Do you have a favorite Lord of the Rings character? For me, it's constantly changing depending on my mood, which either speaks volumes to my mental acuity, my character loyalties, or the superb nature of every single being in Middle Earth.
We all have a certain affinity towards the protagonists in LOTR, namely, the hobbits. Charming, small, and voraciously hungry, these curly-haired gardeners have a knack for heroics that tugs on the audience's heartstrings. But then what about the dwarves? Stout, burley, and loyal to a fault, the dwarves, like Gimli, refuse to stand on a box to see all the action at Osgiliath, yet they remain firmly planted in our mind's eye. Alas, then the elves, of course (whimsical, magical, and otherworldly as they are), tend to ease their way into the foreground once in a while. Who could deny the draw of their graceful ways and slightly terrifying inhuman-ness?
For every LOTR re-read or re-watch, there's some new and wonderful detail that captures our heart and soul. And it's for that reason that we quote Aragorn at every opportunity, reminiscing on Merry's silliest lines, and letting Gandalf's wisdom guide us. LOTR is a comfort like that.