Legendary fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien produced iconic literary works that are forever in the pop culture zeitgeist. They’ve inspired countless novels, TV shows, and films over the decades, including adaptations of his own bibliography. Filmmaker Peter Jackson adapted the three volumes of Tolkien’s seminal book, The Lord of the Rings, into a mega-hit film trilogy in the early 2000s.
Then, in 2012, Jackson returned to Middle-earth with another movie trilogy adapted from Tolkien’s 1937 novel, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. It tells the tale of hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins’ adoptive uncle (well, cousin, really), who joins a company of dwarves to reclaim their home and treasure from Smaug, a dragon residing within The Lonely Mountain. This adaptation split the book into three parts: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). The trilogy isn’t a rigidly faithful adaptation of the source material; it feels more like a prequel to Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy than anything. This is particularly apparent at the end, which is significantly darker than The Hobbit book.
What Happens at the End of the ‘Hobbit’ Trilogy
Following the climactic battle that sees the deaths of Thorin Oakenshield, Fili, and Kili, Bilbo and Gandalf eventually bid farewell before the former returns to his home of Bag-End in Hobbiton. Gandalf warns Bilbo that “magic rings should not be used lightly” as a counter to Bilbo’s claim that he evaded danger on his journey thanks to mere luck. The wizard also urges Bilbo not to take him for a fool. He declares that Bilbo found “a ring” in the goblin tunnels, and that he has been keeping an eye on the titular hobbit since.
Bilbo denies Gandalf’s accusation, insisting that his ring fell out of his pocket during the battle. Of course, at this point, Gandalf doesn’t know that this is the One Ring, which vanished from Middle-earth thousands of years ago. Upon hearing Bilbo’s claim that he lost it, Gandalf compliments him, regarding him as a “fine person.” “But you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world, after all,” Gandalf observes. (This quote is plucked directly from the pages of The Hobbit.) Gandalf’s subtle warning indicates his awareness of the corruptive nature of power. Sure, Bilbo accomplished a great deal as a reformed homebody, but the “wide world” boasts dangers even beyond his purview.
Next, Bilbo returns to the Shire to find his belongings being auctioned off after he was presumed dead. Howard Shore’s One Ring score plays softly as Bilbo reaches into his pocket for the Ring. The scene transitions to 60 years later, as an old Bilbo examines the Ring in the palm of his hand. Gandalf calls out to him from outside his door, bringing viewers to the beginning of their reunion in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
How This Conclusion Is Darker Than Tolkien’s Ending
In The Hobbit book, Bilbo refuses most of the riches the now-slain Smaug lorded over. However, he takes enough with him back to Bag-End to make him a wealthy hobbit. He lived comfortably for the rest of his days. Like The Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo discovers his humble abode is up for auction. He’s unaware of how dangerous the One Ring is and even places it in a glass case on his mantle. Ultimately, Bilbo embraces his newly blossoming adventurous spirit and chronicles his exploits. His adventure across Middle-earth also inspires him to learn more about the world around him. It’s undoubtedly a lighthearted ending compared to its film counterpart, which feels less like a definitive conclusion and more like groundwork for the sequel trilogy to come.
At the end of The Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo’s blatant lie about the Ring being on his person is out of character for him. It’s one thing to lie to an unsuspecting Gandalf, but this isn’t the latter’s first rodeo. He’s been observing Bilbo and knows that “a ring” made it out of the battle in one piece. Gandalf gives Bilbo the opportunity to confess, and instead of taking accountability for his actions, Bilbo digs in his heels and doubles down on the lie. Later, at his home, Bilbo does present a modicum of resistance as he reaches into his pocket. He clearly feels conflicted about his choices. However, the Ring wins out, and Shore’s ominous score kicks into high gear.
Why This Narrative Change Ruins Bilbo’s Arc
This change sullies Bilbo’s character development. Bilbo knows this isn’t an ordinary piece of jewelry, and while he isn’t cognizant of the Ring’s evil nature, he’s aware that it contains magic. After all, he uses the Ring to escape Gollum while in the goblin tunnels nestled beneath the Misty Mountains. Instead of disposing of it, Bilbo clings tightly to it.
Sure, the Ring subtly corrupts his mind without his knowledge. However, Bilbo has now been exposed to magical figures aplenty in positions of power, or those who have acquired their power via dishonest means. For example, Smaug laid waste to Erebor and Dale before stealing the dwarves’ vast wealth for himself. He spent 200 years lying atop these treasures to prevent anyone from claiming them. Retrieving all that silver, gold, and jewels from Smaug to return to the dwarves is a crucial part of the plot.
Even after observing how power corrupts in real time, Bilbo still chooses to pocket what he believes is a magical trinket and lie about it to Gandalf. If one thinks about it, his keeping this powerful weapon really leaves a mess for Frodo to clean up (who strangely appears in this trilogy), but more importantly, it’s the aforementioned lie in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies that unravels his growth. Thankfully, Middle-earth only needs to wait six decades or so for a certain precious Ring to take a trip to Mount Doom.
