Masters of the battle
The epic conclusion of the The Hobbit Trilogy begins with nothing less than the rampage of the dragon, Smaug. Follow Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves, Gandalf the Grey and the Elves of Mirkwood as they converge on the Lonely Mountain in the last desperate defense of Middle-earth.
Struck with the manic greed of Dragon-sickness, Thorin seals himself and his small company of Dwarves — and one Hobbit — inside the Lonely Mountain with Smaug's horde. To fight off the Men of Lake-town and the wood-elves, he calls on his kin, Dáin II Ironfoot, who arrives with 500 battle-hardened dwarves, ready to attack ... until descending Orcs force Dwarves, Elves, and Men into alliance.
Weapon of choiceOrcrist sword crafted by Elves and known as "Biter" by Orcs
- Armory
- Axes, swords, hammers, mattocks, and round shields
- Range
- Hand-to-hand
- Strength
- Combat experience, physical power, defense, endurance, and strategic intelligence
- Army size
- 500
Bard struggles to do what's best for the human settlement of Lake-town. He faces incredible challenges in negotiating relations between Men, Dwarves, and Elves; laboring against the corruption of Lake-town's leaders; and protecting his family through it all. And then there's the specter of Smaug the Dragon. As The Battle of the Five Armies begins, Bard leads the survivors of Smaug's attack to claim some of the Dragon's treasure in order to rebuild Lake-town. And when the orc hordes attack, Bard finds himself leading his Men into battle.
Weapons of choiceLongbow, the black arrow, and sword.
- Armory
- Longbows, longswords
- Range
- Medium range and hand-to-hand
- Strength
- Strategic leadership and stealth
- Army size
- 400–700
The great eagles join the Battle of the Five Armies just as the tide is turning fully against Men, Elves, and Dwarves. In addition to possessing fearsome size and ferocity, the great eagle army carries Radagast the Brown and the shape-changer Beorn into battle, bringing their own powers to bear.
Weapon of choiceLifting foes into the air and dropping them from a great height
- Armory
- Wings, beaks, and talons
- Range
- Close attacks from above
- Strength
- Flight, massive size, ancient wisdom
- Army size
- 100
Thranduil wishes to claim the Elves' share of Smaug's treasure, now held by Thorin. Antipathy between Elves and Dwarves is not new. When Thorin's company passed through Mirkwood, Thranduil had them imprisoned. Now that Thorin has called in an army of dwarves, the friction between the races grows. But before it can erupt, Gandalf warns of the approaching orc hordes. Elves, Dwarves, and Men unite to fight them, with Thranduil's Elven army defending the south side of the Lonely Mountain.
Weapon of choiceElven sword.
- Armory
- Elven spears, bows, and curved swords
- Range
- Long range as well as hand-to-hand
- Strength
- Stealth, ranged attacks, strong defense, strategic brilliance
- Army size
- 3,000–5,000
Reporting directly to the Dark Lord Sauron, Azog is the chief commander of Orc forces—including Goblins, Ogres, Trolls, Half-trolls, and Wargs. Having lost his left arm in battle with Thorin Oakenshield, Azog considers the dwarf king his archenemy. Seeking vengeance, he hunts Thorin and his party until Sauron commands him to take an army of orcs and capture the Lonely Mountain, where the final showdown will take place.
Weapon of choiceOrc scimitar, mace, morning star, and prosthetic blade arm
- Armory
- Swords, axes, and fierce Warg mounts
- Range
- Short range, mainly hand-to-hand
- Strength
- Enormous physical power, formidable defense, armoring, and strategic leadership
- Army size
- 15,000 Guldur Orcs
as well as Trolls and Ogres
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies ©2015 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. TM The Saul Zaentz Co.