Bilbo Baggins

## Relevant Pages

“

> Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books, and your armchair and your gardens. If more people valued home above hoarded gold, this world would be a merrier place.
>
>
>

”

—Thorin Oakenshield to **Bilbo Baggins**src

**Bilbo Baggins**, also known as the Hobbit and Master Baggins, is a character featured in *The Lord of the Rings* and *The* Hobbit*.* He is portrayed by Martin Freeman and Ian Holm and by extra Oscar Strik as a child.

Bilbo Baggins is based on the titular character of the same name and an allusion to Roäc the Raven from the children's novel, T*he Hobbit* and *The Lord of the Rings* novels by JRR Tolkien.

## History

Before Quest of Erebor

Bilbo is born fifty years before the Quest of Erebor on September 22 in Bag End to Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took. There, his parents raise him in their hobbit home and their hometown, Hobbiton. However, Bilbo wants adventure as he grows older.  *(The Hobbit)*

As a child, Bilbo often stays out past his bedtime in search of Elves, late after dark while trailing in mud, twigs and fireflies. During one of the Old Took's parties, Bilbo watches Gandalf set off fireworks for his grandfather's parties. One evening, Bilbo approaches Gandalf with his wood sword, playfully hitting the wizard on the sides. Bella approaches the pair, gently chastising her son and apologizes to Gandalf for her son's playful nature. However, the wizard lets it pass by and just ruffles the child's curls. *(An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition)*

Time goes on and Bilbo grows up into a young mature hobbit. He is about 24 years old when the Fell Winter hits. At 36 years old, his father dies and eight years later so that his mother. Bilbo later takes ownership of all his parents' possessions, including their family home, Bag End. *(The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*

Bilbo is later talked about in the human village of Bree, between Thorin Oakenshield, and Gandalf. Thorin finds his father's and Bilbo's mother's old friend Gandalf at the inn of the Prancing Pony. Accepting the wizard's help, the wizard suggests to Thorin that they bring along a burglar for the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the Dragon Smaug. *(The Desolation of Smaug)*

One morning, Bilbo sits out on his porch on a spring day and is smoking when an old man appears to Bilbo, who can't seem to recognize who the person is. Bilbo gives him a "good morning" with the wizard further going into further detail about it, confusing the Hobbit even further. He claims that it's all the above and questions to why Gandalf is there, who claims he is looking for someone to share in an adventure. Bilbo questions this and claims that he doesn't imagine anyone west in Bree would want interests in adventures and pretends to check his mail. When the wizard will not leave, Bilbo bids him good morning again and turns to enter his house but stops at the mention of his mother's name. The old man says that Bilbo has changed, not entirely for the better, but the hobbit still has no idea who the Istari is. Gandalf finally reveals his name, and Bilbo slowly remembers, finally realizing that Gandalf is the wizard who used to throw off fireworks at the Old Took's celebrations on Mid-Summer's Eve and is surprised that the wizard is still in business. When the wizard asks where he should be, Bilbo just continues smoking. Gandalf says he is glad that Bilbo remembers something about him, even if it is for his fireworks and tells Bilbo he is going to "inform the others". Bilbo refusing to accept any adventures, "advises" Gandalf to try someone over the water or over the Hills, and bids Gandalf good morning one more time. Once inside Bag End, the hobbit is satisfied, but suddenly hears scratching, He looks outside, only to meet Gandalf's blue eye as Bilbo quickly hides and watches as Gandalf leaves.

Later, Bilbo leaves Bag End, still paranoid about Gandalf lingering in the Shire. He goes down to visit the marketplace, retrieving several groceries. Bilbo buys a fish and looks around the marketplace, overviewing the lives of other hobbits and is spotted by Otho and Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Bilbo comes across one of his neighbors, Mr. Worrywart, and asks if he's seen a wizard around. However, as Worrywart thinks it over, Bilbo spots what he believes to be the tip of Gandalf's hat. He tries to run away but realizes that it is a just grey sack on top of a collection of baskets being carried away by a couple of hobbits.

On the very same night of Gandalf's visit, Bilbo cooks the fish he bought at the market, but his dinner is interrupted by a knock on the door. Bilbo answers it, to reveal a dwarf the hobbit had never met before the dwarf stranger introduces him as Dwalin, who invites himself in Bilbo's house. Master Baggins asks Dwalin if they know each other, to which the dwarf responds with a blunt "no" before throwing his coat to Bilbo and proceeds to make his way to the hallway, revealing that someone said there would be lots of food. Bilbo allows the stranger in his house and take his dinner, albeit confused and disgusted by Dwalin's eating habits. Before Bilbo strikes up a conversation, there is another ring at the doorbell. Bilbo answers it to another dwarf, who introduces himself as Balin. Before one of the dwarves reveal why they are gathering in Bilbo's home, Balin spots his brother Dwalin and goes to reconnect with him. Bilbo, getting more frustrated begins to speak his mind about his unexpected visitors. However, he is perplexed when he realizes that the dwarves had not been listening to his small speech. There is another ring at the doorbell, with Bilbo going to answer it while Balin and Dwalin continue talking to each other. As he opens the door, to Bilbo's chagrin, two more dwarves appear and reveal themselves as brothers Fíli and Kíli. Bilbo tries to turn the brothers away and attempts to close the door, but Kíli puts his foot in between the door and its frame and asks if their meeting has been cancelled. Bilbo, confused at what they mean by a meeting, and lets it slip that the meeting has been cancelled. Fíli and Kíli both enter Bag End, but they are rude to Bilbo, by first handing over their weapons to the hobbit and Kíli scrapping dirt off the bottom of his shoe on Belladonna's glory box, against Bilbo's protests. The dwarves continue with their party, but Bilbo continues to demand who is setting this up and asks how many more dwarves there are. At the final straw, Bilbo hears the doorbell ring and he angrily approaches the door and yanks it open. It reveals eight more dwarves whom all land on Bilbo's placemat. Just behind the dwarves, Gandalf crouches down to look at Bilbo, who realizes this has been the wizard's doing.

Bilbo begrudgingly lets the dwarves have their meeting at Bag End. However, he changes into clothes that are more suitable. He chides the other dwarves who are rearranging furniture, but the dwarves do not listen. At a later point, Bilbo notices that they have invaded his pantry and left it empty. He later snatches a doily from Nori and enters a brief argument with Bofur. Bilbo later confronts Gandalf and reveals his irritation to the Grey Wizard and is still unsure of what the dwarves are doing in his house. Gandalf assures Bilbo that he will get used to them, but the hobbit claims he will not get friendly with the dwarves and yells again for why they are in his house. Ori approaches Bilbo and asks what he should do with his plate. Before the hobbit can respond, Fíli takes Ori's plate and throws it to his brother, who throws it to Bofur. The dwarves begin throwing Bilbo's dishes around and singing. Bilbo urgently runs to where his dishes are at, worried that the plates are in millions of pieces. However, the hobbit finds all his dishes cleaned and safely stacked up without a scratch. As the dwarves finish their song, another knock is at Bilbo's door. The last guest in the houses, Gandalf introduces Bilbo to the leader of their company, Thorin Oakenshield, who immediately is skeptical of the hobbit after first meeting. Bilbo is a bit perplexed at Thorin's questions and his reasoning on why he's a burglar but comes to see him as an honorable man. *(The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies))*

During Quest of Erebor

Earlier the next morning, Bilbo and the other Just as they are leaving the Last Homely House, the hobbit looks back while re-thinking Elrond's offer. However, he is called back by Thorin, who suggests to the hobbit to keep up. Bilbo decides not to go back and continues following the company down the pathway to the Misty Mountains.

However, Dwalin and Bofur are able to pull Bilbo back before he falls over, but Bilbo and the other dwarves collide with the other side of the mountain. Through the collision, Bilbo nearly falls off the side of the cliff, but Thorin rescues him in the nick of time, which causes Thorin to nearly fall as well.

After gaining provisions from Beorn, such as food and ponies, Bilbo and the other dwarves make it to Mirkwood. The hobbit senses a dark magic upon the forest, as if a sickness lies upon it, and asks Gandalf if there is another way around, which would take them even longer to the Mountain than they normally are. Bilbo hears the Ring whisper and holds onto it, where a flash of Sauron's eye enters the hobbit's vision. Gandalf proclaims that he is leaving them yet again on a more important matter, much to the company's shock. Before he leaves, the wizard notes that Bilbo has changed and is not the same hobbit as the one who left the Shire. Bilbo attempts to tell Gandalf that he found a magical ring in the Goblin tunnels, but changes his mind, and instead says he found his courage. Gandalf, knowing he has the ring, says nothing, but tells Bilbo that he'll need the courage. As the wizard leaves, he warns them not to go near the water and to not lose the path as it will lead them astray. Bilbo questions what that means to one of the dwarves, who does not know the answer himself. The company enters the dangerous paths of Mirkwood, and nearly get lost several times.

A few days later, coming across an enchanted river, Thorin makes Bilbo cross the dangerous stream first, and nearly falls into the water a couple of times. Realizing a dark magic upon the river, Bilbo collapses on the ground and yells at his friends to stay where they are; to Bilbo's horror, he finds the other members of the company already crossing to the other side. Bilbo is soon joined by Thorin, where both men see a white stag. While Bilbo looks at it in awe, he sees Thorin draw out a bow and arrow, ready to fire at it. The deer and the dwarf king lock eyes with each other for very briefly. Thorin shoots the arrow but misses. Sadden by Thorin's action, Bilbo sorrowfully tells his companion that shooting at the dear was bad luck. However, Thorin rebuffs Bilbo's statement and expresses the fact that they make their own luck. Both hear Bombur land into the Enchanted River, having been taken in by the sleeping spell within it, with bilbo looking in the deer's direction one last time before the company moves on.

Just as Smaug is about to harm Bilbo, the hobbit quickly pulls his ring out and turns invisible while stuffing the Arkenstone in his pocket. He makes it to safety up on the stairs before making a run for it as the dragon roars in rage. *(The Desolation of Smaug, The Battle of the Five Armies)*

Thorin and the other dwarves concoct a plan to rid themselves of Smaug by splitting into groups with Thorin deciding to take Bilbo and Balin After losing the dragon, the trio continue to run to the forges. The Hobbit hears Balin and yells that they're going the wrong way. Bilbo quickly yells Thorin's name to gain his attention. However, Smaug appears on the other side of the hall, alerting Balin, Bilbo and Thorin. To save Bilbo's life, Thorin orders Bilbo to follow Balin down the hallway leading to the forges. Just as Smaug unleashes his fire, Balin pulls in a reluctant Bilbo into the hallway before he is hit by Smaug's fire.

After Quest of Erebor

Bilbo, along with the other dwarves, go to live in the Lonely Mountain. Thorin, out of gold sickness, refuses to sleep and barely eats. Once in a while, Bilbo tries to reason with Thorin, but their conversations usually end in arguments and Thorin never listening. One day, Bilbo sees Bofur, Fíli, Kíli, and Óin and warns them about Thorin's current behavior. However, the four dwarves ignore Bilbo's protests and head down to the treasure room, where Bilbo looks on to Thorin in disgust for what he had now become. He witnesses Thorin yell at the other Dwarves to continue searching for the Arkenstone and refuses to let others rest until it is found. Bilbo goes to a secluded area in Erebor, where he takes out the Arkenstone, contemplating on what he will do with it next. He later hides the stone in his room.

Later that afternoon, Thorin summons Bilbo, Dwalin and Balin into the throne room. During the entire meeting, Bilbo cowers back in fear from the dwarf king's rage, especially when Thorin swears to avenge himself to the person whoever is withholding the Arkenstone from him, not even knowing that Bilbo has the stone in his possession Bilbo later finds Balin in the library, who explains to the hobbit what the Gold sickness did to Thrór and what it is currently doing to Thorin. Bilbo asks that if finding the Arkenstone will, help, but Balin disagrees and says its best the stone remains lost.

Sometime that evening, Bilbo takes out his Acorn and looks at it. Thorin, who walks by, spots Bilbo and furiously yells for Bilbo to show him what he has in his hand. Bilbo shows the acorn to Thorin and reveals he found it in Beorn's garden. Thorin smiles and tells his friend that the acorn is a poor prize to take back to the Shire. Bilbo reveals he plans to plant the acorn in his garden and watch it grow into a tree, as a reminder of how lucky he was to make it home. During the silent moment, Bilbo tries to speak what's on his mind, but Dwalin enters and informs Thorin of the men of Lake-town moving into Dale. The dwarf king orders Dwalin and Bilbo to summon everyone to the gate, where he orders a barricade be put up to prevent the Lake-men from "stealing the treasure." During the entire situation, Bilbo watches in horror as Thorin orders more stone be put up.

The next morning, Thorin and company find the Elves and Men have allied with themselves. After Thorin's conversation with Bard fails, Bilbo scolds Thorin and says that they cannot go to war. The hobbit tries to reason with Thorin again because they are, in fact, outnumbered, but it is not going to stop Thorin. Thus, the Battle begins.

During Battle of the Five Armies

{{{1}}}

After the Battle of the Five Armies

After a year of traveling back home with Gandalf, Bilbo and his wizard companion stay in Rivendell for a short time and take the treasure hoard that Glóin, Bofur, and Nori buried. Reaching the borders of the Shire, Gandalf goes to bid Bilbo farewell. The hobbit voices his distress of Gandalf Leaving and tells the wizard that he has brought him nothing but luck. However, Gandalf reveals to Bilbo that he knows the ring the Hobbit found and has been keeping an eye on him ever since. Bilbo than speaks his gratitude for Gandalf's watchful eye. Both of them shake hands before Bilbo turns around to enter the Shire. Still having the ring, Bilbo lies to Gandalf and says he lost the ring during the Battle. Gandalf then tells that while he's fond of Bilbo, he says that Bilbo's only a little fellow in a wide world after all. *(The Battle of the Five Armies)*

Bilbo later enters the Shire, where he finds his things being auctioned off by the Sackville-Bagginses. Bilbo approaches Bag End, where he is confronted by a woman, who questions who he is. However, the hobbit knows who this woman is and refers to her as "Lobelia Sackville-Baggins before taking his spoons from her. He proceeds to go into Bag End, only for the auctioneer to demand to see some form of identification. However, Bilbo proves to be himself to the auctioneer, showing his contract with his occupation as a burglar, but stops himself from revealing his profession. The auctioneer reads the contractors name and asks who "Thorin Oakenshield" is, to which Bilbo responds to the auctioneer, was his friend. Entering Bag End, Bilbo hangs back up his parents' portraits while also finding his handkerchief that he forgot to grab. As the Hobbit walks to the other side of the house, he reaches in his pocket to study the ring that is still in his possession, despite what he told Gandalf. *(The Battle of the Five Armies)*

Before War of the Ring

At some point, Bilbo repossesses all his lost possessions. He remains in contact with Gandalf and the dwarves and is paid a visit by some of the dwarves *(The Battle of the Five Armies, An Unexpected Journey, The Fellowship of the Ring)*

In an unknown point, Bilbo adopts his cousin Frodo after the death of his parents, Primula Brandybuck and Drogo Baggins in order to prevent the Sackville-Baggins from taking over the family business. Bilbo raises the child as his own son and tells Frodo of his many adventures, one of them being Bilbo's confrontation with the Dragon Smaug. This inspires Frodo to take up to Bilbo's name and to pretend to be Bilbo on one of his adventures. *(The Fellowship of the Ring)*

During War of the Ring

During the war with Sauron, Bilbo remains safe in Rivendell with Elrond. *(The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)*

After War of the Ring

At one hundred and thirty-one years old, Bilbo departs for the Grey Havens. On their way to the harbor, he asks for his ring by Frodo. The hobbit to spare his uncle, tells Bilbo that he lost the Ring rather than destroying it. Heartbroken, Bilbo says it was a shame and wishes he could hold the Ring one last time. At the docks, Bilbo assisted by Pippin, Merry, Frodo and Sam, notices the ship and says he's ready for another adventure before boarding the ship with Lord Elrond as they sail to the Grey Havens.

## Abilities

* **Burglary skills:** Ability to steal from other individuals. He has stolen from other characters such as Smaug and had stolen from Thorin.
* **Dark Magic**
	+ **Powers of the One Ring** - Ability to turn invisible to the land of the wraiths.
		- **Multilingual** - Ability to understand dark languages
		- **Invisibility:** Ability to disappear from the wandering eye. However, he only has this ability to disappear.

## Family

**Notes**

* Solid lines denote blood parent-child relationships
* Dashed lines denote marriage, adoption relationships and relationships that result in offspring
* † denotes the deceased
* Frodo Baggins was adopted by Bilbo after Frodo's parents died in the Brandywine.

## Trivia

* Character Notes
* Production Notes
* Story Notes
* On-screen
* Other Notes

### Etymology

* Bilbo's original name in Westron is *Bilba Labingi.* His name is associated with the term bilbao, a Spanish sword
* Bilbo is often called "The Hobbit" by those outside of his species *(An Unexpected Journey, The battle of the Five Armies)*

### Character Notes

* By the time of the quest of Erebor, Bilbo is fifty years old.
* Bilbo is the first individual to give up the Ring willingly.
* According to Dwalin, Bilbo's cooking is "very good." *(The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)*
* Bilbo is the only character in both series who has been seen as a child. (Not counting Aragon because *Born of Hope* was a fan film.)
* According to Elrond, Bilbo and his species are very resilient and enjoy the comforts of home. *(The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)*
* Bilbo possesses his mother's doilies, dish clothes, and his grandfather's chairs and other furniture. *(The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)*
* The ending scene between Gandalf and Bilbo in The Battle of the Five Armies is the same scene where both old friends reunite with one another in The Fellowship of the Ring, but told Bilbo's point of view

### Production Information

* Adam Brown originally auditioned for Bilbo. However, he was given the role of Ori instead.
* Daniel Radcliffe, Shia LaBeouf, James McAvoy, Erryn Arkin and Tobey Maguire were considered for the role of Bilbo Baggins. Martin Freeman was already Jackson's choice at first.
* Martin Freeman also didn't get the role for younger Bilbo due to scheduling conflicts with the TV show *Sherlock*.
* Originally, Bilbo was going to have Black hair like Frodo's before being changed to a lighter brown because it fit better with the character.
	+ However, Bilbo did have black hair when he was a child.
* Ian Holm, who plays Bilbo Baggins, was the voice of Frodo Baggins in the 1981 BBC Radio adaptation of “The Lord of The Rings."
* It takes approximately eight to ten minutes for the hobbit feet to be applied.

### Deleted Scene Notes

* In a deleted scene, Bilbo plants his acorn in Dale, but the scene was cut for the film and is considered non-canon.

### Story Notes

* Bilbo invited Gandalf in for tea on Wednesday, which leads to the dwarves coming. He was expecting Gandalf. In film, Bilbo just runs into his house and locks the door. Offering Gandalf in is omitted.
* Bilbo was expecting Gandalf. In the film he is interrupted by a ring at the bell, not expecting anyone.
* He met the dwarves in a different way. The first to come was Dwalin, the second was Balin, the third was Fíli and Kíli, the fourth to come were Óin, Gloin, Dori, Nori and Ori and the fifth to come was Gandalf, Thorin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Eight dwarves and Gandalf appeared at Bilbo's door. Bilbo met Thorin when he came last the latest.
* He lets the dwarves stay over for the night before Thorin and Company left. In the films, Bilbo falls asleep to Thorin's singing and woke up to find the dwarves gone.
* In the book, the dwarves were waiting for Bilbo at the Green Dragon. In the film, Bilbo had to run on the road to catch up with them.
* Bilbo was actually seen as being Dori's responsibility thrice.
* Thorin and Bilbo are closer in the film than in the book.
* In the third film, Bilbo takes the role of Roac the Raven: telling the company that Smaug is dead, and warns Thorin of an army coming from the North.
* Thorin goes inside to rescue Bilbo from Smaug in *The Desolation of Smaug*, an event that does not occur in the book.

### Costume Notes

* In the present-day storyline, when Bilbo wears a red vest outside of Bag End, there are red flowers . When he's sitting outside of Bag End in the beginning of the *An Unexpected Journey's* flashbacks, he's wearing a yellow vest with yellow flowers in the background.

### References to the Original Works

* Bilbo grabbing onto a cup that covers Smaug's eye with other gold coins alludes to the artifact he stole in the novel *(The Hobbit, The Desolation of Smaug)*

### Goofs

* Bilbo is wearing winter garb when it is clear he returns to the Shire in the spring. *(The Battle of the Five Armies*

## Appearances

 **Appears**

 **Appears**

## References

1. ↑ There is a sixty-year gap between the Quest of Erebor and Bilbo's Farewell Party. Since Bilbo is 111 in *The Fellowship of the Ring*, Bilbo is fifty years old during the events of The Hobbit (film series)
2. ↑ *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Chronicles II: Cast and Characters*
3. ↑ File:AUJBilboSmoking.jpg

## See Also

* Mr. Baggins (Scene)
* The Hobbit (Book), the book Bilbo is the title character of
* The Hobbit (film series), the film Bilbo is the title character of with the following titles:
	+ The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
	+ The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
	+ The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
* Sting
* Bilbo's Mithril Shirt
* Bilbo's Handkerchief