Although I'm not particularly fond of the idea of Thorin, Fili and Kili dying, I'm also kind of glad that Tolkien let at least some of his characters die. It would be a bit unrealistic if all main characters came through a giant battle such as the Battle of the Five Armies, without having a single scratch or wound. To have three out of over fifteen important characters die is actually not that much, considering the dangers of fighting a battle in medieval circumstances..

And having some of the most important characters in the story die in battle is probably more heroic and dramatic, which always makes for good storytelling. I am by no means a literature expert, but I do love some drama in my books. Which is perfectly provided by the death of the Durins, even though it's sad.

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^ 100% agree. And, well, I'll be controversial--it's not actually that sad in the book itself, because their deaths are "offscreen," if you will. I actually didn't notice Fili and Kili died until my third read-through.

And to be fair, dying honourably in battle isn't even such a bad way to go, given what he does to some of his other characters.

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- married fingon fingolfinion 6/4/13 -
~art credit~

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree!
Anyway, I saw the movie, then in the van on the way home we were reading the book and I was like"WHAT?????NOOOOO" I should have read the book closer

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Formerly Legolin12

^ I KNOW RIGHT.
I had the same reaction.
The fact that Tolkien made Fili and Kili's death "offscreen" kind of made me feel like they weren't important and stuff.
I got mad.

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call me Fin, Ara, Aralas, Tulisse, or Tuli.
~A mahta tenna qualme! Auta i lome, aure entuluva!~
was known as aralas_29.

Let's not forget that "the Hobbit" was originally aimed at children around the age of 10. Although I cannot speak for everyone, I know that I personally would have been traumatised when two characters in a childhood book would have died 'on-screen'.
Ofcourse, when comparing it to Boromir's death in LotR, the deaths of Fili and Kili seem a bit superficial. But I don't think it was written that way because Tolkien didn't care, but simply because he was keeping his young audience in mind

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^ Right Whoops.

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call me Fin, Ara, Aralas, Tulisse, or Tuli.
~A mahta tenna qualme! Auta i lome, aure entuluva!~
was known as aralas_29.

^ It's okay It's so easy to forget that "the Hobbit" was originally written as a children's book, for even younger children than the contemporary Young Adult group! I think it takes an especially talented writer to write a book that appeals to readers of all age groups, that can be read as a stand alone, but that also fits perfectly into the extremely detailed history and tales of Middle Earth.

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I'd also be wary of saying he didn't care, because all but one of his closest friends died in the First World War--he knew what it was like to lose friends in battle, so that's not a criticism I'd put to him. But I do think the main reason is because it's a children's book, like Lhun said. (I was going to say the same thing, but she beat me to it )

Yeah, the gory bits that are in the movie were all in... the Unfinished Tales and the Appendices, I believe, like Thror getting beheaded and Thrain being tortured in Dol Guldur. Not in The Hobbit itself, even though it's all part of the same story.

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- married fingon fingolfinion 6/4/13 -
~art credit~

I'd join!

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Dwarves are awesome!!!!


^Banners by EraisuithielS

I'm crazy about dwarves again! Because I watched the Hobbit yesterday.

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call me Fin, Ara, Aralas, Tulisse, or Tuli.
~A mahta tenna qualme! Auta i lome, aure entuluva!~
was known as aralas_29.

Who is the dwarf you are craziest about???

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Formerly Legolin12

-stumbles in and flails epicly- Sign me up please! D:

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VITAM AETERNO; an original creature roleplay

^ Yes I will! And also for Master_Dwarf ofcourse Our first question to you: Who's your favorite and why?

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Kili, Fili and Thorin. Because of their epicness

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call me Fin, Ara, Aralas, Tulisse, or Tuli.
~A mahta tenna qualme! Auta i lome, aure entuluva!~
was known as aralas_29.

^^^me too!
THEY ARE EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think i like Thorin now. After watching The Hobbit a second time, i like him better.

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Formerly Legolin12

Thorin was always one of my faves. He's so brave and strong and everything..
Fili and Kili are closer to the top of the list than Thorin mostly because they're less serious, they're funny and younger

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call me Fin, Ara, Aralas, Tulisse, or Tuli.
~A mahta tenna qualme! Auta i lome, aure entuluva!~
was known as aralas_29.