What If Thranduil Seized The Ring From Bilbo In Mirkwood? - Hobbit Theory
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- In this Theory we explore what could have occurred if Thranduil, the Lord of Mirkwood obtained the One Ring from Bilbo.
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Thranduil seizing the One Ring would have be been FABULOUS!
Your reading of the "what if" scenario between Thranduil and Bilbo fooled me; it sounded quite real!
Thank you! Hope you enjoyed :)
Wait...how would Thorin recapture his homeland from Smaug, since it was almost pure luck he succeeded in the first place? I guess a bigger question is why would Thranduil be defeated if he had the one ring? Now that I think about it, Tolkien presumes that if Sauron simply reacquires the One Ring, he'll inevitably rule Middle-Earth, but of course, he had the One Ring originally, and was still defeated. So, maybe the power of the One Ring is greatly exaggerated? Hmm....
Maybe Thranduil could be defeated because the ring only answers fully to Sauron himself and he, as an elf, couldn't use it to its full power. Gandalf and Saruman, on the other hand, are Maiar like Sauron and could use the ring to its full potential. However, it would in turn make them evil. Just my own theory.
Yes. I also enjoyed this speculated scenario too, very interesting thank you. I was with you until 'Thorin recovered the Arkenstone' as I don't see how. I am not sure how without Bilbo's ring stealth the Company could bypass Smaug, or even get into the mountain through Erebor's back door with, as you point out, the Durin's Day opportunity to open the secret door with Thror's key missed. Smaug would not have been so easily dispossessed from a front-door entrance and the racket it would have made and Thorin's Company would probably have been unsuccessful or even killed in the attempt. So, what would happen with Smaug alive, Bilbo ringless and Thranduil in possession of the One Ring?
The Lake Town men would not besiege Erebor as they had no argument with the Company unless an awoken Smaug would still destroy Lake Town and Bard managed to kill the dragon without having received the crucial guidance about his weak spot - very unlikely as this was an important point in the canon narrative. So with Smaug alive any quick battle (before an allied army had formed) on his doorstep would be won easily by him.
A be-ringed Thranduil therefore has both a dragon and Sauron to contemplate. He lacks Galadriel's fortitude or Elrond's wisdom and so is likely to retain the Ring which will start to work its power on him. From here we really are in the realms of speculation with several possible outcomes.
1. Thranduil seeks domination by mustering the elves of Rivendell and Lorien behind him, boosted by men and the free people in a war against Sauron. But for their kidnapping by Thranduil and the failed Quest of Erebor, the dwarves would decline any such alliance. Your suggested inter-elven kinslaying battle prior to any war with Sauron could be one such outcome as Elrond and Galadriel refuse to bend the knee to him leading to conflict. If that were to happen then Sauron wins, with Smaug taking care of the north and as there would be a much depleted elven presence and no Entish army, the Men of Gondor and Rohan would not be able to see off an attack on Minis Tirith. Sauron likely reclaims his Ring.
2. Elrond and Galadriel reluctantly agree to be led by Thranduil in a war against Smaug and Sauron, with the full, though not enthusiastic support, of the Dunedain, Gandalf, Rohan and Gondor, perhaps even ents. The dwarves are again likely to resist his call to arms (and may even have been a first target for Thranduil, the Ring intensifying his attitude of betrayal from them for not joining his cause). Elrond (or Glorfindel?) commented at the Council of Elrond that a TA Elven army wouldn't be enough to trouble Sauron and again, the Council made it clear that in a straight forward battle, even with the Ring, Sauron was likely to win through force of numbers, and the Ring's unreliability. And that was without Smaug being around.
So without the stealthy hobbit secret mission to destroy the Ring and so undo Sauron's hold on his massed armies of orcs and trolls, this scenario also plays out successfully for Sauron.
3, However, maybe there is one way for Thranduil and his allies to defeat Sauron. Could he learn to control the Nazgul by controlling the One Ring? It might be possible (if unlikely) but if he does, could the Ringwraiths (+ orcs maybe) capture or incarcerate Sauron? With Sauron powerless to act (Thranduil will be well aware not to succumb to his lies and trickery like Celebrimbor or Al Pharazon did), Thranduil might assume control of Middle Earth, (and with so many allies he may be able to quickly nullify Smaug too). But with the Ring, it is unlikely to be a great longer-term outcome as he is very unlikely to destroy the Ring and eventually Elrond, Galadriel and Aragorn are likely to challenge how he rules. This could go two ways, with Thranduil's defeat and the destruction of the Ring (so back to canon, sort of), or with his victory and some kind of dark, extended Third Age under his ruthless rule.
Amazing channel, hope it grows!
great video! you can tell that you put a lot of hard work into this, and the editing is great as always! keep it up :D
🥺🥺
Bilbo have told the dwarves and Gandalf about the ring in the book,after escaping Goblin town. Gandalf simply thought it was a lessermagic ring .
This “ what if” follows mostly the movies ,not the books.
I think Thranduil is not So stupid to risk unnecessary war and another dying of his people, if He has chance to avoid it. I don't doubt He would be tempted by One ring, but I think he would value more lifes of his people than the One ring, so He would give the Ring away to avoid war rather than keeping it. Not only this, He lived through two kinslaying and He could clearly remember his own emotions, when He saw one elf killing other elf and know that another kinslaying would be terrible for all Elves who would be there.
Agree, I see a rather different sort of "council", that of Elves only. The four greatest leaders of the various factions of Elves, Maybe include Gandalf as someone who knows stuff and can be an advisor. But IMHO, It would be Elrond who would have the knowledge and the strength of individual members of his household to get the ring to Mount Doom and throw it in, as he tried to get Isildur to do so long ago. I see Thranduil giving the ring to Elrond, as he would likely know him to be wise, and know him personally from the wars of the Last Alliance. Can you imagine a fellowship that included Glorfindal, Aragorn, Gandalf, the two sons of Elrond and Legolas? Aragorn would have to be included as the heir to Isildur. Maybe include Haldir to represent Lothlorien. Elrond and Saruman and Galadriel stay behind as the elders with the greatest power, remember that those three diminished Sauron at around that same time this would take place. Those three along with Thranduil (who defeated an army of Orcs sent by Sauron at the Battle under the Trees, at the same time as LOTR, easily could be included among the powerful leaders) create "distractions" for Sauron to follow. Thranduil would stay behind because, yes, I don't see him leaving his people and kingdom. He would stay to protect and defend them.
Interesting theory, though it would be a sad to watch the peoples of Middle Earth fight amongst each other.
On the bright side, they'd compensate loss of army strength by getting a head start on Sauron as he was certainly less powerful than in TA 3018.
Congratulations on 1K subscribers! I'm so glad you've reached this milestone, looking forward to your 100K :)
Thank you my friend! I appreciate all of your support ❤️
Great video
Not a bad theory and indeed possible, but I think Thranduil wouldn't have been stupid enough to take on the forces of Rivendell Lothlórien, and Isengard. One thing about Thranduil more than most elves is that he loves his people dearly, he definitely wouldn't have put Legolas in harm's way and the one ring doesn't corrupt everyone that fast, it didn't corrupt Isildur, and I doubt that Legolas would have challenged Gandalf that easily, outside of the respect and love he had for him, the dudes a Maia just like the Balrog who Legolas feared greatly, I believe they would have come to an understanding, and realized they needed to work together. The real danger in this story would have been indeed if it did go down, once word got to Isengard Sauramon would have called Radagas to borrow one of those eagles, and that would have been a problem. A Maia who's turned his back on the Valar, wouldn't be bound by rules and would have slaughtered everyone present at Mirkwood. No but all and all still a great theory🙏🏿
This was by far your best video, you really gave a lot of thought to it. Thanks for the shout out!
Only one mistake (and I could be the one mistaken) didn't Bilbo did reveal the ring to the dwarves shortly after his escape from the Misty mountains? Regardless, I dont think it would have any effect on this alternate timeline. Great job! I'll try to think of something else.
Thank you my friend! Glad you enjoyed. From the top of my head I didn’t think so, however it’s been a minute since I’ve read The Hobbit 😅
Fourth Kinslaying? Feanor would be proud
Please do a video on What if Bilbo took the ring to Mordor immediately after the events of The Hobbit!!!
Dark Elf time 🤙
Idk if you’ll see this but would you consider doing a follow-up video to this saying what would happen if Gandalf found out Bilbos ring was the one ring at the end of the hobbit and he still had it? Would he have had Bilbo set out to Mordor to cast the ring in the fire?
This would ultimately lead to the Fellowship failing later. Well not necessarily, but the casualties of this hypothetical war would weaken the forces that fought Sauron in the Northern regions. Those guys might have lost pretty badly.
I'm trying to figure out how Thorin accomplished his quest too... I'm not seeing a win for him and if Smaug is still around then that's definitely a northern defeat near extinction.
NEVER THRUST AN ELF!!!
Gandalf or Saruman in possession with the One Ring is far more powerful than Sauron, and theories suggest much more worse than Sauron himself.
Hmm I am not soo sure of how you you theorised. It was said that the dwarfs by no force would have been able to reclaim the mountain from the older and stronger dragon. It was only by bilbos doing that the dragon came out to Laketown and by the black arrow that it found its demise. I think that the dwarves would have been slain trying to reclaim it.