In The Lord of the Rings films, The Hobbit trilogy focused on a group of dwarves, led by Thorin, and their journey to reclaim their home under the Lonely Mountain, or Erebor. As an unlikely addition to their company, Bilbo ed their quest, leaving his home in the Shire for the first time.
While it made sense that the dwarves in Thorin’s company were willing to risk their lives to reclaim their kingdom, Bilbo’s presence as the only hobbit was a bit more surprising. Although Gandalf eventually had to leave to investigate Sauron’s growing power, the wizard selected Bilbo for the role of “burglar” in Thorin’s company. When Gandalf introduced Bilbo to the dwarves by tricking him into hosting a dinner party for them, Bilbo was initially uninterested in ing the quest. However, he changed his mind at the last minute and accepted the offer.
Throughout The Hobbit films, Bilbo, Thorin, and the company faced many threats, including trolls, orcs, and the evil dragon Smaug. Although Bilbo became vital to the dwarves’ success, these dangers raise the question of why Gandalf chose Bilbo to the mission. At the beginning of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Thorin’s company consisted of 13 skilled dwarves and a wizard. Considering that any of them could have performed the duties of the burglar once they reached the Lonely Mountain, adding Bilbo – with no battle or travel experience – to the group seemed unnecessary. According to one article (via Fantasy Topics), however, Gandalf recruited Bilbo because he was not only a hobbit (and therefore unfamiliar to the dragon Smaug), but had a rare sense of adventure – an essential characteristic on such a precarious mission.
Gandalf Needed An Adventurous Hobbit To Enter Erebor
To retake Erebor, the dwarves first needed to find the Arkenstone, a gem and family heirloom that would give Thorin the right to rule. However, the Arkenstone was still inside the mountain as part of Smaug’s hoard of gold. This was why the dwarves needed a burglar to sneak into the mountain to steal the Arkenstone before they attacked the dangerous dragon Smaug. While many of the dwarves in Thorin’s company would have gladly volunteered for this position, Gandalf knew that Smaug was too familiar with the scent of dwarves. Due to this, no dwarf could break into Erebor without immediately alerting Smaug. In contrast, Smaug had never smelled hobbits before, so he was less likely to notice one entering the Lonely Mountain. This made hobbits as a species Gandalf’s best choice for a burglar.
However, very few hobbits would be interested in ing the dwarves’ quest. As part of their culture, hobbits valued simple, peaceful lives and disapproved of participating in any adventures. Despite this, the Tooks, a prominent hobbit family, were known for being more curious than most hobbits and friendlier toward other species. As the son of Belladonna Took, Bilbo Baggins fell into this category and was known for being particularly brave and inquisitive. Due to this, Bilbo was a rare adventurous hobbit, making him Gandalf’s ideal candidate to Thorin’s company as their burglar in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
