Bilbo Baggins

### Allies

Thorin Oakenshield, Gandalf, Balin, Dwalin, Bofur, Fíli, Kíli, Óin, Glóin, Bifur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Bard, Thranduil, Legolas, Tauriel, Beorn, Feren, Dáin Ironfoot, Galadriel, Bain, Sigrid, Tilda, Lindir, Celeborn, Sam Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, Pippin Took, Aragorn, Gimli, Boromir, Dwarves of the Iron Hills, Men of Dale and Lake-town, Elves of Mirkwood, Great Eagles of Manwë, Elves of Rivendell, Hamfast Gamgee

### Minions

**Formerly:** Hamfast Gamgee, Gaffer Gamgee, Holman Greenhand

### Enemies

Azog the Defiler, Bolg, Orcs, Wargs, Warg Matriarch, Ragash, Sauron/Necromancer, Smaug, Saruman, Goblins of the Misty Mountains, Gollum, Fimbul, Grinnah, Narzug, Yazneg, Bats, Orc Berserkers, Galion (formerly), Elros the Guard (formerly), Spiders of Mirkwood, Warg Matriarch, Bert, William and Tom, other Trolls
**Formerly:** Thranduil , the Elves of Mirkwood , Feren , Bard (briefly), Thorin (briefly), the Sackville-Bagginses

## Other Information

### Interests

Nature, his friends and family, gardening, tea, the comforts of home, smoking, mithril, his parents' things, the dwarves, a good book, Gandalf's stories and fireworks

### Dislike(s)

Danger, dragons, the gold sickness, enemies, feeling insecure, war, Frodo having to bear the One Ring, the One Ring, the Arkenstone, Smaug threatening his friends, Thorin being unreasonable and stubborn

### Powers and abilities

Invisibility (due to the One Ring)
Sword-fighting skills
Throwing stones and rocks in long distances
Multilingual

### Paraphernalia

His mother's doilies and glory box
Handkerchief
Walking stick
Fili's swords
Bag End
Red Book of Westmarch (formerly)
The One Ring (formerly)

## Background Information

### Live Action

Martin Freeman (The Hobbit trilogy)
Ian Holm (The Lord of the Rings trilogy)

### Voice

Martin Freeman

**Bilbo Baggins** is the title character and main protagonist of *The Hobbit* book and the trilogy and a supporting character in *The Lord of the Rings* book trilogy.

Bilbo is portrayed by Ian Holm and his younger self portrayed by Martin Freeman, who also portrays Dr. John Watson.

In the films, Bilbo is the main protagonist of the entire *Hobbit* trilogy.

## Background

### Personality

As a child, Bilbo was adventurous, friendly, and determined, often expressing interest in Gandalf's stories about the outside world, hoping to see the world one day. Because this  behavior, people was that Bilbo was more like his  Took mother than his Baggins father. Most of the time, he stayed out late after dark, looking for elves in the woods. However, when he was a young man and inherited Bag End after the death of his parents, Bilbo became a highly respectable hobbit throughout the Shire, but still retained his desire for adventure.

In the very beginning of the series, Bilbo did not want to have any adventures, especially to Gandalf's cause when the wizard first approached him. During their first meeting, Bilbo was very stressed out when the dwarves came piling in and ruining his things. He was very protective of his parents and grandfather's possessions because they are the only things he has left of his parents. His adventurous, took side got the better of him, as Bilbo immediately changed his mind the next morning. The first time, he didn't sign the contract out of fear of never coming back home, but Bilbo couldn't help but answer to the dwarves' plight of no longer having a home, feeling pity on them for not having gone like he did. The hobbit even once told Lord Elrond that most of the company didn't think Bilbo should be on their quest. However, after Bilbo saved Thorin, he began feeling a part of their group. Though being initially annoyed with the dwarves, Bilbo came to see them as his friends and was going to great lengths to save them if he could.

Over time, Bilbo became close to the dwarves, especially to Thorin, Balin and Bofur. Bofur showed excessive fondness for Bilbo, especially pointing out Bilbo's disappearance to Thorin. Fili and Kíli often played pranks on Bilbo,but he had grown rather found of both of them, saddened when he watched Fili being killed before him. Shown to be honest and down to earth, Bilbo was unable to tell a well-versed lie. For example, Bilbo failed to lie to the Trolls and even the deadly Smaug himself and Gandalf as well. They were all able to see through. Bilbo even points out that he is "burglar but likes to think [he] is an honest one." Bilbo had no knowledge of the outside world and no knowledge of how to use a weapon. However, Bilbo was aware of the tales surrounding the fall of Erebor and knew perfectly what a dragon was. However, when they were out travelling for the first time, Bilbo was mortified of the unknown and was easily scared. (i.e. Fili and Kíli teasing him on how an Orc would kill everyone and when Bofur mentioned Smaug would burn Bilbo to a crisp causing Bilbo to faint.

Despite appearances, Bilbo is actually skilled and can make his way in this world. He is often quick witted, such as stalling the trolls and also saving his friends from the Elves. Bilbo also used his wit against Smaug and could plan how to get out of situations. He was able to be quite clever and often manipulated his enemies, showing he uses manipulation out of survival than out of malice. For example, Bilbo easily manipulated the Trolls into arguing all night up until Gandalf came and turned them to stone. He was later able to manipulate Gollum into playing a game of riddles. However, Bilbo's manipulations could be seen through most people, especially Smaug, probably due to Bilbo's good nature. Bilbo was horrified when he starts killing others, most notably his first victims, the Warg, he stares out in terror. However, Bilbo was brutal when it came to enemies. He showed no remorse in killing the Orc that almost executed Thorin and killed a baby spider over the Ring. (However, to be fair, Bilbo was under the Ring's influence). Bilbo also nearly killed Gollum, but decided against it, feeling pity for the creature.

Fiercely loyal to those he cared for, Bilbo naturally refuses to abandon those friends in need, especially when it is his own life that is risked. Especially during the battle, Bilbo disobeys Gandalf to warn Thorin of the oncoming Orcs to Ravenhill. This is also shown in his unwillingness to abandon the dwarves during their reclaiming of Erebor, nor leave them even before the Battle of the Five Armies, despite Gandalf's wish for Bilbo to leave before the battle takes place so the hobbit cannot face Thorin's wrath. Another point is when Bilbo, Balin and Thorin are on their way to the forges, Thorin made them continue with out him, despite their other protests

After this journey, Bilbo has gained self-confidence rather than his insecurities at the beginning of this journey, and became respected throughout Middle-earth.

### Physical Appearance

* **Morning form:** Plain white shirt, with a yellow waistcoat and knee length brown pants, with blue jacket
* **Night form:** Long night shirt with a patched bathrobe
* **Journey form:** Plain white shirt, with an earthy green waistcoat and knee length brown pants, with walking stick, wine red jacket

## Difference from the source material

* Bilbo invited Gandalf over for afternoon tea the next day and was expecting him all day the following day. In the film, Bilbo does not invite Gandalf for afternoon tea and is not expecting him. And instead of the dwarves coming over the next day, instead they come later that night.
* It is Bilbo, not Roac who announces the death of Smaug to Thorin and Company and warns Thorin of the oncoming army (however, the difference is Bilbo is warning him because of the orc army and not the elves.

## Canon History

Bilbo appeared in *The Hobbit* and *The Lord of the Rings*.

Débuting in the 1937 novel, Bilbo Baggins sits out on his porch on a peaceful Tuesday afternoon when he is approached by the Wizard Gandalf, who has come to propose an adventure for the fifty-year-old hobbit. However, Bilbo declines but not before inviting the old wizard for tea. Come Wednesday, Bilbo finds that it is not Gandalf who is only joining him but thirteen dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. At first declining to join, the hobbit finds himself on the journey to reclaim Erebor from Smaug.

During their first night, the company comes across three trolls and send Bilbo to steal their food. When the hobbit attempts to rob them, the trolls find Bilbo sneaking around and learn that he is not alone. There are dwarves there as well, and they all but forget Bilbo and chase after his companions. During this time, Bilbo finds a hidden door which leads to the trolls' cave. When Gandalf returns, Bilbo leads his companions to the troll's hoard, where he arms himself with Sting.

After getting advice from Elrond, Bilbo and the dwarves continue to the Misty Mountains but are captured by the Great Goblin. After Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo is separated from his companions and lands in the cavern of Gollum. While in the cave, Bilbo comes across a Ring and Gollum, who challenges the hobbit to a game of riddles. After Bilbo wins the game fair and square, he runs away from Gollum and escapes, reuniting with his companions.

Bilbo appears in the book series twice. In the first book, he leaves the One Ring in the possession of his "nephew" Frodo Baggins.

He later appears in Rivendell reunited with Frodo Baggins after he recovers from the wound the Witch-king of Angmar gave him in the shoulder. Before Frodo leaves for his journey, Bilbo gives him Sting and his Mithril shirt.

Later, during the war of the Ring, Bilbo remained safely in Rivendell. In *The Return of the King*, he left Middle-earth and ended up in the Grey Havens.

## The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

### Prologue

Ian Holm reprised his role to portray Bilbo Baggins, while his younger self is portrayed by Martin Freeman

Bilbo is first seen in the movie writing down his journey in the Red Book of Westermarch. In the present day timeline, his nephew Frodo sees him working and attempts to read the book, but Bilbo does not let him look at it.

### An Unwanted Visitor(s)

#### Reunited with Gandalf

In the flashback, Bilbo Baggins sat on his porch, where he was approached by Gandalf, who is an old family friend of both Bilbo's parents' sides of his family. However, after Gandalf offers for Bilbo to take up a chance at an adventure, the hobbit refuses and retreats back into his house.

#### Market shop

While traveling to the market place located near the Green Dragon, Mr. Baggins believes the wizard to be stalking him and what he thought was Gandalf's hat was really hobbits carrying a sack.

#### Meeting his companions.

Later that evening, he met the four dwarves, Dwalin, Balin, Fíli and Kíli. After a while, Bilbo loses his patience at the fifth bell and finds at least nine more dwarves at the door. None of the dwarves treat his possessions none too kindly, as most of them use it for throwing it around. Mr. Baggins is then introduced to their leader, Thorin Oakenshield, who has an unexplained contempt over their newly found member. When they bring up the fact of a burglar position for the hobbit, Bilbo initially refuses, even after Gandalf tries to convince him otherwise. The next morning, Bilbo finds the dwarves gone. Having made up his mind, Bilbo decides to go on an adventure after hearing the dwarves sing their song from the night before.

### The Journey Begins

On their first night of the quest to reclaim Erebor, Bilbo goes to pamper his pony, who he had affectionately named "Myrtle". After he heard a shriek from a long distance, Fíli and Kíli take this opportunity to scare him before Thorin puts an end to it. Balin comes to the three boys and explains to them Thorin's hatred of Orcs. This possibly causes Bilbo to see Thorin more than a stern prince, but one who is a benevolent leader and meant to be King. When he asks whatever happened to the Pale Orc, Thorin states Azog died of his wounds a long time ago, but Thorin couldn't be ever more wrong.

Sometime later, the Company moves on. Bilbo and his companions were covered by rain. After Gandalf telling Dori to find another wizard to change the weather of the world, Bilbo inquires of the other four. One he takes particular interest in was Radagast, and asked Gandalf if Radagast is a great wizard or more like the grey wizard himself.

Later that day, Gandalf and Oakenshield have a massive argument leaving the dwarves and Bilbo to fend for themselves. Bilbo is later sent by Bofur to give Fíli and Kíli their portion of dinner. However, the boys had misplaced three of their sixteen ponies. They send Bilbo to try and free the poor creatures while they leave him behind and go to retrieve the company. Mr. Baggins doesn't make it in time to avoid the Trolls. Before they torture the poor hobbit, Kíli and the others rescue Bilbo. During the skirmish, Bilbo goes to release the ponies, before he and the other dwarves are captured by the trolls, who are ready to eat them. However, Mr. Baggins manages to keep them at bay until dawn, which Gandalf splits the boulder in half.
Later, Gandalf emerges from the Troll's cave and presents Bilbo with a sword, which would later glow blue when either Orcs or Goblins came closer. As Mr. Baggins unsheathed his sword, Radagast appeared and talked to Gandalf. There is the sound of a wolf, Bilbo thought, until Bofur says that it was not a wolf, but a Warg. The company is chased by the Wargs and Orcs, before they go through a hidden entrance. Before he takes another step, Bilbo stops to tell Gandalf that he feels a magical presence, to which the wizard responds to it being a "very powerful magic". They eventually emerge out of the cave and into Rivendell. Everyone decides that Gandalf should do all the talking.

When Bilbo first sees Rivendell, Bilbo immediately falls in love with the city, as well as the Elves who live there. Just at that moment, when Elrond appears, Bofur safely pulls Bilbo to the center of the circle.

During their feat, Bilbo overhears the Lord of Rivendell talk of Thorin's and Gandalf's weapons. However, Balin advises against it, as it is not a proper weapon. He is present at the meeting in Rivendell, along with his companions Thorin, Balin and Gandalf and Lord Elrond himself. Bilbo is amazed at the moon runes and inquires of Durin's Day and what they will have time for.

Over the next couple of days, the company stayed in Rivendell, with Bilbo admiring its beauty. Elrond approached Bilbo and allowed him to stay in Rivendell, fi that was what he wished. On the night before the Company leaves for the Misty Mountains, Bilbo continues to adventure in Rivendell, but overhears a conversation between Elrond and Gandalf, with Thorin present behind Bilbo's back. They depart for the mountains afterwards, where they are caught up in a stone-giant battle scene. Bilbo nearly fell off the cliff twice before Bofur and Dwalin pushed him back. When the mountains collide together, while his companions remain unharmed, Bilbo hangs on for dear life before Thorin saves him. Because Bilbo almost put both him and Thorin at risk, the dwarf king denounces Bilbo before the rest of the company.

Thorin's claims take too much of a hold over Bilbo, and he makes for home. However, Bofur stopped him from leaving, but Bilbo refused. After seeing that they do not belong anywhere, Bofur lets him leave. However, they all fall into Goblin-town. After being able to evade capture, Mr. Baggins goes to save his companions, who are slowly becoming more like friends. However, he falls down a whole after colliding with a dead goblin. After seeing a creature named Gollum drop the Ring, Bilbo takes it for himself and confronts the Former Hobbit into a game of riddles. Before Gollum attacks him, Bilbo makes a run for it and even escapes him while knocking out the villainous Gollum to the ground.

### Azog the Defiler

Bilbo returns to his friends, apparently never abandoning them in a worse time of need. Their reunion is short-lived as Azog's hunting party attacks them. On the final stand, Thorin charges at Azog and is nearly killed by his would-be executioner before Bilbo jumps from the burning tree and kills Thorin's almost-killer while defending the dwarf king's broken body. Just before the orcs attack them, the eagles arrive and saves the company from Azog's men.

#### Friendship from Thorin

Seeing the Hobbit in a new light, Thorin literally embraces Bilbo as a friend and apologizes for his previous ill-treatment of the Hobbit. The group looks into the horizon and spots the lonely mountain, all unaware of what the future has in hold for them.

#### *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug*

Bilbo is first mentioned in the beginning of The Desolation of Smaug, where Gandalf tells Thorin they're going to need a burglar to retrieve the Arkenstone for Thorin.

He first physically appears one year later in The Desolation of Smaug where he is sent by Thorin Oakenshield and their company to spy on Azog. While not being spotted, he sees Beorn standing there, watching the Wargs and the Orcs as well. Bilbo goes to warn the dwarves of their enemies' recent movement, but every time he does, he is either interrupted by a dwarf or a wizard. When Bilbo tells Thorin and the others that there is something else out there, which Gandalf guesses is in the form of a bear, shocking both Bilbo and the other dwarves.The company is forced to take refuge with a man named Beorn, who was the bear Bilbo saw a few seconds ago. Gandalf tells them that this man will either help them or destroy them. The team reluctantly agrees, but they are tracked down by Azog and chased to Beorn's house.

During the night, Bilbo takes out the Ring, swearing he could hear it whisper while inspecting it. The next morning, Bilbo and his friends meet Beorn, but one by one, starting with him and Gandalf while slowly introducing their companions. Learning of their ordeals, Beorn decides to aid Bilbo and his friends by giving them ponies. However, when the company reaches Mirkwood, Bilbo is shocked to learn that Gandalf is leaving them yet again, but the wizard reveals he has no choice. Before Gandalf departs, he senses that Bilbo has indeed changed and that he is not the same Hobbit as the one who left the Shire. Mr Baggins attempts to tell his friend about the Ring he found while he was separated from the company in the Goblin tunnels. However, he decides against it and claims that he found his courage, which appears to satisfy Gandalf, who secretly knows Bilbo has the Ring with him. He leaves the company at the gates of Mirkwood and warns them not to touch the water and not to stray clear of the path, stay on it at all times.

After days of travelling, the woods' dangerous spell begins to slowly take effect on Bilbo and his companions. During one of their obstacles, they find they cannot cross the enchanted river.

## *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies*

Bilbo makes his last appearance in *The Battle of Five Armies*.

Along with his nine companions, Bilbo watches the destruction of Lake-town from afar, but also worries about Thorin more. He sees the dragon fall dead and announces it to the others, who rejoyce. However, Thorin is not impressed and walks towards the Lonely Mountain. Like Thorin did before when Thror was under dragon sickness, Bilbo watched from the shadows as Thorin fell into the dragon sickness, affecting all those around him.

He once confronted Thorin one night to convince him to do something other than hunt the treasury room all day, but Thorin doesn't listen to Bilbo.

When the four dwarf companions who stayed in Lake-town were found, Bilbo quickly ran up to the four who were coming. When one of them see him alive, Bilbo warns that all of them need to leave. When Bofur reasons that they had just got there, Bilbo tells them how Thorin has been misbehaving, spending his days in the treasure room and not bothering to get a nibble or a wink of sleep. Kili asks what kind of sickness has possessed his uncle while his brother, Fili runs past them to the treasure room with Bilbo, Bofur, Oin and Kili following Fili down to the treasure room. While the dwarves look at it in awe, Bilbo feels nothing but contempt and disgust for the gold and scared for what Thorin has become.

Bilbo later sits alone in a secluded area, where it is revealed in a flashback that Bilbo stole the Arkenstone shortly after he disappeared when putting the Ring on. After seeing what danger Thorin has been in, Bilbo pulls the Arkenstone out of his pocket, contemplating on what to do with it.

The gold sickness gets worse. Thorin begins sulking in the Throne room hour after hour, waiting for the Stone's return. Little does he know, Bilbo still is in possession of the Arkenstone. Bilbo grows even more concerned after the fact that Thorin will kill whomever withholds the king's jewel from him. He later comes across a crying Balin, who voices his concerns. Bilbo asks if finding the Stone will help Thorin, Balin points out that finding the Arkenstone will only make Thorin worse and that it's best if it remains lost, and sending signals he knows Bilbo has the stone.

Because Thorin is unaware of the Orcs that are going to attack from the north, and Thranduil refuses to dispatch the forces to Ravenhill, Bilbo instead volunteers to go there and warn him, but Gandalf will not allow Bilbo to complete it. Despite everything they have been through, Bilbo still cares for his friends and tells him he doesn't care if the wizard allows it or not. Bilbo then takes the ring and runs to Ravenhill.

Bilbo tries to warn Thorin of the oncoming orcs led by Bolg, but is too late. Azog kills Fili in front of him, Thorin, Dwalin and Kili. He stays behind where he is attacked by Bolg and his mercenaries, as well as several bats. Before more are able to kill him, Dwalin comes to Bilbo's rescue. As he fights off the other Orcs, Bolg hits Bilbo with the handle of his mace, and he passes out. Sometime after the Battle in Ravenhill ends, Bilbo wakes up to find the Eagles are flying over him and that the battle is won. Overlooking the valley, he sees Azog has been killed, but Thorin has been mortally wounded. Bilbo goes by his side, where Thorin spends his last moments with Bilbo, apologizing to the Hobbit of his rude behavior towards him. Despite the Hobbit's efforts to keep Thorin alive, the dwarf king succumbs to his wounds.

Bilbo also comes to their funeral to pay his respects for his fallen friends. When he comes across Thorin's body, he breaks down crying. Bilbo is also one of the others who show their respect to the new King under the Mountain.

Later, Bilbo returns home to see the Sackville-Bagginses selling his stuff, but Bilbo is able to prove he's himself by the contract. When Bag End is cleared out, Bilbo finds his parents' portraits thrown on the ground and picks them up, putting them back up where they belong. He pulls out the ring one last time. Flashforeward sixty years later, Bilbo now an old man reminiscent of his journey when a knock is at the door. Though Bilbo tells the stranger to go away, he immediately perks up when it is actually Gandalf and goes out to greet him, thus ending the *Hobbit* trilogy and beginning of the *Lord of the Rings*.

## Relationships

> Main article: Bilbo Baggins/Relationships
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## Trivia

* Bilbo is based on the character of the same name and an allusion to Roac from the story of the same name
* In Westron, Bilbo's original name Bilba Labingi
* Out of the five main hobbits (Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam), Bilbo is the only one physically seen as a child.

* 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 and Martin Freeman himself.
* 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

## References

1. ↑ In *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*, Fili's weapons are seen when Frodo rummages around Belladonna's hope chest