Pippin Took
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Peregrin Took (T.A. 2990-?), better known to his friends as Pippin, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth; a Hobbit, and one of Frodo Baggins's youngest but best friends. In Peter Jackson's film trilogy commencing with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, he is played by Billy Boyd.
Pippin had three older sisters, Pearl Took, Pimpernel Took, and Pervinca Took. His parents were Paladin Took II (2933-13 F.A.), Thain of the Shire, and Eglantine Banks. Pippin's dear friend Meriadoc Brandybuck is the son of Paladin's sister Esmeralda Brandybuck.
The hair on his head and his feet (which are exceptionally hairy, even for a Hobbit) is almost golden and curly. At the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring he is smaller than the rest of the Hobbits because he is the youngest.
Character
Template:Spoiler The given summary is based on The Lord of the Rings as written by Tolkien.
Pippin is six years younger than Merry, and thus is far younger than Frodo, who is fifty. He is a worthy accomplice to Merry's plans, but shows his age as well; he is still a cheerful, if occasionally thoughtless Hobbit, and is first to miss the comforts of Hobbit life. At Rivendell, Pippin is nearly denied the chance to accompany Frodo by Elrond who seriously considers using the youngest Hobbit as a messenger to the Shire. Gandalf, however, supports his and Merry's claims of friendship and loyalty, and Pippin is chosen as the last member of Fellowship.
When the Fellowship is passing through Moria, Pippin knocks a stone down a deep well. It may be that this act was what alerted the unfriendly Orcs to the Fellowship's presence in Moria. Remaining with the Fellowship until Amon Hen, Pippin is captured by a Orc-band, which includes some of the evil Saruman's Uruk-hai, along with Merry.
While held captive by the Orcs, he leaves his elven brooch (a gift from Lorien) as a sign for Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, who are in pursuit. During a skirmish amongst his captors, Pippin manages to cut his bonds using a sword held fast by a dead Uruk. In the land of Rohan], they manage to escape when the Orcs are attacked by a company of Rohirrim, the local people. Upon their escape, he and Merry befriend old Treebeard, leader of the Ents. They rouse the other Ents to fight against Saruman and they attack his stronghold Isengard, partially crippling his power.
It is Pippin who picks up the palantír of Orthanc after Gríma Wormtongue foolishly throws it as a missile; later, in an almost equally foolish act, Pippin actually steals it out of Gandalf's hands while the wizard sleeps. Looking into the stone, he has a terrifying encounter with Sauron himself. Because of this, Gandalf separates him from his friends and brings him to the city of Minas Tirith. Meeting Denethor, Steward of Gondor, he volunteers for service to repay him for the death of Denethor's son Boromir, who had died trying to defend Merry and Pippin from the Orcs. This amuses Denethor, who accepts the Hobbit's offer and makes him one of the elite Guard of the Citadel. Later, it is Pippin who rushes to fetch Gandalf when Denethor, driven to despair by Sauron's deception, sets out to burn his remaining son Faramir and himself alive.
Pippin was part of the Army of the West led by Aragorn that assaulted the Black Gates in a desperate gambit. During the final parley with the Mouth of Sauron, Gandalf instructed that members of each race that opposed Sauron be present at the parley, including Gimli for Dwarves, Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir (Elrond's twin sons) for Elves, and Pippin for Hobbits. During the last battle before the Morannon, Pippin manages to slay a Troll before being knocked unconscious. Gimli later recognizes his Hobbit feet under the Troll and drags him out of the battle, saving his life. After the restoration of the monarchy he is knighted by King Elessar, who then grants him indefinite leave to return home. Later he and Merry are instrumental in overthrowing Saruman's forces during the Scouring of the Shire.
Due to a special "Ent-draft" that Treebeard makes him and Merry drink, Pippin and his friend become the tallest Hobbits ever in history, surpassing his ancestor, Bullroarer Took.
In the year 6 of the Fourth Age Pippin marries Diamond of Long Cleeve, when she is 32 and he himself is 37. They have one son, Faramir. Faramir Took later marries Samwise Gamgee's daughter Goldilocks.
In the year 13 of the Fourth Age Pippin becames the 32nd Thain of the Shire, a position he held for 50 years before retiring in 63 of the Fourth Age and revisiting Rohan and Gondor with Merry. He remained in Gondor for the rest of his life.
Pippin probably died sometime after the year 64 of the Fourth Age.
Portrayal in adaptations
In Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated version of The Lord of the Rings, Pippin was voiced by Dominic Guard. In the live-action recordings Bakshi used for rotoscoping, Billy Barty was the model for several of the hobbits, but it is not clear whether Barty modelled for Pippin.
In the 1980 animated version of The Return of the King, made for television, the character was voiced by Sonny Melendrez.
In the 1981 BBC radio serial of The Lord of the Rings, Pippin was played by John McAndrew.
In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Pippin is played by Billy Boyd, who is from Scotland. The filmmakers originally planned for Boyd to adopt an English accent for the role, in keeping with the other hobbits; however, Jackson found that Boyd's comic timing was not as keen when he was not using his native accent. Therefore, it was decided to allow Boyd to play the role with a Scottish accent; the decision was justified by the observation that the Took-land in which the Took clan lived was a very hilly region of the Shire and was therefore vaguely similar to Scotland (indeed, when Saruman's Ruffians take over the Shire the terrain of the Took-land proves so rough and inaccesible that the Tooks are effectively able to beat the Ruffians back while the surrounding counties are overtaken).
The Line of Pippin
Balbo Baggins = Berylla Boffin
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Ponto Baggins = Mimosa Bunce Mungo Baggins = Laura Grubb Largo = Tanta Hornblower
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----------- Gerontius Took = Adamanta Chubb | Fosco = Ruby Bolger
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| Polo ------------------------------|-------- -----------
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Rosa Baggins = Hildigrim Took Belladonna = Bungo Baggins Mirabella = Gorbadoc |
| | | Brandybuck |
Adalgrim Took Bilbo Baggins | |
| Primula = Drogo Baggins
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| | | Frodo Baggins
3 daughters Paladin = Eglantine Banks Saradoc Brandybuck = Esmeralda
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------------------------------ Estella Bolger = Merry
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Pearl Pimpernel Pervinca Pippin = Diamond of Long Cleeve
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Faramir = Goldilocks Gardner
- See also: Middle-earth and Took clan