- “I am glad to share within your perils, Thorin, each and every one of them. It is far more than any Baggins deserves”
- ―Bilbo to Thorin
Bilbo Baggins is the titular main protagonist of the 1937 novel The Hobbit and its sequel series, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. He is a Hobbit from the Shire and recruited by Thorin and Company for a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug as their fourteenth adventure. Bilbo's journey changes him as he struggles in the novel between his love of the home from his father and his sense of adventure from his mother.
In the 1977 and 1980 animated films The Hobbit and The Return of the King, he is voiced by Orson Bean, and in the live-action film series, is portrayed by Ian Holm with his younger self played by Martin Freeman, who also portrayed Dr John Watson and Everett Ross from Black Panther.
Background
Bilbo was a very brave hobbit and proved to be very friendly and caring towards friends but merciless towards enemies. In the Middle-earth timeline, he was born in TA 2890 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 passed away, and eight years later so did Belladonna. Bilbo later takes ownership of all his parents' possessions, including their family home, Bag End.
Appearances
The Book
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 sends 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 that 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. When he retells his tale to the Dwarves, they ask how he escaped the Trolls but Bilbo doesn't give the clear answer that he had a ring that turned him invisible.
The Lord of the Rings
The Fellowship of the Ring
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. Attending the Council of Elrond', Bilbo was insisting on being the ring-bearer to destroy the Ring. However, the Council deemed Bilbo too old and unfit to do it. Instead, his nephew was chosen. Despite his attempts, Bilbo accepted it was his nephew's responsibility.
Before Frodo leaves for his journey, Bilbo gives him Sting and his Mithril shirt.
The Return of the King
Later, during the War of the Ring, Bilbo remained safely in Rivendell.
After celebrating his 131st birthday, Bilbo left Middle-earth and ended up in the Grey Havens.
Animated appearances
The Hobbit (1977 film)
Bilbo as he appears in the 1977 film.
Bilbo's first appearance in a full-length feature film was in the 1977 film, The Hobbit (not counting the 1966 version) by Rankin and Bass. Here, Bilbo is voiced by Orson Bean. Though he matches the original character's physical description, Bilbo lacks the long brown fingers that Tolkien describes in the book.
Bilbo's role in the film stays the same in the book. However, the only difference is that Bilbo never stole the Arkenstone due to it being absent.
The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)
Bilbo is voiced by Norman Bird, and his role remains the same in the film.
The Return of the King
Bilbo returns to the Rankin and Bass's sequel to The Hobbit once again voiced by Orson Bean
Live-action appearances
The Lord of the Rings
The Fellowship of the Ring
Bilbo leaves the Ring for Frodo and reunites with him in Rivendell. Before his quest to destroy the Ring, he gives Frodo a Mithril shirt he once wore and his sword, Sting.
When he sees the ring, he briefly turns into a creature and nearly attacks Frodo. A Guilt-ridden Bilbo breaks down crying and apologizes for leaving this heavy burden on Frodo.
The Return of the King
At the harbor, he asks Frodo if he can hold his ring one last time, but Frodo lied and said that he lost it, as Bilbo had forgotten about Frodo's quest to destroy it. Bilbo departs from Middle-Earth with Frodo and Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond, and Celeborn on the way to the Undying Lands
The Hobbit trilogy
<br>An Unexpected Journey
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. He begins to hide things around the house and acknowledges Frodo goodbye when he goes to meet Gandalf at East Farthing Woods.
The flashback begins when Bilbo is fifty years old, 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 into his house.
While traveling to the marketplace located near the Green Dragon, Mr. Baggins believes the wizard to be stalking him, and what he thought was Gandalf's hat was hobbits carrying a sack.
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 for 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.
On their first night of the quest to reclaim Erebor, Bilbo goes to pamper his pony, whom he had affectionately named "Myrtle". After he hears 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 as 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 tells Dori to find another wizard to change the weather of the world, Bilbo inquires of the other four. Once he took particular interest in Radagast the Brown, he asked Gandalf if the latter wizard was a great wizard or more like him.
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 to 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, when 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 come 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 pack of Wargs. They attempt to finish off the group, however, the dwarves subdue their attackers and are quick to realize they are being followed. With assistance from Radagast, Bilbo and his companions make their escape. However, they are soon 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 that it is "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 feast, 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 Gandalf, and Lord Elrond himself. Bilbo is amazed at the moon runes and inquires about 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 if 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 afterward, 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 puts 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 hole 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 in 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.
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 save the company from Azog's men. Seeing the Hobbit in a new light, Thorin 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.
<br>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, when 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 movements, 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, to stay on it at all times.
Bilbo in Mirkwood in The Desolation of Smaug
After days of traveling, the woods' dangerous spell begins to slowly take effect on Bilbo and his companions, causing them to hallucinate or feel sick. During one of their obstacles, they find they cannot cross the enchanted river, knowing of the powerful enchantment that lies upon it. Though Kíli had found a way to cross by using the vines to get to the other side, Bilbo crossed first. He began feeling the pull of the river's enchantment as he gazed upon it but Bilbo snapped out of it and quickly made it across. Bilbo, fearing for the others, yelled for them to stop but turned and found that the company was already crossing. Thorin reached the other side before the others. During this time, Thorin and Bilbo spotted a White Stag approaching them. Though Bilbo was amazed by the creature, Thorin immediately fired at the creature, but the stag disappeared.
<br>The Battle of the Five Armies
Bilbo informs the company of Smaug's death
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 rejoice. However, Thorin is not impressed and walks towards the Lonely Mountain. As Thorin did before when Thrór 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 sees 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. Kíli asks what kind of sickness has possessed his uncle while his brother, Fili runs past them to the treasure room with Bilbo, Bofur, Óin, and Kíli 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 is afraid of 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 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 has the Arkenstone. Bilbo grows even more concerned after the fact that Thorin will kill whoever 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 Kíli. He stays behind where he is attacked by Bolg and his mercenaries, as well as several bats. Before more can kill him, Dwalin comes to Bilbo's rescue. As he fights off the other Orcs, Bilbo is suddenly struck in the head with the handle of Bolg's 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 for his rude behavior towards him. Despite the Hobbit's efforts to keep Thorin alive, the dwarf king succumbs to his wounds.
Bilbo and Gandalf sit in silence after Thorin's death.
Bilbo also comes to their funeral to pay his respects to 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 can 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. Flash-forward 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.
Difference from book sources
For Peter Jackson's live-action films, Bilbo's role in the book remains almost the same but multiple major differences.
- Bilbo's whole encounter with Smaug is different, as are Bilbo's motives for going into the mountain.
- Bilbo was sent into Erebor to steal something from Smaug (a cup), but instead sent to retrieve the Arkenstone.
- While Bilbo goes into Smaug's lair only once in the film, he goes twice in the film.
- The first time Bilbo goes in, Smaug is asleep but ultimately wakes up.
- The second time, Bilbo and the dragon finally converse with each other.
- While their dialogue more or less remains the same, a notable difference is that Bilbo is not wearing the ring during their conversation in the film like he is wearing it in the book.
Personality
Born between two families Bilbo was adventurous, and determined, but also, a gentlemanly hobbit. He had been interested in Gandalf's stories about the outside world and one day, wished to see it. Most people would say Bilbo had more of his mother's blood within him instead of his father's. 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.
At the very beginning of the trilogy, Bilbo didn't want to have any adventures, especially to Gandalf's cause when the wizard returned. 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 were the only things he had left of his parents. His adventurous 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 a home as 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 saves Thorin, he begins feeling a part of their group. Though 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.
Bilbo had a strained relationship with Thorin when they were getting to know each other and was easily annoyed when the dwarves threw around his dishes. Bilbo even saved them numerous times, first by stalling the trolls all night, saving Thorin from Azog the Defiler, freeing them from the Spiders and the Elves, etc. During the second and third films, Bilbo was determined to help the Dwarves reclaim Erebor because he pitied them when they could not have a home of their own.
Over time, Bilbo became close to the dwarves, especially Thorin, Balin, and Bofur. However, Balin and Bofur were the only ones initially friendly to Bilbo before he saved their king's life. Bofur shows an excessive fondness for Bilbo, especially pointing out Bilbo's disappearance to Thorin. Fili and Kíli often played pranks on Bilbo, but they grew rather fond of each other and were very saddened by losing his two friends. Shown to be honest and down to earth, Bilbo was unable to tell a very good lie. For example, Bilbo fails 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 a "burglar but likes to think [he] is an honest one." Bilbo did not know the outside world or how to use a weapon. However, Bilbo was aware of the tales surrounding the fall of Erebor and had some idea of what a dragon was. However, when they were out traveling for the first time, Bilbo was, in a word, mortified of what the world offered, easily frightened by Fili and Kíli teasing him on how an Orc would kill everyone; Bilbo nearly fainted when Bofur (unconvincingly) told Bilbo what it was like to suffer a dragon's flame
Despite appearances, Bilbo is skilled and can make his way in this world. He is often quick-witted, such as stalling the trolls and 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 rather 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 is horrified when he starts killing others, most notably his first victim, 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.
Unlike the dwarves, who use their weapons to get themselves out of tricky situations, Bilbo uses his wits and thoughts to get himself and others out of trouble. For instance, he was able to stall Smaug for a very long time, being able to keep a long conversation with him. Bilbo only uses weapons, when necessary, when dealing with an unreasonable individual. He was also resourceful and inspirational, even among his Dwarven friends. Bilbo had leadership skills among his friends, who willingly followed his lead on several occasions.
Self-confidence
At the beginning of the series, Bilbo was, at best, skeptical of himself being on the journey in the first place, similar to what the other dwarves thought. However, Gandalf had confidence that his Hobbit friend was more capable than they thought. Bilbo eventually had self-confidence as the series went on, proving to be more resourceful than he let on. It's especially at the end that Bilbo realizes his resourcefulness when he helps save his friends, for example, saving Thorin from beheading by Azog's Executioner, showing his self-confidence accelerated even further. As he returned home, Bilbo's confidence improved as he stood up against the Sackville-Bagginses when he returned home.
Took vs. Baggins
Throughout the series, Bilbo struggles between his mother's and father's sides.
In terms of the Took side of his family, Bilbo inherited most of his mother's adventurous nature. For example, he wished for a life outside of the Shire. As a child, HE would stay past his curfew to look for elves and ask Gandalf about the outside world, even his disappeared uncle. Even in adulthood and letting his father's side get over him, Bilbo still longed for adventure, as the Dwarves' singing about the Lonely Mountain moved him. He stroked for an opportunity on a journey, helping the dwarves when they came, and couldn't help but feel their plight. Eventually, Bilbo made it his goal to get the dwarves their homeland after realizing they had no home to go to like Bilbo did rather than out of the adventure.
On the terms of his Baggins side of the family, Bilbo was raised to be a gentle hobbit, just like his father. Growing up, Bilbo loved the comfortable life in Bag End but always found he was deep down his mother's son rather than his father's. He was very protective of his family's possessions and found it absurd that Gandalf was looking for someone for an adventure. However, he was conflicted between his "Baggins" and "Took" sides.
Physical Appearance
Bilbo has curly brown hair, and green eyes and stands short, about four feet tall.
At the beginning of the Hobbit film series, Bilbo had a plain white shirt, a yellow waistcoat, and grey knee-length pants. He wore a blue jacket when going out.
Throughout two-thirds of An Unexpected Journey and halfway through The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo has a plain wine-red jacket, a white, long-sleeved shirt with an olive-green waistcoat that has acorn buttons, and knee-length brown pants. In the second half of Desolation and through the Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo traded in his red jacket with a blue robe he acquired from Bard.
Bilbo later wore a white Mithril shirt as his only armor.
Powers and Abilities
- Keen hearing: Because of his leaf-like hobbit ears Bilbo can hear from a long distance and can hear things before anyone else does. He hears the Spider's whispers from the trees very far away.
- Keen sight:*Because of his hobbit eyes and younger self, Bilbo can see things for miles. He has an excellent eyesight without anyone interfering with it. In the book, Bilbo locates a boat to see that they can get across the enchanted River and find the boat before everyone else does. At their journey's end, Bilbo catches the sight of the stairs the Stone dwarves hold and Thorin comments on Bilbo's eyesight.
- Limited Longevity: During his life with the One Ring, Bilbo was granted a longer life than his normal life, living up to 131 years, surpassing his grandfather the Old took as the oldest hobbit living known to man. He was also said to have not aged a day since Gandalf met him, as Bilbo still looks fifty years old when he was in his hundreds.
- Multilingual: Because Bilbo has been a friend of the Elves for years, Bilbo learned their language, speaking Sindarin. It is unknown if Bilbo knows any other language except the elven language and Common speech. While wearing the ring, though, Bilbo understands the spiders completely without any trouble.
- Resilience:*According to Elrond, Hobbits are very resilient. Bilbo can bounce back up very fast and has been able too quickly.
- Stealth: Bilbo can be sneaky as being a burglar and no one can hear or see Bilbo coming. He treads lightly, and no one suspects whether he is there or not. One of which was the trolls, and he was able to sneak into their camp without being detected and the creatures did not expect it until Bilbo had been caught by Bert when he was going to blow his nose on his rag. The lightness on his feet also worked for him to spy on Azog the Defiler and allowed slipping away without anyone noticing. He was also capable of sneaking up on Smaug and also during the Dwarf's imprisonment from Mirkwood, Bilbo was also able to quietly walk and was invisible making it easier for him to steal the Arkenstone from Smaug and for the dwarves.
- Sword-fighting: Bilbo does have an experience of sword fighting but didn't at the beginning of the entire series. Bilbo later received Sting from Gandalf the Grey in the trolls' hoard. Later in the misty Mountains, he used it to fight a goblin and threaten Gollum with it from him coming to them. Bilbo's limited combat skills worked defeating an Orc from killing Thorin Oakenshield. Bilbo's sword fighting approved over, probably having taught himself.
- Throwing: As a child, Bilbo practiced his throwing skills, so whenever a bird saw him pick up a stone it flew away. Bilbo threw one driftwood very far to distract the spiders while he freed Thorin and Company. He also throws a pine cone set ablaze, easy for it to have been able to throw, striking a Warg on the face. Bilbo also threw rocks during the Battle of the Five Armies, hitting at least several Orcs.
Relationships
Gallery
Trivia
- 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" in the title and by those outside of his species (An Unexpected Journey, The battle of the Five Armies)
- 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."
- Out of the five main hobbits, including him, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, Bilbo is the only one to be seen as a child.
- According to Elrond, Bilbo and his species are very resilient and want 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)
- Several castings were involved.
- 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 of 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 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 from Bilbo's point of view.
- Shortly after Thorin's death, there was a conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo was written in the script. However, it never made it to the final film. Instead, they sit there in silence. It was also Ian McKellen's last filming day on set.
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