Quick Links
ThroughoutThe Lord Of The RingsandThe Hobbit, fans are shown a variety of fascinating objects of varying importance to the overall plot. Some of the objects,like Saruman’s palantír, remain a bit of a mystery to the average fan, even if there is a rich explanation for what the palantír is and what it does, while many more are explained quite well in the movies. One important object fromThe Hobbittrilogy is the Arkenstone, and it seems many fans have been left confused about what exactly it is.
It’s not too surprising that some fans have been left scratching their heads at what the Arkenstone is considering it is mostly highlighted in passing across the trilogy. Despite it only being mentioned and seen a handful of times, the Arkenstone is deeply important to the Dwarves of Middle Earth during the time ofThe Hobbit. Interestingly, depending on whichThe Lord Of The Ringsmedia one looks at, the Arkenstone is actually slightly different.
A heavy large stone that emits light,
Usage:
Used to symbolize the king of Durin’s Folk
The Arkenstone, known in full as the Arkenstone of Thráin or the Heart of the Mountain is said to be one of the most striking and beautiful stones ever discovered. Originally discovered by the Dwarven king Thráin inthe pits of the Lonely Mountain(also known as Erebor), the Arkenstone quickly became a mark of pride for Durin’s Folk. Essentially, the Arkenstone would be passed down the lineage of Durin’s Folk to whoever would hold the title of their king. It would remain an important part of Dwarvish culture untilthe dragon Smaugwould claim it and the Lonely Mountain for himself. It is actually Bilbo of all people who manages to highlight the importance of the Arkentstone in the pages ofThe Hobbit:
“This is the Arkenstone of Thrain,” said Bilbo, “the Heart of the Mountain; and it is also the heart of Thorin. He values it above a river of gold. I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining.”
Originally some kind of brilliant stone, the Dwarves did what they do best and crafted it to perfection. They were able to morph the stone into a beautiful jewel that would remain asthe pride of the powerful Dwarves. A reason for the stone’s great beauty was its ability to create its own light, something that wasn’t exactly common. An interesting tidbit about the Arkenstone is that some fans believe that it is actually a lost Silmaril due to the nature of the light the stone produces.
The Arkenstone In The Hobbit Movies
ThroughoutThe Hobbittrilogy, the Arkenstone plays an important if somewhat shifted role from the original source material. Said to have been discoveredby the Dwarven kingThror in the Lonely Mountain, the beautiful stone is one of the key objects that begin to create great greed within the hearts of the Dwarvish people. Fans ofThe Lord Of The Ringswill know how dangerous greed among the Dwarves can be, and that issue is no different inThe Hobbit, though the source of the greed is somewhat different from the typical lore. Rather than the evil plot of Sauron being involved in the Dwarvish greed, it is actually a maladyknown as Dragon Sicknessthat befalls the Dwarves thanks to the beauty of the Arkenstone.
Acting as a sort of MacGuffin, the Arkenstone is the object needed for Thorin (or any other Dwarf) to be able to unite the Dwarves as it bestows true kingship among their people. One of the main points of the journey inThe Hobbittrilogy is to retrieve the Arkenstone from the fierce dragon Smaug. Bilbo manages to find the Arkenstone during his time in conflict with Smaug, though he ends up hiding it away from his Dwarf companions asdragon sickness begins to befall Thorin. As Thorin becomes more and more unhinged, it’s made clear that he’d do anything to have the Arkenstone, causing him to lash out at others with cruelty and nearly leading to conflict, something that leads to Bilbo taking matters into his own hands.
What Happens To The Arkenstone?
InThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo eventually ends up giving the Arkenstone to the Elf Thranduil and the Lake-Man Bard in a slight betrayal of Thorin. This move ultimately is for the good of all people as Bilbo intends to avoid an all-out conflict. Unfortunately, the blind greed of Thorin leads the Dwarves to war anyway soon leading to the beginning ofthe Battle of Five Armies. The battle would be bloody, especially for Thorin, as even though the Orc forces ended up being defeated, Thorin would be gravely wounded.
Upon his death, Thorin was finally reunited with the Arkenstone, being buried with it in his tomb. This wasa fitting end not only for Thorinbut for the Arkenstone as well, as it would end up back where it was found, deep in the bowels of the Lonely Mountian. With it back where it truly belongs, the Arkenstone truly becomes representative of its other name, it becomes the heart of the Lonely Mountain.
The Lord Of The Ringsis available to stream now on MAX.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
