In The Lord of the Rings, as with most series, the characters go on some sort of journey where they change in one way or another. For some characters, this arc means becoming a better person or a more mature and wise.
For others, their character journey has them become a worse person or more villainous. In The Lord of the Rings movies, there are some characters who get better over the course of the series and others that get worse.
Better: Merry and Pippin
When the series begins, Merry and Pippin are both young Hobbits that don’t have any experience in the world. They are immature and like to get up to mischief, and they don’t really think things through.
Over the course of the series, they are forced to grow up quickly and learn to sacrifice to help others. They end the series having been through a lot, and this makes them wiser and less naive.
Worse: Bilbo Baggins
Over the course of both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins goes through a long journey. He starts out as a Hobbit who enjoys the simple things in life and then goes on a big adventure.
When readers see him at the beginning of the Fellowship of the Ring, he’s become comfortable with his riches that he got at the end of The Hobbit. He’s more eccentric in his old age, and he’s pretty oblivious to the things that go on related to the Ring.
Better: Gimli
Gimli starts out seeming somewhat of just comic relief, and, while he does function this way for much of the series in the movies, he’s more than that.
While dwarves might not seem as interesting or attractive as elves, Gimli shows just how interesting and valuable they can be. Gimli grows to learn to accept Legolas and other elves, and he does go through some character growth as the series goes on.
Worse: Frodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins is a character who goes through a lot, so, while he does get worse in some ways, it’s hard to blame him. He starts out as a rather privileged, content Hobbit, and he gets a huge burden placed upon him.
Because of the ordeal of being the Ringbearer, he is severely traumatized. While this doesn’t make him a bad person in any way, he becomes less relatable and more hardened and cold to the world. He’s definitely someone who suffers a lot.
Better: Aragorn
In the Lord of the Rings movies, Aragorn’s journey from Ranger to King of Gondor is a big part of the plot. His character arc is one of the main focuses of the films. Aragorn starts out as a good character, but he is denying who he is and his destiny. He doesn’t want to take up the leadership mantle that he needs to.
Over the course of the series, he grows to accept that he is needed and essential to carrying humankind forward. He becomes even wiser and more caring over time.
Worse: Legolas
Legolas is a character that doesn’t necessarily get worse, but he also doesn’t get a lot of character development. Because of this, he seems to mostly stay the same over time. But, since change is what makes a character arc interesting, his stagnation becomes more noticeable.
The movies mostly seemed to just use Legolas for some amazing stunts in battle, but he doesn’t have much of a story beyond that. This doesn’t mean he isn’t good or important, but he just doesn’t have much of a driving arc that makes him compelling.
Better: Eowyn
When audiences first meet Eowyn, she is in a bad place. Saruman has control of Theoden, and Eowyn is alone and suffering. There’s also the fact that she is being harassed and bothered by Grima Wormtongue who clearly has less than noble thoughts about her.
Eowyn goes from being someone who wants to be able to fight and make a difference but is told she can’t because of her gender, to being a fierce person who kills the Witch-King.
Worse: Gandalf
This might be a bit of a controversial opinion as by some measures Gandalf does get better as the series goes on. He becomes more powerful after his transformation into Gandalf the White, and he is an essential part of the War of the Ring.
However, there is something particularly lovable and intriguing about Gandalf the Grey that is lost after this transformation. Gandalf becomes less relatable and loftier. While he is more powerful, he also seems less real.
Better: Samwise Gamgee
Samwise Gamgee starts out seeming like a rather simple, boring Hobbit, but he proves himself to be one of the bravest and strongest characters from the series. Sam is steadfast, loyal, and hardy.
He doesn’t falter when he sets himself on a task, and he is the greatest friend a person could have. He is very important in helping Frodo make it to Mount Doom. Sam shows his true colors, and they are really impressive. He's a character that has a great arc and is also underrated by many fans.
Worse: Saruman
Saruman shows who he really is pretty early on in this series when he reveals himself to be in league with Sauron. He definitely goes from good to bad by turning to the dark side.
However, Saruman continues to devolve from there as he creates his own army of Uruk-Hai. He continually shows how dark and evil he has become, but he gets his just desserts in the end. Saruman abandons his mission as one of the Istari as he was sent to Middle-Earth to help with the fight against Sauron, and he becomes a villain almost as bad as Sauron in the end.