THBOTFA Director Sir Peter Jackson should have left in the somber and poignant funeral for Thorin Oakenshield–portrayed by the exquisitely talented British actor Richard Armitage –in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and chopped off the last 10 minutes of the movie where Bilbo returns to a Bag End auction. IMHO.
King Thorin deserved the honor of a valorizing funeral for the sacrifices that he made for his 
people. That funeral scene was The defining chapter conclusion [(right)]. For the tragedies that Thorin endured of his grandfather being killed before his eyes, for the agony of not knowing his father’s fate, then finding it out. For Thorin almost succumbing to the gold sickness– ostracizing everyone in the process–but ultimately, being the leader who rallied his comrades to fight for him, one last time.
But Thorin’s funeral ended up on the cutting room floor for the initial theatrical release. Arrrghhhh!
However, the THBOTFA film’s extended edition includes the funeral, the chariot race, etc. Yay! So thanks to Devansh Sharma for sharing this video clip of Thorin’s funeral from the extended edition!
Very moving. But I have one nagging point. The Arkenstone needed to be placed a bit higher than it was–as in, over Thorin’s heart, not his stomach (my cap, below). But otherwise, the funeral scenes were very lovely and stirring–and especially poignant with Thorin’s body being flanked by the bodies of his nephews Kili and Fili.
We/I needed the closure that a cinematic funeral provides for the epic quest and battle saga of Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain(below), to reclaim their homeland of Mount Erebor.
So thank goodness for the THBOTFA Extended Edition being released on dvd and blue ray on November 17th! I can’t wait to buy my copy!
Something About Love (A) 
I needed that closure myself. I was very upset for days, wondering what was wrong, then I realized I didn’t have a funeral scene and closure.
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Hi Carolyn, Thanks for your nice note. It’s nice to know that others feel the same way about needing closure for Thorin as well.
Though, in my heart of hearts, all of the Dwarves (and that includes Dain Ironfoot’s army) would have stormed Ravenhill–attacking Azog and his orcs pounding them into dust. And Thorin and his nephews would not have been outnumbered and not have been slain–and Thorin and his nephews would have lived on to write the new history for the Dwarves of Erebor.
The ending of The Hobbit–particularly of Thorin’s demise–didn’t seem to me to have a purpose in a storytelling sense. Greek tragedies usually have some lesson learned–such as don’t anger the gods by messing around with their human bit of stuff on the side, etc. But there was no “lesson” that Thorin learned–nor that we learned from his death. He was a good man and a great leader. Thorin never reaped the rewards that should have been his by right.
Just look at Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings. He quested and battled and loved and hoped–and in the end, he got everything he ever wanted, including the girl, Arwen. It is so not fair that Thorin was not so favored by Tolkien.
But, c’est la vie. Thanks for visiting and commenting! Hugs! Grati ;->
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I agree that Thorin’s demise had no purpose. He should have gone on to reap his rewards. I like your ‘heart of heart’ ending much better! Hugs!
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Thanks! Hugs!
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November 12 & 14, 2015–Thanks for liking this post! I’m glad that you enjoyed it!
Carolyn, Esther, & Servetus
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The ending has always bothered me as well. Bilbo’s return to the auction at Bag End, to me, only served as a reminder that this is ultimately Bilbo’s story and NOT Thorin’s. At least, that’s what I tell myself. And I think if PJ had had another actor portraying Thorin, Bilbo might’ve been more in the forefront. But it was hard for Martin Freeman’s Bilbo to compete (not sure that’s the right word) with the power of Richard’s Thorin.
And I mean no offense to either actor. But Martin, even in other roles I’ve seen him in, simply does not have the presense that Richard has (despite his being bashful).
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Hi LadyGrayse,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment! Yes, not showing the funeral in the initial theatrical release of THBOTFA–which was clearly a major point in the book for the other characters, as well as for Thorin–was more odd a departure from Tolkien than was the adding of the female Elven character Tauriel (whom I liked).
And though Tolkien and readers might view the “everyman/Hobbit” Bilbo as the “star” of the book, when one really thinks about it Thorin’s quest to reclaim the Dwarves of Durin’s homeland is at the heart of the book and the film. So Thorin rightly took center stage in the films–and Richard Armitage’s commanding stage presence and ability to transform himself into his characters dominated the films, as you astutely noted as well.
Finally, although I am not familiar with much of Martin Freeman’s work–and I personally dislike his oftenly used vulgar language in interviews–he charmed me in The Hobbit films as Bilbo. But no, he was not the “hero” of the film IMHO.
Thanks for visiting and commenting! Cheers! Grati ;->
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The EE gives me one more sweet thing to look forward to on my return from our trip. I’m going to block some time just for myself (yeah, right, uh huh, sure – keep telling yourself that, Kitty) to watch it; maybe during Christmas break, or, if I’m lucky, during Thanksgiving break.
I love how Bilbo looked like he was about to throw up as he viewed Thorin’s body. True, heart-felt grief will do that. Well played, Mr. Freeman!
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Hi Kitty, Thanks for your nice note! The EE is very much something to look forward to! Hope you have a great trip. And we all need to carve out some time for ourselves to refresh and renew our spirits! Happily, the exquisitely talented British actor Mr. Richard C. Armitage helps that along for me and for many of us. I look forward to seeing more of the respect given to Thorin’s sacrifice in the EE–by Bilbo and others. Thanks & Cheers! Grati ;->
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