What would you do for a mountain full of
gold?
The Hobbit: The Battle of the 5 Armies picks up where the
Desolation of Smaug leaves off- Thorin and Company have
reached the mountain, the men of Lake Town are being pursued
by Smaug- and oh yes, Smaug is angry and raining fire on
everyone. Before the opening credits roll, Smaug is gone,
leaving all the gold for Thorin. Now by all rights, the gold
should be divided up amongst the company- 13 dwarves, 1 Master
Burglar hobbit, and the men of Lake Town. The folks of Lake
Town aren't asking for an equal share, just enough to rebuild,
as Thorin had promised for their assistance. Thorin is blinded
by the gold, wanting to give none of it up to the men of Lake
Town. Proving there is no honor among thieves, Thorin screams
that this much gold is worth war, worth much bloodshed and
many deaths. What would YOU do for a mountain full of gold?
So the men of Lake Town are one army, and they are in line to
get gold to rebuild. Their home was completely destroyed by
Smaug's attack, they flee to Dale, in the shadow of the
mountain for shelter. Their claim to the gold seems
reasonable, they aided Thorin in his time of need, and now
they are in need of the gold to restore their home. Not to
mention, it was a man from Lake Town, Bard, who killed the
evil Smaug. Doesn't that count for something? Unfeeling Thorin
is not swayed by such arguments, even when Bard points out
that there is an army of Elves waiting to descend on the
mountain and forcibly take the gold. Wouldn't it be better for
Thorin to just give the men the gold? Thorin is unchanged- no
gold for the men of Lake Town.
Now the Elves of Mirkwood are involved
because they too have a claim to treasures of the mountain.
Thranduil comes bearing food and water for the refugee men of
Lake Town, and an army of Woodland Elves to reclaim the Elven
jewels hidden in the mountains of gold. The jewels were stolen
from Thranduil's ancestors, and he just wants the jewels to go
back to their rightful heir, him.