After the Battle of Five Armies

Generally speaking, everyone prospered after the Battle of Five Armies. Erebor was repopulated, Dale rebuilt, Mirkwood made marginally safer by Sauron’s absence. Everyone just went on living until the War of the Ring shook things up again (a few battles were fought up north, but the good guys won just like they did in the…

Why No King of Laketown?

After Smaug was destroyed and Laketown along with him, there was a fair bit of unhappiness among the people with their Master, and a crowd started calling for a new “King Bard” (Bard at this point helpfully points out his ancestor, Lord Girion.) But the Master responds to this idea by saying: Girion was lord…

The Importance of ‘The Hobbit’

No! I strongly disagree – the events of The Hobbit were so important to Middle Earth! Gandalf addresses just a couple of the important consequences of the events of The Hobbit when, after the War of the Ring, he says: Think of what might have been. Dragon-fire and savage swords in Eriador! There might be no…