chuckles

[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 12 points 3 months ago

“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.” - ~~God~~ Eru

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 15 points 3 months ago

It's "war story", not "war facts"!

[–] nichtburningturtle@feddit.org 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

He got it closer than most ever could. Give him some credit.

[–] lambalicious 3 points 3 months ago

Fair point, he literally got it at just a finger's length to destruction.

[–] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Frodo could carry the ring and remain undetected.

Sam could carry Frodo and remain uncorrupted.

Sam took the ring bearer to Mt. Doom where the ring destroyed itself.

[–] _stranger_@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

That's a great take. I never considered that the ring's machinations essentially led to its own destruction.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 9 points 3 months ago

Pippin helped Gandalf level up. Just in a roundabout way.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

merely a flesh wound

[–] underisk@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 months ago

got better in the sense that he recovered and improved, so its a double-win if you think about it.

[–] ekZepp@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Screenshot_20241221_145030_Eternity

Gollum-Liar-Thief-452745638