Peter Jackson’s epic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy features a massive cast, with many characters delivering at least one incredibly poetic line across the films. Honestly, is there any line more heartbreaking than Boromir’s anguished “I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king”?

However, it's Gandalf (played phenomenally by the formidable Ian McKellen) who best uses his words throughout the films to demonstrate his tremendous wisdom and depth. With so many banger one-liners in his arsenal, narrowing down Gandalf’s best quote is a tough task.

Thankfully, we're confident we’ve done just that. Better yet, we’d argue this famous line perfectly captures what makes Tolkien’s story about Frodo and the Fellowship a timeless classic more than two decades after the film's original release.

Gandalf’s quotes range from incredibly snarky — “Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of your stupidity!” — to full of authenticity and wisdom — “Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life” — and are bound to resonate with anyone. But while these are all plenty memorable, neither resonates as being his best.

However, one line does, and, interestingly enough, it comes from a scene in 2003’s The Return of the King featuring the same character with whom Gandalf had a contentious relationship at the very start of the Fellowship. We’re talking about Pippin Took, who, over the course of the three films, has evolved from an annoying halfling into someone Gandalf is fond of.

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