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The Master of Lake-town was advised by an untold number of councillors during the late Third Age.[1]
History
During the Quest of Erebor in TA 2941, when Thorin and Company arrived in Lake-town, they were brought by the captain of the guard to the Great House in the market-place where the Master was feasting, possibly with his councillors. After a fortnight, Thorin thought about leaving and told the Master and his councilors that they must leave soon. When the company departed a few days later, the "Master and his councilors bade them farewell from the great steps of the town-hall that went down to the lake".[1]
After the Master of Lake-town caught the dragon-sickness and fled from Lake-town with gold and some companions,[2] it is possible that some of these companions may have been the Master's former councillors.[citation needed] These companions eventually deserted him and he starved to death in the Waste sometime between TA 2941 and TA 2949.[2]
In adaptations
The Hobbit film trilogy
Alfrid Lickspittle is the Master's deputy created for The Hobbit film trilogy, based on the unnamed councilors in the book. He is portrayed by Ryan Gage in the second and third films, advising the Master in matters of diplomacy, trade, and the defense of Lake-town.
The Desolation of Smaug
In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Alfrid stopped Bard the Bowman from entering Lake-town with barrels filled with fish (which was to hide Thorin and Company in order to smuggle them into the town) as he was not allowed to fill the barrels, and ordered Braga and the guards to empty them into the lake. Bard then reminded Alfrid that food was scarce and threatened him with unrest among the citizenry if they heard that the Master was dumping fish in the lake, causing Alfrid to order the guards to stop and allow him to pass, but not before threatening Bard.
Alfrid, a councilor of the Master invented for The Hobbit films
Later on, Alfrid warns the Master about Bard's rebellious attitude against him, and is ordered to send spies to watch his house. He was later present when the Dwarves were caught stealing weapons and then persuaded the Master that the town would have a share of the treasure if they took back the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. The Master reluctantly agrees, in order to have his greedy hands on the share, and Alfrid felt the same way. Later, when Bard told his son Bain to hide the Black Arrow to use it later when the dragon arrives, Alfrid helps the guards by tripping Bard, and with the assistance of the Master knocking him unconscious with a wooden plank, they then lock him away in the prison.
The Battle of the Five Armies
In The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, as Smaug starts attacking the town, Alfrid, the Master and some of the Master's guards attempt to flee the city by a small boat which they fill with as much gold as they can without bothering to help any of the other citizens of Lake-town. As they are just setting off Alfrid realizes that they have too much gold on the boat and he advises the Master to drop something off it. The Master agrees, but to avoid dumping his riches he pushes Alfrid off instead. This was actually fortunate for Alfrid since shortly after he is pushed off, Smaug is killed and he lands on the boat, crushing the Master and his guards and killing them instantly.
The next morning Alfrid swims to the shore screaming and pleading for help, but in annoyance at being given none, he tells everyone that in the absence of the Master he is the one in charge of Lake-town. The people then attack him and try to lynch him but Bard stops them, saying that there has been enough blood spilled already and that there will be no need for more. During their journey to the mountain Alfrid reluctantly does whatever Bard tells him to do but he continues to be cruel to the other people of Lake-town and lazy in any task given to him. When the group first reaches the mountain the people camp out in the ruins of Dale. Gandalf then shows up; Alfrid is rude to him and tells him to leave (mistaking him for a vagabond), but Bard lets him in. During the night Bard puts Alfrid on watch duty, on which he falls asleep, failing to observe the arrival of Thranduil's army. Later when Bilbo Baggins gives Bard and Thranduil the Arkenstone, Gandalf tells Alfrid to take Bilbo to his room and make sure he doesn't sneak away, though Bilbo does just this.
During the battle, Alfrid insists to Bard that he should escort the elderly, the wounded and the women and the children to safety, in an act of cowardice since he didn't want to fight. Bard agrees about taking the helpless to shelter but insists Alfrid fight, and gives him a sword. Annoyed, Alfrid dresses up like an elderly woman and stays in the main hall with them. Later towards the end of the battle, the women decide to help the men in battle, but Alfrid, still dressed as an old lady, refuses. When Alfrid's hood flies off and they all see who he really is, the people of Lake-town are furious at Alfrid and call him a coward; he then sees a large pot full of money and decides to make a run for it, so he grabs the pot and runs away. He is confronted by a Ogre who knocks him over causing the pot to smash, but just as the ogre was about to kill him, Bard kills it, saving Alfrid's life.
Death
Showing no sign of gratitude towards Bard, Alfrid regathers the money he dropped and runs away. He later hides in a catapult attached to a dead troll, watching as Gandalf confronts another Troll, unsuccessfully trying to use his staff's power. However, one of Alfrid's coins slips off his corset and falls on the catapult lever. The coin triggers the weapon, throwing Alfrid straight into the troll's mouth. Alfrid and the troll asphyxiate each other, inadvertently saving Gandalf.
Character
At heart, Alfrid is described to be a power-hungry, egomaniacal, narcissistic and opportunistic sycophant, and his counsel could not always be relied upon to serve anyone other than himself. He will cling to anything that will benefit him and provide him with power over others. He has an extremely arrogant habit of demanding respect which he hasn't even come close to earning. Alfrid is instinctively hypocritical and self-serving, shown by the fact that to start with he was abusive, vindictive and antagonistic toward Bard, but after Smaug's death and Bard being seen as a hero, Alfrid grovelled at his feet and bragged, incorrectly, that he had always admired Bard and viewed him as a great man. He is extremely disliked by the townspeople because he is so cruel and snobby towards them, and when Lake-town is destroyed they do not hesitate to try and turn their anger on him.
Voice dubbing actors
| Foreign Language | Voice dubbing artist |
|---|---|
| Portuguese (Brazil) (Television/DVD) | Jorge Lucas |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Luis Daniel Ramírez |
| Spanish (Spain) | Ángel de Gracia |
| Italian (Italy) | Franco Mannella |
| French (France) | Xavier Béja |
| German | Axel Malzacher |
| Polish | Jarosław Boberek |
| Czech | Bohdan Tůma |
Trivia
- In Peter Jackson's trilogies, Alfrid's character is similar to Gríma Wormtongue. Both are cowards hiding behind those with authority (Bard, Master of Lake-town, Saruman). Additionally, both are killed in a scene only shown in the extended editions.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Hobbit, Chapter X: "A Warm Welcome"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Hobbit, Chapter XIX: "The Last Stage"