Yet can be found in Isengard’s pit

The language of Common I speak

And can be found on my namesake’s peak

The Maiar listen close to my cry

For good or evil I will espy

What am I?

Answer: _ _ _ _ _

This is part two of the trilogy that ties in the Concerns of the White Council, with the power of the Great Rings, and in a future essay will connect Thorin Oakenshield with the Lord of the Rings. Those who have not read the books will find this information vital in understanding what may happen in the The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again. Those who have read the books might benefit from a review of this information and find some facts intriguing. The essay will demonstrate how Tolkien’s writings are preserved in the movie versions, but again will point out discrepancies. There may be spoilers depending on how much you already know.

The Ring of Tolkien

The fall of 1937 was an important time for Professor Tolkien. Having just completed The Hobbit that spring, and the book ready for publication on the 21^st of September, he had set in his head a second novel, about Hobbits, and had already begun the first chapter titled A Long Expected Party (this compliments the first chapter of The Hobbit titled An Unexpected Party). By December of that year, he had completed five different drafts of chapter one. Here we can see Tolkien struggle. He wanted a maturity to his writing, to incorporate the spectacular mythologies brewing in his head that he wrote as early as 1917 when recovering from trench fever and grief of the death of his best friends killed in battle in World War I. He thought of dragon sickness, of Bilbo longing for adventure. But he did not want to write another children’s novel. The story started, stopped, started, stopped, and by 1938 he had drafted seven chapters. Yet still, Tolkien had no sense of connection, of direction. He wrote “The sequel to The Hobbit has remained where it stopped. It has lost my favor, and I have no idea what to do with it.”

Then it came to him. In his scribbled outlines he wrote: “Bilbo’s ring proved to be the one ruling Ring – all others had come back to Mordor: but this one had been lost.” Humphrey Carpenter sums it up best:

“The one ruling ring that controlled all others; the ring that was the source and instrument of the power of Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor; the ring that must be carried by hobbits, or else the whole world will come under Sauron’s domination. Now everything fell into place, and the story was lifted from the ‘juvenile’ level of The Hobbit into the sphere of grand and heroic romance. There was even a name for it: when next he wrote about it to Allen & Unwin (his British publishing company), Tolkien referred to it as “The Lord of the Rings”.

The Power of the One

There is a great importance in understanding what the Ruling Ring of Power can do. It is crucial. For without such knowledge, one cannot understand the relationship between Thorin Oakenshield and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. We are all familiar with the qualities of the One Ring. It is a Horcrux (I know, wrong story. But the term fits nicely here). Tolkien writes “he let a great part of his own former power pass into it”. It assured that Sauron could live for eternity through evil domination of others.

The One Ring was made by Sauron in the fires of Orodruin in the year 1600 of the Second Age. This location, so far east from Elves and Men, enabled Sauron to practice the darkest sorceries and fashion the Ruling Ring. Sauron was also a shape shifter. Through his sorcery he took up a new form, revealing the true nature of his evil self.

Because a part of Sauron lived inside the Ring, it is an active controller. It manipulated Isildur, later betraying and having him murdered. The manipulation of Isildur prevented the Ring from destruction at Mount Doom. This assured that Sauron could return. But the Ring made a critical mistake then by having Isildur murdered, for when it slipped off his hand, it slipped into obscurity for thousands of years and could not find a bearer to bring it back to its master. Never again would it take the life of the ring bearer.

It briefly ensnares Déagol and then Sméagol, driving him to murder and insanity. And for four hundred years, the Ring gets stuck in Gollum’s cave. Both in book and movie, the Ring abandons Gollum as he “twisted that nassty young squeaker” goblin. It realizes that Gollum won’t parcel it back to Sauron. It senses a new bearer, a bearer that will bring it closer to its master. That bearer is Bilbo, who just happens to be on the way to Mirkwood, home of Sauron as the Necromancer. The Ring chose Bilbo. It was intended, no accident, and contrary to the depiction in the Fellowship movie.

We then see Bilbo, using the Ring playfully to achieve his tasks. Consider this: Is the Ring using him? Did the Ring lure Bilbo to ask “What have I got in my pocket?” Bilbo was stammering for a riddle, “he scratched himself, he pinched himself; still he could not think of anything” and accidently brushes against the Ring in search for one. “What have I got in my pocket?” The question assured that Bilbo won the contest, though technically it was not a riddle that Bilbo asks.

As he tries to escape Gollum’s assault, the Ring slips onto Bilbo’s finger, thereby guaranteeing safe passage out of the cave. But an even bigger picture emerges. The Ring is on the way to its master waiting in the darkness of Mirkwood. The Ring seems to be controlling the outcome of events.

Fortunately, the plan is spoiled. Bilbo, Thorin, and Company get past the Necromancer, as we will see in the Desolation of Smaug. How they make it past is speculated at the end of the essay Concerns of the White Council. But they are able to continue their Quest to Erebor, though hindered by other events along the way.

A clever reader may ask, “Might Smaug be capable of devouring the Ring, like the lessor Rings of the Dwarves?” The answer is no. Tolkien writes in Fellowship: “It has been said that dragon-fire could melt and consume the Rings of Power, but there is not now any dragons left on earth in which old fire is hot enough; nor was there ever any dragon, not even Ancalagon the Black [see the essay Concerns of the White Council about him], who could have harmed the One Ring, the Ruling Ring, for that was made by Sauron himself.” The Great Ring cannot be harmed by Smaug, which is a good thing, because such an outcome could never produce the great sequel The Lord of the Rings.

We all know that Bilbo returns to the Shire after the Quest (sorry if I spoiled the ending but it is implied in the title There and Back Again). Then the Ring slowly takes hold of him, to dominate. In Fellowship, Bilbo becomes “thin and stretched”, manic and agitated. He wants to roam, and has an obsession with the Ring. In the book, he describes himself trying to put it away, trying to forget about it, and then taking it back out again. He says it needs looking after. The Ring of Power seems to be controlling him. It has dominated his very thoughts, and is manipulating poor Bilbo.

Think back to the Long Expected Party. What if Bilbo never put the Ring on? Would Gollum have been lured to Mordor? Would then the Nazgûl not have been released? Would Orodruin have erupted? The very innocent action of startling stupid Hobbits of the Shire by disappearing set other actions in motion, thereby summoning the Nazgûl to bring the Ring back to its master. The Ring, it seems, is the controller.

Then finally we see Frodo, in his naiveté, take up the burden of ring-bearer (once again, did he make the choice, or did the Ring?) in the Council of Elrond. Is it chance, coincidence, or is the Ring summoning Frodo to take it to Mordor? For eventually Frodo succumbs. The Ring takes him, and had not Sam and Gollum altered the course of events, the Ring would have succeeded in returning to its master.

The Great Ring, the manipulator, the dominator, the chess player. For that is what the Great Ring is. It controls, moving our heroes in place like pawns to be slaughtered.

The Lesser Rings of Power

It might surprise fans who have not read the books that the lesser Rings of Power were made by Elves and not Sauron. The Silmarillion accounts the forging of the Rings of Power by the High Elves of Ost-in-Edhil, in Eregion under the supervision of Sauron who at that time was considered an ally and valued for his knowledge and smithing skills.

“They took thought, and they made Rings of Power. But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance. Now the Elves made many rings; but secretly Sauron made One Ring.”

This somewhat contradicts the Fellowship movie, which depicts Sauron gifting the Rings to the Elves, the Dwarves, and Men.

The Nine, The Seven, The Three, The One and The One?

As fans of the movies and the books, we are all aware of the Nine Rings of Men, the Seven of the Dwarves, the Three of the Elves, and the One.

Few of us are aware that there is another Ring, dominated by the One. It is not Aragorn’s ring, known as the ring of Barahir, which he bore and is mentioned in the movie Two Towers and Appendix A of Fellowship.

It is a surprising yet obvious fact that the Ring in question was created in the Third Age and its bearer is Saruman. In reading the Council of Elrond in the Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf explains his long disappearance and detainment. He rode to Orthanc to seek Saruman’s council. Gandalf says “I rode to the foot of Orthanc, and came to the stairs of Saruman…he wore a ring on his finger…” Saruman himself declares “For I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman the Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colors.”

How can Saruman have a Ring of Power? He openly declares that he made the Ring himself, but how is this dominated by the One? The answer lies in the Palantír, one of the lost Seeing-stones, as read in Concerns of the White Council. This Palantír enables Sauron to control Saruman like a puppeteer

controlling a puppet. Saruman was a vested scholar in Ring lore, spending much time studying the history, myths and legends. This was his undoing. Sauron could easily persuade him to make a Ring and thereby be dominated. So Sauron is using Saruman as another avenue in obtaining the Great Ring. And if Saruman wants the Ring for himself, Sauron has other means of controlling him. In the book The Two Towers, when Sauron appears to Pippin in the Palantír he declares “Tell Saruman that this dainty (a hobbit) is not for him. I will send for it at once.” In other words, Saruman has no chance of obtaining the Ring. Sauron knows completely what Saruman is planning, and will send the Nazgûl to retrieve the Ring should he obtain it.

The Nine Rings of Men

Both the movies and Tolkien account for nine kings receiving the Rings of Power. After that time, Tolkien writes, there were many battles fought especially in the realm of Eriador. The Númenoreans, of the line of Aragorn, became divided and rebellions and upheavals were the zeitgeist of the times. That was when the race of Men was at its most low.

Tolkien gives a date of 2251 of the Second Age when Middle-earth is first plagued by the Nazgûl. Of the nine kings, slowly wariness took over and they succumbed not only to the domination of the Great Ring, but they remained undying. (This contradicts a scene we may see in the Desolation of Smaug, in which Gandalf and Radagast go to investigate the nine tombs of the High Fells. If you are undying, how can you have a tomb? See Concerns of the White Council.) Slowly the nine kings faded and became invisible permanently, and served Sauron forever. For over three thousand years, Sauron commanded the Nazgûl. Their actions were entirely based on his will and domination.

The Three Rings of the Elves

We know of the other Rings of Power the following facts: That each had their own precious or semi-precious gem attributed to them. While the Nine Rings of Men and the Seven Rings of the Dwarves are not described, we do have a description of the Three. There is Vilya, the Ring of Air, whose ring bearer was originally Gil-galad and then he passed the Ring to Elrond. The stone attributed to the Ring is a blue sapphire. The next, Nenya the Ring of Water, whose bearer is Galadriel, has a white diamond. Finally, there is Narya the Ring of Fire, with a red stone, perhaps a ruby. Its original bearer was Círdan, the Shipwright. Its final bearer is a bit of a

surprise for those not familiar to the books, especially The Silmarillion. For in that book it is mentioned that Mithrandir was the last to bear Narya. He bore the ring in secret and swore never to mention his bearing, but it explains why in the movie Gandalf sets sail with Frodo, Bilbo, Elrond, Galadriel (all ring bearers) and Celeborn (contradictory to Tolkien’s writing, for Celeborn remained in Middle-earth and settled in the southern woods and renamed them East Lórien) at the end of the movie Return of the King.

Of the Three, there is evidence of domination; though their bearers have a stronger resistance to the Ruling Ring. The reason for this was that Sauron never made the Three. They were forged to enable the Elves to heal and preserve. They were created by Celebrimbor in the realm of Eregion in the year 1590 of the Second Age. It would take Sauron another ten years to forge the One. By 1693, the three were hidden. In Fellowship, it is written “The Three, the fairest of all, the Elf-lords hid from him, and his hand never touched or sullied them.” The Silmarillion continues that as soon as Sauron put on the Great Ring, the Elves perceived his domination, and promptly removed their Rings from their fingers, thereby reducing the dominating power of the One.

In year two of the Third Age, when Isildur is murdered, and the Ring passed out of all knowledge, the three Rings of the Elves were temporarily released from its dominion. Elrond confirms this in the Council in Fellowship. This is why we see Galadriel actually wearing Nenya in the movie Fellowship. She is able to bear the Ring without Sauron’s oppression.

The Seven Rings of the Dwarves

Originally, Tolkien only created two lines of Dwarves, but later changed that in the 1966 revision of The Lord of the Rings. We lack a historical account of all of the seven founding fathers, but Tolkien names the lines as the Longbeards (Durin’s line), Firebeards, Broadbeams, Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks and Stonefoots. Each family line received one of the Seven. The Longbeards or Sigin-tarâg founded the Dwarf colonies of Gundabad and Khazad-dûm and later founded Erebor, as well as colonies in the Ered Mithrin and the Iron Hills. The Firebeards and the Broadbeams founded the colonies of Tumunzahar (Nogrod in Sind.) and

Gabilgathol (Belegost in Sind.) in the Ered Luin. The Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks and Stonefoots went north and east, and are no longer mentioned in any of Tolkien’s works.

Tolkien writes that Durin III was the first Dwarf to receive one of the Seven in the year 1500 of the Second Age. He was king of Khazad-dûm. His grandfather, Durin the Deathless (who eventually did die at a very ripe old age) was the first of the line of Durin, and founded the kingdom of Khazad-dûm. Durin III had forged a great friendship with the High Elf Celebrimbor, who made the Three Rings of the Elves. The Elves of Eregion, as the realm was known, and Khazad-dûm both prospered as a great trade network was created between the two.

A little trivia, if I may. Celebrimbor, for those who read the books, was also partially responsible for creation of the western door of Khazad-dûm, known as the Hollin gate. He drew the signs on the door, while Narvi the Dwarf carved them out using cirth ithil, moon runes. The seven stars above represent the seven lines of the Dwarves with the central star above the crown being Durin’s. The crown itself is a depiction of an image that Durin the Deathless saw when he gazed into Kheled-zâram (Mirror-mere) and saw on his head a crown flanked by the seven stars.  Below that is the hammer and anvil, a symbol of the House of Durin. These are flanked by the trees of the High Elves and the large central star is the House of Fëanor, maker of the three silmarilli in the First Age. Celebrimbor was Fëanor’s grandson, like Durin III was Durin I’s grandson. Unlike the door of Erebor, which requires a key, the door of the Hollin gate needs none. You only need to speak ‘friend’ to enter.

It has been commented in both The Silmarillion and the Fellowship, that the Seven Rings of the Dwarves were either destroyed or taken by Sauron. How were they destroyed? By dragons, including Glaurung the Great (See Concerns of the White Council). Appendix B of Return of the King comments: “The Dwarves hid themselves in deep places, guarding their hoards, but then evil began to stir again and dragons reappeared, one by one, their ancient treasures were plundered and they became a wandering people.” A total of four Rings were consumed by Dragons. The Silmarillion states “soon he (Sauron) will be too strong for you even without the Great Ring, for he rules the Nine and of the Seven, he has recovered three.” Fellowship also confirms this: “Seven the Dwarf-kings possessed, but three he has recovered, and the others the dragons have consumed.”

The question is: from which of the three Dwarf lines did Sauron recover the three? Recall that the Firebeards and the Broadbeams founded the colonies of Gabilgathol and Tumunzahar in the Ered Luin. (This is the same Ered Luin that Thráin and Thorin lead the exiles to after the sack of Erebor. Also recall in Concerns of the White Council, that the king of Gabilgathol, Azaghâl, came to the aid of the sons of Fëanor to battle Glaurung the Great:

  Glaurung the Golden by Lynton Levengood

“In a fit of rage, Glaurung turned on the Dwarf-king, Azaghâl and crawled over him, crushing him to death, but not before Azaghâl plunged a knife in the fire-drake’s belly. Glaurung fled but the wound he received from Azaghâl was not a mortal wound.”)

What we learn of Gabilgathol and Tumunzahar in The Silmarillion is that both Dwarf cities suffered from massive flooding during the fall of Beleriand and were partially destroyed. The exiled peoples wandered and then migrated to Khazad-dûm, and later the Iron Hills, and settled with Durin’s folk. The flooding occurred in the First Age, an age prior to the creation of the Seven Rings, so Sauron could not have acquired the Rings then.

However, in 1980 of the Third Age, a Balrog appears in Khazad-dûm, slaying Durin VI, and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm fled. We know that the heirs of Durin retained their Ring, but it is possible that Sauron acquired the Rings of the Firebeards and the Broadbeams at this time. Unfortunately, Tolkien’s account of that particular event is not recorded, so this can only be speculated.

Another possibility of how Sauron acquired two of the Rings is during the year 2463 of the Third Age. In Concerns of the White Council, there was an account of Sauron fleeing east to avoid being revealed to the Council too soon: ‘The Council sought clarification on the origins of the Necromancer, some suspecting that Sauron had in fact returned. Their inquiry proves futile, as Sauron senses their approach and retreats east.” It can be speculated that during his time east, Sauron may have encountered the descendants of the Stiffbeards, Blacklocks and Stonefoots. He could have acquired the two Rings during this time too, but again it can only be speculated as Tolkien never discloses how Sauron collects the two Rings of the Dwarves.

Thráin, Thorin and the Last of the Seven Rings of the Dwarves

In part three of this trilogy, we will explore more of the Rings of the Dwarves, how the Ring of the line of Durin is passed to Thráin from Thrór, but not to Thorin from Thráin, and finally how Sauron acquired the third Ring of the Dwarves. We will also explore the ensuing dragon sickness that overcomes Thrór, Thráin and Thorin. It all ties in with the Concerns of the White Council and The Rings of Power. It will explain the rise of the Necromancer and connect Thorin Oakenshield to the One Ring to rule them all.

I leave you to ponder this quote of Gandalf, for it reveals much:

“Nearly all of his ravings were of that:
The last of the Seven“.

Thrain the Insane

Bibliography

Literary Sources:

Carpenter, Humphrey. J. R. R. Tolkien, A Biography. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.

Works of J.R.R. Tolkien:

The Lord of the Rings. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

Works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Douglas A. Anderson:

The Annotated Hobbit. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.

Works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien:

The Return of the Shadow. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1988.
The Treason of Isengard. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
The Silmarillion. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.

Tyler, J.E.A. The Complete Tolkien Companion.  New York: Thomas Dunne Books 1976.

lordoftheringswiki.com, thrainsbook.net, thorinoakenshield.net, tolkiengateway.net

Movie Sources:

Jackson, P. (Director). (2001). The Fellowship of the Ring. United States: New Line Cinema

(2002) The Two Towers. United States: New Line Cinema
(2003) The Return of the King. United States: New Line Cinema
(2012) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. United States: New Line Cinema/Warner Brothers

Illustration Sources:

deviantart.com, lotrwiki.com, rebrick.lego.com, thalion.ovh.org, thorinoakenshield.net, tumblr.com, tolkiengateway.net, vilya.altwevista.org

Map taken from: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings. New York: Houghton Mifflin 1994.

Photoshop Assistance: Kelly Ramage

Additional Research and Technical Assistance: Dark Jackal at thorinoakenshield.net

What’s So Special About These Dwarves?
by Anjy Roemelt

The Hobbit – Dwarves. Who would ever have expected them to rock the fansites like they did after “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was released last December.  Why, I pray thee, should we be so enamored of these small, stocky figures with hoods and lanterns, crawling through mines and all looking alike with their beards? We saw them in “The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the ring” at the Council of Elrond. We knew who Gimli was – barely. The other dwarves looked slightly modified by photoshop. White beards, eyebrows curving the other way, or no discernible difference at all. I must admit I didn’t think much about the dwarves before I saw the film. I was looking forward to Bilbo and Gandalf, curious if they would feature Legolas in Mirkwood, and expecting to be mildly entertained, but mostly for nostalgic reasons in reminiscence of The Lord of the Rings. I have never been so wrong in my whole life.

I did not pay much attention to trailers, being busy with reality, and only had a look at a guide-book to the movie a couple of days prior to the premiere. I liked Fili and Kili in that book and thought “There’ll be some eye-candy in it, then, so no need for the maxi-popcorn.” I have never been … see above. Of course, I fell in love with Thorin at first glance. Who didn’t? I’m ready to fight anyone who did, though. They have no business hankering after him, he’s mine!!!! But that is just – or unjust – the icing on the cake. The dwarves as a whole bear a fascination I see in so many contributions to websites and notice in talks in still-existing-real-life. I have a theory why that is so. Let me know if you agree (and also if you disagree, I feel obliged to add).

First they are family. They belong together, and as the audience I can make myself believe I do, too. I pin their pictures to my kitchen-door, I wear their items, I sing their song, I am one of the family. Better, sometimes, than my real one. Family as it ought to be. Loving and teasing and fighting for one another. It’s vital we know these things are still important. Yes, I KNOW real life is different and I’m over-demanding or projecting childhood-illusions onto movie-characters (can somebody please lock Uncle Sigmund in the basement!) – but, NO!, they’re not illusions. They are what family life ought to be for everyone and everywhere. We may have lost it, but that does not mean it never existed. If it exists as a longing, then it exists.

Secondly, they fight. For one another. For something. They have something more important to them than their comfortable homes and regular income. Even more important than food – and that IS important to a dwarf. Balin makes this clear to Thorin: there is no real need to go back to Erebor. They have a home in the Blue Mountains, they have peace and a safe prospect for the future. They can raise their kids far away from dragons and destruction, and they grow up like Fili and Kili, just playing war and dressing up like warriors but never in any real danger (which mother wouldn’t want such a life for her sons?) Yet, they will go with Thorin into an insecure future if ever there was one. Bombur is willing to go on a journey which will mean a snack in the morning and a frugal pot-luck in the evening. Dori is willing to go where branches will tangle in his braids and there is no mirror. Ori is willing to go away from his mother’s knitting. Nori, of course, is willing to go anywhere. All of them has a choice, all but Thorin, and they disregard their personal choices to follow him.

This is – of course – utterly politically incorrect, psychologically wrong and, in fact, pathological. If you do something like this in real life, you need a good shrink. Then why do so many of us long to do just that? To find something in our lives that is more important than food and insurances and i-phones? Something that is not only bigger but greater than the virtues we have been taught since kindergarden. Living in the civilized west we feel going on a quest for religious reasons is out of the question. Really, most of us, me included, are not sure enough that our personal beliefs ARE the only ones true and possible, to want to wager our lives on them. Our nations might be a reason if we are, say, Croatian or Turkish or from Kazakhstan (these being the most passionate people about their nations I have met, so far), but for most of us the daily hassle with governments and bureaucrats diminish our love for our actual nation a tiny bit. So, what is there to fight for? Our football team! I’d go anywhere for my football team (soccer, for US-readers), but still there is something about Thorin & Co that exceeds hoisting the colours of my club.

There is something in most human souls that longs to be part of something great, something worthy to give everything for. It’s mostly not reasonable to take such a decision in real life, and it is absolutely impossible if you have a family, children you are responsible for, but as with the family, the longing is still there. That it is there proves there is a reason for this. It is okay to long for something greater than me. It is okay to find things in my life which are worth a risk and worth an eschewal. It is okay to value this longing and keep an eye on it. It might be something in my life that does not diminish with age, something that does not grow stale in the using. It might be something that makes me go on when other things fail. It might even be God …

And then there is the humour of it all. Starting with Bilbo. All these great feelings and longings I have described so far, and I should go for them without a hanky? No way! Bebother and confusticate reality! The greatness and the kingship, and the nobility, and glory would be unbearable without the humour.

Tolkien wrote the book like that. There is always a humorous twist in the events, usually provided by Bilbo, that reminds us of our own insignificance in the great events taking place around us – and still we are part of the pattern. Tolkien depicted the Hobbits as the real “humans” in his universe. He said about himself “I am in fact a hobbit in all but size”. They are the kind and simple and down-to-(middle)earth people everyone can identify with when the kings and queens and warriors and immortal elves have proven to be a bit exaggerated for the rest of us. So, let’s have some supper at Bag End.

So, why the dwarves? Maybe because we long for something and they give us courage. They are not as high-brow and aloof as the elves, nor as rigid as the men of Gondor, yet they provide a tad more … well, greatness …. than the hobbits. They are great AND small, noble and funny, what we want to be, and what we are, all rolled into one. They are adorable. Aaaaand – as an afterthought – to identify with a dwarf rather than with an elf is so much less pressure on my BMI .

-Anjy Roemelt

There are also videos featuring the White Council (which was highlighted in this essay last month), Radagast, the Trolls, and Riddles in the Dark.

This essay is an analysis of the concerns of the White Council that is featured in An Unexpected Journey. It is one of a three part trilogy that shows the evolution of the Necromancer’s rise to power, and in the future essays explains the connection between Thorin and the One Ring. It is also an attempt to reconcile the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien and An Unexpected Journey, but also to point out the discrepancies. There are a few small “spoilers” that will not be labeled. Some things will be revealed to fans of the movies that may not have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and other literary works of Professor Tolkien, while fans of Tolkien may be reminded or even enlightened while reading this essay. There is a map at the end of the essay to reference if you like.

The History of the White Council of Tolkien

The White Council is formed in the year 2463 of the Third Age shortly after the Peaceful Watch ends. Lady Galadriel founds the Council after dark shadows start to grow out of Dol Guldur, and could be sensed in Lórien.

Originally Gandalf was recommended as the leader of the Council, but he sternly declines the appointment, citing his need to remain nomadic and refusal to a summons. It is agreed then that Saruman would head the Council, though he accepts begrudgingly, being a second choice to Mithrandir. Other members are Radagast the Brown, and Elrond of Rivendell. The Silmarillion mentions that others of the Eldar are also in the Council, but their names are not mentioned, nor the regions they dwelt in. The Council sought clarification on the origins of the Necromancer, some suspecting that Sauron had in fact returned. Their inquiry proves futile, as Sauron senses their approach and retreats east. The Council does not meet again for 388 years.

The Council reforms in 2851. This was the year after Gandalf enters the fortress of Dol Guldur. There he discovers Thráin in the dungeons, and learns that Sauron is in fact the Necromancer gathering the Seven Rings, and is searching for the One Ring. Thráin dies and Gandalf barely escapes with his life. Gandalf calls for action of the White Council sensing the time had come for an attack, but his recommendation to assault Dol Guldur is denied by Saruman. At the time, Saruman’s decision not to act seems surprising, but slowly he is succumbing to the Ring, and wants to buy some time so he can search the Gladden Fields in the hopes of finding the Ring himself.

In 2941, the Council meets again (This is the same year that Thorin and Company begin their quest to reclaim Erebor). Saruman agrees to an assault of Dol Guldur, but only because he suspects that Sauron is searching the Gladden Fields too. Their attack proves futile, as Sauron has moved and enters again into Mordor the following year.

The White Council by Alan Lee

Twelve years later, in the year 2953 of the Third Age, the White Council meets for the final time. The seduction of the Ring causes Saruman to lie and say that it had passed into the sea. The Council disbands, and Saruman retreats to Mount Fang in Nan Curunír, claims Orthanc as his own, and prepares for war. He dispatches spies to Bree, and the Shire, and watches Gandalf’s moves very closely.

The White Council of An Unexpected Journey:

Radagast’s Account of the Emergence of Mirkwood

Radagast the Brown, or Aiwendil in Quenya, dwells in the region of Rhosgobel, on the borders of the Anduin and the forest of Greenwood. Because of Radagast’s deep connection with all beasts living, he becomes highly sensitized to the slow decay that begins to form around the majestic forest of Greenwood.

Radagast the Brown by Frank Victoria

Now Greenwood, or Greenwood the Great, is the greatest forest of Middle-earth. It encompasses a vast span over four hundred miles long and two hundred miles wide. Over two-thirds of the realm of Rhovanion, it comprises. To the west is the Great Anduin, and south-east is Mordor. It is the primary home of the Sindar, also known as Wood-elves. Their love of the mortal land of Middle-earth almost caused their extinction during the Battle of Dagorlad (3434 SA), known as the last alliance of men and elves, the epic battle in which Sauron lost his Ring by the hand of Isildur with his father’s sword, Narsil. After the battle, what was left of the Sindar return to Greenwood under the leadership of Thranduil, settling in the north-east along the Forest River. There they live in relative peace, delighting in the beauty of the forest, though a foreboding darkness seems to grow.

In Greenwood’s southern most region is the site of Dol Guldur, the Hill of Sorcery. Dol Guldur is built atop Amon Lanc. It is built in secret by evil forces under Sauron’s command in the beginning of the Third Age. The location is spitefully chosen! Amon Lanc, during the Second Age, was the home of Oropher, one of the Sindar who emigrated east after the fall of Morgoth in the First Age. Oropher was Thranduil’s father, and he was killed during the Battle of Dagorlad fighting Sauron.

Image of Dol Guldur on Amon Lanc from An Unexpected Journey

How very cruel it is that Dol Guldur is being built on Amon Lanc, Oropher’s home, while Oropher’s body lay in the marshes of Dagorlad. (It is around this time that the five great Istari first appear in Middle-earth. Three of these wizards became members of the White Council: Saruman, Gandalf and Radagast. The two wizards vaguely mentioned in An Unexpected Journey are Alatar and Pallando, and were said to travel into the far east of Middle-earth beyond Rohûn.)

It is because of the building of Dol Guldur, and the growing shadow shrouding it, that Greenwood becomes Mirkwood. A foreboding comes to Rhovanion. Darkness permeates the forest due to the dense canopy. The trees became diseased, and the air stagnant and suffocating. Little water can be found, and where there is water, it is black and enchanted. A mighty and beautiful forest injected with a carcinogenic plague and its filthy byproducts.

Into the Mirkwood by Thalion

A big concern that Radagast has is the spiders and their horrible webs. “A spawn of Ungoliant or I’m not a wizard” – An Unexpected Journey. Ungoliant was the greatest of spiders from the First Age, being created out of the Darkness when Middle-earth was taking form. Melkor used her to destroy the sacred Trees of the Valinor. Later she sought dark remote areas and mated with lesser beings to produce a great amount of offspring. Shelob, of Cirith Ungol, was one of Ungoliant’s offspring, and she in turn produced offspring of her own that migrated from Cirith Ungol into the north and south sections of Mirkwood. Their network of webs created an even darker foreboding, as they poisoned their prey and hung them in the forest canopy.

Trolls of the Ettenmoors Raiding Villages

Trolls, according to Tolkien, were first created during the First Age at the time of Great Darkness, when all the light of Valar, Illuin and Ormal was destroyed by Melkor. It is because they were created in darkness, that trolls have sensitivity to sunlight, and turn to stone as read in The Hobbit, and seen delightfully in An Unexpected Journey. Morgoth, during the end of the First Age used trolls for his invasion of Beleriand. After Morgoth’s defeat, the trolls suffered great losses, and were slow to reproduce (could it be their cooking?) Retreating to the region of the Ettenmoors, south of Angmar, trolls were no longer a concern to the kind races of Middle-earth. That is why Gandalf and Thorin are perplexed at their appearance in Journey. Thorin: “Since when do Mountain Trolls venture this far south?” Gandalf: “Ooh, not for an Age. Not since a darker power rules these lands. They could not have moved in daylight”.

William, Tom and Bert from An Unexpected Journey

The investigation of the Troll-hoard reveals actions of malfeasance. Coins, treasure, weaponry and such are revealed in the trove, in particular, Orcrist and Glamdring. It is curious that such prestigious swords end up in the hands of trolls. The swords were war booty during the First Age after the fall of Gondolin. How the swords got there is a mystery, but it proves that Bert, Bill and Tom were up to mischief and conducting raids at night.

(Later in the Two Towers and the Return of the King, Tolkien and Jackson introduce a more aggressive race of trolls known as Olog-hai. These trolls are stronger, have a harder endurance, and could tolerate daylight without being turned to stone. We first see them in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, pushing large battle towers to the walls of Minas Tirith.)

Invading Orcs from Gundabad

Gandalf’s concern about the attack of an orc pack riding Gundabad wargs is also addressed. Gundabad is a mountain region in the north at the apex of the Misty Mountains, adjacent to Angmar. In the days of the Eldar, Mount Gundabad was the resting place of Durin the Deathless, the oldest father of the Dwarves, and ancient ancestor of Thrór, Thráin and Thorin. Durin slumbered many years in Gundabad, under the enchantment of Aulë, creator of the Dwarves. “Then Aulë took the seven fathers of the Dwarves and laid them to rest in far-sundered places.” – The Silmarillion. When Durin awoke, he founded a kingdom in Gundabad, until the colony was attacked by orcs migrating from the destroyed realm of Angband during the Second Age.

By the Third Age, Gundabad became known as an orc capital, and was commanded by Azog. Gundabad remained the capital until the year 2799 when during War of the Dwarves and Orcs, the Dwarves sacked Gundabad to avenge the killing and beheading of Thror. The Dwarves also held Gundabad as a sacred place that had been spoiled by the orc takeover in the Second Age. But because Mount Gundabad was occupied with orcs for so long, it remained by reputation, an evil and sinister place.

There is a distinct difference between Gundabad wargs featured in An Unexpected Journey and the wargs of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Gundabad wargs have a more bellicose nature, appear more wolf-like, and are specifically bred in Gundabad. Little is known of them except their aggressive pugnacious behavior and servitude to the Orcs of Gundabad and their king Azog. (In the book The Hobbit, the wargs assist the goblins but are not under their servitude.)

Gundabad Warg Scout by Gus Hunter

By contrast the wargs of The Lord of the Rings, known as the wolves of Isengard, were used in organized attacks by Saruman. “He has taken Orcs into his service, and Wolf –riders, and evil Men.” – The Two Towers. According to Tolkien, all orcs have a disdain for sunlight, but in An Unexpected Journey and Two Towers daylight does not deter them. But orcs and wargs are to be feared regardless of day or night. “The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears. But where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls.” – The Fellowship of the Ring.

Fear of Smaug’s Power to be Unleashed

Another concern of Gandalf is the idea that Smaug may be turned to aide Sauron. He presents this to the White Council, explaining that “if he should side with the enemy, a dragon could be used to terrible effect” – An Unexpected Journey. The effect he mentions is this. The north-east during this time is very weak. With the city of Dale razed, Erebor guarded by Smaug, and the Ered Mithrin’s reputation of having potentially more dragons in the region of Withered Heath, it would be very easy for an invasion with dragons into the realms of Rhovanion, Lórien and Rohan. Gandalf is convinced that Sauron has returned, and knows that this invasion is a strong possibility with virtual impunity from any organized resistance.

Conversation with Smaug by J.R.R.Tolkien

The use of dragons in such an invasion is a highly justifiable concern, for Middle-earth had a history of such evil tidings in the past. Dragons had long plagued Middle-earth, particularly the race of Dwarves, even before the Sack of Erebor. Dáin I, father of Thrór, was ruler in the realm of the Ered Mithrin (Grey Mountains), the location of which was Withered Heath. “But there were dragons in the wastes beyond; and after many years they became strong again and multiplied, and they made war on the Dwarves and plundered their works.” – Return of the King, Appendix A. The Dwarves abandoned the Ered Mithrin after Dain I was slain with his son, Frór, and Thrór led the remaining Dwarves back to Erebor. But the history of Dwarves and dragons goes back even further.

There was Glaurung the greatest and most feared dragon of the First Age. He was bred by Morgoth, Sauron’s leader, and was unveiled during the Battle of Sudden Flames. At Morgoth’s command was “Glaurung, the Golden, father of dragons, in his full might; and in his trains were Balrogs and behind them came the black armies of the Orcs in multitudes such as Noldor had never seen or imagined” – The Silmarillion. The Great Worm was inexperienced, though powerful, and was eventually beaten off by Fingon.

Glaurung by Ted Nasmith

Glaurung the Fire Drake would again return two hundred years later, on command of Morgoth, during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, otherwise known as Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Glaurung had matured at this point, and proved a fierce adversary. Elves and men both perished as they fought him until at last, the Dwarves of Gabilgathol, a Dwarf-city in the Ered Luin, came to their aid. The Dwarves, it was said, wore armor more resistant to the fire of the dragon and assailed him at close range. As they surrounded him, their battle axes hit their mark. In a fit of rage, Glaurung turned on the Dwarf-king, Azaghâl and crawled over him, crushing him to death, but not before Azaghâl plunged a knife in the fire-drake’s belly. Glaurung fled, but the wound he received from Azaghâl was not a mortal wound.

Glaurung later returned, and used powerful spells and bewitched the children of Húrin in vile and incestuous ways. As he wormed his way towards the last free hold of Middle-earth, he received a mortal wound from Turambar (Túrin) wielding the Black Thorn of Brethil, a black sword of Nargothrond.

Glaurung the Golden – by Lynton Levengood

Another of the Great Worms of Middle-earth was Scatha the Worm, who also served Morgoth in the First Age. He fled to Ered Mithrin after the War of Wrath. Known to plague both men and Dwarves in the Northern Wildlands, he was slain in the year 2000 of the Third Age. (Some Trivia: One of the finds from Scatha’s hoard was the Horn of Rohan that Eowyn presents to Merry Brandybuck for his heroic deeds in the Battle of Pelennor Fields. Another bit of trivia: It is speculated that Glamdring, Orcrist, and Sting also came from this hoard as Scatha took part in the razing of Gondolin).

Finally, there is Ancalagon the Black. This great dragon was the first winged dragon Middle-earth had seen. Unleashed under Morgoth’s command as a last defense, Ancalagon proved a very mighty foe. He was extremely large, with a tremendous wing span. When at last he was slain by Eärendil, with aid from the Eagles of Manwë, and fell from the sky, the impact of his carcass shattered the mountain range of Thangorodrim, near Angband.

Scatha – by Scatha-the-Worm, and Ancalagon the Black – by Daniel Govar

The Mystery of the Morgul Blade

The appearance of the Morgul Blade completely baffles and terrifies members of the White Council. While Saruman dismisses its appearance as simply a “dagger from a bygone age” and is not proven to be a Morgul Blade, Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf see darker implications. They are perplexed, as the sword was buried with the Witch-king of Angmar, in the “High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him…in a tomb so dark…it would never come to light” – Galadriel, An Unexpected Journey. Elrond goes on to explain the impossibility of those tombs being opened, and are protected by a powerful spell.

The resurrection of the Morgul Blade was of great concern for both Galadriel and Elrond, for they both suffered personally from its effects. The power of the Morgul Blade is not to kill, but to force its victims to succumb to the will of Sauron. Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrian was the wife of Elrond, and bore him two sons, Elladan and Elrohir as well as a daughter, Arwen Undómiel (future wife of Aragorn). As she journeyed to Lórien, her party was assaulted by Orcs at Caradhras (Barazinbar to the Dwarves, Redhorn Pass in the Common Speech) and she was taken prisoner. Elladan and Elrohir rescued her, but not before she suffered a wound from a Morgul blade.

Celebrian’s Imprisonment – by Liga-marta

She was brought back to Rivendell and Elrond healed the wound. But Celebrían “suffered torment… (and) lost all delight in Middle-earth, and the next year went to the Havens and passed over the sea” – The Return of the King, Appendix A. This effect of the Morgul blade sounds familiar, as Frodo suffered the same torment and pain, many years after being stabbed at Weathertop at the ruined tower of Amon Sûl. He also suffered torment, and pain, and had to sail to the Undying Lands to seek relief.

Frodo Stabbed by the Mogul Blade from The Fellowship of the Ring

Now Rhudaur, the name given by the Dúnedain, is a region south of the Ettenmoors and west of Rivendell and the Misty Mountains, and is the location of the tombs of the High Fells. Known as a rugged, hostile area, with low soil fertility, and little resources, the men of Rhudaur together with Angmar waged war against neighboring Arthedain and Cardolan in 1409 of the Third Age. At Amon Sûl, the Cardolan Dúnedain took a last stand and were besieged by the men subjected to the command of Angmar. The great Watch Tower was burned, and Dúnedain lost their lives, but not before the people of Arthedain were able to escape with one of the remaining Palantír. The Arthedain were the last Line of Isildur, and after the fall of Amon Sûl, they lead a nomadic life, becoming what were known to be the Rangers of the North.

The Tower of Amon Sûl – by Pak Polaris

The Tombs of the High Fells do not exist in any Tolkien works, but for the movie The Desolation of Smaug, Gandalf and Radagast travel to the High Fells of Rhudaur to investigate the tombs. After a vertigo inducing hike, they discover that the tombs in fact have been opened. Radagast, more sensitive to the effects of dark magic, feels that dark spells haunt the tombs. The heavy stone lid sarcophagus is broken, and Gandalf comments how the tombs themselves were opened from the inside out. The rise of the Nazgûl and the mystery of the Morgul Blade have been solved. There is in fact a Sorcerer who can summon the dead.

High Fells and Tomb Renderings by Alan Lee

Saruman’s Treason

Saruman is the chief of the Order of Istari, the five great wizards that come in the Third Age. The primary purpose of their existence in Middle-earth is to combat the power of Sauron and bring balance and peace. Curunír, as he is known to the Elves, was a vested scholar in Ring lore, spending much time studying the history, myths and legends. This was his undoing. He somehow acquires a lost Palantír. This Seeing Eye-Stone, combined with his obsession with Ring lore, began to turn Saruman. He was seduced, just as Gollum was. But being the Head of the Order and the Head of the White Council makes him very dangerous.

When the White Council meets in the year 2851, Saruman already knows that Sauron has returned as the Necromancer. He becomes concerned that the White Council will learn that not only Sauron seeks the One Ring, but that Saruman himself is also seeking it. This explains why he intentionally dissuades the Council from any attack on Dol Guldur. Saruman then begins searching the Gladden Fields, the marshy area where Isildur was betrayed by the Ring and murdered. Isildur fell into the river, and the Ring passed out of all knowledge.

Saruman and the Palantír from The Two Towers

The Council meets again in 2941; Saruman discredits Gandalf’s debate, as seen in An Unexpected Journey. From a small orc pack that “dared to cross the Bruinen (Actually this may be a blooper! If the orc pack is to cross any river from Gundabad, it would be the Hoarwell. The Bruinen or Loudwater is too far south depending on how far south they came from the Misty Mountains), to an old dagger found, to a mortal-man dabbling in dark witchcraft, Saruman counters every argument that there is trouble brewing. Even poor Radagast is discredited. Saruman explains that he cannot be taken seriously because of his “excessive consumption of mushrooms. They’ve addled his brain and yellowed his teeth.” (And Saruman might benefit from a little attention to his own dental hygiene.) Saruman attempts to persuade the White Council to intervene in the Quest to reclaim Erebor. He is secretly concerned that should the dwarves succeed, a stronger defensive guard would be placed in the North.

The Appearance of the Necromancer

The White Council’s chief concern is the appearance of this new sorcerer. It is a new (or old) power that seems to bring the dark shadows that Galadriel feels in Lórien, causing her to form the White Council. That a sorcerer has taken up in Dol Guldur is alarming, but is it dangerous?

What is a Necromancer? The term itself deserves discussion. In “Laws and Customs Among the Eldar” taken from Morgoth’s Ring, Christopher Tolkien compiled his fathers’ notes and research and deciphered the following: When an Elf dies, the Elvish spirit (or Fea) is attracted to a living host and will attempt to penetrate the living body and vanquish the living hosts Fea from its rightful owner. J.R.R.Tolkien wrote “It is said that Sauron did these things…”

Most of us take for granted that the Necromancer is Sauron. Years of Lord of the Rings media, either in literature, or movies, enlightened us to Sauron’s powers and abilities. But remember as a child reading The Hobbit? Gandalf leaving Thorin and Company to fight this foe seemed a small and not so dangerous task. We underestimate what the Necromancer really could be. Initially, Tolkien felt the same way. Anderson writes that the Necromancer simply serves as a reason for Gandalf to leave the Company. But as early as the fall of 1937, around the same time as the first publication of The Hobbit, a dawning grew on Tolkien as the Necromancer’s shadow grew on Middle-earth. But that is the second part of this paper to be continued in the future.

What We May See In The Desolation of Smaug

I strongly suspect three very important things will be seen in The Desolation of Smaug.

-That Gandalf will take it upon himself to attack Dol Guldur despite the White Council’s decision not to attack. He never follows any advice when it conflicts with a path that he is on. Such examples would the recruitment of Bilbo Baggins to join the Quest of Erebor. From thirteen Dwarves to Galadriel, no one understands this decision of Gandalf’s, not even himself. Another example is the aversion of entering Moria in The Fellowship but he knows entering will cost him his own life. He leads the Fellowship anyway. Another is his fear the Helm’s Deep will suffer a great defeat in Two Towers, and seeks out Éomer. Yet another is his knowledge that Denethor had a Palantír, and its use drove him mad (This explains his madness in Return of the King movie if you have never read the books). Gandalf knows, without reason or explanation. That is why I feel confident in saying he will attack Dol Guldur on his own accord.

- That Galadriel will come to Gandalf’s aid in the attack of Dol Guldur. In Unexpected Journey, there is a tender moment between the two. She gently gives him courage saying “Do not be afraid, Mithrandir. You are not alone. If you should ever need my help…I will come”. That certainly was no love scene. She senses he will need her aid, and I bet we will see that in Desolation.

- And finally we will see Thráin, son of Thrór, father of Thorin Oakenshield, in a flashback scene in the dungeons of Dol Guldur. He will be in possession of the map and key of Erebor, and he will reveal something to Gandalf that sets this whole fantastic story in motion, from the Quest of Erebor to the Return of the King. That will be discussed in a part III of the series. I leave you to ponder this quote of Saruman (from this behind-the-scenes footage) for it reveals much:

“Without the ruling ring of power, the seven are of no value to the enemy“.

Thrain the Insane from the trailer of An Unexpected Journey

Part II – The Rings of Power

Map of Middle-earth

Bibliography

Literary Sources:

Works of J.R.R. Tolkien:
The Lord of the Rings. New York: Houghton Mifflin 1994.
Works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Douglas A. Anderson:
The Annotated Hobbit. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.
Works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien editor:
The Children of Húrin. New York: Houghton Mifflin 2007.
Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth. New York: Random House, 1980.
The Silmarillion. New York: Houghton Mifflin 2001.
Tyler, J.E.A. The Complete Tolkien Companion. New York: Thomas Dunne Books 1976.

lordoftheringswiki.com, thrainsbook.net, thorinoakenshield.net

Movie Sources:

Jackson, P. (Director). (2001). The Fellowship of the Ring. United States: New Line Cinema
(2002) The Two Towers. United States: New Line Cinema
(2003) The Return of the King. United States: New Line Cinema
(2012) An Unexpected Journey. United States: New Line Cinema/Warner Brothers

Illustration Sources:

deviantart.com, lotrwiki.com, thalion.ovh.org, thorinoakenshield.net, tumblr.com
Falconer, Daniel. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles. New York: Harper Collins, 2012.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Silmarillion. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2004

Map taken from: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings. New York: Houghton Mifflin 1994.

Photoshop assistance: Kelly Ramage
Additional Research: Dark Jackal at thorinoakenshield.net

HobbitCon took place in Bonn, Germany from March 30th to April 1^st 2013, and it was a first in many ways: It was the first HobbitCon ever, it was the first convention for many of the actors, and it was also the first convention the author of this article has attended.

I decided to save my money for the important things on this convention and didn’t book the Maritim Hotel in which the con took place. It didn’t make a difference though as I spent most of my time there anyway. We arrived on Friday and decided to check out the hotel that evening. We saw the convention area already built up but still fairly empty at that time, which was quite interesting to get into the feeling. We decided to have our dinner in the hotel bar that evening, and didn’t really think too much about the actors, when after a while one actor after the other walked in and had their dinner as well. There was John Callen, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, and later on Jed Brophy, Graham McTavish, Sylvester McCoy and Dean O’Gorman, who all had no problem whatsoever having their meal among the arriving fans. Quite late in the evening Adam Brown arrived, and then something very sweet happened: All the actors hugged each other; it felt as if they hadn’t seen each other for a long time and this was a big coming together again. We already knew from production videos that these guys were one big family, but it was wonderful to see this for real as well!

The actual convention started on Saturday. We were new to this whole thing, rather excited, and wanted to meet a few actors, so we decided to start with the least intimidating of them as a warm up, and had our photo taken with Adam Brown, who is such an adorable and sweet man!
Later on we also had photos taken with Graham McTavish and Dean O’Gorman (to be honest, I grew more nervous with each of them!). At this point I have to say how extremely well organized the photo sessions were. Of course, a lot of people wanted their photo, which meant there was only enough time to say one sentence to the actors, but at least everybody got their photo.

It even happened that they sent me back to Dean O’Gorman a second time (I was hardly sad about that!) because I obviously had my eyes closed on the photo. It is really nice they pay attention to these things as well.

Then there was the signing session, also very well organized, and although lots of people wanted to get an autograph there was hardly any waiting time, not even on popular actors such as O’Gorman. In fact we even had a bit more time there to talk to them than in the photo sessions. Since they cost 20 Euro each I only went to get those of Graham McTavish and Dean O’Gorman.

The area was not overwhelmingly large: There was the huge hall for all the panels, a smaller one for the signing sessions, and several smaller rooms for workshops, lectures and so on. There were a few merchandise stands where the dedicated Tolkien fan could leave LOTS of money. Luckily I already own most of the official merchandise (not sure what is so lucky about that actually…), so all I bought for myself was the letter opener version of Thorin’s dwarven sword and an official con photograph of all the actors (sadly without Peter Hambleton) printed on a slate.

Before I continue with the really interesting info given in the panels, let me have one slight fangirling paragraph, you may skip this one if you don’t want to read that kind of stuff. The thing is, what is Richard Armitage to DJ is Dean O’Gorman to me, so I also had a lot of “omg!”-moments on this weekend. I remember the first time I saw him, walking into that restaurant I had dinner in, my jaw dropped. He is a LOT more gorgeous for real than he is in pictures! Also he is so laid back and down to earth, which just makes him adorable. On Saturday night I managed to talk to him at the aftershow party in the bar, and when he asked me for my name he actually introduced himself with: “I’m Dean.” (Yes, as if I didn’t know.) I have a tattoo concerning the three Heirs of Durin and was dying to show him. He was actually very impressed by it. And then in the end I hugged him. Let me assure you, yes, he does feel very good.

And now back to important information again!
There were a lot of interesting panels with a lot of interesting information, all led by the incredible Mark Ferguson. I recorded the panels of Dean O’Gorman, Graham McTavish, Adam Brown + Jed Brophy and Graham McTavish + Mark Hadlow in full length, and the first half of Adam Brown’s as audio files and will provide them here.

On the others I attended I took notes and will try to summarize the important information:

Mark Hadlow and Stephen Hunter:
This was my first panel and it was here the constant mention of Jed Brophy’s hyperactivity started and never ceased throughout the whole con. Further they made a cryptic statement about an elf-dwarf relationship but in the wording it wasn’t clear whether it was denying or confirming one. Somebody asked them which character in the Tolkien universe they’d like to be, so Stephen said Galadriel, and Mark said Jed Brophy, then they acted a short scene in which both were their dream character. Yes, it was as odd as it sounds!
They also said there might be a second food fight in the Special Extended Edition.

John Callen:

He has four daughters and two sons, and when they heard he got the role they were just interested in who attends which premiere.
After Oin’s hearing aid is destroyed his hearing ability will be even worse for the rest of the trilogy. Luckily Gloin is going to help him there.
80% of the ideas of either design or character development never make it into the film! Still the first edit of the film was 5 hours long.
Oin hardly knows anything about Bilbo and therefore trusts in Gandalf’s decision.
When asked which Tolkien character he’d like to be he answered Galadriel’s lover, but not if Galadriel was played by Stephen Hunter (see above panel).
He finds the role of Thorin very appealing.
He is not a royalist, but found it interesting to meet Prince William who was obviously quite nice to him and liked his red shoes.
He was very excited to meet Ian McKellen and said he’s a “naughty boy”.
He doesn’t miss his role, only the film crew.
He said Oin will survive the Battle of the Five Armies. (Now if THAT isn’t a spoiler!)
When he saw the film for the first time (two days before the Wellington premiere) all he saw was scale doubles and stunt doubles and wondered if he was in the film at all. That got better on further viewings though.

Sylvester McCoy:

Sadly I missed his first panel, thinking I wasn’t as interested in this guy. But he turned out to be the funniest panel guest ever. He actually took the microphone, went down to the audience and just walked through us, picking up the questions himself. What a lovely guy! When reading my summary, keep in mind that he was hardly ever completely serious! But here it is:
He loves the outfit, especially the bird poo which was Peter Jackson’s idea.
He was asked if an Istar has a belly button and he says he believes Radagast does, but he’ll check next time he’s playing him.
With a rabbit sleigh he’d ride through his neighbourhood though he’d be afraid of the dogs then.
The stick insect was pure CGI and Sebastian was the name of Peter Jackson’s assistant. However he says he hates Sebastian and hopes he is dead by now.
The bird whistling was his idea as he was always doing that to his sons when they were little.
There might actually be some more pick-up shooting next year.
He wouldn’t want Radagast’s life for himself especially not for longer than a couple of weeks.
When recording the scene with wargs following his sleigh he wasn’t actually aware he was going in circles. There is in fact no logic behind his choice of directions. They even shot a scene in which he turns around, looks for the dwarves and notices he lost them. It never made it into the film though. When recording this scene he fell off once and just before his head hit the concrete floor a stuntman caught him. He says he felt his own brain moving though.
Dwarves never bathe.
Radagast and Tom Bombadil would be drinking buddies and have a mushroom omelette together.
Insects were all over Radagast and especially in his clothes.

John Callen + Peter Hambleton
This panel was mostly notable for two really interesting pieces of information! When asked if Oin and Gloin approve of Gimli’s friendship with an elf, they said of course they don’t like that, but added that in their own company there is a dwarf who thinks elves aren’t that dangerous after all.
Also, just a few days ago an interview with John Rhys-Davies popped up in which he said young Gimli will make a short appearance in the second film and he only took up the role again because he doesn’t wear that many prosthetics as young Gimli. While this sounded like an April Fool joke I decided to just ask Peter Hambleton if this was true. He was really surprised about this question, struggled for an answer and finally said: “Yes, you’ll see him, but I can’t say more.” That was more than enough for me!
And also, let’s not forget my favourite quote of the whole weekend which came from John Callen in this panel: “Oin and Gloin from the loins of Groin”

There was also a special panel by Stefan Servos, which was called “The story continues” which I sadly missed. It contained information about the second film! But I was told by somebody who did attend that Azog will die in Desolation of Smaug, and Bolg will then seek revenge. Also Gandalf will visit Thrain in Dol Guldur. And Tauriel has a crush on Thranduil, is turned down by him and therefore decides to help the dwarves escape the dungeons.

By far the funniest panel of the whole convention (my facial muscles and my belly still hurt from laughing) was the Gameshow, in which Mark Ferguson again was the moderator and four dwarf actors played against each other in a game called “Toss the Dwarf”. Mark Hadlow and Dean O’Gorman were the team “Hot dwarf and friend” and Jed Brophy and Stephen Hunter were team “Bombur Nori”. The two teams then competed in several rounds. First was a Tolkien trivia quiz in which Jed turned out to be a Tolkien expert and Dean to have a really lousy Tolkien knowledge. He didn’t even know which river his company crossed or what animal Beorn could shift into. Also note that Stephen answered “What is the Goblin King’s name?” with pure confidence: “Thranduil!” As a dwarf fan I really liked that answer actually!

After that they played a round of “truth or lie” in which every actor had to tell a story of his life and the other team had to decide whether it was true or false. The stories were:
Dean – got stuck in a letterbox when he was 19 and had to be rescued by the fire brigade – true.
Jed – kissed the prime minister of Australia – false.
Mark – vomited on his first date – false.
Stephen – ran naked through his house and was caught by complete strangers – false.

They also had a few scenes to play. One was a funeral and every time somebody did or said something that made the audience laugh he failed. In another scene they cleaned a toilet and were only allowed to use sentences with the amount of words Mark Ferguson would give them. And in another scene Ferguson was a dwarf on a quest for women, and the two teams then had to move his body. This was possibly the most hilarious part of the whole Gameshow!

In the end there was a tie and they had to name things in a certain category really fast. When naming “countries starting with C” Dean didn’t really make himself a lot of friends when saying Czechoslovakia (since that country doesn’t exist since 1993!) And the only other country he could come up with was Cameroon (I suppose China or Canada are too exotic to name ).

But then the most interesting round started! “Name a Tolkien character that dies.” Jed immediately said “Gil-Galad” to upset Mark Ferguson. Further on while Jed gave ridiculous answers like Eldarion, the only names Dean could come up with were Fili, Kili and Thorin. After that he knew no more and the audience actually had to help him with Boromir. As I said – lousy Tolkien knowledge! While the whole audience gasped when he said “Fili”, he just added: “It’s in the book.” That’s a clever remark meaning technically he hasn’t given any film spoilers.
I don’t actually remember who won the Gameshow, but it was great fun to watch!

On the first day there was an opening ceremony, on the last day a closing ceremony. While in the opening ceremony all the guests were introduced and the rules were announced, there was also a dance with some hobbit girls (and Azog was also dancing with them). In the closing ceremony the girls danced again, but eventually Azog was killed during this ceremony. A foreshadowing for Desoluation of Smaug it seems! Then all the guests came in again, and the con was closed with the most remarkable scene: All attending dwarf actors sang the Misty Mountains song live. It was definitely a goosebump moment!

These are the impressions the guests made on me during their stay at HobbitCon:

Dean O’Gorman was quite obviously the favourite of the mostly female audience. His panel was the only one in which not everybody got to ask their question. He was also the most popular during photo sessions. What adds to that is that even Mark Ferguson and his cast colleagues constantly reminded everybody of his status as “hot dwarf”. He never took that status for granted though, which was quite delightful.

Adam Brown started very shy but eventually evolved into the audience favourite during the weekend! In the end the line for his signature even turned out to be the longest. I can definitely understand this; he is such a polite and warm person, there is no way anybody could NOT love him. The one thing that will always stay in my mind is his desperate attempt at saying: “I can be fucking angry too!” which somehow nobody believed.

Graham McTavish at first seemed a bit calm, but turned out to be a person with an enormous stage presence. He’s a fine gentleman with a rough outside but a soft spot inside – very much how I would picture Dwalin as well.

Stephen Hunter remained shy throughout the whole weekend and for a long time I was afraid he wasn’t enjoying himself. But when he said he did at the closing ceremony it was definitely believable. I suppose he just is a rather timid person. At one of the evening parties I told him he is the sexiest of the dwarves and he seemed to be flattered.

John Callen turned out to be a lot funnier than I’d ever expected from the oldest of the dwarf actors! He has a lot of interesting things to tell, even though his character might not be the most notable (yet?). Also I could listen to his voice forever, it is just so warm and fills the room!

Peter Hambleton sadly remained unnoticed most of the time. I do not know why, but nobody seemed to focus on him, which was notable in his panel and also when he was walking through the audience. I wish we could have seen more of him, especially because his character is definitely important to the whole story. I wish he’d know he also has lots of fans! He did call me “darling” though when I said something nice about Gloin in his panel, I found that very charming. Thank you, Peter!

Mark Hadlow turned out to be a guarantee for lots of good laughs. The faces he made during the Gameshow are memorable! He always had a funny story to tell, interacted so well with his dwarf brothers, and was known for watching almost all the panels! He didn’t even deny the female side of Dori, and had no problem playing along with it.

Jed Brophy – What more do I really have to say about that man? He is a legend in Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth and proved so even more here. Whenever Jed Brophy came along, you could be sure to laugh, no matter by what he told, danced, acted, showed or simply by running across the stage. He definitely enjoys these things and he is the one I want to see on a future con the most!

Sylvester McCoy I couldn’t quite estimate before going there. I thought I wouldn’t be interested in him, but luckily I was proved totally wrong. His panels were the best; he is so funny and active despite his age. I hope he never loses that energy. He even showed that during the evening parties when he actually started to dance with the young women there!

There were roughly 1000 people at the convention and I heard it was a rather small one by size of audience. For me it was a very comfortable number to start with. There was never a lot of waiting or people fighting for the best places. Also – although there were a lot of new visitors, everybody was behaving surprisingly civilized and no doubtful questions were asked in the panels. Due to the low number of people the actors could run around through the convention area without being disturbed by fans all the time. They could have their meals or their drinks at the bar, and just be normal people among all the geeks.

There was also a lot of cosplay in the audience. While it is nice that the three Heirs are so popular it WAS a bit sad to see there were a lot of Filis, Kilis and Thorins running around, but besides that only one Nori and no other dwarf.

What possibly made this convention special was the fact it only covered one particular movie. While on other cons you’ll have some people from Game of Thrones and some from Star Trek, on this one you could be sure that everybody of the guests knew each other. That made some panels really remarkable, as actors watched the panels of their colleagues, often interrupted them when appropriate or even asked questions themselves. Also it made running gags come up that were mentioned over and over again, such as Graham McTavish’s lousy riding skills, Adam Brown and Glamdring, and the fact that Stephen Hunter is the perfect Galadriel.
Basically it was just wonderful to see that the cast really had such a tight bond as seen in the production videos. They are like a little family.

For me it was an amazing first convention experience, and I am eager to go to another HobbitCon if there should be one next year. And I think the actors enjoyed it as well. Hopefully they can convince missing actors such as Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner or Martin Freeman to come to the next one.

See you next year in Bonn!

“He’d a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.”

(click to enlarge)

As I understand it, there is no way to reconcile the French and pistol butts with the timeline of Middle-earth.  But it is one of my favorite poems, so I can forgive them.

I would be interested if readers find similar surprises when browsing through the frames of the film.  Let me know in the comments below.

It’s a short but wonderful exploration of the relationship between the heirs of Durin, including Thorin, Thror, Thrain, Fili, and Kili, with commentary by Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, and Dean O’Gorman.

HD screenshots below (click for full-size):