The Hobbit: The Fate Of Thorin's Company, Explained

Highlights

Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the company, redeemed himself and died honorably in the Battle of the Five Armies.
Fili and Kili, two heirs to Erebor's throne, were killed in the same battle, with Fili being captured and executed.
Many of the dwarves, such as Bombur, Balin, Dori and Nori, survived the events of The Hobbit and remained in the reclaimed kingdom of Erebor.

Among the difficulties of adapting The Hobbit into three separate movies, chief among them might be depicting 13 different dwarf characters, each with their own stories and personalities, who are there to support—without stealing the spotlight from—The Hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins.

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Bilbo’s fate, his relationship with Frodo, and his eventual departure to the Undying Lands might be common knowledge for viewers of The Lord of the Rings, but many movie fans might be curious to know what happened to each of his Dwarven companions. After all, and with various fates ranging from tragical to comical, Thorin’s company surely kept influencing the events of Middle-Earth in one way or another, passing into legend both in their universe and in the hearts of many fans.

12 Thorin Okenshield

Redeemed Himself And Died From His Wounds

Leader of the company and heir to the Kingdom of Erebor, Thorin II “Oakenshield” is arguably the single most important dwarf of the story. Stout and loyal, his actions, deeds, and even mistakes carry the majority of the plot.

He is also one of the characters whose fate is clearly shown in the movie adaptations: He is successful in reclaiming the mountain but is fatally wounded in the ever-important Battle of the Five Armies after a courageous last stand. On his deathbed, he renounces his selfish ways and patches things up with Bilbo, dying an honorable death.

11 Fíli

Killed by the Orc leader in the Battle of the Five Armies

Fíli is one of the three dwarves in line for Erebor’s throne, with the others being his brother, Kíli, and his uncle, Thorin. Although several details diverge between books and movies, he is always shown to be an energetic and loyal friend.

Along with his brother, the exact details of his death vary slightly between movies and books, but in both versions, he is slain during the Battle of the Five Armies. In the movie, he is captured and executed by cruel villains in front of his friends, in a rather tragic scene that paves the way for the unfolding conflict that follows.

10 Kíli

He sacrificed himself during the Battle of the Five Armies

Brother to Fíli and also an heir to Erebor’s throne, Kílis one of the youngest members of the company. His role was greatly expanded in the movies, becoming entangled in a love triangle between Tauriel and Legolas, a decision that proved to be divisive among fans.

Along with Thorin and Fíli, he was killed during the Battle of the Five Armies. In the movies, viewers are treated to an extended and more poignant death, as he sacrifices himself to save Tauriel.

9 Bombur

The Dwarf Who Survived And Only Grew Larger

After Bilbo, Bombur might be the least inclined to adventure. After all, he is depicted as the largest Dwarf, with a love of food and rest. However, he is a fierce warrior when pressed, and always stood by his companions.

Fans discover Bombur’s fate during The Lord of the Rings, when Frodo learns that Bombur had stayed in Erebor, and according to Glóin, had grown so large that several Dwarves had to help him stand from his couch. It is easy to assume, then, that he lived the rest of his days in comfort.

8 Balin

The Lord Of Moria Who Died After A Short Reign

Balin, wise and experienced survived Erebor’s quest and lived in the Lonely Mountain for a while. He would, however, attempt a second and more ill-fated adventure, leading a different group of his people to reclaim another of the Dwarves’ lost kingdoms: The Mines of Moria.

Balin briefly succeeded, becoming Lord of Moria, but was slain by Orcs after ruling for five years. It is his tomb that the Fellowship would later encounter while traversing the treacherous mines, causing great grief to his cousin and Fellowship member, Gimli son of Glóin.

7 Dwalin

The Longest-Lived Among All

Brother to similarly named Balin, Dwalin was the first Dwarf to arrive at Bilbo’s doorstep, and soon proves himself to be a valiant warrior and steadfast ally, and remains at the Lonely Mountain after it is successfully retaken.

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For reasons unknown, he does not accompany his brother in the ill-fated quest to retake Moria and chooses instead to remain in Erebor. Nothing else is known about his later years, except for the distinction of being one of the oldest Dwarves in Tolkien’s legendarium, outliving his former companions, and dying 91 years after Sauron is defeated.

6 Dori & Nori

The Brothers Who Remained At The Reclaimed Kingdom

Dori was the strongest of the thirteen dwarves, even if he might be the fussiest. He is very protective of his brother Nori, who is seemingly more comfortable with sneaky tactics. Both of them fought in and survived the events of The Hobbit.

Along with other surviving members, they decide to stay in the Lonely Mountain, and fans learn that they are still alive and well by the time of the Council of Elrond. It can be assumed that they came to enjoy the prosperity of the retaken kingdom, as well as any perks tied to their renown and legacy.

5 Ori

The Scribe Who Would Die Holding His Chronicles

Ori is different from his relations and the rest of the company in that he is a scribe rather than a warrior, preferring to fight with a slingshot. Nonetheless, he would be one of the surviving Dwarves after the events of The Hobbit who take up residence in the reclaimed Erebor

When Balin leads an expedition to reclaim Moria, however, Ori accompanies him, chronicling the doomed project in the “Book of Mazarbul” before being killed by Orcs. The Fellowship would find this book by his corpse many years later, and through it, would come to know the details of the demise of Balin and everyone who followed him into the Mines.

4 Óin

The Dwarf Who Met His End At The Tentacles Of A Monster

Óin was a respected member of Thorin’s company, albeit a little hard of hearing. In the movies, he stayed back in Lake Town to heal Kíli and then went on to fight in the Battle of the Five Armies.

He was also one of the Dwarves who followed Balin to Moria, and thus died like the rest of the expedition. Ori chronicled in his book that it was in fact “The Watcher in the Water”—the octopus-like creature the Fellowship would encounter many years later—who sadly killed the brave Óin.

3 Bifur

The Toymaker Who Found A Home

Bifur is the most visually distinct dwarf in the movies, as he has an axe buried in his skull. He also seemingly cannot speak in the common tongue, and in contrast to his often violent nature, he is said to be a toymaker.

Little is told of his later years, but he is known to have stayed in the Lonely Mountain and been alive and well during the Council of Elrond, perhaps finally feeling at home among his brethren under the rule of Dain Ironfoot.

2 Bofur

The Optimistic Dwarf Who Enjoyed The Aftermath

Bofur is often lighthearted, but he proves himself as a loyal friend throughout the adventure. After all, he shares a touching scene when Bilbo first tries to abandon the quest, and although he oversleeps and is left behind at Lake Town, he is fiercely protective of his friends and ends up surviving the ensuing devastation.

Many years later, Glóin would include him in the list of surviving members of the Company who still reside in Erebor, living amongst his kin.

1 Glóin

The Father Who Would Raise A Hero For Another Story

Although a faithful companion and fierce warrior, Glóin’s most important role might be as father to Gimli. As a playful bit of foreshadowing, he even shares a scene with Legolas where they talk about his “wee lad”, who would one day become the elf’s closest friend.

After he survives the events of The Hobbit, Gimli remains in Erebor, eventually traveling to Rivendell with his son to attend the Council of Elrond. It is also through him that we learn of the other surviving Dwarves who, like him, have settled in the Lonely Mountain, sharing the intention to live out the rest of their days in their reclaimed home.