153. The Christmas Eucatastrophe (and is The Lord of the Rings a Christmas movie?)
We turn our attention from The Hobbit to a long-hidden Tolkien gem: his 1936 Christmas poem, “Noel.” We take a look at the history of the poem’s rediscovery, its deep-rooted Tolkien-esque imagery, an...
23 Des 20250s
152. Tolkien Ties up EVERY Loose End (we’re done!) – The Hobbit #37
In this episode, we wrap up The Hobbit with “The Last Stage” and reflect on Bilbo’s road home, the petty (now less petty?) Rivendell elves, the unexpected return to Bag End, and how Tolkien so thoroug...
12 Des 20250s
151. Eagles Didn’t Win the Battle – The Hobbit #36
Three dwarves lost and a shape-shifting berserking bear unleashed—the aftermath of the Battle of the Five Armies reconciles Bilbo to Thorin and gives us a completely different Elvenking than what you ...
26 Nov 20250s
150. Tolkien’s Battle Tactics – The Hobbit #35
Did Tolkien “earn” The Battle of the Five Armies, or is the surprise enough to justify its existence? In this episode, we look at Tolkien’s climactic battle from The Hobbit, comparing how it unfolds o...
11 Nov 20250s
149. Bilbo’s Honest Betrayal – The Hobbit #34
Bilbo owns up to his burgling — a betrayal that drives Thorin to the brink of killing him. But Bilbo isn’t cowed… and the armies of elves and men aren’t cowed by Dain’s special forces. But maybe the...
28 Okt 202556min
148. Bilbo Doubles Down on Burglary – The Hobbit #33
We look at Chapter 16 of The Hobbit, where Bilbo makes his most controversial choice-—handing the Arkenstone over to Bard and the Elvenking. Is Bilbo a traitor to the dwarves, or the only one thinking...
15 Okt 202549min
147. Is Thorin Gold-Sick or Just Sick of the Elves – The Hobbit #32
The talking birds bring news of the dragon’s demise to the dwarves–only to find a host of elves and men are coming to the mountain’s gate. Bard makes his claim for a portion of the treasure, but Thori...
30 Sep 20250s
146. Smaug’s Hydrophobia – The Hobbit #31
You’d think the death of the dragon is is the climax of The Hobbit… right? In this chapter, Tolkien gives us action, destruction, and the rise of a new unlikely hero. We look at Bard’s big moment, the...
16 Sep 20250s
