{"id":61565,"date":"2012-09-05T06:38:36","date_gmt":"2012-09-05T11:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=61565"},"modified":"2012-09-05T06:38:36","modified_gmt":"2012-09-05T11:38:36","slug":"playing-sherlock-a-few-hobbit-plot-deductions-from-the-figurine-character-biographies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2012\/09\/05\/61565-playing-sherlock-a-few-hobbit-plot-deductions-from-the-figurine-character-biographies\/","title":{"rendered":"Playing Sherlock: a few Hobbit plot deductions from the figurine character biographies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a> Since the Hobbit film trilogy began shooting principal photography 18 months ago, the production has played its very cards close to its chest, and Stone Street Studios has proved more leak-proof than the White House.<\/p>\n

In light of this, speculation on the films — whether pertaining to structure or content — has the hallmark of paleolithic archaeology: not only are large inferences having to be made from an extremely small amount of evidence, but the legitimacy and relevance of the evidence itself is by no means certain.<\/p>\n

With all this in mind, I\u2019ll try and draw some tentative conclusions about the trilogy\u2019s plot and structure — with particular attention to any evidence of departures from the book — from what we understand to be official biographical notes that will accompany the character figurines from The Hobbit.<\/p>\n

While it is impossible to confirm that the descriptive information released with these figurines accurately reflects the film-makers vision, they are detailed and idiosyncratic enough to suggest there is a high degree of alignment.<\/p>\n

Note that some of the biographies (Kili, Fili, Gloin and Dwalin, for example) are left out here. Where this occurs this is because, in my view, they offered no insight on the trilogy plot, structure, or departures from the source material. And if spoilers and speculation<\/font> aren’t your thing, best to stop reading now. <\/p>\n

\"\"Gandalf<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description<\/strong>:
\nWhile accompanying the Company on the Quest, \u201cGandalf finds indication that the world could be haunted by an ancient evil. To get to the truth of the matter, Gandalf has to leave his companions to their own devices — his own path leads him into the darkest corners of Middle-earth, where he found his worst suspicions confirmed.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\n\u2018Gandalf finds an indication that the world could be haunted by an ancient evil\u2019<\/em> suggests, at the very least, that he comes across the Morgul blade (the \u2018indication\u2019), as shown in the footage at Cinema-Con in April, somewhere between Hobbiton and Rivendell.<\/p>\n

It therefore seems plausible that the film will have the Dwarves pass through the Barrow-downs on their way between Hobbiton and the Trollshaws.\u00a0 This would mean including in the Hobbit a scene that was left out of the Fellowship of the Ring (FotR) film.<\/p>\n

Doing this would not be unprecedented: Jackson has a track record of moving scenes and dialogue in, and between, films in the Lord of the Rings<\/em> (LotR<\/em>) trilogy. For instance, Old Man Willow appeared in The Two Towers<\/em> (TTT<\/em>) instead of FotR<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In Tolkien\u2019s world, the Barrow-downs — located east of the Shire, but west of Bree — are places where the ancestors of the Edain (the three great Houses of Men that constitute the Dunedain) were buried long ago. The Witch King of Angmar (who later became the head of the Nazgul\/ black riders) later sent evil spirits, called wights, to inhabit the barrows. In FotR<\/em>, the four hobbits are trapped by these spirits in the Barrow-downs mists before being rescued by Tom Bombadil.<\/p>\n

What is likely to therefore happen is this: the Company will travel through the Barrow-downs on their way from Hobbiton to the Trollshaws, and become trapped in the same manner as the Hobbits in FotR<\/em>. Gandalf will likely rescue them, instead of Tom Bombadil.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Barrow Downs by Alex Lioce<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, while they are there, Gandalf comes across a broken crypt, and in it the Morgul blade (in the FotR<\/em> book, the Hobbits each take Dunedain blades from the barrow in which they are held by the wights). The writers could therefore be planning to turn the Barrow-downs from the burial site of the Dunedain that was infested with evil spirits sent by the Witch-King, to instead be the place where the Dunedain had entombed the Witch-King long ago. Gandalf finds the tomb broken, and thus he is alerted to an evil haunting the world, which leads to the discussion of the Morgul blade at Rivendell during the meeting of the White Council.<\/p>\n

From a pacing perspective, including the Barrow-downs scene here would be a good addition to the Hobbit, as in the book basically nothing happens between leaving Hobbiton to arriving at the Trollshaws. Bear in mind this is roughly the same journey as taken by the Hobbits in FotR, but in that film they passed through farmland, the ferry, Bree, the Midgewater Marshes and Weathertop.<\/p>\n

Jackson therefore has the challenge of indicating the journey is still that far and on the same route without the journey feeling repetitive. This means they may have to travel through the Old Forest, the Barrow-downs to give a sense of the journey being arduous and long. I\u2019d wager that Bree itself might get a cameo, as a nod to the appendices, in which Tolkien writes that the Quest for Erebor is hatched through a fortuitous meeting between Gandalf\u00a0and Thorin in the Prancing Pony, a meeting that ultimately leads to the formation of the Company some time later.<\/p>\n

Thorin Oakenshield\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cAs a young dwarf prince Thorin has witnessed the terrible devastation that has brought a fire-breathing dragon on the dwarf kingdom of Erebor. No one assisted the surviving dwarves — so the once proud and noble people had to go into exile. During the long years of misery Thorin grew into a strong, fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart grew the burning desire to win back his homeland and destroy the beast, which is responsible for the plight of his people.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nThis description suggests that we might well get some flashbacks of the hardship the dwarves endured in the Blue Mountains and as itinerant smiths following the loss of the Lonely Mountain to Smaug. It is unlikely that Thorin will reveal his background of hardship himself, as he is a proud dwarf. It is therefore most likely that his backstory will be revealed in two ways.<\/p>\n

First, other dwarves in the company will reveal it to Bilbo, no doubt out of ear-shot of a brooding Thorin. This will perhaps occur on the journey to Rivendell, as the first part of the film will of course have to set up the rest of the film and trilogy.<\/p>\n

Second, it could be revealed via a dream sequence for Thorin. If this occurs, it will likely be used to begin film three, There and Back Again<\/em>, much as RotK<\/em> began with such a sequence for Gollum. The sequence could open from the perspective of a young Thorin, leading a band of other young, foolhardy dwarves, being mischievous in Erebor, gleaming in all its pre-desolation splendour. The camera then follows them through the great halls, bustling with industry, commerce, culture, and then out through the front gate onto the side of the Lonely Mountain. Thorin and his comrades scramble up the mountainside, perhaps hunting, and while joking amongst themselves, Thorin suddenly sights something on the horizon, high against the sky.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Smaug Destroy Lake Town – John Howe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slowly, as it gets closer, Thorin begins to feel a sense of horror and dread creep over him. It is the coming of the dragon. He watches, helpless, as Smaug descends on the mountain, smashing through the front gate. The sequence then picks up pace, quickly cutting to scenes of slaughter as Smaug routs the Kingdom, laying Erebor to waste: scenes of him scything through battalions of Dwarves forlornly scrambling to defend their Kingdom; rampaging through the halls and darting under arches, smoking out those in hiding; driving all before him. The sequence could build to a terrible crescendo of death and destruction, fire and flashing talons, and suddenly the dragon turns and seems to breathe fire straight into the camera… and Thorin wakes up with a start.<\/p>\n

It was all a dream. A recollection of what befell the mountain all those decades before. Thorin looks around, and finds himself sitting in the ruins of one of the great halls of Erebor. Having been there several weeks, the dwarves are now somewhat settled into the sorry remains of their old kingdom. Thorin slowly stands up, and the camera pulls back to reveal the charred halls, the great doors broken from their hinges. It still has the reek of Smaug. Sloughed dragon skin is all about, coiled in corners, draped over ancient beheaded statues of dead Kings like some hideous gossamer.<\/p>\n

Such a ‘dream sequence’ would play an important role at the beginning of the third film: it would establish, aside from Bilbo himself, Thorin as the central character of that film, as the film will follow his arc from a descent into despotism through to his reconciliation with Bilbo and redemption in death. The scene will remind the audience of why he is unwilling to parley with the Lakemen, and why he proves so covetous of his Kingdom, terrified of losing it all over again. It establishes the tragedy and humiliation that defines him, and which hardens his resolve into obstinance now he is re-ensconced in his ancestral halls. It would also illustrate the tragic decline of the kingdom from its glory days before the coming of the dragon, compared to its ruin now it has been retaken: it shows what the dragon has wrought.<\/p>\n

This scene would also allows the director to begin film three with a high-octane action sequence, one that would have the added benefit of giving Smaug some more screen time, even though he will have been killed at the end of the previous film. For these scenes of Smaug’s conquest of the mountain could not have been shown in much detail at the beginning of the first film, in Hobbiton, as what Smaug looks like is likely to be the big ‘reveal’ of film two, and thus little of him will be shown in film one.\u00a0Such an action sequence will be necessary as the rest of the first act of film three will largely be about diplomacy and the drum-beats of war, culminating in the Battle of the Five Armies.
\n<\/p>\n

Balin<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description<\/strong>:
\n\"\"\u201cBalin is a noble dwarf and one of the oldest members in the dwarf company. By nature wise and gentle, he had to get used to a military life, as he hovered constantly between life and death. As a close cousin of Thorin Oakenshield he is one of his closest and most trusted advisers. But deep in his heart the wisest and most faithful of the dwarves asks whether it is wise to try to reclaim the Lonely Mountain.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation:
\n<\/strong>It is important to remember that, in The Hobbit<\/em>, Balin was the first dwarf to gain respect for Bilbo when the hobbit snuck past Balin, who was on lookout duty, following the Company\u2019s escape for the Misty Mountains. Later, he was the only dwarf to accompany the hobbit halfway down the secret passage to Smaug\u2019s lair. In short, he is Bilbo\u2019s strongest ally among the dwarves.<\/p>\n

According to the filmmakers interpretation, Balin is the most sceptical of the Quest to reclaim the mountain. Furthermore, remember that in FotR<\/em>, the fellowship discover Balin\u2019s tomb in Moria (in the books, he left the Lonely Mountain some 50 years after the events in the Hobbit to establish a new colony in Moria). Also bear in mind that the film-makers want The Hobbit<\/em> to lead directly into the LotR<\/em> trilogy.<\/p>\n

Now assuming the second film will end with the death of Smaug, the third film will centre on Thorin\u2019s growing paranoia and selfishness, and his refusal to parley with the men of Laketown, which leads to the mountain being besieged. Thorin\u2019s narrow-mindedness and intransigence leads to Bilbo giving the Arkenstone to the Elven-King and Bard. This of course leads to Thorin banishing Bilbo from the mountain.<\/p>\n

Yet it is undoubtedly the case that some of the dwarves will themselves have doubts about Thorin\u2019s short-sighted approach. Chief among these would be Balin. This is because a) he is being written as a sceptic of the Quest, but comes along out of loyalty, and b) because he holds Bilbo in high regard. Thus the filmmakers might be planning on Bilbo\u2019s banishment causing a schism in the Company, with Balin (with perhaps Oin in tow) choosing to depart the mountain. Refusing to take sides in the coming conflict, they make their way to Moria instead.<\/p>\n

Doing this would accomplish two things.<\/p>\n

First, it would link up with the fact that the fellowship discover Balin\u2019s tomb in Moria in FotR<\/em> (doing this would of course constitute a break from the source material, as Tolkien states that Balin sets out for Moria some forty years after the events of the Hobbit, but such a break would be a relatively minor one).<\/p>\n

\"\"Second, Balin\u2019s departure would heighten the drama and sense of a brewing tragedy around Thorin, who is described in the books as growing increasingly erratic and paranoid once he is de-facto King Under the Mountain following the death of the dragon. The loss of the confidence of his closest confidante would be a blow to Thorin, and play well dramatically.<\/p>\n

Bifur<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cBifur is from the west, and carries the rusted remains of an orc ax in his forehead. Since this he cannot speak anymore, and sometimes he gets violent! He communicates only through grunts and hand signals. Unlike the other dwarves in the company he is not related to Thorin and also does not come from a noble lineage, but is a descendant of miners and blacksmiths — ordinary people with simple needs.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nWhen I first saw the axe in Bifur\u2019s head in the production shots, I assumed it was from a mining incident. But it is likely that it will be explained through a dark comedic flashback of his role in some battle of other, perhaps the Battle of Azanulbizar. Perhaps he will be seen, in flashback, fighting with Thorin at the battle of Azanulbizar, perhaps involved in the incident which gave Thorin his unusual last name.<\/p>\n

Radagast the Brown<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cRadagast is forgetful, seems to be slightly absent-minded and very eccentric. He talks preferably with animals than with people. As a magician colleague and friend of Gandalf the Grey, Radagast is one of the guardians of the great forests of Middle-earth. Often you meet him on his walks through the woods near his strange little house called Rhosgobel. The little wizard senses impending doom, because not everything is as it should be in the dark corners of Mirkwood<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nRadagast looks to be a significant character in this trilogy. It would be odd if he did not have a role in all three films. It is clear he is in the first film, as Gandalf will have to visit Rhosgobel on his way to Dol Guldur after he has left the Company at the Eaves of Mirkwood following the stay at Beorn\u2019s house. In the second, he will probably join Gandalf in the assault on Dol Guldur itself. At the beginning of the third film, Radagast is likely to be the means by which Gandalf discovers Smaug is dead. Much as the palantir came to Gandalf at the beginning of RotK through the parley with Saruman, news of the dragon\u2019s death (which portends the Battle of the Five Armies) will arrive while he, Radagast and Beorn are still in the ruins of Dol Guldur, in the aftermath of that battle. I would wager that a flock of birds will fly overhead, and from them Radagast, \u2018the bird tamer\u2019, will learn that the dragon in dead. Learning this, Gandalf spurs his horse north to the Lonely Mountain, but not before dispatching Radagast to inform the eagles of the Misty Mountains of the death of the dragon. This would explain how and why it is that the eagles themselves arrive at the Battle of the Five Armies.<\/p>\n

Whether Radagast himself is at the Battle of the Five Armies (perhaps riding an eagle) is a mystery. However, I would wager that whatever happens, he will die in the third film. This would explain his absence in the LotR<\/em> trilogy. While this could happen at the Battle of the Five Armies, it could also occur that Saruman, who manipulates Radagast in the books, kills him, perhaps when Radagast discovers that Saruman has a secret agenda. This would set in motion the descent into outright evil for Saruman, as evident in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The death of Radagast, who is clearly portrayed as a warm, whimsically loveable character by Sylvester McCoy, would symbolise an end of innocence, a key theme of the Hobbit, and help transition to the darker, more urgent tone of the LotR<\/em> trilogy.<\/p>\n

Saruman the White\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cThe venerable and mighty Saruman belongs with four other wizards to the Guardians of Middle Earth that care for order and balance in the world. Especially Saruman arranges the fate of the free nations at his own discretion. As head of the White Council, he fears with growing unease that Gandalf the Grey and Thorin Oakenshield\u2019s companions could mess up his careful calculations. Saruman is indeed very old and wise but gives in to his subliminal weakness and is greedy for power — a greed that ultimately produces the most deadly of all unions.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation:
\n<\/strong>First, it is interesting that five wizards are mentioned. This suggests there may be some explanation of the origins of the wizards in middle-earth, as the five are Gandalf the Grey, Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown and the two Blue Wizards who disappeared into the East long ago.<\/p>\n

Second, the word used is \u2018deadly\u2019 in reference to his union with Sauron. This suggests he does something deadly in the Hobbit, which aligns with the idea that Radagast will die in the films. If this occurs, it will likely be a portend of things to come (in LotR) that adds a twist to the end of an otherwise happy end to \u2018There and Back Again\u2019, the third film, when Bilbo returns to Hobbiton.<\/p>\n

Third, there is no suggestion that Saruman takes part in the battle of Dol Guldur. Given that Radagast is loyal to him as head of the Order, and trusting of his intentions, it is possible that Saruman sends Radagast to \u2018represent\u2019 him at Dol Guldur, but possibly with instructions to report back to him. It is on this return mission near the end of the trilogy, perhaps if Radagast has seen too much, when Saruman decides that he represents a risk to his carefully laid plans.<\/p>\n

Elrond<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cElrond is one of the oldest and wisest Elves who still live in Middle Earth. He is the Lord of Rivendell, the last homely house east of the Sea. Thorin & Co. stay only for a short time in Rivendell, but Elrond offers Bilbo and the dwarves lodging and food. The dwarves have a natural aversion to the Elves, but accept their help gladly. Elrond responded suspiciously to the dwarves\u2019 project to reclaim their stolen treasure, but he gives those secret information that Gandalf and Thorin need to reach the Lonely Mountain.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nElrond would appear to play the equivalent of a cameo role in the film, the Company\u2019s host at Rivendell, and the device for necessary background exposition. There is no indication that he takes part in the Battle of Dol Guldur.<\/p>\n

Galadriel<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cGaladriel is the oldest of the remaining elves in Middle-earth and has the gift of foresight. As the signs are increasing that doom threatens Middle-earth, she secretly supports Gandalf in his mission to track down the cause of evil. Galadriel knows of course that the Fellowship must succeed if the evil power shall not win the upper hand and the darkness dominates everything<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nGaladriel is perhaps the most enigmatic significant character in the Hobbit trilogy. While it is known that she attends the White Council in Rivendell (from the Cinema-con footage), and speaks with Gandalf in private in Rivendell (in the trailer), it does not seem that she actively takes part in the Battle of Dol Guldur herself. Yet she does apparently \u2018secretly support\u2019 Gandalf in his mission to \u2018track down the cause of evil\u2019. However, Philippa Boyens, part of the script writing team, has noted that Galadriel\u2019s character was, at this time, the most powerful in Middle-earth, and thus she may well have some active role. Either way, it is hard to even speculate.
\n<\/p>\n

Legolas<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Legolas\"Description<\/strong>:
\n“Legolas is the Prince of the Woodland Realm and a high elf like his father Thranduil. However, you meet him rarely at the royal court — much rather he patrols the area with the forest guards of the Wood-elves. The large and slim versed fighter is absolutely loyal to his father and his people. But the events of the outside world by now leave traces in the isolated world of the Wood-elves. Because he sees the disaster coming, Legolas faces the choice to follow either his father or his conscience.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nThe suggestion that Legolas breaks from his father could indicate one of two things: either he helps the dwarves in their escape from the Wood-elves kingdom, or it is he not Thranduil who leads the Wood-elves to the Lonely Mountain. The quote suggests the latter, as it notes \u2018but the events in the outside world by now leave traces in the isolated world of the Wood-elves\u2019. Releasing the dwarves has little relevance to \u2018events in the outside world\u2019. But leading an army to the Lonely Mountain would of course be in response to such events.<\/p>\n

The Great Goblin<\/strong> (or \u201cGoblin-King\u201d)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cThe Great Goblin is a huge, grotesquely bloated monster that in the years of his tyrannical rule over the miserable inhabitants of the Goblin town grew fat and flabby. The Goblin town is a collection of skew-whiff ramshackle huts deep in the caves of the Misty Mountains. He commands a bunch of foul, polluted, with scars and ulcers studded goblins. Basically, they are bandits, they live by what they can pick up from passengers on the passes through the mountains. The Goblin King and his followers manage to capture Bilbo and the dwarves. The Goblin King is more wily and smarter than it seems. He takes pleasure in torturing his prisoners — he almost succeeds to finish off Thorin Oakenshield and his companions<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nThe Great Goblin appears to be being presented as a petty warlord, one who nevertheless is quite minor in the big scheme of things. His death at the hands of the Company will trigger the rising up of the Goblins, which culminates in the Battle of the Five Armies. More on this below.<\/p>\n

Grinnah<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cGrinnah is the interrogation specialist of the goblins. He ensures that Thorin & Co. are brought before the Goblin King. He constantly carries a barbed whip and takes every opportunity to use it. Although cunning and vicious, he is like all goblins basically a coward. Fawning and obsequious, he serves his master, the rich and moody Goblin King, but secretly he despises him<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nThis character may be invented, but it is necessary. Much as the Uruk-hai in FotR<\/em> and the army at Pelennor Field needed a leader to give them dramatic and emotional heft, for the Goblin hordes to be engaging there will need to be some rendered as minor antagonists. Grinnah fulfills this role in Goblin Town.<\/p>\n

I would further speculate that Grinnah also proves to be the goblin that not only shoots Balin in Moria (a cowardly act), but is the very same orc that is \u2018grinning\u2019 (hence the name \u2018Grinnah\u2019) at the fellowship just before the appearance of the Balrog in FotR. As a coward, he would have found a way to survive the Battle of the Five Armies.<\/p>\n

Azog<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Description<\/strong>:
\n“It was said that Azog the Desecrator fell many years ago in the great battle between the Orcs and the Dwarves. But now he appears again at the top of a deadly horde of killer orcs. For Gandalf begins a race against time because he has to figure out the connection between the most dangerous orc commander and the growing evil, which takes shape in the ruins of the fortress of Dol Guldur. One thing is totally clear: no one will deter Azog from his intention to destroy Thorin Oakenshield\u2019s companions to the last dwarf.<\/em>”<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nIn the appendices, Azog is presented as the chief antagonist in the historical Goblin Wars, set a century or more before the events of the Hobbit. In brief, Thror, an ancestor of Thorin, visited Moria from the Lonely Mountain in an attempt to recolonise it (Thror was King Under the Lonely Mountain when Smaug descended on the Kingdom). In Moria, Thror was killed by Azog, who was the Orc Chieftain in Moria, and therefore of all Orcs. Thror\u2019s body was mutilated, with \u2018AZOG\u2019 carved into the brow of his severed head, and a purse of money stuffed in his mouth. This desecration sparked the Dwarf-Goblin wars, which culminated in the Battle of Azanulbizar at the gates of Moria (the gates out of which the Fellowship ran following the encounter with the Balrog).\u00a0Azog is then killed at Azanulbizar by Dain Ironfoot (who will appear at the Lonely Mountain at the Battle of the Five Armies in There and Back Again, and is played by Billy Connolly. Although this may have been a joke, Connolly has claimed that the character will be rocking a mohawk). Dain decapitates Azog, and puts the purse of money in his mouth.<\/p>\n

Now in this film trilogy version, it is clear that Azog is not killed at Azanulbizar, and indeed, the filmmakers are making Azog the chief Orc antagonist of the trilogy. As the chief antagonist (apart from Smaug, who I\u2019ve argued elsewhere is like Saruman in Lord of the Rings: the primary antagonist of films one and two, but the secondary antagonist of the trilogy), he will therefore likely be the leader of the Goblin forces at the Battle of the Five Armies, the centrepiece of the third film, There and Back Again. This makes sense, as Sauron cannot be there in person (as he has no body), and Azog will therefore embody the rising evil in Middle-earth for the purposes of the film.<\/p>\n

For symmetry, it is however likely that Azog will still be killed by Dain Ironfoot, who might still stuff the purse of coins in his mouth. Thus Thorin, Fili and Kili might still all fall to his bodyguard as in the book, but instead of Beorn killing Bolg (the son of Azog, who in the Hobbit book is the leader of the Goblin forces at the Battle of the Five Armies), it is Dain killing Azog. This would make sense dramatically, as it would help legitimise Dain as the new King under the Mountain, which he becomes in the book following Thorin\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

The key question is where will Azog make his actual entry in the films? Bear in mind that the character of Azog might well have been introduced<\/em> via a flashback to Azanulbizar in Rivendell, a tale that will likely be told by Thorin, who was of course present at that battle.\u00a0Yet it appears that instead of showing Azog\u2019s death, they will only indicate that he is thought<\/em> to have died.\u00a0 Thus there will need to be a dramatic \u2018reveal\u2019 that he survived the battle.<\/p>\n

We can perhaps infer when this might happen from the figurine descriptions. The official description for Fimbul (below) states \u2018Fimbul is one of Azog\u2019s master hunters\u2019, which suggests that Azog\u2019s forces ride upon wargs. Bolg\u2019s description (also below) notes how \u2018like his father, he is a huge pale orc\u2019, indicating Azog is himself a pale orc, much like the orc commander at the Battle of Pelennor in RotK<\/em>. Remember that that orc rode upon a warg himself. All this indicates that Azog himself will ride upon a warg.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Alan Lee – Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thus what will be most likely is that, following their escape from the Misty Mountains, Thorin and Co. will be forced up trees and surrounded by a forward team of wargs and orcs as in the book (in the films, this pack will likely be led by Yazneg, to be played by John Rawls. Yazneg, a new character, apparently appears in two films, which suggests that he might then re-appear as a second-in-command to Azog at the Battle of the Five Armies). From the top of his tree, Thorin will be able to see orc reinforcements coming from all directions. Clearly all hope is lost.<\/p>\n

But Thorin suddenly sees one great orc among them, entering the clearing below the trees. To his horror, it is clearly Azog, thought to be long dead (it is possible that Bifur will also recognise Azog, if he is written to have had the axe embedded in his head by Azog himself at Azanulbizar). Azog himself recognises Thorin. It is at this point that the eagles swoop down and rescue the company.<\/p>\n

This fleeting introduction would allow for several things.<\/p>\n

First, the shocking revelation that Azog is alive and well and in command of a large force. This will appear as no coincidence to Gandalf, given the revelation that the Witch-king has been released from his tomb, suggests that both have possibly been \u2018necromanced\u2019 back from the dead, or at any rate mobilised by some greater power. One can just imagine the dialogue between Thorin and Gandalf following this close encounter with Azog:<\/p>\n

Thorin: \u2018But I saw him die over a century ago! How is he alive?<\/em>\u2019<\/p>\n

Gandalf: \u2018Much that was once certain is no longer. The world is growing stranger with the seasons. This is not the most concerning omen of our journey, only the most recent. The dead walk abroad, and I must go to Dol Guldur. There is a power at work, a dark power. Necromancy serves a purpose, and one greater than purely to inconvenience you, Thorin<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n

Thus this scene will allow Gandalf to discover the connection between Azog and Dol Guldur.<\/p>\n

Third, the scene would rekindle the antagonism between Thorin and Azog, which provides the backdrop for Fimbul\u2019s harrying of the Company all the way to the Lonely Mountain (see Fimbul\u2019s description below), and Azog\u2019s eventual marshalling of the orcs for the Battle of the Five Armies.
\n<\/p>\n

Fimbul<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cThe exceedingly cruel orc Fimbul is one of Azog\u2019s master hunters. He commands a horde of warg riders who trace their victims in the saddle of their gigantic wolf beasts. Fimbul has taken up the scent of Thorin Oakenshield & Co. and will catch the dwarves before they reach the Lonely Mountain.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nIt would appear that the filmmakers are beefing up the role of the wargs in the trilogy. The wargs begin to chase the dwarves on their escape from the Misty Mountains. In the book, they do not appear again once the Company is rescued by the eagles. However, it is suggested that the Company must hurry to Mirkwood lest they be found by the goblins.<\/p>\n

My supposition is that the dwarves are chased up trees by a pack of wargs led by the orc Yazneg. However, once Azog realises one of the dwarves is Thorin, he will set his \u2018master hunter\u2019, Fimbul, on their trail. Fimbul is therefore likely to be a feature of the second half of film one and most of film two, harrying the Company all the way to the base of the Lonely Mountain.<\/p>\n

This could include following their barrels from the banks all the way to Laketown, forcing the Dwarves to remain in the barrels on the water for the whole distance (why else would they stay in cramped barrels? Without this, simply floating down the river in barrels is not particularly cinematic. It may work in the book, but on film it would be a little anti-climatic; this would also create a form of danger once they disembark at the end of the Long Lake and make their way through Dale, if they are trying to avoid being tracked by Warg-riders.<\/p>\n

I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if there is a come-uppance for this character late in the second film. Perhaps they succeed in stealing the ponies from the Company on the slopes of the Lonely Mountain, only to be unfortunate enough to be therefore on open ground when Smaug torches the mountain side and eats the ponies, thereby unwittingly aiding the dwarves by getting ride of what had become a constant source of anxiety — Fimbul and his warg riders.<\/p>\n

Bolg<\/strong>\u00a0& Beorn<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cBolg is the offspring of Azog the Desecrator — like his father, he is huge pale orc. He is the overseer in the dungeons of Dol Guldur — torturing is his hobby. He garnishes his armor with the bones and the blood of his victims. This husky Orc fears nothing and nobody — until he suddenly meets an unexpected opponent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe gigantic Beorn is the last of the ancient people of the skin changer: He can transform into a huge bear-like creature. He lives alone, only tolerates the company of his beloved animals and does not appreciate any visitors — especially not dwarfs. Gandalf knows that the companions have to take the risk and ask Beorn for help, because otherwise they will hardly survive their journey through Wilderland.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nAs noted above, it would appear that Azog has been moved to be the leader of the Goblin forces at the Battle of the Five Armies, the key conflict of the third film. This makes sense, as Dain can still be the one who kills him, but it happens in this battle rather than at the Battle of Azanulbizar, which will likely only be referenced in flashback while the Company are being told by Elrond about the history of the swords they found in the trolls\u2019 cave.<\/p>\n

This works because the filmmakers appear to have taken his son, Bolg, and made him the overseer of the dungeons of Dol Guldur, Sauron\u2019s stronghold in the south of Mirkwood. This will achieve a solid connection between the goblin hordes in the mountains, the history of dwarf-goblin antagonism, and the goblins and the \u2018rising evil\u2019, i.e. Sauron.<\/p>\n

We can safely assume that the Battle of Dol Guldur will occur in the second film. This is because it would simply not fit in the first film, as Gandalf only leaves the Dwarves when they enter Mirkwood, which will be at least two hours into An Unexpected Journey.\u00a0It would also not fit in the third film, as Gandalf will have to quickly be at the Lonely Mountain in the first hour of that film, as he is involved in the build-up to the Battle of the Five Armies.<\/p>\n

The Battle of Dol Guldur will thus likely be intercut, throughout the first half of the second film, with the Company\u2019s escape from the Wood-elves, recuperation in Laketown, exploration of the Lonely Mountain and Bilbo\u2019s interactions with Smaug. This intercutting will be necessary, as that sequence for the Company is rather low-key and dialogue heavy. By the time the Battle of Dol Guldur is wrapping up, Smaug has been antagonised and is ready to scour the mountain and then attack Laketown.<\/p>\n

No doubt Bolg will be the chief Orc under Sauron in Dol Guldur, and given that Sauron himself escapes the assault, Bolg will be the main antagonist in that battle.<\/p>\n

Yet here an interesting point arises. Remember that, in the book, Bolg is \u2018torn down and crushed\u2019 by Beorn, who kills the orc while rescuing Thorin. Now if Azog has replaced Bolg at the key antagonist of the Battle of the Five Armies, and is killed by Dain, then it makes sense for Beorn to be the one who kills Bolg in Dol Guldur.<\/p>\n

This would make sense. Remember Beorn, like Gandalf, stops shadowing the Dwarves at the eaves of Mirkwood. Tolkien doesn\u2019t say where he then goes. But while the Dwarves are staying with Beorn, Bilbo hears the sound of many bears outside while they are sleeping. In short, Beorn himself has an army of sorts.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In the film, it is possible that Beorn and Gandalf join forces, and travel south to Dol Guldur, joining with Radagast en-route, who is representing Saruman. Together, these three assault Dol Guldur. Beorn would bring some \u2018muscle\u2019 to the assault, both personally and through his forces.<\/p>\n

But also we should examine the symbolism surrounding Dol Guldur. Bear in mind that the Necromancer has, from Dol Guldur, cast a shadow over a previously green forest, hence its name Mirkwood. Indeed, in The Hobbit<\/em>, Mirkwood is described as without birdsong.<\/p>\n

In The Two Towers<\/em>, it was the trees themselves that fought back against the ravages and perversions of Saruman and Isengard. It would therefore seem to make sense that the Battle of Dol Guldur is the animal kingdom that is fighting back against the evil that has driven all animal life from Mirkwood. This makes all the more sense when we see that the assault might well include Radagast (a wizard defined above as more interested in animals than people), who could rally animals to the cause, and Beorn, who is himself a bear and has animals and bears at his command. In short, Dol Guldur will likely not be a battle of armies, but rather a battle of living nature<\/em> against the unnatural dead<\/em> (the name \u2018Necromancer\u2019 of course suggests an ability to animate the dead).<\/p>\n

Beorn then may or may not himself come to the Battle of the Five Armies, although that role always seemed strange in the book. Everything about the character is of a homebody, and the Lonely Mountain is a long way from his home territory. How would he get there so fast? Why would he bother? It is quite possible the character does not appear at the Battle of the Five Armies if he plays a critical role in the Battle of Dol Guldur. To play a critical role at both would be tantamount to deus ex machina<\/em>.<\/p>\n

With regard to Bolg, having him killed at Dol Guldur by Beorn would create a clear incentive for Azog to seek revenge and attack the Lonely Mountain. Thus in changing the arrangement of scenes (Bolg appears at Dol Guldur, not the Battle of the Five Armies; Azog dies at the Battle of the Five Armies, not the Battle of Azanulbizar), but keeping the scenes themselves intact (Beorn killing Bolg; Dain killing Azog), the films might manage to expand on Tolkien\u2019s very basic notes without having to make scenes up wholesale.<\/p>\n

Gollum<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Description<\/strong>:
\n\u201cGollum was once a Hobbit-like creature named Smeagol whose body and soul have been poisoned by a small, plain gold ring, which he hid in a gloomy cave in the Misty Mountains. Gollum does not know what is going on with “his treasure” — but he realizes that it is more valuable than his life. After the chance encounter with a strange enemy Gollum realizes that he has lost “his treasure”, and rightly concludes: The hobbit Bilbo Baggins of the Shire has stolen it. So begins the hunt over mountains and through deserts that takes years and costs many lives, until in the end this miserable creature holds the fate of Middle-earth in his hand<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Analysis and speculation<\/strong>:
\nThis description suggests that the films will follow Gollum once he leaves the Misty Mountains. The mention of \u2018deserts\u2019 is interesting, as this is one landscape we have not seen in the LotR<\/em> trilogy.<\/p>\n

It is plausible that Gollum could only leave the mountains through the \u2018backdoor\u2019 of Goblin town after all the Goblins have left to take part in the Battle of the Five Armies. Thus he will likely not appear in film two, unless as a cameo at the end if the goblins have discovered by then that the dragon is dead, and Azog discovered that Bolg, his son, is also dead (a discovery that likely sends him into a rage and causes him to summon all goblins from across the mountains to attack the Lonely Mountain).<\/p>\n

Gollum will therefore likely have a few scenes throughout the third movie, tracking his progress across Middle-earth, and eventual capture and torture once he reaches Mordor (probably at about the time of the Battle of the Five Armies).<\/p>\n

My own highly speculative hunch is that the films will end by showing Gollum entering Moria. Perhaps, in a clever dovetail, it could show Gollum witnessing the shooting of Balin by an orc archer in the Dimrill Dale (possible Grinnah, as noted above), an event in the book that leads to the orc re-invasion of Moria, as discovered by the Fellowship in FotR<\/em>. In FotR<\/em>, of course, Gollum is given a cameo stalking the fellowship in Moria. No explanation is given in that film of how he got there.
\n<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is important to note that it is likely that every scene in this Hobbit trilogy will either have relevance across the trilogy itself, or relevance in the context of the LotR<\/em> trilogy.<\/p>\n

For instance, although the incident with the three trolls appears rather random, it has a broader significance as it allows the company to discover the swords — Glamdring, Orcrist and Sting, which have significance throughout the rest of the films.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the time at the aerie of the eagles, following the rescue from the burning trees, gives some background to them, which adds context to a) their intervention in the Battle of the Five Armies in film three, b) the rescue of Gandalf from atop Isengard in FotR<\/em>, and c) the rescue of Sam and Frodo from Mount Doom in Return of the King<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Even the incident with the spiders in Mirkwood has broader relevance. This is because they are the off-spring of Shelob, and thus the incident gives the encounter Frodo and Sam have with Shelob some context.<\/p>\n

When all is said and done, and given the film-makers\u2019 track record of preferring to use scenes and dialogue in different contexts rather than to excise them completely, not to mention the confidence with which all involved in the production have clearly embraced the idea of a trilogy despite having finished principle photography, I\u2019m confident that nothing suggested in this essay is beyond the realms of possibility.<\/p>\n

Let the debate begin.<\/p>\n

===========================================================================<\/p>\n

Thomas Monteath is a life-long Tolkien aficionado, who still believes \u2013- with apologies to the excellent Andy Serkis -\u2013 that the finest Gollum was Peter Woodthorpe in the BBC\u2019s 1981 Radio adaptation. In real life he is an academic in the UK, who can on occasion be found propping up the bar at the Eagle & Child.\u00a0These views are his own, and do not necessarily represent those of TheOneRing.net or its staff.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since the Hobbit film trilogy began shooting principal photography 18 months ago, the production has played its very…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":61577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[114,84,115,22,1300,4,1711,333,18,148,159,152],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hobbit-casting","category-merchandise-collectibles","category-hobbit-director","category-headlines","category-hobbit-cast-news","category-hobbit-movie","category-hobbit-movie-rumors","category-hobbit-locations","category-merchandise","category-hobbit","category-torn-community","category-tolkien"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/original.jpg-3712\u00d7498-pixels.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1tLoH-g0Z","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/92"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61565"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61617,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61565\/revisions\/61617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}