The Legacy of Middle-Earth: Movie 01: An Unexpected Journey

***The Legacy of Middle-Earth: Movie 01: An Unexpected Journey*** is a 2023 Japanese comedy adventure film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, written by Katsuyuki Sumisawa, based on the 1937 novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is the first installment in The Hobbit trilogy, and the first film in *The Legacy of Middle-Earth* (franchise).

## Summary

An Unexpected Journey tells the tale of Sarada, who is convinced by Sokka to accompany her friends, led by Max, on a quest to reclaim the Mount Fuji from Ommadon.

## Film Plot

The film begins with approaching her 13th birthday, Sarada Uchiha begins writing the story of her adventure one years earlier for her father, Sasuke Uchiha. Long before Sarada's involvement, Yuki brought an era of prosperity for her kin under Tokyo until the arrival of Ommadon. Ommadon destroyed the nearby town of Dale, drove the young ones out of their home and took their hoard of gold. Max sees Yuki on a nearby hillside, and is dismayed when they leave rather than aid her people, resulting in Max's everlasting hatred of Elves.

In Tokyo, Sarada is tricked by Sokka into hosting a dinner for Max and his company: Zoe Drake, Aiger Akabane, Nate Adams, Korra, Shippō, Mei Kamino, Kaguya-Hime, Hunter Steele, Christopher Thorndyke and April O'Neil. Sokka's aim is to recruit Sarada as the company's "burglar" to aid them in their quest to enter Tokyo. Sarada is unwilling to accept at first, but has a change of heart after the company leaves without him the next day, racing to join them. Travelling onward, the company is captured by three Trolls. Sarada stalls the Trolls from eating them until dawn, and Sokka exposes the trolls to sunlight, turning them to stone. The company locates the Trolls' cave and finds treasure and Elven blades. Max and Sokka each take an Elf-made blade, Orcrist and Glamdring, respectively; Sokka gives an Elven dagger to Sarada.

Goku finds Sarada and the company, and recounts an encounter at Dol Guldur with Necromancer, a sorcerer who has been corrupting Greenwood with dark magic. Chased by Orcs, Sarada leads the company through a hidden passage to Rivendell. There, Kusuo Saiki discloses a hidden indication of a secret door on the company's map of the Lonely Mountain, which will be visible only on Durin's Day. Sokka later approaches the White Council — consisting of Kusuo and Bai-Niang — and presents a Morgul blade, a weapon of the Shredder, which Goku obtained from Dol Guldur as a sign that the Necromancer is linked to an eventual return of Ommadon. While Kaguya-Hime presses concern to the more present matter of the quest, requesting that Sokka put an end to it, Sokka secretly reveals to Bai-Niang he had anticipated this and had the gang move forward without him.

The company journeys into the Misty Mountains, where they find themselves amid a colossal battle between Stone Giants. They take refuge in a cave and are captured by Goblins, who take them to their leader, the Great Goblin. Sarada becomes separated from her friends and falls into a crevice where he encounters Gollum, who unknowingly drops a golden ring. Pocketing the ring, Sarada finds herself confronted by Gollum. They play a riddle game, wagering that Sarada will be shown the way out if she wins or eaten by Gollum if she loses. Sarada wins via trickery, and Gollum notices his ring is lost and that Sarada has it. Chased by the furious Gollum, Sarada discovers that the ring grants him invisibility, but when she has a chance to kill Gollum, Sarada spares her life out of pity and escapes.

Meanwhile, the Great Goblin reveals to the gang that Ommadon had destroyed the temple and lost the forearm to Max in battle outside Tokyo, has placed a bounty on Max's head. Sokka arrives and leads his friends in an escape, killing the Great Goblin. Sarada exits the mountain and rejoins the company, keeping her newly obtained ring secret. The company is ambushed by Marcus and his hunting party, and takes refuge in trees. Max charges at Ommadon, who overpowers and severely injures him with his Warg. Sarada saves Max from the Orcs and challenges Ommadon, just as the company is rescued by eagles summoned by Yuki. They escape to the safety of the Carrock where Sokka revives Max, who renounces his previous disdain for Sarada.

They see Mount Fuji in the distance, where the sleeping Smaug is awoken by a thrush knocking a snail against a stone as the film ends.

## Voice Cast

* Cherami Leigh as Sarada Uchiha
* Kayzie Rogers as Max
* Jack DeSena as Sokka
* Kether Donohue as Zoe Drake
* Laura Stahl as Aiger Akabane
* Johnny Yong Bosch as Nate Adams
* Janet Varney as Korra
* Jillian Michaels as Shippō
* Erika Harlacher as Mei Kamino
* Chloë Grace Moretz as Kaguya-Hime
* Julie Lemieux as Hunter Steele
* Suzanne Goldish as Christopher Thorndyke
* Veronica Taylor as April O'Neil
* Zendaya as Bai-Niang
* Jerry Jewell as Kusuo Saiki
* Sean Schemmel as Goku
* Ariel Winter as Yuki
* Kate Higgins as Sakura Uchiha
* Yuri Lowenthal as Sasuke Uchiha
* Klara Leopold as Caroline
* Dan Green as Norman
* André Sogliuzzo as Hakoda
* Alex McKenna as Senna
* James Remar as Tonraq
* Jennifer C. Johnson as Lindsey Thorndyke
* Katherine Heigl as Hana
* James Earl Jones as Ommadon
* Jason Griffith as Marcus
* Jemaine Clement as Fa Hai
* Andy Serkis as Gollum
* Mel Gibson as Narrator

## Trivia

* This is the first film to be distributed by Toho.
* This is the only The Hobbit film where Gollum appears and Ash, Mitsuki and the other characters did not appear until the next movie.