Bombur

Bombur was a Dwarf who accompanies Thorin Oakenshield and Bilbo Baggins on their journey to the Lonely Mountain. His brother Bofur and cousin Bifur also were part of the company.

Biography
Bombur's parentage is unknown; the only familial connections mentioned are his brother Bofur and his cousin Bifur. Bombur was not of Durin's line although he was descended from dwarves of Moria. His birth year is also unknown. However, from Bilbo Baggins' account from the quest to Erebor it is known that the brothers Fíli and Kíli were the youngest of the 13 "by some fifty years" and that after Thorin had been captured, Balin was "the eldest left". Since Fíli was born in T.A. 2859 and Balin was born in 2763, this would put Bombur's birth between 2763 and 2809, and he would have been between 132 and 178 years old during the quest to Erebor. Prior to the quest Bombur probably lived in the Blue Mountains with Thorin after the loss of Thráin The II.

The Quest for Erebor


Bombur is the twelfth Dwarf to arrive at Bag End. Because he counts for two, he is the last to enter Beorn's house and the last to cross the Enchanted river in Mirkwood. Bombur is first introduced when he tumbles with Bifur and Bofur onto Thorin when they enter Bag End, and he also is knocked into the Enchanted river (and falls asleep). He chooses to stay and guard the supplies camp while the others move up Lonely Mountain because he trusts neither mountain paths nor ropes. Later though, he is forced to use the ropes to escape the rampaging dragon Smaug.

Bombur sleeps at several key moments in the book. When he is violently knocked into the Mirkwood River by an aggressive stag, he falls under a spell that makes him sleep for days, burdening the others with his weight as they walked on. And while he is on a midnight lookout in the fortified Lonely Mountain, Bilbo promises to keep watch so that he can sleep a bit longer and take another watch later (Bilbo used this opportunity to sneak the Arkenstone out of the mountain). Incidentally, he was asleep when they opened his barrel after escaping the Elves of Mirkwood and also when Bilbo discovered the secret entrance to Lonely Mountain. Bombur is always last and doesn't enjoy it. When the Dwarves, Gandalf, and Bilbo meet Beorn, Bombur comes last. He comes along straight after Bifur and Bofur so he won't be last. He fought at and survived the Battle of the Five Armies. Following the defeat of Smaug, Dain II Ironfoot gave him his share of the treasure and he remained to live at the Lonely Mountain.

Later Years
In The Lord of the Rings, many years later, Frodo Baggins inquires after Bombur and learns that he has grown so fat it takes six Dwarves to lift him to the dinner table. It is unlikely that Bombur fought in the Battle of Dale due to his weight.

Weapons and abilities
In Peter Jackson's film trilogy, Bombur can be seen using a number of different weapons and tools to fight off enemies. His primary weapon is an iron ladle, which he wields during An Unexpected Journey. He also uses a cleaver or butcher's knife to slash enemies. In The Desolation of Smaug, he uses the same weapons but usually wields an axe. Of course, his greatest weapon is his size which he uses to crush and bounce away opponents. Bombur and his family are not classically trained fighters but are lethal with any sort of tool in their hands.

He also is surprisingly agile for a dwarf of his size and weight. He is very capable of performing stunts such as when, in the second film, he pole vaults into a barrel. He has an astonishing degree of durability, and can withstand landing hard on a great number of Orcs, and also absorbs an incredible amount of momentum in the process, without breaking a limb or causing himself any visible degree of injury. In addition, he is a quick thinker and uses his ingenuity frequently to help push past Orcs or leap across gaps.

The Hobbit film (1977)
In the animated version of The Hobbit, he plays the most major role in Thorin's company besides Balin and Dori. Unlike in the book, he was killed during the Battle of the Five Armies. He was voiced by Paul Frees.

The Hobbit film trilogy


In Peter Jackson's live-action The Hobbit films, he was portrayed by Stephen Hunter. In 2012, the studio released the following statement about Bombur in the upcoming trilogy:

''Brother to Bofur and cousin to Bifur, Bombur is the chief cook amongst The Company of Dwarves. His immense size and voracious appetite causes frequent problems – and laughter – for himself and The Traveling Party. Despite his size he can be surprisingly effective as a fighter – and woe betide anyone who makes him late for dinner!''

Unlike in the book, Bombur appears less frequently and has virtually no dialogue in the films other than grunts or retorts. In the extended edition of the third film, he speaks after the ax in Bifur's head is removed. Throughout the films he is largely a source of comic relief. Most of which pertains to his size and love of eating; such as catching food in midair, being able to outrun his fellow dwarves despite his girth, exceptional fighting skill, even under duress, breaking a table under his own weight with the addition of merely an ounce of food in his hand.

Bombur also appeared as an ally card in the Lord Of The Rings card game, by Fantasy Flight games. He belonged to the Spirit sphere and his effect allowed the player to use him straight from their hand to do nothing but commit to a quest, ignoring the recourse typically used to pay for ally cards, for one turn. Assuming the player did not let Bombur be killed during that turn, the effect could be used over and over again.

Behind the Scenes
According to The History of The Hobbit by John D. Rateliff, in the never completed third revision of The Hobbit, Bombur, along with Bifur and Bofur were to become something like an honour-guard to Thorin. Such a change is already supported in several places of the book, including the fact that Bifur, Bofur and Bombur all arrive at Bag End at the same time as Thorin, and that they climb into the same tree as him when the company is attacked by Wargs and Goblins.