1) Frodo's choice at the breaking of the fellowship. I think at
Rivendell Frodo may not have fully comprehended what he was
doing. But now, after going through Moria, losing Gandalf, witnessing Galadriel's test and the temptation of Boromir and knowing that Gollum was on his tail, he knew. And his thoughts
were on sparing his friends and continuing the quest! We may come to expect such things from "heroes" but from a hobbit of
the Shire who was frightened by a farmer's dogs? The magnitude of the bravery of this character at this point in the story is for me almost incomprensible. It is a magical moment.

2) Shadowfax at the shattered gate of Minas Tirith. Now, given, Shadowfax is a born hero but who else beside Gandalf would stand
and oppose the approaching terror? Earlier in the story we saw his speed and we saw his endurance but here we see Shadowfax!

3) Faramir's release of Frodo. This one's a little harder for
me to explain (even to myself) but it does stand out for me. His
brother dead, his father falling deeper into despair and Sauron
marching; consider the weight of this decision! Yet he did not
fall to pride like Boromir or fear like Denethor. His is the
heroism of the individual. He stayed true to himself at the
critical time.

4) Eowyn on the Pellonor fields. From memory (please excuse any
error): "Begone foul dwimmelaik, you stand between me and my kin"
. I can "feel" Eowyn's heroism in my heart. She is defending
someone she loves. It is the most "human" act of heroism mentioned.

5) Bilbo abandoning the ring. What other characters having possessed it as long as he did could have done the same?

Thanks Matt, I generally just lurk but your topic, at least for me, is inspiring.

Joe