h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I disagree with this entry on the subject of Merry. He was not naïve. He was the best educated and most resourceful of the hobbits after Frodo himself. Merry organised the 'conspiracy' so that Frodo would not end up leaving the Shire on his own, but had good company along the way. Merry led the route through the Old Forest, avoiding the Black Riders, although that didn't turn out as well as expected. And Merry led Pippin when they escaped from the Orcs in Rohan.

I agree with you there. Also when they get back to the shire Merry takes charge of the situation (together with Pippin). He might be called impulsive for his pledge to theoden, but I think he does it out of love as much as anything.
Rod

I think it had something to do with the way he was portrayed in the movie (bungling and impulsive) - which was quite a deviation from his real character in the books. Let's not forget that Merry was also the one who travelled alone in the dark to receive Frodo and Sam when they left the Shire, and who guessed rightly that Frodo was (at least, trying to) secretly going away to some unknown danger. In fact, the only character who could rightly be called naive or foolish would be Pippin. Fool of a Took!

I agree. Many of the book characters became caricatures for the films. Merry had always struck me as the potential warrior in the books. Pippin was closer to original. Who was it that solved the Moria riddle?

'What does it mean by, friend?'

I couldn't agree more.