- "I have no right to ask this of any of you... but will you follow me...one last time?"
- —Thorin to his company (apart from Bilbo)[src]
Thorin Oakenshield is a character in the Middle-earth Film Saga and the main deuteragonist of The Hobbit film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. He was portrayed by Richard Armitage.
He was the son of Thráin, the grandson of Thrór, older brother of Frerin and Dís, an uncle of Fíli and Kíli and fifth King under the mountain
Thorin is based on the character of the same name.
Background[]
Physical Appearance[]
Thorin Oakenshield, although he is supposed to be middle-aged in dwarf years, Thorin looks younger than he appears. In the original book, Thorin was an elderly dwarf with white hair and a long beard that reached up to his tassel. Instead, this version of Thorin has a shorter black beard to honor those who fell in Erebor.
Thorin also has wavy , long black hair with grey streaks. He also has piercing blue eyes.
Personality[]
Thorin Oakenshield is fearless, caring, protective, strong, leader-ly, proud, and noble.
During the time of his gold sickness, Thorin became stubborn, greedy and selfish. He refused to give what he owed the people of Lake-town or share the treasure with others in his company. He was more suspicious of those even close to him. However, Thorin had a sense of pride and fondness for Bilbo, even gifting him a shirt of mithril. Thorin became over-confident of himself, even telling Bilbo that he should not underestimate dwarves Thorin was also easily infuriated, as he yelled to Balin and Dwalin for no reason and nearly killed Bilbo. However, when he walks into the Gallery of the Kings, and dreams himself drowning in the dried gold. After gaining his sense of pride, Thorin realized the errors of his ways, even discarding his grandfather's robes, crown, and armor.
Thorin quickly forgave Bilbo twice: once when he doubted the hobbit's true nature and again when he was dying and apologized for trying to kill him.
Official description[]
- "As a young Dwarf prince, Thorin witnessed the destruction and terror wrought when a great fire-breathing Dragon attacked the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. After slaughtering many of Thorin’s kin, the great serpent, Smaug, entered The Lonely Mountain and took possession of its vast store of gold and jewels. No-one came to the aid of the surviving Dwarves, and thus, a once proud and noble race was forced into exile. Through long years of hardship, Thorin grew to be a strong and fearless fighter and revered leader. In his heart a fierce desire grew; a desire to reclaim his homeland and destroy the beast that had brought such misery upon his people. So when fate offers him an unusual ally, he seizes the chance for revenge."
- —Warner Bros.
Early life[]
Born in the Lonely Mountain to Thrain II and an unnamed wife, Thorin was the grandson of Thror, the older brother of Frerin and Dis and the maternal uncle of Fili and Kili.
One day, Thorin and Balin are on the balcony of Erebor, where Thorin hears the dragon, Smaug, coming closer. He tells Balin to sound the alarm, and says that a dragon is their next adversary. As Smaug takes control of Erebor, Thorin forcefully takes his grandfather as the Arkenstone gets lost in
The Hobbit (film trilogy)[]
Thorin appears to Bag End as the very last dwarf and is introduced to Bilbo Baggins by Gandalf. In Bag End, Thorin meets Bilbo for the first time and inquires of his past weapons, but comments Bilbo is more of a grocer than a burglar when he learns of the hobbit's lack of fighting ability. During the meeting in Bilbo's dining room, Thorin reveals that though envoys from seven dwarf kingdoms answered to the Dwarves of Erebor's call, he was unsuccessful in convincing Dain to help send reinforcements to take the Lonely Mountain back. Gandalf later reveals a Map of Erebor. A small argument breaks out among his company, but Thorin breaks it up and gives a small speech that inspires most of the dwarves to take their home back. However, Balin reveals that there is no way into the mountain, but Gandalf shows them a key that once belonged to Thorin's father and reveals that the key is what opens a secret door. Thorin asks Gandalf how he came by this key. The Grey wizard reveals to Thorin that it was given to him by Thráin personally and gives it to Thorin, as it now belongs to him. Gandalf reveals that they cannot find it on their own and states that there are others in middle-earth who still can. They later reveal to Bilbo they need him to be hired as a burglar. At Gandalf's behest, Thorin states that they will do it the wizard's way and hands Bilbo the contract. While Bilbo reads the contract's overbearingly long text, Thorin proclaims he will not look after Bilbo no matter what.
Sometime in the early morning, Thorin has the members of his company pack up and has them put back all of Bilbo's possessions back to where they found them. Sometime at midday, Bilbo joins them, with the contract in hand, much to Thorin's chagrin. After the hobbit is inducted as a full member of Thorin's company, Thorin begrudgingly orders the other dwarves to give Bilbo a pony. They are briefly halted when Bilbo demands they turn around because he forgot his handkerchief at home. After Bofur gives Bilbo a rag off his clothes for Bilbo to use as a cloth, Thorin orders the company to move on.
Later that night, the company rests at the edge of a forest cliff. He overhears Fíli and Kíli joking about Orcs to Bilbo and berates them for thinking that a night raid by orcs as a joke. Kíli immediately apologizes to his uncle, who tells Fíli and Kíli that they know nothing of the world. Balin tells Bilbo, Fíli and Kíli of Thorin's deeds in the Battle of Moria. When Bilbo asks what happened to the pale Orc, Thorin answers that he was slain in battle long ago before walking away and going back to sleep. A few days later, Thorin has the company rest for the night. However, he enters an argument with Gandalf, who insists that they leave the area where a farmer and his family used to live, attempts to convince Thorin and the Dwarves set their travel towards Rivendell, where Lord Elrond could house them and ask the Elves for advice about the map they cannot understand. Thorin refuses because elves in the past have done nothing to help them and betray his father and grandfather. Gandalf insists that Thorin is neither of them and yells that he does not have the map and key to hold onto the past, but the dwarf king responds that neither items were Gandalf's to keep at all. Both infuriated, Gandalf leaves Thorin, Bilbo and their company.
Thorin puts Fíli and Kíli in charge of the ponies, Glóin and Óin to get a fire going and Bombur to get dinner started. However, Fíli and Kíli neglect their duties in guarding the ponies and have Bilbo go in to steal them back. Eventually learning of the situation, Thorin leads the company to rescue Bilbo and their ponies from the Trolls, but is forced to stand down when they threaten to rip their companion apart. As the Trolls argue on how to cook the dwarves, Bilbo begins distracting the trolls by trying to get them to release the dwarves. Thorin catches on with the Hobbit's plan and kicks his protesting companions into following with Bilbo's plan. A few moments later, Gandalf appears, and helps turn the trolls to stone.
After the company is free, Thorin and Gandalf realize that the Trolls could not have moved in daylight and that there must be a cave nearby. Accompanied by four members of his company, Thorin finds two swords and takes one while handing one to Gandalf. After the wizard convinces the king to take Orcrist rather than dismiss it, Thorin orders his company out of the foul cave. After Radagast visits, a pack of Wargs attacks the two wizards and the Dwarven company, but they are able to defeat him. Thorin angrily swears that he told no one else outside his company. They know where there are Wargs there are Orcs nearby. Thanks to Radagast the Brown for distracting the Orcs, and Thorin and Gandalf are able to temporarily lead the company to safety. However, after Thorin orders Kíli to shoot an arrow, the Orcs are aware of their presence. Unknown to Thorin, he was tricked by Gandalf to take the path to Rivendell. Thorin stand to guard the path as his friends safely make it through the tunnels. The company is saved by the elves led by Elrond, much to Thorin's chagrin.
When the city is in view, Thorin confronts Gandalf and deduces the Elves will stop them. The wizard agrees but convinces Thorin they need to stay in the Last Homely House until their questions are answered. Later during the dinner table, Elrond identifies Thorin's Elven blade as Orcrist. Later that evening, Thorin refuses to let Lord Elrond look at the map, as its secrets are for him to protect but reluctantly hands them when Gandalf orders him to. Fortunately, the map reveals a secret message written in moon runes: that the company must make it to Durin's Day and stand at the hidden door, which will be revealed when the thrush knocks and the last light of Durin's Day would shine above the keyhole. Thorin realizes that they must get to the mountain before Durin's Day, as summer is nearly passing. Elrond asks why they intend to reclaim the mountain but Thorin refuses to answer and just takes back his map.
A few days later, Thorin and Bilbo eavesdrop on a conversation between Gandalf and Lord Elrond about Thorin's family and how madness had run through Thrór and then to Thráin. The next morning, Thorin and company leave Rivendell as Gandalf distracts the White Council. However, only Bilbo refrains from leaving but Thorin advises him to keep up before they go and join the others. The company takes the route through the Misty Mountains, where they are suddenly in a thunder battle between two Stone-giants. After half the company is split from the other half and collides with the mountain, Thorin initially believes they have perished but the company finds their other members are alright, apart from Bilbo. After the company fails to bring Bilbo back up, Thorin rescues their hobbit companion and nearly falls himself, but he is rescued by Dwalin in the nick of time. In the aftermath, Thorin proclaims Bilbo an unworthy companion before having the company stay in a cavern rather than wait for Gandalf as promised. During the middle of the night, Thorin overhears Bilbo and Bofur as the hobbit is leaving, believing Thorin was right: that he doesn't belong on the road. However, before he can leave, the Goblins begin to open up the front porch steps. Thorin, alarmed wakes the rest of the company but too late, they have already fallen in through the floor. The company (apart from Bilbo, who falls when they are long gone) are taken to the Great Goblin. However, the company refuses to answer any of his questions. The Great Goblin orders for them to be tortured, starting with Ori. However, Thorin steps up before the Great Goblin can do any harm to the other dwarves. There, Thorin to his horror, learns that his enemy, Azog the Defiler is still indeed alive, but dismisses it. The company is rescued by Gandalf before the goblins can do any harm to Thorin and the Dwarves.
After the skirmish in Goblin-town, the company realizes Bilbo was never captured with them. Unaware of Bilbo's presence, Thorin begins to doubt of their companion's return until Bilbo takes the Ring off and appears to his companions. After Bilbo explains why he came back (to answer the dwarf Lord's questions) Thorin is at a loss for words.
During a confrontation between Thorin and Azog, the former is nearly killed but Bilbo saved him at the last minute. After the Battle and being wakened by Gandalf, Thorin embraced Bilbo and apologized for his treatment of him earlier. The company looks beyond and see the Lonely Mountain.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug[]
Thorin reappears in the 2013 sequel. In a prologue, Gandalf visits Thorin who is also staying at Bree after looking for his father. Gandalf convinced Thorin that he would help them reclaim the Arkenstone and the mountain. Thorin asks how it can be accomplished. Gandalf answered that they were going to need a burglar.
Twelve months later, Thorin has Bilbo scouting for Azog the Defiler.
After Gandalf leaves the company to their fate in crossing Mirkwood by themselves, Thorin leads his company into the dangerous forest. They come across an enchanted river but find they cannot cross it because of the broken bridge and cannot swim it because of the enchantment that is upon the river. Thorin has Bilbo cross it first and the others follow. Finally, joining the hobbit on the other side, both friends see a white stag across their path. While Bilbo looks at it in glory, Thorin gets ready to fire at the deer. Ignoring Bilbo, the dwarf king locks eyes with the stag very briefly and fires at it but misses. The Hobbit tells Thorin he shouldn't have done that, for it is bad luck; however, he coldly rebuffs Bilbo that they make their own luck, not the other way around. Both of them hear Bombur fall into the river, succumbing to its enchantment, carries a stretcher that was built to carry Bombur because of his immense weight. Exhausted, Thorin and the other company members take a short break to catch their breaths. Bilbo claims to hear whispers, but Thorin responds that he does not hear anything and wants to be rid of the accursed forest. Being overcome by the enchantment placed on Mirkwood and leads the others off the path, despite Bilbo's protests. Doing so leads them into traveling around in circles. Thorin then begins hearing the whispers that Bilbo had mentioned before and yells at the others to stop fighting and announces to the others that they are being watched.
Their watchers, which are massive spiders, attack Thorin and his company and stabilize them, putting them all in web cocoons. However, they are immediately released by Bilbo Baggins, whose absence goes unnoticed by Thorin and the other dwarves (apart from Bofur). Though they are successful in battling all the spiders that captured them, Thorin attempts to lead them out, but they are soon cornered by one of the surviving members. They are saved but captured by Legolas, prince of Mirkwood and Thranduil's son. Orcrist is confiscated from Thorin and taken into Legolas' possession. The elven prince asks Thorin how a dwarf can come into the possession of an Elven sword and replies that it was given to him; Legolas does not believe them and calls Thorin a thief and a liar and orders the dwarves be taken to the dungeons. Before being dragged away, Bofur urgently asks Thorin of Bilbo's whereabouts. He worriedly looks around for the hobbit, but Bilbo is nowhere to be found.
Thranduil has a meeting with Thorin and promises to let them go if Thorin will return the White Gems of Lasgalen. However, the dwarf king refuses Thranduil's proposition, pointing out that the elves had turned their back on Thorin and his family and people in the past. Thinking Thorin to be just like his grandfather, Thranduil has the entire company locked away to prevent them from ever reaching the Lonely Mountain. Thrown into a cell next to Balin, the old dwarf asks Thorin if the king offered him a deal, but Thorin denied it and in their ancient dwarf language, Thorin swears that he will spit upon their graves. All the other dwarves give up hope, as that deal was their only way out. Thorin says that they still have one more hope left: Bilbo. Two days later, Bilbo appears to Thorin and Company and releases them from their prisons and leads them to the cellars. However, when the hobbit reveals his plans for them to leave via barrels, most of the company does not comply until Thorin orders them to all do as Bilbo says. The Hobbit pulls a lever that releases the dwarves, but they accidentally leave Bilbo behind. However, Thorin holds the company back, and they all wait for Bilbo, who eventually joins them by falling through the trapdoor the dwarves went on earlier. The dwarf king thanks Bilbo for rescuing them before they all float out to the Elven gates. Unfortunately, they are found by the Elves but both sides engage in a battle with the orcs. During this skirmish, Thorin saved Legolas from an Orc chasing them. Thorin and company escape from Mirkwood and down to Long-lake, but with no weapons for them to fight their enemies. As Balin forges a deal with Bard, a Bargeman who came across the company, to get to the other side, Thorin added they needed weapons. However, Bard grows suspicious of them when he identifies the barrels he is stacking on his barge. Thorin encourages Balin to offer Bard a bigger price, much to Balin's annoyance. On Bard's barge, Thorin doesn't know whether to trust their smuggler and tells that suspicions to Dwalin. Bard successfully sneaks them into Lake-town, having Thorin and the others hidden in the fish full of barrels.
After they are discovered for stealing weapons, Thorin reveals himself to the people of Lake-town and promises to give them enough gold to rebuild Esgoroth tenfold. However, Alfrid Lickspittle begins to doubt that Thorin will be held to his word but Bilbo defends his friend and companion in front of the crowd, which further makes the crowd support the reclamation of Erebor and Thorin's gratitude is aimed towards Bilbo. However, Bard points out that if Thorin re-awakens the beast, then it will wreak its vengeance upon their home. However, Thorin refused to not enter the mountain and asked for the master of the men of the Lake to accept his terms and the Master accepts as Bard and Thorin glare at each other
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies[]
Unlike the rest of his companions, Thorin does not watch Smaug destroy Lake-town and his eyes focused only on the mountain, only listening. After hearing Bilbo declare Smaug is dead, Thorin reclaims the throne as his birth right and donned on his grandfather's robes while succumbing to the Dragon Sickness that haunted Thrór before. As mentioned by Bilbo, Thorin never eats and barely eats, spending all day in the treasure room looking for the Arkenstone. When he sees Fili and Kíli have returned from Lake-town, Thorin's mind wrapped in the gold sickness, creepily gestures to the hoard of Thrór. A little while later, Thorin orders for the Dwarves to search for the Arkenstone. Unknown to them, Bilbo is actually holding the Arkenstone on his person.
At least a couple days later, Dwalin, Balin and Bilbo confront Thorin about how they had not found the stone. Thorin orders them to double their efforts and claims that the Arkenstone is his birthright. He threatens that if he finds anyone withholds the Arkenstone, then he will be avenged. While strolling through the halls, Thorin initially believes that Bilbo is holding the Arkenstone in his hand, only to find that he was just holding an acorn. Taken slightly aback and touched by this gesture, asks Bilbo if he'd really carried it all this way, which Bilbo replies he took it from Beorn's gardens. Thorin tells his friend that it was a poor prize to take back to the Shire, but Bilbo adds that it will be a reminder of how lucky he was to make it back home. Thorin nearly broke out of Dragon sickness but was told by Dwalin that the humans of Lake-town were streaming into Dale.
As a result, Thorin orders the company to put up a blockade on the mountain. However, Kíli tries reasoning with his uncle that the people of Lake-town have nothing and that they came to them for help. However, Thorin remains untouched by his nephew's words and coldly remarks "Do not tell me what they have lost. I know well enough their hardship. Those who have lived through dragon fire should rejoice. They have much to be grateful for." Ordering more stone, Bilbo just looks at Thorin in despair as he delves further into dragon sickness.
Early the next morning, finds the White Gems of Lasgalen. Remembering his conversation with Thranduil, he claims to know an Elf lord who would pay a price for them before tossing them into the treasure chest. Also, the blockade is placed on the walls and they are confronted by Bard, who attempts to reason with Thorin, but his gold sickness gets the better of Thorin and threatens to never uphold his word. Thorin also sends out a Raven to find Dain Ironfoot and return with reinforcements. Bilbo attempts to talk Thorin out of war, but Thorin tells Bilbo they will not be outnumbered for long.
A while after the declaration of War, Thorin gave Bilbo a shirt made of mithril for him to wear in the upcoming battle. However, Thorin also reveals that he suspects one of the Dwarves holding the Arkenstone from him, unaware that Bilbo had it the whole time.
The next morning, Thorin and his company are confronted by Thranduil and Bard. Thorin shoots a warning fire and threatens to put the next one between their eyes, and remains in position, even when Thranduil's archers point their arrows at the company, but Thranduil orders his men to stand down. Bard reveals to Thorin that they have the Arkenstone, but do not disclose that it was Bilbo who gave it to them. Kíli accuses them of stealing with Thorin in denial and convinced the Arkenstone is in the mountain and that the opposite team are taking them for fools. However, Bilbo comes out and admits that he stole the Arkenstone and gave it to the men of Lake-town and the Elves of Mirkwood.
Shocked and betrayed, Thorin with tears threatening to come down his eyes turns to the hobbit and softly questions why he stole from him. Bilbo coldly rebuffs the statement and claims that while he's a burglar, Bilbo likes to think he's an honest one and is willing to let it stand against his claim. Growing furious, Thorin accuses Bilbo of Betrayal and shouts that he has no claim against him and nearly attacks him. When the hobbit reveals that he wanted to give the stone to Thorin many times, the dwarf king demands why he didn't go through with it. Fed up, Bilbo shouts that Thorin has changed and is not the same dwarf he met in Bag End all that long ago and would never doubt his own kin.
Thorin furiously orders the other dwarves to throw Bilbo from the ramparts, but none of them comply. He proceeds to do it himself and manhandles Bilbo. However, Gandalf arrives and orders the dwarf king to leave Bilbo alone and that Thorin is not making a splendid figure by refusing to give what was owed to the people of Lake town and killing all his friends. Thorin releases the hobbit but banishes him from the mountain and promises to never have the dealing of wizards or "shire-rats" while Bofur and Fili help Bilbo escape. Still waiting for the raven, he sent out, and looking over the hill to spot Dáin's army. Thorin yells that he should not have to by his birthright back and swears on his oath that he will kill them all, but Thranduil claims that his word means nothing and proceeds in telling his army to Take fire. Gandalf, seeing no other alternative, attempts to reason with Thorin, by first bringing down the wall he barricades, and even Balin tells the dwarf king that this is a battle they cannot win. Bard asks if the dwarf king if he will have peace or war. Before Thorin gives in, Dáin's army appears over the hill, and Oakenshield replies that he will have war. The battle ensues between the elves, the dwarves, and the men, but all three band together against the Orc army, leading to the event known as the Battle of the Five Armies. Before the other dwarves in Erebor climb over the mountain, Thorin orders them to stand down. (The Battle of the Five Armies extended edition)
Sitting in the throne room, Dwalin approaches the still sick Thorin and reports that their family is dying out there and reveals Dáin is surrounded. However, Oakenshield insists they take the gold and bury it deeper within the mountain. Appalled by his best friend, Dwalin points out again that Dáin is surrounded and their family in trouble. However, Thorin coldly replies that battles count in lives lost. Fed up, Dwalin tells Thorin that Bilbo was right since the dwarf king cannot see who he has become. Thorin yells to Dwalin that he will kill him if he does not leave, which a heart-broken Dwalin does.
During the Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin finally conquers his gold sickness after re-hearing the pleas of his friends before. Tossing off his grandfather's crown, robes and armor, Thorin agrees to Kíli that he should not have to hide while others fight their battles for them and asks the company if they will follow him one last time. They all do, raising their weapons to show that they'll follow Thorin on their last stand. Thorin leads a company of dwarves to defeat Azog once and for all. He led Fíli, Kíli, and Dwalin to Ravenhill to take down Azog, but they found that the Orc Warlord seemingly fled. Thorin sent Fili and Kíli to scout the towers but told them to not engage and return if they heard anything. While he and Dwalin waited for Fíli and Kíli, they still hadn't found evidence where Azog was. Suddenly, Bilbo appeared out of nowhere, to Thorin's shock and relief. Bilbo warns Thorin that Azog had an army coming from the North and that the tower will be completely surrounded. Thorin begins to realize that this was a trap and told Dwalin to look for Fíli and Kíli and bring them back to fight another day. However, things take a turn when Azog impales and kills Fíli.
Thorin engages in a duel with Azog in order to avenge his nephew, but he is suddenly surrounded by other orcs and is able to defeat them when Legolas kills them all with his arrows and returns Orcrist. With the last moments of his life, Thorin sacrificed himself to Azog's blade and then had the chance to stab him back. A couple minutes later, Bilbo regains consciousness and watches Thorin collapse to the ground. As the Hobbit attempts to treat Thorin's wound, Thorin apologizes for what he did to Bilbo on the gates earlier that morning and stated Bilbo's actions were something a true friend would do. He began asking for Bilbo's forgiveness and apologizes for leading him into such peril. However, Bilbo says that he is glad to have shared Thorin's perils. Smiling fondly at Bilbo and succumbing to his wounds, Thorin bids his friend goodbye and wished that people would value home above gold, as it would be a merrier place. This leaves a broken Bilbo crying next to Thorin's body.
A few hours later, members of Thorin's company bow down to their fallen king and friend. A funeral is held later for Thorin and his nephews and they are mourned by their friends and family. When Bilbo comes across Thorin body, he instead silently cries. Balin says while Thorin's name will pass onto legend, Bilbo will remember him as a friend.
Gallery[]
Thorin Oakenshield (Middle-Earth Film Saga)/Gallery.
Relationships[]
Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage)/Relationships.
Trivia[]
- In the beginning of the story, Thorin wore dark blue while Bilbo wore Dark red. At the end of the second film, Thorin wears dark red as Bilbo wears dark blue.
- Blue usually symbolizes knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness, signifiying thorin's personality gratefully. .