The End of Tolkien's Characters Part 3 Quiz

Answer: His exact fate is unknown.

His exact fate is never told by Tolkien; he presumably died of old age. The Appendix of "The Lord of the Rings" mentions that his son Bain became King of Dale in III, 2977, succeeding his father. It is not known if this was due to the death of Bard or whether he relinquished his rule.

Bard shows some resemblance to another character of Tolkien: Beleg Cúthalion, the Strongbow. He was an Elf of Doriath and friend of Túrin Turambar. Both Beleg and Bard had a black arrow as lucky charm. In both cases the arrow always somehow returned to the owner after having been shot. Bard's black arrow felled Smaug after which it was lost. Beleg's arrow, Dailir, broke when he carried an unconscious Túrin to a safe location, after having rescued him from Orcs. When Túrin awoke he saw Beleg raising his sword above him. Beleg intended to cut the bonds of his friend but Túrin mistook him for an Orc, wrestled the sword from him and accidentally killed his best friend.

Bard's grandson Brand died in the Battle of Dale during the end of the War of the Ring.

Fram, Lord of the Éothéod, was killed by Dwarves after a dispute about the hoard of Scatha the Worm. The Kings of Rohan descended from him. It is said that there was little love between the Northmen, and later the Rohirrim, and the Dwarves over this incident. The horn that was given to Meriadoc was part of Scatha's treasure and made by Dwarves.

Answer: He starved to death in the wastes.

The Master of Lake-town, also called Moneybags, during the events of "The Hobbit" was known for his greed and lust for gold. When Dáin II Ironfoot shared in Smaug's treasure with Bard, Bard gave The Master of Lake-town a great deal of wealth to rebuild Lake-town.

Instead of rebuilding Lake-town he took the gold and fled. He died alone in the wilderness of starvation after his companions had left him. The Lake-men elected a new leader who proved to be wiser. Lake-town, or Esgaroth, was rebuilt.

Answer: Gil-galad had no son.

This was a trick question. Gil-galad had no son. Gil-galad's parentage is debated by Tolkien fans. In "The Silmarillion" and "Unfinished Tales" he is portrayed as the son of Fingon. Yet there has never been any mention of Fingon having a wife or children. Christopher Tolkien later admitted that this was an editor's mistake on his behalf and that J.R.R. Tolkien had envisioned Gil-galad as being the son of Orodreth, who in turn was no longer the son of Finarfin, but Finarfin's grandson through Angrod. Regardless which version you prefer, Gil-galad left no heir. Elrond would probably have been the next in succession, tracing his ancenstry back to Finwë, Fingolfin and Turgon, previous High Kings. Elrond never claimed the Kingship.

Oropher was an existing Elf. He was not a Noldo but a Sindar and King of Mirkwood. He fell on the Dagorlad with two third of his army. His son and heir was Thranduil, who was King of Mirkwood during the events of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Oropher's grandson was Legolas, one of the nine companions who were tasked to bring the One Ring to Mordor.

The Elf who was lost searching for his love was Amroth, Lord of Lórien. He left Lórien to find his love Nimrodel. When he spotted her from a ship he jumped into the waves to swim back and was lost to the sea. Interestingly enough, one of the travelling companions of Nimrodel was Mithrellas. She is said to have given birth to the first Lord of Dol Amroth.

Answer: Meriadoc

Théoden King led the Rohirrim to the Pelennor Fields and his cavalry charge overthrew the entire northern fields, disrupting Orcish and Haradrim forces. His charge was halted by the Witch-king. When the Witch-king assailed the King's company, Snowmane, the King's horse, went mad and was shot by a dart. He threw off Théoden and rolled over him, breaking his body. The Witch-king himself was slain by Éowyn, sister-daughter of Théoden. She was aided by Meriadoc. Éowyn collapsed after striking down the Witch-king.

Meriadoc crawled to the dying Théoden and apologised for breaking the King's command. The King excused him since great heart will not be denied. The King regretted that he would never be able to sit down with Master Holbytla, as Meriadoc was called in Rohan, and listen to his herb-lore. He asked for Éomer and Éowyn. Before Meriadoc could answer him, Éomer and the remainder of the King's company reached them. Théoden named Éomer his heir and died asking Éomer to bid Éowyn farewell, not knowing she lay near him.

Dernhelm was the name that Éowyn adopted when she was disguised as a Rider and was asked for her name by Meriadoc.

In Peter Jackson's film adaption Meriadoc is replaced by Éowyn in this scene. I'm not sure which version I like better as both scenes are powerful.

Answer: Slain in the Battle of the Hornburg

Háma was killed in the assault on Helm's Deep. He fell before the gate. He was buried alone in the shadow of the Hornburg. Théoden cast the first earth on his grave. The rest of the Riders were buried in two mounds, one for Riders from the East Dale, one for Riders from the Westfold.

In Peter Jackon's film adaption Háma is killed during a raid of Warg riders on the King's column as it seeks shelter from Edoras in Helm's Deep. This event was made up by Peter Jackson and does not occur in the book.

Answer: Gondor

In the year IV, 63 (1484 S.R.) word came to Meriadoc that Éomer, King of Rohan, was dying and he wanted to see Master Holdwine, under which name Meriadoc and his deeds entered the annals of the Rohirrim, one last time. Together with his friend, Peregrin Took, he laid down goods and offices and passed them to his son. Together Merry and Pippin rode to Rohan.

After Éomer's passing they rode to Gondor to live out the rest of their years. By then Meriadoc was 102, old by Hobbit standards. They were laid to rest in the Rath Dínen, the Houses of the Dead, among the great Kings and Stewards of Gondor.

Answer: Slain in the First Battle of the Fords of Isen

Saruman was preparing to invade Rohan and needed to force his way through the Fords of Isen, defended by the Second Marshal of the Mark, Théodred, the king's son. Saruman gave explicit orders to his troops to kill the Marshal. Théodred's forces were expecting the assault and he tried to attack his enemy before they were fully prepared.

The enemy was prepared for this however and Théodred was forced to fall back towards the Fords. There he was slain by a Half-orc captain, just as his own captain, Grimbold, came to his aid. Grimbold slew the Half-orc and fought two more over the body his Marshal. Elfhelm, the King's lieutenant in Edoras and leader of the Muster of Edoras, came to the aid of the besieged Rohirrim and his companies managed to drive off the remainder of Saruman's forces. Elfhelm himself came to the aid of Grimbold. Théodred still lived but only to utter his last words. Together they bore the dead prince from the battlefield and sent his body back to Edoras in great grief.

A week later Saruman would force a passage over the Fords, driving Erkenbrand's Westfold forces under Grimbold and Elfhelm away. The invasion of Rohan had begun.

The death of Théodred left Théoden without heir. On the battlefield on the Pelennor he named Éomer, his sister-son and Third Marshal of the Mark, his heir with his dying words. Théodred's faithful captain, Grimbold, would not survive the War of the Ring. He fell on the Pelennor. Elfhelm was named Marshal of the East-mark after the war.

Answer: Thorin, Kíli and Fíli

In "The Hobbit", thirteen Dwarves showed up at the door of Bilbo Baggins, hobbit of the Shire: Thorin II Oakenshield, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Dwalin, Glóin, Fíli, Kíli, Nori, Óin and Ori. Thorin II Oakenshield was Durin's heir and intended to reclaim the ancient kingdom of Erebor, from which he was driven by Smaug the dragon in the time his grandfather, Thrór, who had been King under the Mountain. On the behest of Gandalf the Wizard they enlisted the aid of Bilbo Baggins and set out on their quest.

After many great perils they arrived at the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo Baggins snuck into the mountain and was heard by Smaug, who could not see him because Bilbo had a magic ring that made him invisible (the One Ring as it turns out later). He conversed with Smaug and in doing so he managed to discover a weakness in the otherwise impenetrable hide of Smaug. This information was also picked up by an old thrush who informed Bard, the great bowman of Esgaroth of this weakness. Bard managed to kill Smaug.

Elves from Mirkwood soon arrived to aid the Lake-men as their town had been destroyed in Smaug's fall. Thinking the Dwarves dead they marched to the mountain to take up the vast treasure that was hoarded there. They were astounded to find the Dwarves alive and Thorin would not share in his treasure. He send for his cousin Dáin in the Iron Hills who arrived quickly with 500 Dwarven warriors to reinforce the mountains. Before the forces of the Dwarves could clash with the humans from the Lake and the Elves they were assailed by Orcs from the Misty Mountains.

The three groups united but soon were overwhelmed. Then Thorin and his company came out of Erebor, clad in armour and outfitted with weapons from the ancient armoury. Three Dwarves would fall. Thorin attempted to assail Bolg, the leader of the Orcs, but was mortally wounded by the spears of his bodyguard. Fíli and Kíli fell trying to defend him. They were his sister-sons. Thorin survived the battle but died shortly after, making amends to Bilbo before he passed on.

Balin had been Bilbo's greatest friend with the Dwarves and visited him with Gandalf eight years after reclaiming Erebor. Balin would lead an expedition to Moria many years later to reclaim that ancient city. He was killed with his entire expedition in III, 2994. Óin and Ori went with him and was lost as well. Óin was killed by the Watcher in the Water. Ori wrote the last pages into the Book of Mazarbul before he and the last of the dwarves perished in a last stand.

The rest of the Dwarves were presumed to be still alive during the Council of Elrond in III, 3018 (with the exception of Dwalin maybe, he would have been 246 years at the time. The date of his death is known and set into the Fourth Age but Christopher Tolkien later stated in the History of Middle-earth this might be a mistake). Glóin himself was present at the Council and his son Gimli would join the Fellowship of the Ring.

Answer: No

Halbarad and the Rangers were met by Elladan and Elrohir and later caught up with Aragorn, who was in the presence of Théoden of Rohan at the time. Much to the dismay of the Rohirrim, Aragorn and the company left for the Paths of the Dead. There Aragorn enlisted the help of the Dead Men to liberate the southern fiefdoms of Gondor, who had been assailed by Haradrim and Corsairs of Umbar and therefore unable to send help to Minas Tirith. The Dead Men were relieved after this battle and passed away (in contrast to the movie where they show up at the Pelennor).

Aragorn then led a great force to Minas Tirith using ships captured from the Corsairs. They arrived in the most dire hour on the Pelennor. Seeing the ships approach the city thought it came under another attack while the current battle was going ill already. Éomer, King of Rohan, was in a bad situation. His cavalry had upset the Haradrim army but was unable to assail the giant Mûmakil. New forces arriving from Minas Morgul threatened to overwhelm his forces. Seeing the ships he decided to make a last stand.

Fortune turned when it turned out the Corsair ships where manned by men from Gondor and they joined the fight. Halbarad lead the Rangers of the North. He is mentioned with the fallen: "Neither Hirluin the fair would return to Pinnath Gelin, nor Grimbold to Grimslade, nor Halbarad to the Northland, dour-handed Ranger." He is not mentioned in the Song of the Mounds of Mundburg though, probably not being well-known due to the fact he was a Ranger of the North.

Answer: Beregond

Denethor had been a grim and serious Steward. Looking into the Palantír set him on the road to insanity and the loss of Boromir was a great blow. When Faramir returned wounded from Osgiliath the Steward finally turned mad. Not knowing the Rohirrim had answered his call for help he thought all hope was lost. He laid the feverish Faramir upon a table and his servants had piled wood under it and drenched everything in oil.

Peregrin Took was witness to this but could not stop it. He went to warn Beregond, Guard of the Citadel, but Beregond could not leave his post. Pippin displayed exceptional heroism by running back into the beleaguered city to look for Gandalf and found him at the gates, confronting the Witch-king. The Witch-king left the gate when the horns of the Rohirrim sounded over the Pelennor. Gandalf, conflicted as where to go, decided to join Pippin. They found Beregond's post deserted and the porter of the Closed Door slain.

They came to the Rath Dínen and the House of the Stewards and heard the sound of swords. Beregond had left his post to save his lord, Faramir, from death. He defended the door to the tomb from the servants of Denethor, who tried to bring the fire to their master. Denethor himself intervened, opening the door from the inside and intent on slaying Beregond. Gandalf cast away the Steward's sword and bore Faramir away. Denethor would die as he set fire to himself, but Faramir would be healed "by the hands of the King" and lived on.

Beregond was later judged for his actions. He had deserted his post as a guard and had spilled blood in the hallowed halls of the dead. To both the penalty of death applied. The newly crowned King Elessar remitted the penalty for Beregond's valour in battle and because he acted to save the life of Lord Faramir. He was to leave the Guard of the Citadel and go forth from Minas Tirith as he was appointed captain of the White Company, the new guard of Prince Faramir of Ithilien. He dwelt in honour and peace serving his Lord Faramir and his wife, Lady Éowyn of Rohan.

In Peter Jackson's film adaptation the character Beregond has been omitted and all the glory goes to Pippin and Gandalf. In the books, however, they would have been late if it had not been for Beregond's decision to desert his post, having to slay the porter for the keys and ward off Denethor's servants in the Rath Dínen as they wanted to bring the fire to their master.