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The Battle of Five Armies was known in Middle-earth to be the largest battles that took place in the valley between Erebor and Dale, as well as in Dale and on Ravenhill.
Prelude[]
In the year TA 2941, Sauron looked to the Lonely Mountain for it's strategic placement in Middle-earth. He began building an army, cross-breeding Moria Orcs and recruiting Orcs from Gundabad in Dol Guldur.[1] His endgame would be to use Erebor as a base and reclaim the lands of Angmar[2] that had once been ruled by the Witch King.[3]
Azog the Defiler was one of Sauron's most loyal followers who had a desire to wipe out the Line of Durin, especially Thorin Oakenshield, the Dwarf Prince having cut off his arm at the elbow during the Battle of Azanulbizar.[4] Azog led a hunt for Thorin and put a price on his head.[5] This chain of events forced Thorin to begin a quest to reclaim Erebor and reunite the Dwarves of Middle-earth. With the help of Gandalf the Grey, Thorin recruited 12 other Dwarves and the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins and set out from Bilbo's house, Bag End, in the Shire, heading for the Lonely Mountain.[4] They were hunted by Azog and his Hunter Orcs from Gundabad until Bolg arrived, telling Azog to return to Dol Guldur.[4][5] Azog was assigned by Sauron to lead his armies into war and while they prepared for their attack on the Lonely Mountain, Azog had Bolg resume the hunt for Thorin.[5]
The Dwarves successfully entered the mountain and awoke Smaug, who they almost killed but ultimately failed.[5] Smaug then flew out of Erebor and attacked Lake-town. Smaug was killed by the bowman Bard, who then became a leader amongst his people. Bard led his people into the ruins of Dale where they looked for shelter and supplies.[6]
Gandalf, having entered Dol Guldur and getting captured by Sauron, witnessed the armies of Dol Guldur leaving under Azog's command.[5] He was eventually rescued when the White Council attacked the fortress and left as soon as possible on horseback to warn Thorin and the others.[6] Bolg was sent by Azog to Gundabad to collect the legions of Orcs from there. Legolas and Tauriel, who were investigating Gundabad, witnessed the hordes of Orcs leaving for Erebor to sweep in after Azog's force and finish the job.[6]
Thorin, now King of the Dragon-free Erebor, was being driven mad with Dragon-sickness, not willing to part with any of the treasure in the mountain. Thranduil heard word of the death of Smaug and brought an army of Elves to Dale, bringing supplies for the men of Lake-town.[6] With Smaug gone he wished to take the White Gems of Lasgalen which had been withheld from him by King Thrór years ago.[4][7] He was willing to massacre Thorin and his loyal Dwarves if they stood in his way. After Thorin refused to reason with Bard, Thranduil decided to attack.[6]
Gandalf arrived in Dale and tried to reason with Bard and Thranduil, warning them of the real enemy approaching the mountain but Thranduil didn't believe Gandalf and decided to go ahead with the attack anyway. Thranduil and Bard set up their armies outside the front gate of Erebor and Bard tried to reason with Thorin after having received the Arkenstone from Bilbo but Dáin Ironfoot arrived with an army of Dwarves from the Iron Hills.[6] The Dwarves and Elves engaged in a short fight[7] before Azog and his army arrived through the mountain, having used the Wereworms to dig tunnels and catch their enemies by surprise.[6]
The Battle[]
Azog's main attack force charged towards the Dwarves, Men and Elves in the valley and Dáin immediately ordered his Dwarves to prepare for attack, lining up with a defensive line of shields. Gandalf and Bilbo looked on in dismay as the Elves hesitated from the fight. As the Orcs got closer, Thranduil finally caved and ordered his warriors to attack. The Elven warriors gracefully ran over the top of the Dwarves and into the oncoming Orcs. Some of the Dwarves in Erebor wanted to head down and join the fight but Thorin ordered them to stand down. Azog had set up his command post on the fortress of Ravenhill where he could see the valley as well as Dale.[6]
Azog's first move was to try and destroy the deadly Dwarf chariots and sent in Ogres to take them down. The Ogres ran at the chariots, knocking them over and crushing the Dwarves that were in them.[7]
Azog sent a second attack force towards Dale where the women and children of Lake-town were taking refuge. Bard and Gandalf immediately made their way to the ruined city to defend their people. Large trolls with catapults walked out of the tunnels and towards Dale, catapulting rocks at the walls and creating points of entry for the Orcs. One troll had a large battering ram on his head and used it to smash a hole in the wall, letting the Orcs through. Bard immediately started looking for his family and found out they were at the market where the Orcs had recently overrun. He took a group of lake-men and attacked the market.[6]
Attack on Dale
Gandalf and Bilbo helped the men fight in Dale but their forces dwindled and gradually diminished as the Orcs continued to sweep in from outside the walls. After rescuing his children from an Ogre, Bard sent the elderly, women and children to the Town Hall and had Alfrid and Bain lead them there, ensuring to tell Alfrid to return and fight. Alfrid pushed elderly men out of the way to get to the building and hid posed as an old woman. More Trolls and Ogres entered the city, breaking through the walls.[6]
Thranduil and his force of Elves entered Dale, Thranduil's elk being shot down on the way in. Thranduil attacked the group of Orcs just inside the city, using his two swords. Dáin continued to fight in the valley against countless Orcs and Olog-hai. Dáin's boar was stabbed and killed and the Dwarf was forced to fight on his feet. He looked around at the chaos, wondering why Thorin hadn't joined them.[6]
Thorin left the ramparts and departed deeper into the mountain. He sat upon the throne of Erebor and was confronted by Dwalin. Dwalin tried to counsel Thorin and told him he was lesser now in his mental state then he had ever been. Thorin told him to leave before he killed him but afterwards began reflecting the events of recent and realised his mistakes. While in the Hall of the Kings, Thorin threw down his crown, cured from Dragon-sickness. As he approached the other Dwarves, Kíli yelled at him, telling him that it wasn't in his blood to hide while others fought their battles for them and Thorin agreed, the two of them sharing an emotional moment. Thorin told him he had no right to ask anything of his company but asked them if they would follow him one last time. They all raised their weapons, ready to fight with their king.[6]
Azog's forces and Dáin's split to regroup, Azog believing that the last attack would destroy the Dwarves.[6] When the Orcs were about the advance, Azog told them to wait until the Olog-hai and Trolls were in position and then ordered the attack.[7] The sound of a horn came from Erebor and a massive bell broke the makeshift wall apart, swinging back inside.[6] The Dwarves led by Thorin exited the mountain, Dáin and his forces rallying to their king and charging towards the Orcs. Bilbo and Gandalf saw Thorin enter the battlefield from Dale.[6]
Bofur got help from some other Dwarves and climbed up on Stumpy the blind Troll, taking the reigns and began to crush Orcs with the heavy chain weapons attached to the Troll's arms.[7]
Gandalf faces the Troll in Dale moments before Alfrid's demise.
The women and elderly decided to fight and Hilda tried to convince an elderly lady to join them and found out it was actually Alfrid Lickspittle. Leaving Alfrid alone, they attacked the Orcs outside the Town Hall, many of them dying. Alfrid eventually tried to leave and Bard found him. Alfrid mocked Bard, saying the Master's position was there for the taking and he threw it all away for nothing. Bard looked at his family who were nearby, knowing why he made that choice and bid Alfrid farewell.[6]
A huge Troll made it's way into Dale and Gandalf tried to do battle with it, Radagast's staff flickering on and off with its power not working properly. Gandalf continued to dodge the Troll's huge mace as Alfrid watched, hiding in a catapult attached to a dead troll. Alfrid slipped and a single coin landed on the lever of the catapult, throwing Alfrid right into the Troll's mouth, suffocating the creature and killing Alfrid.[7]
The Dwarves commandeer a chariot.
Thorin met Dáin in the battlefield and told him he was going to go kill Azog on Ravenhill. Dáin objected because he was their king and Thorin told him that was why he must do it.[6] Balin, Dwalin, Fíli and Kîli arrived, having commandeered one of the Dwarf chariots and Dáin watched as Thorin got onto one of the goats and the five Dwarves charged headfirst into the Orc ranks. A group of Ogres attempted to stop them and the chariot was just going over a small rise, launching into the air, the wheel-spikes beheading all of the beasts at once. A huge Troll charged at them and they veered in the opposite direction last-second, causing the Troll to lose it's balance and run past them. They drove the chariot onto a frozen river and were attacked by the Troll again. It approached them, wading through the broken ice in the river and Kíli shot it with an arrow, causing it to fall back a few meters. Bofur arrived, still commandeering Stumpy and attacked the Troll with his beast. Bofur was thrown from Stumpy but survived. Another Troll was holding up a bridge covered in Orcs and they used the turret on the chariot to shoot it down and use its body as a bridge to cross a water section. Wargs jumped down onto the ice and began picking off the goats that were pulling the chariot. Realising they wouldn't make it, Balin told the other Dwarves to cut off the remaining goats and ride to Ravenhill. As Fíli, Kíli and Dwalin departed, the chariot swung around on the ice, allowing Balin to use the turret to shoot down the pursuing Wargs. Thorin led the other Dwarves up the side of Ravenhill, taking down Orcs as they went.[7]
Gandalf and Bilbo saw the Dwarves ascending Ravenhill as Legolas and Tauriel rode into the city having just come from Gundabad. Legolas warned Mithrandir of the incoming second Orc army led by Bolg. They realised that the army would come in past Ravenhill first and Bilbo mentioned Kíli's presence in the danger-zone, worrying Tauriel. Gandalf found Thranduil and told him to dispatch his force to Ravenhill to aid Thorin but Thranduil had just called his Elves out of the fight, deciding enought Elf-blood had been spilt and wishing to retreat to Mirkwood. Bilbo told Gandalf he would warn Thorin and Gandalf told the Hobbit not to be ridiculous and that he wouldn't allow it. Bilbo told Gandalf he wasn't asking for the wizard to allow it and he ran off, putting on the One Ring and using its invisibility to get to Ravenhill.[6]
Thranduil was stopped short by Tauriel who aimed her bow at him and told him not to abandon the Dwarves and Men, accusing him of thinking his life was worth more because he was immortal. Thranduil struck out and cut her bow in half, causing it to fall out of her hands to the ground. Legolas stepped in and pushed his father's sword away from Tauriel, telling him he would have to kill his own son if he harmed Tauriel. Legolas then told Tauriel he would go to Ravenhill with her. As they approached, Legolas saw a bat nearby and grabbed onto it, using it to fly up towards the fortress.[6]
Azog, about to kill Fíli on Ravenhill.
When Thorin arrived at Ravenhill, Azog and his whole command group had disappeared. Thorin sent Fíli and Kíli to investigate the towers while they fought a group of Goblin mercenaries. Bilbo arrived, warning Thorin of the trap but it was too late. Azog stepped out onto a platform above with Fíli in captivity. He told Thorin that Fíli would die first and then his brother and then Thorin himself would die. Thorin, Dwalin and Bilbo could do nothing but helplessly watch as Azog stabbed Fíli through the back and into his heart. Fíli's lifeless body fell and landed at the feet of Kíli who had been investigating the lower levels. Kíli was enraged and ran up the stairs, taking out Orcs in anger. Thorin ran to find Kíli and protect him and Dwalin followed. Azog found Thorin and attacked him while Bolg's army finally arrived.[6]
Bolg sent his main attack force past Ravenhill towards the Dwarves in the valley while personally leading the Gundabad Orc Berserkers to reinforce Azog against Thorin. Dwalin and Bilbo were occupied with the berserker orcs[6] as Legolas turned to hang upside-down on his bat, using his knives to take out a huge number of the Orcs marching past Ravenhill.[7] Legolas shot the bat and landed on top of a tower. While Bilbo was throwing rocks at the Berserkers, Bolg ran past and used the end of his mace to knock the Hobbit unconscious. Thorin was knocked down onto an ice lake and Azog ordered the Berserkers to finish him off. Legolas began shooting them down from his tower and Thorin used a knife to decapitate the ones that got through.[6]
Tauriel was attacked by Bolg while looking for Kíli and was almost killed before Kíli jjumped on the massive Orc from behind. Bolg grabbed Kíli and despite Tauriel's efforts, he was able to stabe Kíli in the chest with the sharp end of his mace handle. Bolg advanced on an enraged Tauriel who managed to take him over the edge of the cliff with her, both of them landing on some rocks not far down. Legolas heard Tauriel fall and saw Bolg approaching her once again and reached for an arrow, realising he had finally run out. He jumped down onto Stumpy who had made it up Ravenhill somehow and used the blind Troll to knock over the tower, turning it into a bridge from him to Tauriel and Bolg. Bolg saw Legolas approaching and met him halfway across the fallen tower, engaging in a rematch with the Elf prince.[6]
Orcrist finally returned to Thorin for his last battle.
Thorin, now with no help from Legolas, was outnumbered by the Berserkers and was pushed to the edge of the ice lake. Legolas looked up to see Thorin about to be killed by a Berserker and decided to throw Orcrist, which had originally been taken from Thorin in Mirkwood, and it impaled the Orc above the Dwarf. Thorin stretched out his hand and took Orcrist as the Orc fell. Legolas was forced to take out his knives to fight Bolg. When Thorin got to his feet, he saw Azog in the mist, upon the lake with a massive flail. Thorin confronted Azog one final time with Orcrist.[6]
Legolas fighting Bolg on Ravenhill.
Legolas continued to fight Bolg and stabbed the massive Orc through the hand with one of his knives. Legolas was pushed off the crumbling bridge by Bolg and used his lightweight feet to his advantage, running up the falling rocks and advancing on Bolg again. The massive Orc got Legolas into the same position he had beaten the Elf in back in Lake-town. This time Legolas didn't let Bolg win, flipping up onto to the Orc's shoulders and impaling his head with the remaining knife. Legolas jumped to the safety of Ravenhill while Bolg's body fell to the ground below and was crushed by boulders.[6]
The Great Eagles arrive to battle the remaining Orc forces.
While Thorin and Azog were fighting, the Great Eagles, Radagast and Beorn arrived and took on the Gundabad army. Beorn jumped from an eagle and transformed into bear-form mid-air. The massive beast ran into the legions of Gundabad Orcs, ripping them to shreds. Thorin used Azog's surprise to his advantage and picked up the stone end of his flail, handing it to him. The section of ice they were standing on tipped when Thorin stepped off, sending Azog into the water below the ice. Thorin stood above Azog, who was floating below a thick layer of Ice with his eyes closed. Thorin let his guard down, believing the Defiler to be dead but Azog suddenly opened his eyes and stabbed his knife through Thorin's foot, leaping out from the ice and knocking the Dwarf over. Azog clashed his sword-arm with Orcrist and pushed down towards Thorin's chest. Thorin eventually gave in and let Azog stab him but used Orcrist to stab the pale Orc right through the chest and getting on top of him, he pushed it right through his body and into the ice on the other side, finally killing the Defiler.[6]
A mortally wounded Thorin finally kills his nemesis Azog the Defiler on Ravenhill.
The Eagles fought off and destroyed all remaining Orc forces and the battle for the Mountain had finally finished.[6]
Aftermath[]
The allied victory had however come with a terrible price; the allied forces had suffered heavy losses including the loss of the Dwarven king Thorin Oakenshield.[6]
Dain is crowned as King under the Mountain
In the wake of the battle, the mountain was garrisoned by the Dwarves of the Iron Hills and portions of its wealth were distributed to various parties like the Men of the Lake, who set up permanent residence in Dale and elected Bard as the new Lord of Dale. The Elves of Mirkwood stayed just a short time to receive their share of the treasure before returning to their forest homeland. With Thorin and his immediate family members dead, Dain succeeded him as King under the Mountain. His job done, Bilbo Baggins parted ways with the Company and returned home to the Shire with Gandalf with his secret magic ring always close at hand.[6]
Repopulated with Dwarvish colonists from each of the seven Dwarf kingdoms, Erebor was soon restored to its former glory and flourished once more, as did its neighbor-city Dale. In time, Erebor retook its place as the most powerful Dwarf kingdom in Middle-earth.
Appearances[]
Reference List[]
- ↑ The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
- ↑ The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth: Rise of the Witch-king
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Extended Edition