We’ve made it to the final chapter of my Passion Blog! Over the course of the semester, you have learned how invested I am in the nerdy world of hobbits, dwarves, elves, wizards… the list goes on! I’m happy to say that as I researched more for the blog, I’ve learned a lot more about the fandom as well!

For the final post, I will be writing about the conclusion of The Hobbit series. To recap: the company is traveling to the Lonely Mountain to recover the beloved Arkenstone and their territory. Throughout the movie they are attacked by spiders, elves, orcs, and so on. When they finally reach the mountain, Bilbo, the burglar, enters to search for the stone and meets Smaug. That’s when things get a little tricky, but to find out more, go watch the movie!

Movie Poster for The Battle of the Five Armies

The Battle of the Five Armies

Bilbo and the dwarves watch in horror as Smaug escapes the mountain and destroys Lake-town. They don’t have to watch for long until Bard, the descendent of the original failed assassin of Smaug, shoots the dragon down. With the death of the local mayor, Bard is appointed the new leader of the town and he leads the survivors to refuge in Dale. 

Shortly after, Thorin becomes deranged searching for the Arkenstone, hungry for the power it holds. Bilbo found the stone when battling Smaug, but, afraid of the effects it has, keeps it from Thorin. Thorin seals the entrance of the mountain off to continue the search. 

Meanwhile, Gandalf has been captured by the Necromancer, but Galadriel saves him, banishing the Necromancer and Ringwraiths from the fortress (but not for long). At the same time, an army of orcs prepares to attack the survivors of Lake-town. Legolas and Tauriel, who had been spying on the orcs, flee to warn the survivors. Thranduil’s Elf-army also prepares to march to the Lonely Mountain.

Galadriel Banishes the Necromancer

Thranduil forges an alliance with Bard and together they go to the Lonely Mountain, demanding a long lost Elven item from within the mountain. Thorin, driven mad, refuses, waging war. Bilbo, sensing a long driven out conflict, takes the Arkenstone to Thranduil and Bard. This is where things get really complicated. 

Bard and Thranduil’s armies march to the gates and demand the Elven item once more, and when Thorin refuses, they show him the Arkenstone, revealing that Bilbo betrayed the dwarves. At the same time, a dwarf army arrives and so does the orc army. And thus, this is where we get the name The Battle of the Five Armies.

Thranduil’s Army

To find out the fate of the battle and the future of our beloved protagonist, Bilbo, you simply must watch the movie! 

***

I would not have ended this series in any other way. While it is pretty much tied with An Unexpected Journey, there were so many elements I really enjoyed.

First, I think it is incredibly important to have Thorin’s character develop the way it did. He went from a  fearless ruler, to a wealth-crazed ruler, back to a fearless ruler. It was important for his character to be met with these challenges and overcome his ancestral challenges.

The betrayal of Bilbo is so unexpected and says more about his character than the rest of the series does. Bilbo would rather lose the trust of his friends than let any wrong be done, and this is reminiscent of hobbits and their good nature. It also shows his development; Bilbo was a pushover in the introduction of the series, and by the end he thought for himself and did what was right regardless of the consequences. 

The actual battle scene at the climax of the movie is full of heartbreak and loyalty, and I think that makes for a particularly good plot. Furthermore, the sets are beautiful. 

All in all, I think this series perfectly sets up The Lord of the Rings, so go give it a watch! 

***

With all this said, it was lovely introducing you into the world of nerd. I hope you enjoyed it enough to go watch for yourself! 

SOURCES:

Helen, Daniel. “Who Are the Armies in the Battle of Five Armies Anyway?” The Tolkien Society, 5 Nov. 2016, https://www.tolkiensociety.org/blog/2014/12/who-are-the-armies-in-the-battle-of-five-armies-anyway/.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.” The Movie Database, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/122917-the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies/images/posters.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.” Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Hobbit:_The_Battle_of_the_Five_Armies.

“Was Dol Guldur’s Scene in the Battle of Five Armies …” Quora, https://www.quora.com/Was-Dol-Guldur-s-scene-in-the-Battle-of-Five-Armies-accurate-to-show-how-Sauron-was-driven-out-of-the-fortress.

Welcome back to Middle-earth Fandom! We’ve made it to the ninth blog post, and let me tell you, this next movie is one of my favorites in the entire LOTR world. To recap: Bilbo Baggins, an ordinary hobbit, is recruited by a band of misplaced dwarves to help reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a killer dragon. Initially distrusted by Thorin, the leader of the group, Bilbo must prove he is a loyal addition to the party. He first saves the group from a nasty group of mountain trolls, and later saves them from a much more dangerous fate. The group learns from Elrond that a secret passageway into the Mountain will reveal itself on Durin’s Day, and Gandalf insinuates that Sauron is returning after learning of an unseen force poisoning the forest. Bilbo picks up the ring (and please watch to find out how), and is eventually accepted by the group. 

Movie Poster for The Desolation of Smaug

The Desolation of Smaug

The movie opens with Gandalf warning Thorin that he has a bounty on his head. He advises Thorin to search for the Arkenstone, a long lost treasure guarded by Smaug in the Lonely Mountain, to unite the dwarves against these aggressors.

About a year later, Thorin and his company run from a group of orcs straight into the home of a skinchanger. The skinchanger, Beorn, loans horses to the company so they can reach Mirkwood quickly. Once they reach the forest border, Gandalf, promising to meet them by the Lonely Mountain, departs; the rest of the company journeys into the forest, encountering giant spiders. Bilbo, the new wearer of the ring, disappears while the rest of the company is captured. Bilbo rescues the group from their demise, but learns the true cost of bearing the ring when he panics after almost losing it. 

Bilbo Saves the Company from Spiders

The dwarves are then captured again, but this time by Wood-elves led by Tauriel and (wait for it….) Legolas! They are taken to Elven-king Thranduil’s kingdom where they are imprisoned. To find out how they escape, you’ll just have to watch!

***

This is my favorite movie of The Hobbit series. I will admit, this movie matches up in many ways with the LOTR.

First of all, the many action sequences of this movie, including the spider scene, the dwarves’ escape from the Elven-Kingdom, and the Dwarven battle with Smaug at the end of the movie, are all incredible. The set inside the mountain is simply beautiful and the CGI used for Smaug (who is voiced by none other than Benedict Cumberbatch) is so professional and life-like. In general, both the plot and the technological aspects of this movie are top tier. 

Smaug inside the Lonely Mountain

Further, I like the romantic subplot that develops between Kíli and Tauriel. It is gut wrenching to watch Legolas’ heart break with this plot, but equally interesting to watch a dwarf and elf fall in love despite their natural rivalry. 

And, Bilbo becomes such a likable character in this movie. He is able to fend for himself and others, making him an unlikely hero. Further, he gains the trust of his comrades, making him an equal member of the company. 

Come back next week for my last blog post to discover the fate of Bilbo and the dwarves!

SOURCES:

Bellethiel18, “Chapter 6.” Wattpad, https://www.wattpad.com/477984737-fool%27s-gold-chapter-6.

“Hobbit : The Desolation Of Smaug – Original Movie Poster.” Quad Posters, https://www.pastposters.com/details.php?prodId=20090.

“Smaug.” Middle-Earth Cinematic Universe Wiki, https://middle-earthcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Smaug.

Here we go again! For the last few blog posts, I focused on the introductions for each of the LOTR movies and provided you with my opinions regarding each movie. I figured we could continue this trend into The Hobbit movies!

Now, as a disclaimer, The Hobbit series, in my opinion, is not as epic as the LOTR movies; to be fair, I don’t think any series matches up to the LOTR. Some people may believe The Hobbit is better than The Lord of the Rings, but that’s like thinking the Star Wars Prequels are better than the originals… a crime!

Okay, I’m over-exaggerating. The Hobbit series is still incredible, and to compare it to the Prequels is disgraceful, but it is still not as good as The Lord of the Rings.

If I’m being honest, I enjoy the series for two very different reasons, which I will disclose later into the blog. With all of this said, let’s dive into Bilbo’s unexpected journey.

Movie Poster for An Unexpected Journey

An Unexpected Journey

This story takes place long before the events of The Lord of the Rings. 

In a flashback, it is revealed that Dwarf King Thrór and his people were great gold miners for Erebor. That is until Smaug, a powerful and evil dragon, drawn by the gold, attacked the neighboring town of Dale and drove the dwarves out of the Lonely Mountain. Without the help of the elves, the dwarves were forced to abandon their livelihood and become roamers of Middle-earth. 

Dwarf King Thrór

In the present day, Bilbo is an ordinary hobbit with no desire to deviate from the norm. Everything is going well until Gandalf the Gray (Yes, he’s here, too!) knocks on Bilbo’s door, and tricks Bilbo into hosting a gathering for the ancestors of the misplaced dwarves. These dwarves tell Bilbo of their troubled past, and much to Bilbo’s dismay, recruit him as their burglar to recover their home, the Lonely Mountain. 

The dwarves and Bilbo begin their travels on the wrong foot, and they are captured by three mountain trolls. Bilbo manages to remain uncaptured, and uses trickery to stall the trolls from eating the dwarves until sunrise. When the sun rises, the trolls turn to stone and the dwarves are freed. The dwarves, particularly their leader Thorin Oakenshield, remain skeptical of Bilbo’s courage and loyalty, but allow him to continue on the journey due to his quick thinking in the troll situation.

Mountain Trolls Prepare to Cook Dwarves

Soon after, the group meets Radagast the Brown, a wizard of Greenwood. He shares that there is a strange force poisoning the forest. Without much more explanation, the group is chased from the forest by Orcs, Radagast leading them away on his own rabbit-pulled sled. Gandalf leads them to safety by bringing them to Rivendell. It is there that they learn their only entrance into the Lonely Mountain is through a secret passage that reveals itself on Durin’s Day.

Meanwhile, Gandalf meets with Elrond, Galadriel, and Saruman the White to discuss this strange force, indicating that the poisoning could be the work of the Necromancer, or the Dark Lord. The others believe Sauron was defeated long ago for good, therefore the threat is nonexistent. Gandalf remains suspicious.

Further away, the orcs plot the demise of Thorin, putting a bounty on his head, and placing the rest of the group in imminent danger. 

To find out how Bilbo finds the One Ring, if Thorin will stay safe from the orcs, and if Bilbo will ever be accepted by his company, go watch the movie! For now, this is where I’ll end the exposition. 

**

Like in the LOTR, the exposition is my least favorite movie. 

Don’t get me wrong. There are several parts of this movie that are amazing. Like all of the LOTR movies, the cinematography is beautiful and the acting is top-tier. There are more moments of humor in this exposition than The Fellowship of the Ring, which is very attractive to me. Also, the dwarf song gives me goosebumps every time.

Further, the scene where Bilbo finds the ring and the last two action sequences are fun to watch and definitely worth checking out. And the ending made me jump right out of my seat in the movie theater!

However, the beginning is slow. Bilbo is unlikeable at first, making his character unconnectable. The action sequences here are just not as good as the ones that will follow in the next few movies. Regardless, I’d put this movie on par with the last movie. Both have a few exceptional scenes, and few ‘meh’ scenes, and mostly pretty good scenes. 

Stay tuned for next week when I write about The Desolation of Smaug!

SOURCES:

“Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey – Original Movie Poster.” Past Posters, https://www.pastposters.com/details.php?prodId=27535.

Mik. Fog of War, Part 14: Army of Thror, 1 Jan. 1970, http://venivididouble1.blogspot.com/2019/04/fog-of-war-part-14-army-of-thror.html.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Hobbit:_An_Unexpected_Journey.

“Why Do the Trolls Turn to Stone in Daylight in the…” Quora, https://www.quora.com/Why-do-the-trolls-turn-to-stone-in-daylight-in-The-Hobbit.

Welcome back to Middle-earth! In the last blog post, I gave a brief summary of my favorite LOTR movie, The Two Towers. To recap: Gollum is guiding Frodo and Sam to Mount Doom to destroy the ring once and for all, and Aragorn leads the rest of the Fellowship to rescue Pippin and Merry while fighting the war from the outside. 

This week, we will be finishing out the series with the third installment: The Return of the King. This movie, like the last, is full of action and themes of loyalty. Let’s check it out!

Movie Poster for The Return of the King

The Return of the King

The third movie begins with a flashback to Sméagol’s life prior to the ring, and prior to becoming Gollum. As discussed in previous blog posts, Sméagol killed his friend, kept the ring, and was later banished to the Misty Mountains. After this flashback sequence, the movie continues with Gollum leading Frodo and Sam to Mount Doom. Frodo, who understands the weight of the ring as Gollum does, trusts Gollum; however, Sam deeply mistrusts the creature and believes he is trying to steal the ring from Frodo. 

This is later confirmed. Gollum plans to lead the pair to a dangerous place, where an unknown force will kill them, allowing him to steal the ring back. Sam hears these plans, but Frodo does not believe Sam, choosing Gollum’s side.  Later, Gollum plants evidence suggesting Sam is sabotaging their journey. Frodo believes Gollum and banishes Sam from their group. 

Gollum Blames Sam for Eating the Last of their Food

Meanwhile, the rest of the Fellowship meets Pippin and Merry in a recently destroyed Isengard. They discover Saruman at the top of the tower, who states that Frodo will never make it to Mount Doom and Aragorn will never be crowned the King of Gondor, despite it being his birthright. Saruman continues to berate and attack the Fellowship, until he is fatally stabbed by Wormtongue, a former aide to Saruman. The group returns to Helm’s Deep and celebrates the victories of the recent battles. 

Pippin touches Saruman’s seeing stone, a dangerous tool of communication between Saruman and Sauron, and convinces Sauron that he has the ring, not Frodo. With Pippin’s life in danger, Gandalf takes Pippin to Minas Tirith, believing it will soon be under attack. Aragorn is instructed to get help from the Black Ships in the South.

Pippin and the Seeing Stone

The movie continues with a plethora of fighting, plenty of angst, and, yes, an ultimate decision on whether or not to destroy the ring. But to learn what happens, you will just have to watch.

***

This movie is extremely solid. While The Two Towers is ultimately my favorite, that does not take away from this movie in any way. As in all LOTR movies, the cinematography is incredible, the sets are beautiful, the music is inspiring, and the acting is impeccable. 

I enjoy watching Gollum’s plans unfold, and how they showed it throughout the movie. For example, there is a moment where Gollum is arguing with his alter-ego, Sméagol. They show this through Sméagol’s reflection (Gollum) in a pool of water. 

The angsty emotions Frodo feels while carrying the ring show how the ring is a source of evil that seeks to corrupt and make its way back to its evil master. Sam’s continued loyalty throughout the series, despite Frodo’s angst, is admirable, and makes him a fan favorite. 

The battles are almost as incredible as the battles in the second movie, with a Trojan horse moment, the dead aiding the living, and heroic acts from those you expect least. And the ending, while jubilant in many regards, is a tear-jerker, so just prepare yourself.

All in all, it is the perfect ending to a legendary series. So, stop reading now and watch it! I promise you will enjoy it thoroughly, and you will become a nerd just like me!

SOURCES:

How Did Pippin Hold the Palantir in LOTR? – Quora. https://www.quora.com/How-did-Pippin-hold-the-Palantir-in-LOTR-1.

“Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, https://www.tk421.net/lotr/film/rotk/13.html.

“Original Movie Posters: Cinema Posters: Film Posters: Quad Posters.” Lord Of The Rings : The Return Of The King – Original Movie Poster, https://www.pastposters.com/details.php?prodId=20087.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings:_The_Return_of_the_King. 

Welcome back! Last week I briefly introduced the first installment of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. To recap: Bilbo Baggins leaves the One Ring to Frodo, and thus Gandalf tasks Frodo with taking the ring to Mount Doom to destroy it once and for all. Unfortunately, Sauron is looking for the ring to rise back to power, so he uses every means possible to steal the ring from Frodo. Frodo, along with several comrades, makes his way to the elven land of Rivendell, where he joined forces with several other characters to create the Fellowship. The Fellowship vows to protect Frodo as he makes his way to Mount Doom, no matter the external, and personal, dangers that lay ahead.

And this week, we will be talking about the second installment: The Two Towers! This movie is full of action– and it’s my favorite, so get ready for a full-blown nerd fest. Let’s dive in!

Movie Poster for The Two Towers

The Two Towers

Without giving too much away, the first movie ended with noble tragedy, leaving the Fellowship distraught. Frodo and Sam have left the group to spare the Fellowship of future strife and Gandalf has disappeared. Soon after, Frodo and Sam are joined by Gollum, a corrupted creature who desires the ring for himself. Frodo, understanding the controlling nature of the ring, empathizes with Gollum and recruits him as a guide on their journey. 

Gollum Plots to Steal the Ring

Meanwhile, the rest of the Fellowship searches for Pippin and Merry, who were abducted by a group of orcs in the previous movie. During this, Saruman, a wizard and aid to Sauron, plots the demise of Rohan, a land known for their massive cavalry. He corrupts the king, Théoden, and causes destruction to the lands by burning villages, destroying crops, and killing several Rohirrims. The Fellowship fights to protect Rohan from destruction and battles Sauron’s forces of orcs, becoming the secondary, and more action-centered, portion of the plotline. 

Éomer, Nephew of King Théoden and Rohirrim Soldier

***

This movie is my favorite of the three for many reasons. First, I really enjoy the two separate plot lines. The movie jumps back and forth between Frodo, Sam and Gollum’s journey to Mordor and the Fellowship’s battles with Sauron’s forces, creating a diverse set of scenes and leaving watchers on the edge of their seats as they wait to see what happens to each group. We also begin to see a secondary antagonist of the series, Gollum, and watch as he plots to corrupt Frodo. 

Further, there are several action sequences, including the Battle of Helm’s Deep and the Battle of Isengard. There are also many moments of comedic relief, most particularly between Pippin and Merry, as well as Legolas and Gimli. 

And the cinematography continues to be excellent, allowing viewers to feel part of Middle-earth. It really is the best of all worlds. All in all, as we move deeper into the story, we shed all the slowness of the exposition and get into the thick of it.

Come back next week for the final installment of The Lord of the Rings! I promise you will not be disappointed with the end of this series.

SOURCES:

“Éomer.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/%C3%89omer.

“Lord of the Rings The Two Towers Movie Poster .” Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/RINGS-TOWERS-MOVIE-POSTER-ORIGINAL/dp/B008DG3LQ8.

Sharp, Nathan, and Nathan Sharp (846 Articles Published) Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto. “The Lord of the Rings: 10 Gollum Mannerisms from the Books Andy Serkis Nails.” ScreenRant, 20 Jan. 2020, https://screenrant.com/lord-of-the-rings-andy-serkis-gollum-mannerisms/.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings:_The_Two_Towers.

I’ve thought a lot about how I’d like to organize the following three blog posts. I had two options: putting them in order of least favorite to favorite, or in chronological order. Since this blog may be bringing completely new information to non-LOTR fans, I decided to keep it chronological so it would make the most sense. At the end, I’ll tell you where it falls in terms of favoritism.

With all that said, this week I will be summarizing the exposition and inciting incident of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first installment of The Lord of the Rings series. Get ready because there’s a lot to digest!

Movie Poster for The Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring

We begin our journey in the Shire, home to many hobbits, including none other than Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Bilbo is celebrating his 111^th birthday, but mysteriously disappears in the blink of an eye while delivering his birthday toast at the party. Because he placed a ring on his finger prior to disappearing, it becomes obvious from the get-go that his ring possesses magical powers that allows him to be invisible.

Bilbo means to leave the Shire and all his possessions behind to Frodo, but is tempted to keep his ring, which he found many years ago on his adventure with dwarves. Despite this, he is begrudgingly convinced to depart ways with the magical ring by Gandalf; soon after, Gandalf realizes the ring is the One Ring, and has a dark history linked with Sauron. Fearful that Sauron is searching for the ring to rule once again, Gandalf convinces Frodo to take the ring to Mount Doom in Mordor, where it can be destroyed once and for all. Unfortunately, Mordor is exactly where Sauron and his forces reside, making the journey extremely dangerous and probably deadly.

Frodo and Gandalf Discover an Inscription on the Ring, Proving It is the One Ring

Sam, Frodo’s best friend, decides to accompany him on his journey to Morder, and they are soon joined by Pippin and Merry, two comedic characters known for their clumsy nature. The four set out for Rivendell but are met very quickly by Dark Riders, loyal servants of Sauron. They flee through the forest and jump onto a barge, escaping to Bree, a town where both men and hobbits reside. There they meet a Ranger, Aragorn. Aragorn agrees to accompany them to Rivendell to meet the elves and gain guidance for their journey.

When they arrive in Rivendell, they are greeted by folk from all over Middle-earth, including Boromir, Gimli and Legolas. The original group joins forces with them and forms the Fellowship. The Fellowship vows to aid Frodo on his journey to Mordor and protect him from Sauron. And thus, they set off on their journey…

The Fellowship

From left to right, Aragorn, Sam, Gandalf, Frodo, Merry, Legolas, Pippin, Gimli, Boromir

For sake of not spoiling, I’ll end the exposition here. For more information, I guess you’ll just have to watch!

***

The Fellowship of the Ring is no doubt an amazing start to one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time; the music is stellar, the casting is impeccable, and the cinematography is out of this world. However, it is my least favorite of the three movies.

Obviously, there will be some slower scenes because the first movie must set up the rest of the series; in addition, the first movie only consists of two plot lines, and this can be boring at some points. Several more plot lines develop in the second and third movies, making the experience much more exciting and complex. Therefore, while The Fellowship of the Ring storyline is vastly important, it is my least favorite.

Tune in next week to hear about The Two Towers! I promise it’s worth it!

SOURCES:

Bauer, Patricia. “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Fellowship-of-the-Ring.

“Fellowship of the Ring (Group).” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Fellowship_of_the_Ring_(group).

Handley, Andrew. “9 Things You Didn’t Know About the Ring in Lord of the Rings.” Looper.com, Looper, 15 Dec. 2016, https://www.looper.com/34326/things-you-didnt-know-about-the-ring-in-lord-of-the-rings/.

Minow, Nell. “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Movie Review.” Common Sense Media: Ratings, Reviews, and Advice, Common Sense Media, 16 Dec. 2003, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.

Every story needs its cast of characters, and the character list in The Lord of the Rings is an extensive one. So, I thought we’d dedicate this post to brief explanations about each character!

The Eye of Sauron

Sauron is an evil entity who created the One Ring. You can read more about his backstory in the third post.

Gandalf the Grey

Gandalf the Grey is a wizard that frequently ropes unsuspecting folk into his adventures, starting with Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, and later Bilbo’s nephew, Frodo, in The Lord of the Rings. His character shifts dramatically throughout the series, but Gandalf remains one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth.

Bilbo Baggins, Young and Old

Bilbo Baggins starts off as any hobbit—hating anything deviating from the norm. However, when Gandalf wraps him into an adventure with a band of dwarves, Bilbo learns his place in the adventure world (The Hobbit). As a wearer of the One Ring for some time, he ages slowly and is corrupted by the ring’s power. Towards the beginning of The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo goes on his last adventure to Rivendell, and leaves the ring to Frodo Baggins.

Sam and Frodo

Frodo Baggins, a hobbit, is what the Fellowship calls “the Ring Bearer.” Left the ring, Frodo is given a huge responsibility to carry it to Mordor to destroy in Mount Doom, without being killed by Sauron’s forces along the way. Throughout the adventure, he is almost corrupted by the ring’s power, but with the help of the Fellowship, he manages to resist control.

Samwise Gamgee, or Sam, a hobbit, is Frodo’s best friend and companion in his travels. Sam insists on accompanying Frodo in his journey and is the only member within the Fellowship to remain with Frodo throughout the entire quest. He is faced with some tough dilemmas of loyalty, but grows to be one of the most influential roles.

Aragorn and Arwen

Aragorn, also known as Strider, is a descendant of King Isildur. He was raised in Rivendell by Elf-King Elrond, without the knowledge that he is heir to the throne of Gondor. As an adult, he learns his destiny and realizes he is in love with Arwen, the daughter of Elrond. He joins the Fellowship but is left behind with the rest of the Fellowship for their safety. Aragorn begins a new journey to aid Frodo from the outside, including saving his two friends, Pippin and Merry, from a band of orcs.

Pippin and Merry

Peregrin Took (Pippin) and Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry)  are cousins who accidentally join the Fellowship when they run into Frodo and Sam on their journey. They are kidnapped by orcs, but later escape and meet Treebeard, an Ent of the forest. They reunite with the rest of the Fellowship and continue the journey to aid Frodo from the outside.

Legolas and Gimli

Legolas Greenleaf is an elven son of Thranduil, the King of Elves in Mirkwood. Legolas, a skilled archer, joins the Fellowship. He aids in multiple battles and forges an unlikely friendship with Gimli, a dwarf, whose father was once imprisoned by Thranduil.

Gimli, son of Gloin (dwarf from Bilbo’s first adventure), is a dwarf that joins the Fellowship. Armed with a deadly axe, Gimli does not think much of elves until he meets Galadriel; after this, he is much warmer to Legolas.

Gollum

Gollum once was a hobbit but was corrupted by the ring’s power. To read more about him, refer to the third post of the blog.

***

There are several more characters, so as they are mentioned, I will give them a background. For now, let’s dive into it and go on the adventure to Mount Doom with Frodo!

SOURCES:

Asher-Perrin, Emmet. “Middle-Earth’s Hottest Hobbits, Ranked.” Tor.com, 27 Aug. 2021, https://www.tor.com/2018/09/21/middle-earths-hottest-hobbits-ranked/.

Barnes, Henry. “Ian McKellen Turned Down $1.5m to Officiate as Gandalf at Sean Parker’s Wedding.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Aug. 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/23/ian-mckellen-turned-down-15m-to-officiate-as-gandalf-at-sean-parkers-wedding.

C, Melissa. “Lord of the Rings: Is the Eye of Sauron Really Sauron’s Actual Eye?” Game Rant, 24 Aug. 2021, https://gamerant.com/lord-of-the-rings-eye-sauron-explained/.

Gerblick, Jordan. “The Lord of the Rings’ Merry and Pippin Are Launching a Podcast about Hobbit Life.” Gamesradar, GamesRadar+, 4 May 2021, https://www.gamesradar.com/the-lord-of-the-rings-merry-and-pippin-are-launching-a-podcast-about-hobbit-life/.

Libbey, Dirk. “The Strange Way Lord of the Rings’ Andy Serkis Prepared to Play Gollum.” CINEMABLEND, Cinemablend, 9 Mar. 2021, https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2564041/the-strange-way-lord-of-the-rings-andy-serkis-prepared-to-play-gollum.

Lockyer, Margaret. “Lord of the Rings: Legolas Basically Married Gimli.” CBR, 2 Sept. 2021, https://www.cbr.com/lord-of-the-rings-legolas-married-gimli/.

“Lord of the Rings Characters.” Lord of the Rings Characters, http://www.iment.com/maida/tv/lordoftherings/characters.htm.

We made it to the good stuff… the plot! I can tell you about the backstory of The Lord of the Rings, and let me tell you, it is, in my opinion, one of the greatest backstories in fictional history.

Here goes nothing!

**Since this is a backstory, I don’t consider it spoiling. If you would like to watch the backstory for yourself, however, stop reading.

Morgoth, Powerful Dark Lord

Thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings’ main story line takes place and at the end of the First Age, the Dark Lord Sauron, commonly referred to as a necromancer, survived the defeat of his lord, Morgoth.

Soon after, in the start of the Second Age, Sauron plotted his return to power. With the help of Elven-smiths, he created the Rings of Power, which aided the ring-wearers in their ambitions.

Galadriel, Wearer of a Ring of Power

Sauron, hoping to enslave the other ring wearers, made a ring of his own, known as the One Ring. However, the Elven-smiths became aware of his scheme and fled with all of the rings. In a great war, Sauron managed to retrieve sixteen of the original rings, giving seven to the dwarf race and nine to human race. He was not able to control the dwarf wearers as he originally hoped, but the men were corrupted easily, and they eventually became the Nazgûl, or servants of Sauron. Three rings were not captured, remaining with the elves.

Sauron’s Ring of Power, The One Ring to Rule Them All

About 1500 years later, Sauron claimed the title of “King of Man.” The human king of Númenor, Ar-Pharazôn, was provoked by this title, and brought his forces to Middle-earth, causing Sauron’s allies to flee. Sauron was taken prisoner but used his own powers to tempt the king to travel to Aman (a sacred place) for the possibility of immortality. In Aman, the king’s loyal Númenóreans were buried under a landslide and soon after their lands were destroyed in the sea. Because of this, Sauron lost his ability to take bodily form, and returned to Mordor as a spirit.

About one-hundred years later, Sauron attacked the Númenóreans who fled to Middle-earth after refusing to join their king in Aman. The Númenóreans joined forces with the elves and besieged him. After seven years in a siege, Sauron decided to combat the leaders himself, leading to his ring being cut from his body. Sauron’s spirit fled to where it would not be seen until the events of The Lord of the Rings.

Sauron in Battle

The leader of the alliance, Isildur went to destroy the dangerous ring by casting it in Mount Doom. However, he was overcome with desire to keep it for his own personal advancement and as compensation.

Two years later, at the start of the Third Age, Isildur was ambushed by orcs. He put on Sauron’s ring, which turned him invisible but as he swam to his escape, the ring slipped from his finger, and he was shot by an orc.

Isildur Fails to Destroy the Ring

The ring was lost for two millennia, until recovered by a hobbit named Déagol. Soon after, his friend, Sméagol, strangled him and stole the ring. After being banished, Sméagol fled to the Misty Mountains, where the ring corrupted him and turned him into a creature called Gollum.

Bilbo and Gollum

In The Hobbit, the ring was stolen from Gollum by Bilbo Baggins, a cousin of Frodo, the main protagonist in The Lord of the Rings. He took the ring home, unaware of its violent history, and years later it was entrusted to Frodo to destroy in Mount Doom, once and for all…

…and we pick up here next week!

SOURCES:

Elvy, Craig. “Lord of the Rings: Peter Jackson’s Movies Made Isildur More Heroic.” ScreenRant, 17 Oct. 2020, https://screenrant.com/lord-rings-isildur-sauron-fight-movie-change-heroic/.

“Isildur.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Isildur.

“Keepers of the Three Rings.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Keepers_of_the_Three_Rings.

“One Ring.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/One_Ring.

Pak, Jaron. “The Lord of the Rings: Why a Movie about Morgoth Is a Really Bad Idea.” Looper.com, Looper, 3 Feb. 2021, https://www.looper.com/326222/the-lord-of-the-rings-why-a-movie-about-morgoth-is-a-really-bad-idea/.

“Riddle Game.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Riddle_Game.

“The Lord of the Rings.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings.

There are many different types of beings living in Middle-earth… some you probably heard of before, but many you probably haven’t unless you watched The Lord of the Rings. This week, I will be giving you the second part of crash course on Middle-earth Fandom!

Middle-earth, Part Two

Frodo, Hobbit of the Shire

Hobbits are simple folk, their home being predominately in the Shire. In both movie series, hobbits are very central to the story; these important characters include Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry (and as you’ll learn more about later, Sméagol). They are known for their short stature, pointed ears, and large bare feet, as well as their loyalty and goodness of heart. They love food and pipe weed, and usually shy away from conflict.

Legolas, Elf of Mirkwood

Elves are warriors gifted with several powers. They can be identified by their tall and graceful bodies, pointed ears, and ‘immortality’ (they age, just very slowly). They reside all over Middle Earth, most notably in Rivendell or Mirkwood. Important Elven characters to note include Elrond, Arwen, Legolas, Galadriel, and Thranduil. After the final battle in The Lord of the Rings, almost all elves leave Middle Earth.

Gimli, Dwarf of the Blue Mountains

Dwarves are miners at heart, but also fierce warriors. Dwarves can be thought of as the “polar opposite” to elves, with short and squat stature and an old, unkempt appearance. All dwarves have beards, even the women, and it is a huge source of pride in their community. While they may be less graceful, they are strong and carry axes to battle. They do not live as long as elves but do live for hundreds of years. There are not many notable dwarves in The Lord of the Rings, except for Gimli. However, they do portray 90% of the characters in The Hobbit, including Thorin Oakenshield, Kili, Fili, Dwalin, and much more.

Aragorn, Man from Gondor

Men are mortal beings, originally called the Atani. Their mortality is often a bone of contention between them and the elves, as seen in The Fellowship of the Ring. Some men found immortality, known as the Ringwraiths, but they essentially sold humanity to Sauron in exchange. There are several human characters in this series, but most notable men in the series includes Aragorn, Boromir, Faramir, King Théoden, and Éowyn (a woman!). Several antagonists are also men, including Denother and Wormtongue.

Gandalf the Grey, Wizard

Wizards are the most powerful beings in Middle-earth. The wizard-characters in The Lord of the Rings are Maiar, and they adopted human forms to aid Middle-earth creatures in their conflicts. Wizards have many unique powers, including “telepathy, telekinesis, pyromancy, spell casting, and extreme strength.” Evil wizards include Sauron, the main antagonist of the series, and later Sauman the White, once a good wizard, later corrupted by Sauron. Good wizards include Gandalf the Grey (or the White), and Radagast.

• Balrogs are fallen Maiar, turned into demonic figures.

Orc

Orcs are vicious slaves and warriors to dark forces, distantly related to elves. They are characterized by un-human faces, sharp teeth, and claws, but vary in height. Uruk-hai are essentially orcs that can stand in daylight and will be referred to as orcs. Orcs are sometimes referred to as goblins.

Treebeard, Ent of Fangorn Forest

Other notable creatures include Ents, wise humanoid-trees that talk and aid in the destruction of Isengard, trolls and ogres, the Spiders, dragons (including Smaug, the main enemy in The Hobbit), Watcher in the Water, giants, fellbeasts (non-fire-breathing like dragons), large mammals, and skin-changers.

***

Alright, I know this must seem very overwhelming, but the thing about a fandom is sometimes you just have to jump right into the thick of it. I’ll give more explanation on all of these characters as we move into the blog, so don’t stress for now. Besides, I think you’re ready to dive in now that you know the basic places and creatures of Middle-earth.

But be warned… once you start reading, you may love The Lord of the Rings as much as me, and then you, too, will become a geek of sorts.

Good luck and enjoy!

SOURCES:

Baxter, Joseph. “Ian McKellen Teases Return as Gandalf on Amazon Lord of the Rings Series.” Den of Geek, 19 Dec. 2017, https://www.denofgeek.com/books/ian-mckellen-teases-return-as-gandalf-on-amazon-lord-of-the-rings-series/.

Dodds, Alice Rose. “LOTR: What Unlikely Creature Was Aragorn Originally Written As?” Game Rant, 20 Dec. 2021, https://gamerant.com/lotr-aragorn-originally-written-creature/.

“Gimli.” The One Wiki to Rule Them All, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Gimli.

Koehler, Sezin. “The Different Beings in Lord of the Rings Explained.” Looper.com, Looper, 31 Jan. 2020, https://www.looper.com/186281/the-different-beings-in-lord-of-the-rings-explained/.

Rose, Cassie. “Top Ten Hobbit References in Popular Culture.” Quirk Books : Publishers & Seekers of All Things Awesome, 18 Sept. 2012, https://www.quirkbooks.com/post/top-ten-hobbit-references-popular-culture.

Sharf, Zack. “’Lord of the Rings’ Orc Actor Tells the Story of His Panic Attack Under Prosthetics During Filming.” IndieWire, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2021, https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/lord-of-the-rings-orc-actor-panic-attack-set-1234630436/.

“Treebeard.” Heroes and Villains Wiki, https://heroes-and-villain.fandom.com/wiki/Treebeard.

Vaičiulaitytė, Giedrė. “Tumblr User Explains Why Elves’ Eyes in Lord of the Rings Shouldn’t Look the Way They Do.” Bored Panda, 1 Jan. 1967, https://www.boredpanda.com/lord-of-the-rings-legolas-eyes-physics-explanation/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic.

The Lord of the Rings can be only described as fantasy—with made-up characters (both human and not), elements of medieval danger, and overwhelming themes of youth, courage, and love, paired with danger, fear, and death—all characteristics of the perfect story if you ask me.

However, there is virtually no way of understanding everything in this blog without a little background about the setting. So, here goes nothing: a crash course on Middle-earth Fandom.

**Edit: I wanted to post a  map of Middle Earth, however, the media came out blurry. Here is a link to a map:

https://inthereads.com/fantasy-maps/middle-earth-map

Middle-earth

The entireties of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit take place in a strange place called Middle-earth. Middle-earth is a continent-like land mass, broken into many different territories. While there is much more history pertaining to the formation of Middle-earth, it is only important to note that both of Tolkien’s stories take place in this land’s Third Age.

The Shire, Eriador

Eriador is the north-west region of Middle Earth between the Blue Mountains and the Misty Mountains. It includes the Shire and other territories and has a rich history during the Second and Third Age. As seen below, there are many key towns, territories, and landmasses within Eriador.

• Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, is in the land of Eriador.
• Blue Mountains is the home of many Dwarven creatures.
• Bree is a small-town home to both hobbits and men in Eriador. It is seen in the first installment of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
• Isengard is home of Saruman, an influential wizard. It is later revealed to be a factory-place for orc production.
• Misty Mountains is home of Moria, a stopping point in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Isengard is located at the southern tip of these mountains.
• Rivendell is an Elven outpost in the Misty Mountains, and the meeting place of the Fellowship.
• The Shire is home of the hobbits, seen in both movie series. It is specifically known for its       homes built in the sides of hills.

Minas Tirith, Gondor

Gondor is a kingdom ruled by men in Middle-earth, bordered by Rohan, Harad, Andrast, and Mordor. Minas Tirith is the capital, and much of The Lord of the Rings takes place within the city. Gondor also includes Helm’s Deep, as seen in The Two Towers.

Rohan is a kingdom bordering Gondor and is known as the kingdom of horsemen. It provides Gondor with a cavalry. This is a prominent kingdom seen in The Lord of the Rings.

Dale is a kingdom under the Lonely Mountain, denoted by the Dwarven realm of Erabor. It is a well-known kingdom in The Hobbit. Dale is located in the valley of the Lonely Mountain.

• Laketown is a town atop the Long Lake, in view of the Lonely Mountain. It is visited in The Hobbit series.

The Grey Havens

The Grey Havens, is an Elvish city and port, often used to travel between other lands outside of Middle Earth.

Mirkwood is a kingdom of Silvan Elves. These elves are more finicky than other elves, but are still powerful. They are known as the dark-elves because they are hidden deep in the forest. Mirkwood can be found in The Hobbit.

• Lothlórien is home to many Silvan elves within Mirkwood.

Mount Doom, Mordor

Mordor is the kingdom home to Sauron, the ultimate antagonist in The Lord of the Rings. Mordor is surrounded by three mountain ranges, making it extremely difficult to attack.

Haradrim is the kingdom south of Gondor, home to a race of men. Sauron corrupted the inhabitants of Haradrim and compelled them to war, making them a key ally to the antagonist.

There are many other notable places within Middle Earth, but these are the basics that you will need to know for my summaries and opinions. Keep reading next week for the description of Middle-earth creatures and characters in Middle-Earth Fandom Crash Course Part Two!

SOURCES:

“Bree.” Bree – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bree.

“Dwarves of the Blue Mountains.” Dwarves of the Blue Mountains – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Dwarves_of_the_Blue_Mountains.

“Eriador.” Eriador – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Eriador.

Esrbl. “Gondor.” The Tolkien Forum, 31 July 2021, https://www.thetolkienforum.com/wiki/Gondor.

“Hobbiton New Zealand – Movie Set Tour of the Shire.” The World Travel Guy, 27 Dec. 2021, https://theworldtravelguy.com/hobbiton-new-zealand-epic-movie-set-tour-of-the-shire/.

“Lake-Town.” Lake-Town – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Lake-town.

Lenahan, Brett. “The Lord of the Rings: The Grey Havens Ambience & Music.” YouTube, YouTube, 21 Feb. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RlXStnMirE.

“Lonely Mountain.” Lonely Mountain – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Lonely_Mountain.

“Lothlórien .” Lothlórien – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Lothl%C3%B3rien.

“Middle-Earth.” Middle-Earth – Tolkien Gateway, http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Middle-earth.