Thorin: Courage, Loyalty, a Willing Heart

 

The enemies cannot destroy the king who has at his service the respect and friendship of the wise men who can find fault, disagree, and correct him.
- Thiruvalluvar

 

Thorin Oakenshield is many things in the lore of Middle Earth. The uncrowned king of Erabor, the fearless leader of the Company of Dwaves, the strict (but loving) uncle to Fili and Kili, a hope for his lost people, a frequent pain to his growing list of enemies and an undying legend to generations of dwarves that followed after him. And like most Middle-Earth royalty, Thorin comes with his own complicated family history.  

His grandfather's greed and love of gold led to the destruction of Erabor as well as igniting animosity with the elves of Mirkwood. After losing both his father and grandfather in one battle, Thorin is seen as the new King of Erabor. However, there is no Erabor and no crown. Just Thorin and his wandering people whose numbers are getting fewer and fewer as the years pass. 60 years after the destruction from Smaug the dragon, Thorin finally gets an opportunity to return to Erabor to reclaim him home and his crown.

With the help of Gandalf the Grey, 12 loyal companions (including his nephews, Fili and Kili) and one annoying Hobbit, Thorin and his Company trek through Middle Earth to reclaim Erabor and bring their people home. They just have to get rid of giant sleeping dragon in the gold chamber. And....well anyone who is reading this knows the rest of story. And if you don't then go find out.

  

As far as bookverse Thorin is compared to movieverse Thorin, they are different in several ways. Book Thorin looks like an elderly dwarf. He has a warm demeanor and a wicked sense of humor. Movie Thorin is young and handsome, has a prickly personality and has no humor about him at all. And yet both versions work so well. Thorin in and of himself is a 4 foot something of stubbornness, loyalty, arrogance and courage. He is quick and to the point and wastes no time in voicing his opinion. He despises laziness and ill treatment of others and sees betrayal in any form as an unforgivable sin. Thorin bows to no one no matter how powerful they may be.

Having lost his home, most of his family, guide a wandering people as well as act as a father figure to his nephews it's no wonder he commands such a formidable presence. And he knows it all to well. The only person outside of his people he learns to have a modicum of respect for is Gandalf. In truth he loves his nephews very much but must be stern (to the point of harshness at times) to mold them into the next leaders for their people. The kindness and hospitality of Lord Elrond may have had him thankful if only for a short period of time . Yet, it is the companionship of Bilbo Baggins that brings about the biggest change in Thorin.

To witness such courage in the face of adversity in one so small and insignificant humbles Thorin;  his once cold heart that despised the outside world begins to warm. To publicly admit that he was wrong and allow himself to be vulnerable and open may have seemed so foreign and out of place.

 

 

 

Yet old habits die hard. Elves and men continue to enrage Thorin to such a point that he is willing to abandon his wounded nephew to gain power and glory. And once power is gained, it consumes Thorin to the point of madness. Were it not for the council of his closest friends, Thorin himself would have been lost forever, his people slaughtered and the dwarves of Erabor lost in history. 

And that is the true goodness in Thorin. While he may be hesitant to ask for advice, he is willing to stop and listen. He respects the council of Balin and Dwalin. He heeds the sad truth from his nephew whose discovers compassion for others outside his own race. In spite of Bilbo's betrayal (and Bilbo did betray him), Thorin finally understands that there is a whole world beyond the Dwarves and aren't their lives just as valuable? Even more than all the gold in the mountain? A gold crown and gilded chair bring great beauty but they are worthless in an empty throne room.

There is no ill intent to Thorin's desire to seize back Erabor. He wants to go back home. It's possible that he may have delayed marriage and children until that long awaited moment. Yet Thorin sacrificed that moment and those possible dreams to fight for-not only his people-but for all the peoples of Middle Earth. Courage, loyalty, a willing heart; one can ask for no more than that in a leader, a king and a legend.