re: Merry or Pippin

Merry was a badass.

As stated, Merry helped kill the Witch King. The books make it more clear- it was HE that organized the others into spying on Frodo, and thus helping him leave the Shire. He stated he knew about the Ring, he had seen Bilbo with it before. He was the one who figured out Frodo was going to leave too, and follow Bilbo.

It was his idea that got them across the Brandywine on the ferry, getting away from the Nazgul. He'd been inside the Old Forest before, and knew some of the (shifting) paths.

In the book, he was scoping Bree at night, and saw (and tried to follow) a Nazgul. Aragorn said it was foolish, but also remarked on his bravery (as Merry knew it was a Black Rider).

After Frodo was injured at Weathertop, Aragorn talked most to Merry as an "equal", as Merry was the most mature and worldly of the other Hobbits.

Pippin said Merry chopped an orc's hand off when they were captured, after Boromir was killed. That's why they roughed him up more.

While Gandalf took Pippin to Minas Tirith, Merry decided on his own that he wanted to ride to war with Theoden. Theoden refused, but Merry was rewarded by Dernhelm (Eowyn) taking him. But he could have stayed behind... he didn't need any prompting to be heroic.

Sam was a simple farmer. Pippin was a bit of a wild kid. Merry was a "grown man" of a Hobbit, and had he been an actual man, would have been a hero.