There is no shortage of heroes in The Lord of the Rings. From the bravery of Frodo Baggins to the leadership of Aragorn, the Fellowship of the Ring consisted of those who would typically be associated with words such as "brave" and "strong." Each member of the Fellowship brought a special quality with them that would be beneficial in the long journey to Mordor, qualities that would undoubtedly lend to each member being considered a hero in their own right.
Aragorn had his skills as a ranger and his destiny, Gimli had his axe, Legolas his bow, Boromir his sword, Frodo his strong will to withstand the Ring's influence, and even Sam had his faith that was strong enough to carry the entire Fellowship up the rocky path to Mount Doom. On the surface, Meriadoc and Peregrin didn't bring much except for a Hobbit's appetite and wide-eyed curiosity for what lay beyond the hills of the Shire. However, the young Hobbits were more valuable to the Fellowship than audiences may think, and their heroic titles were just as well-earned as Frodo's or Sam's.
Merry and Pippin Have Took Blood Working in Their Favor
Frodo, Merry, and Pippin are all cousins with Bilbo being their uncle. It is noted several times in The Hobbit that Bilbo is the son of a Took, Belladonna Took specifically. The Tooks are famous for being a little more unconventional than other Hobbit clans. They have always been more ambitious and adventurous than any other Hobbit in the Shire. It's for this important reason that Gandalf saw the potential Bilbo had to become a thief. This is also why Merry and Pippin have always had the potential to perform heroic deeds.
Much like Bilbo, when the Hobbits set out from the Shire, Merry and Pippin are the ones who are most taken aback by how they have to live on the road. No second breakfast, little time to rest, and a noticeable lack of pipe-weed. However, they adjust faster than Bilbo did to these inconveniences and do what they can to not make themselves a burden on Frodo. In the books, Merry is instrumental in getting the Hobbits safely out of the Shire because of his planning, gathering of supplies, and acquiring of ponies. In the same way, Bilbo comes into his own and becomes more confident in his own abilities, so do Merry and Pippin the further away they get from the Shire. Being away from the Shire life allows Merry and Pippin to embrace their Took sides as they are faced with danger every step of the journey.
The Fellowship Wouldn't Have Been the Same Without Merry and Pippin
The young Hobbits were underestimated since the formation of the Fellowship. In the books, Elrond is hesitant to allow them to travel with Frodo, and it is only with Gandalf's support they are even able to join. Clearly, Gandalf saw the value of Frodo having his friends with him as they embarked on their treacherous journey. Frodo traveling with his cousins meant having a little piece of the Shire with him. Merry and Pippin are like the little brothers of the party, with Boromir taking them under his wing to show them basic sword skills. They provide a touch of lightheartedness the party needs during their long journey. They are by no means the best fighters, but they are certainly the heart of the group.
Being Captured by the Uruk-hai Is Important to Merry and Pippin's Development
Merry and Pippin don't really get to tap into their Took side until they are captured by the Uruk-hai. Without the protection of the Fellowship, they are forced to utilize their wits. Pippin has made some major blunders up until this point, such as pointing out Frodo in The Prancing Pony and giving away the Fellowship's position in Moria thus earning him the moniker "fool of a Took" by Gandalf. But when he and Merry are captured, Pippin has the sense to drop his Elven brooch for Aragorn to find.
After escaping the Uruk-hai into Fangorn Forest and meeting Treebeard, the young Hobbits are able to convince the Ent to fight back against Saruman at the Entmoot. Their persistence makes them instrumental to Saruman's downfall and contributes greatly to the fight against Sauron.
Merry and Pippin's Individual Journeys Show How Useful a Hobbit Is in War
The two Hobbits have been a package deal since the start of The Lord of the Rings, but with their success at Isengard, it is time for them to show what they could do individually, and it's quite a bit. With Pippin being swept away with Gandalf to Minas Tirith, Merry is left with King Théoden and swears fealty to him to become his squire. This could be perceived as a symbolic gesture to humor Merry because surely Théoden never expected a Halfling to ride into battle with him. But Merry, not willing to sit out the fight to defend Gondor while his other friends are fighting for their lives, takes it upon himself to join the battle alongside Éowyn. The partnership of two underestimated individuals is what leads to the defeat of the Witch-king. After all, no man could kill him, but a Hobbit and a woman could.
As for Pippin, he offers his services to Denethor II as recompense for Boromir dying to protect him and Merry. He becomes a Guard of the Citadel and thanks to this position, he is able to prevent the death of Faramir at the hands of a grief-stricken Denethor during the siege of Gondor. While not as action-packed as Merry's involvement during the siege, Pippin's actions are nonetheless heroic. Merry helps kill a great evil and Pippin saves a life. Merry and Pippin are underestimated and disregarded by people in power, but regardless of this fact, they are able to perform heroic acts. Even after returning home in The Lord of the Rings books, they are instrumental in driving out the remainder of Saruman's forces from the Shire.
Merry and Pippin started off The Lord of the Rings as the bumbling and naive companions of the Fellowship. They were too curious for their own good, and Pippin especially knew how to get into trouble. However, all hope wasn't lost for them because, with them as Tooks, they had the potential to do great things just like their cousin Frodo and their uncle Bilbo, they just needed to be in the right conditions. Being thrown directly into danger forced the two Hobbits to grow up quickly so as not to be a burden on their friends. While leaving them to their own devices would have originally been a recipe for disaster, by the end of the story, Meriadoc and Peregrin learned enough from their adventures to become reliable heroes.