Bard

"Arrow! Black arrow! I have saved you to the last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well!"

- The Hobbit, "Fire and Water"

Bard or Bard the Bowman also known as Bard the First, was a man of Laketown, slayer of the Dragon, Smaug, and founder, first king of the New Kingdom of Dale. He was succeeded as King of Dale by his son, Bain.

Biography


Bard was descended from Lord Girion of Dale, whose wife and child had escaped to Laketown when Smaug ruined Dale and took the Lonely Mountain in TA 2770.

In TA 2941, when Smaug emerged from the Lonely Mountain and attacked Laketown, Bard, as captain of a company of town archers, was encouraging the archers and urging the town Master to order them to fight to the last arrow. Bard himself fired many arrows with his great yew bow. He was down to his last arrow when a thrush came and perched on his shoulder. Because Bard was of the race of Dale, he was able to understand the thrush's words. The bird told him of the weak spot in Smaug's armor that Bilbo Baggins had discovered. Bard fired his Black Arrow and struck the hollow by Smaug's left breast and the dragon fell from the sky, landing on Laketown and destroying it.

Bard escaped into the lake and swam ashore. The people wanted him to be their King, but he said he would continue to serve the Master of Laketown for the time being. Bard took charge of organizing shelter and aid for the refugees and sent messages to the Elvenking of Mirkwood asking for help. Then, Bard and the Elvenking led their armies to the Lonely Mountain, seeking a share of the treasure.

When they arrived at the Lonely Mountain, they were surprised to find Thorin Oakenshield and his company of Dwarves still alive. Bard sought reparations from Thorin on the grounds that it was he who had slain Smaug, that part of the Dragon’s treasure had once belonged to Dale, and that the people of Laketown were suffering and needed aid. Thorin said that the destruction of Laketown was not his responsibility and he refused to parley with armies camped outside the mountain. Bard sent a messenger several hours later asking for one-twelfth of the treasure, but again Thorin refused.



Bilbo Baggins thought that Bard's claims were reasonable, so one night he went secretly to the camp of the Lakemen and Elves. The Hobbit had found the Arkenstone - the treasure that Thorin most desired - and he offered it to Bard and Thranduil to use to negotiate. He also told them that an army of 500 Dwarves led by Dain II Ironfoot was coming from the Iron Hills.

The next day, Bard asked Thorin for a portion of the treasure in exchange for the Arkenstone. Thorin was enraged, but he reluctantly agreed to give up Bilbo's one-fourteenth share. Dain's army arrived the next day, and Bard tried to prevent them from entering the Lonely Mountain until the exchange for the Arkenstone had been made. A battle seemed imminent, but then Gandalf told them that an army of Goblins and Wargs were approaching. Bard, Thranduil, and Dain took council together and they joined forces to fight their common enemy in the Battle of the Five Armies. During the battle, Thorin had emerged from mountain and had rallied Dwarves, Elves, and Men to the attack, but he was mortally wounded. Bard laid the Arkenstone upon Thorin's breast when he was buried under the mountain, and Dain agreed to pay the one-fourteenth share of the treasure as promised. Bard gave the emeralds of Girion to Thranduil and Bilbo agreed to take a small chest of gold and one of silver. Bard also contributed gold for the aid of Laketown, and although the Master of Laketown absconded with much of it, Laketown was rebuilt and its people became prosperous.

Bard went to his ancestral home of Dale at the foot of the Lonely Mountain. He rebuilt the ruined town and in TA 2944, he became King of Dale. Bard maintained good relations with the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and trade flowed freely up and down the River Running. People came to settle in Dale from miles around and the land that had been withered by Smaug became bountiful once more.

Bard died in TA 2977. His son Bain succeeded him as King of Dale.

Gene Deitch
Along with Bard, many characters of importance were omitted in this work from 1966.

Rankin and Bass
In the 1977 film The Hobbit, Bard was voiced by John Stephenson.

The Hobbit film trilogy


Bard is portrayed by the Welsh actor Luke Evans in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug who bears a striking resemblance to Legolas' actor Orlando Bloom. Here he is referred to as Bard the Bargeman rather than captain of the town archers. He has also appeared in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

In addition to his son Bain, the film version of Bard also has two daughters, Sigrid and Tilda, played in The Desolation of Smaug by James Nesbitt's daughters, Peggy and Mary, respectively. "The Lord of Silver Fountains, the King of Carven Stone, the King Beneath the Mountain, shall come into his own. And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the Mountain King's return, But all shall fail in sadness, and the Lake will shine and burn."

- Bard reciting prophecy

In the book, the first we read of Bard was when he, as captain of a company of town archers, was urging the town Master to order a fight to the last arrow, and was himself shooting arrows at the attacking dragon. He never recited the above-quoted "prophecy." But in the movie the character takes on a much greater role.



In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Bard confronts the Dwarves upon finding them on the river bank. Balin persuades Bard to smuggle them into Lake-town, promising to pay him double his usual barge fare. Bard is hesitant at first, not wanting Thranduil to be angry at Lake-town, but eventually smuggles the Company into the town and leads them to his house where they stay for the night. When Bard realizes that Thorin is actually Thorin Oakenshield of the line of Durin, he goes out to a shop to find a tapestry of the line of Durin before reciting a prophecy of the Mountain King's return. He returned to his house to find that the Dwarves had left to raid the armoury and thus left to find them. By the time he did, the Dwarves had been caught and Thorin revealed his identity to the Master of Lake-town. Bard vocalized his opposition to letting the Dwarves enter the Lonely Mountain, fearing that they would awaken Smaug, who would destroy Lake-Town in retaliation, but by appealing to their hopes for the return of prosperity, Thorin is able to persuade the Master and the townspeople to support him.

Kili becomes gravely ill from a poisoned arrow which had hit him previously during an orc attack, and is left behind as Thorin and the others head to the Lonely Mountain. Fili, Bofur, and Óin stay to tend him, taking refuge in Bard's home. Óin asks Bard if there is any Kingsfoil, and Bard says it's a weed they use to feed the pigs, so Bofur sets off to get some. Then, Bolg and his orc troops, searching for Thorin, attack the Dwarves and Bard's family. Fortunately, Legolas and Tauriel arrive in time to rescue them. When Smaug is finally awakened, Bard takes out the Black Arrow and prepares to use it, but as he and Bain attempt to get to the Dwarvish wind lance to mount the Black Arrow, the town guard began searching for Bard at the orders of the Master. Passing Bain the Black Arrow and instructing him to hide it, Bard attempts to lead the guards away is soon captured and imprisoned as Smaug flies towards the Lake-town.



In The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Bard escapes prison by wrapping a rope around the Master of Lake-town's neck. Which when his boat goes foreward the door to the prison breaks. Bard then steals a pack of arrows and a bow, climbs to the top of a large tower and proceeds to shoot Smaug, who is currently burning Lake-town. Bard eventually runs out of arrows and his son, Bain comes up with a black arrow. Bard's bow has now been broken, so he ties the bow string to the posts on the tower and rests the black arrow on Bain's shoulder. Bard pulls the arrow back and fires, the arrow hits Smaug right where his scale is missing. Smaug's corpse then falls in the lake and on the Master's boat, killing him, Braga, and two other guards.



Bard then leads the surviving people of Lake-town to Dale, not knowing that the Dwarves of Erebor have already taken control of Erebor. The refugees from Lake-town stay in Dale for the night. The next morning Thranduil and the Elves of Kirkwood arrive and give the people of Lake-Town food. Bard and Thranduil form an alliance to take back their rightful treasure in Erebor. Thranduil explains to Bard that he came here to claim something of his, white gems. Bard explains to Thranduil that he want to speak to Thorin first, possibly to prevent conflict. Bard first speaks with Thorin, but when bard returns with the news that Thorin will give them nothing, Thranduil thinks little of it and declares war on the dwarves. That night Bilbo sneaks out of the mountain for a meeting with Bard, and Thranduil and much to Bilbo's surprise Gandalf is present. He gives them the arkenstone in hope it will make peace with the dwarves. The next morning the elves and men march up to Erebor where Bard offers Thorin the Arkenstone. Thorin refuses and almost kills Bilbo after he finds out from Bilbo what happened. However, just before Thorin can harm Bilbo Gandalf then arrives. Gandalf demands Thorin not to harm his "burglar" and demands Thorin to return Bilbo to him at once. Afterward Bard asks, "Are we resolved? The return of the Arkenstone for what was promised?" Thorin gives Bard one glance then looks to the Northwest seeing no sign of the crow that was sent to Dain Ironfoot. Bard then says "Give us your answer. Will you have peace or War?" Then the crow returns and marching is heard, Dain Ironfoot and the army of dwarves march down proudly to Thorin's aid, Thorin replies to Bard's question "I will have war." When the elves go to attack the Iron Hill dwarves, Dain Ironfoot arrives on the scene Gandalf tries to reason with Dain that orcs are coming and he should stand down but Dain refuses. An after Dain and King Thranduril have a bitter exchange of words Dain declares war. However, before the Dwarves and Elves can even attack each other, the orcs being led by Agog arrive and so The Battle of Five Armies begins. Gandalf realizing Agog's plan knows the Lake-town, Kirkwood and Iron Hills Armies all can't fight on two fronts. So Bard leads his Men back to the city of Dale to defend the city for the remainder of the battle.

Video games



 * In The Hobbit (2003 video game), Bard sends Bilbo on a quest where thieves and goblins are causing mischief and plotting to take over Laketown. Bard wants Bilbo to track their moves and eventually find the thieves hideout. In the Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo warns Bard of a goblin attack that is advancing on him from behind. Bard is also the bowman who strikes Smaug under his belly where there is a weak spot under his scales and glittering chest, causing Smaug to crash into the lake front.