SW VS. LOTR #15: Yoda VS. Gollum

[tomandshell]

Well, it's a little early this week but here is the final poll in our 15 part marathon between Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. LOTR has a lead that can no longer be matched, but before we declare it the winner, there is one more poll to go. And as promised in week one, there will be a special prize awarded to a certain voter--so choose wisely. This weekend, I will officially announce the winning saga, award the prize, and post some of the unused poll matchups that you never got to see. Thanks for participating!

This remarkable creature is memorably featured in the penultimate film of the saga, and comes alongside the main character as a guide after the loss of his aged mentor in the previous installment. Initially cantankerous and critical of the hero's food rations, his small size and hermit-like life in lonely exile hide the fact that he possesses a great understanding of the mystical power that is now shaping the destiny of the young hero, and his influence and direction impact the story line in important ways. While his voice is provided by an off screen actor, his presence on-screen is the result of movie magic.

PAST POLL RESULTS:
1. Han Solo (39) VS. Aragorn (80)
2. Obi-Wan Kenobi (41) VS. Gandalf (62)
3. C-3PO & R2-D2 (44) VS. Merry & Pippin (42)
4. Luke (56) VS. Frodo (40)
5. Darth Maul (62) VS. Lurtz (28)
6. Chewbacca (41) VS. Gimli (44)
7. Count Dooku (19) VS. Saruman (65)
8. General Grievous (58) VS. Gothmog (29)
9. Princess Leia (26) VS. Legolas (39)
10. Darth Vader (61) VS. The Witch King (21)
11. Lando (23) VS. Boromir (52)
12. Mace Windu (38) VS. King Theoden (47)
13. Padme (45) VS. Arwen (53)
14. Boba Fett (44) VS. The King of the Dead (23)

 

[Wor-Gar]

Its interesting to note that almost every SW villain has won, and almost every LOTR hero has won. That does seem telling.

This last poll is really difficult. Gollum is one of my favorite characters in LOTR, as is Yoda in SW. This is a tough choice... but I must go with...

YODA.


BTW, thanks Tom for doing this... its been a lot of fun!

 

[Bannister]

I voted Gollum. I like both characters and think they both are as important to their respective films, but Gollum has probably my favorite scene out of the LOTR trilogy. When he is at the forbidden pool singing his song and beating the fish to death. That scene is both creepy and hilarious at the same time.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Yoda. To this day, even though I'm a grown man and I know it's just a puppet, when I watch ESB he still seems alive to me. That's how compelling that character is.

 

[The Godfather]

This has to be the hardest one I have seen I am going to have to wait to vote and think about it. My gut says Yoda though

 

[swabie2424]

Easy as pie... Yoda. :emperor

 

[twistedfreak]

Yoda will win this I am sure.

 

[pixletwin]

I vote Yoda, but only on the stipulation that Qui-Gon's force ghost seen in ROTS is reinserted for the 2007 box set.

 

[tomandshell]

I vote Yoda, but only on the stipulation that Qui-Gon's force ghost seen in ROTS is reinserted for the 2007 box set.

I thought that was never filmed/recorded...

But I would love to see it if it exists.

 

[pixletwin]

I thought that was never filmed/recorded...

But I would love to see it if it exists.

It wasn't at the time ROTS was released but I am holding out hope for it (it was such a cool part of the book... "A powerful Jedi you were. Too blind I was to see. Master Qui-Gon, your apprentice I gratefully become.").

 

[hairlesswookiee]

It wasn't at the time ROTS was released but I am holding out hope for it (it was such a cool part of the book... "A powerful Jedi you were. Too blind I was to see. Master Qui-Gon, your apprentice I gratefully become.").

i agree... i loved that part of the book. and was disappointed when i heard they never really filmed it or included in the movie.

~~on a side note... who the hell can vote against Yoda?? especially when most of the fans are older and remember the best yoda from ESB.

 

[sladesuperagent]

Yoda. Frank Oz deserves some kind of lifetime achievement award for his work as Yoda, various muppets, and some of the best bit roles John Landis had to offer!

 

[King Darkness]

Yoda. Hands down. Gollum reminds me of a crack head. I was just waiting for him to try and sell Frodo a stolen TV for $20 bucks.

No contest for me here!

 

[LOTRFan]

Yoda.

Some of my most cherished memories are seeing Yoda on screen during ESB and ROTJ. For a puppet he had some moving dialogue.

 

[Buttmunch]

Yoda all the way. His duel with Dooku made AotC!

 

[Wetanut]

Gollum. Although I feel that Yoda was one of the best-realized characters that Lucas came up with in the entire saga, Gollum's importance to the LOTR story cannot be minimized. His impact is interwoven within the very fabric of the various plots and sub-plots and is the catalyst for the story's resolution.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Yoda for sure!! He was the Jedi Master to end all Jedi Masters.... And his fighting skills were amazing to watch... I remember seeing that in the theater and having to cover my mouth for all the expletives pouring out.

Not to mention... Yoda's presence in the OT films is legendary and I still cannot believe the amount of emotion that Frank Oz was able to wring out of that puppet. The man is a genius!

Gollum is one of my favorite characters in LOTR and the HANDS DOWN best CGI character ever brought to the screen... but he can not stand up to Yoda, IMO....

And thanks Tom.... for one Hell of a ride. These polls have been fun and I will miss them. It's been great.

 

[Amanaman]

This remarkable creature is memorably featured in the penultimate film of the saga, and comes alongside the main character as a guide after the loss of his aged mentor in the previous installment. Initially cantankerous and critical of the hero's food rations, his small size and hermit-like life in lonely exile hide the fact that he possesses a great understanding of the mystical power that is now shaping the destiny of the young hero, and his influence and direction impact the story line in important ways. While his voice is provided by an off screen actor, his presence on-screen is the result of movie magic.

wow, you did the impossible.. to find something in common between two totally opposite characters!

 

[Shai]

yoda !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[EVILFACE]

Damn this is no contest. Yoda all the way. Gollum did nothing in the films besides some lame humor.