In J.R.R. Tolkein's famous writings, Durin was one of the most mighty kings of dwarves ever to have lived. It is thought that his ancestors dated back to the very original dwarves first created by Aule, back before Middle Earth and the children of Illuvatar (elves and men) had ever been created. Durin was a mighty warrior, a fair and just leader, and a noble king in pursuit of riches and treasures from deep within the world to share in abundance with his people. This is where the regality, pride, and heart that Thorin, Filli ,and Killi share comes from. As the last direct descendants of Durin’s line, the three are the last hope of reclaiming Erebor, and feel it is their duty to rid the once stunning kingdom of their forefathers of the terrible dragon who now resides within.
But with this great legacy also comes a terrible prophecy. Whilst it is only briefly touched upon in the movies, the prophecy of the return of the king under the mountain features heavily in Tolkien’s original book of The Hobbit. The prophecy is a warning of history repeating itself, and of the greed and hubris that has brought down many empires. But of all the people who would want to dissuade the dwarves from their mission, and prevent their tragedy, Thranduil the elven king of Mirkwood would have been thought to be one of the least likely. Yet in this deleted scene from the film, it was he who first alerts the audience to what the dwarves meddling with dragon fire may reap.
The scene was supposed to take place just after Tauriel defies Thranduil’s orders and goes after Kili and the other dwarves. Legolas pleads with his father that Tauriel has always been loyal and that she must have good reason for her actions, and begs for a parley to be allowed to bring Tauriel back to Mirkwood and allow her to explain herself and seek forgiveness. Tharanduil gives him two days to bring her back, after which point she will be banished from the realm forever. Legolas is both shocked and dismayed by this, and then something seems to click in his mind as he realizes the significance of that particular time passing:
“In two days, the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together.”
This is, of course, a reference to the last light of Durin’s day, which is the only light by which the door to the Lonely Mountain can be opened. The keyhole will only appear in this very potent mixture of light, and if this opportunity is missed, it won’t surface again for another hundred years or so. But the interesting things isn’t the fact that Legolas has said this. Instead, it's the reply that his father Thranduil gives him:
“And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the mountain king’s return. But all shall fail in sadness, and the lake will shine and burn.”
These are the last few lines of Durin’s prophecy, which, in the final edits of the film, were actually read out by Bard from an old tapestry that he found in Lake Town. The prophecy foretells of the misery and destruction that will come of awakening Smaug, and like most prophesies, it turns out to be true. It feels like a fitting line for Bard, who is ever the voice of reason among the greedy men of his village. Others see only the profit to be made, rather than the risk involved or the lives that could be lost.
But having the lines spoken by Thranduil in this deleted scene gives a very different and interesting layer to his character. Everything that the audience has seen of Thranduil up to this point has been spiteful and cold, as if he is filled with nothing but hatred for the dwarves, and as if he couldn’t care less for anyone other than himself, including his own son Legolas.
But the way he speaks these lines, softly and quietly, shows that there is a trauma within them, a horror of history repeating itself. These lines in the trembling voice of Thranduil give the audience a hint of who he is beneath the hard and unfeeling mask that he parades. In these few simple words, a complete character shift happens for Thranduil. It speaks not only to the awful things that he has seen and endured in his past, but also to his care and compassion for the people of Lake Town, who, according to the prophecy, will be the ones to pay the ultimate price for Thorin and his band of Dwarves wanting to reclaim their homeland. At the end of the scene, Thranduil and Legolas both look out forlornly towards a green screen, which presumably would have had a projection of Lake Town or of the mountain, and the whole scene gives a somber hint of the devastation just around the corner.