The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will celebrate its own birthday, as its theatrical release happened 10 years ago!
Despite the trilogy's title being a clear reference to Bilbo Baggins, the entire series has a number of central characters that help drive the plot. Fans of the trilogy appreciate many of the characters for a variety of reasons, but some characters are simply more likable than others.
Azog
The Defiler doesn't share the screen with Thorin and Company for very long throughout the films, but he's certainly the topic of much discussion between the Dwarves. Azog is an horrifically brutal Orc who is driven by a desire to destroy Thrór's family.
Despite being an awesome foe, The Pale Orc isn't an individual anyone would want to spend a lot of time with. His ferocity is something to marvel at through the screen, but it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that there's nothing positive to ire about him.
Smaug
Bilbo clearly had a fear-based respect for Smaug upon meeting him in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and he also appeared to be impressed by his intellect, but that's about where all his iration for the fire-drake ended.
There are lots of things people don't know about Smaug, but what is obvious is that he's a hateful, jealous, and murderous serpent with an overwhelming obsession of gold and jewels. He sees no reason to respect others, and he couldn't care less if others had any love for him. His only interest is in hoarding wealth and striking fear into those who seek to take it from him.
Thorin Oakenshield
The son of Thráin, in many ways, turned out to be quite like his grandsire, Thrór. His lust for gold consumed his heart, diminishing the value of his companions in comparison. His fellow Dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf, and everyone else he came across all just became a means to an end.
His claim as the rightful "King under the Mountain" led Thorin to forsake the friendship of his companions in favor of power and wealth. Those actions certainly don't inspire great love, although he did redeem himself before his death by recognizing the things in life that truly matter, like friendship and peace. For that, he does deserve respect.
Dwalin
As one of the roughest and gruffest of Thorin's group, Dwalin wouldn't be the first one to come to mind when thinking about likable people. However, he is a principled and honest Dwarf that sticks to his convictions.
Dwalin is a fierce defender of his friends and even stands up to of his own group when he sees them going down a harmful path. Behavior like that takes honor and guts, and is worthy of iration. No matter what the situation is, it's certain that Dwalin will remain true to himself and his values. What's not to love about that?
Bard
The bowman from Lake-town is a ionate man, with a deep love for his family and community. He's certainly one of the most honorable men in the city of Esgaroth. Without his example, it's likely Lake-town would be in a far worse state than it already is. However, that doesn't mean he hasn't, like other Hobbit characters, made some bad decisions.
Bard knows how to keep things light when tensions get too high, and he's also a resourceful and kindly man. Esgaroth is lucky to have him as one of its citizens, and the Dwarves of Erebor are fortunate to have met such a remarkable man during their quest to take back their home.
Bofur
Dwarves are often skilled in battle and have excellent craftsmanship, but Bofur's greatest gift lies in his ability to see the good in the world. He's almost always in a chipper mood, and never lacks a kind word of encouragement to share.
Bofur is one of the Dwarves who connected most deeply with Bilbo, and their friendship blossomed beautifully as the films progressed. It's hard not to smile whenever Bofur is on-screen because his genuine attitude adds a powerful presence to every situation.
Balin
Few characters in The Hobbit films have as soft of a heart as Balin. His iration and respect for Bilbo - especially when many others look down on him - is truly heartwarming to see. He has a clear appreciation for Bilbo's way of life and is often content to hear his thoughts on any given situation.
Of all the Dwarves in Thorin's company, none accept Bilbo as openly or authentically as Balin does. He's like a kindly grandfather figure who always knows what to say and when to say it. The caring and ionate personality he puts on display throughout the films is certainly a delightful thing to see.
Gandalf The Grey
This wizard is always a welcome sight on-screen, in fact it's hard to find anything unlikable about the Grey Pilgrim. Immensely talented on the battlefield, Gandalf has many wise quotes attributed to him, and is an overall delightful soul.
Gandalf adds so much uniqueness to the story because he has such a different perspective than the rest of the characters, thanks to his age and experience. One of the greatest things about Gandalf is that he always meets the moment; he's gentle when he needs to be, fearsome when the situation demands it, and humble when he makes mistakes.
Bilbo Baggins
If the titular character of a story is unlikable then it's doomed to fail. Luckily, this is not even remotely an issue for Bilbo and The Hobbit because Mr. Baggins is about as charming as it gets. Bilbo has the ability to lighten the mood when others are downcast, and is full of comion for those experiencing pain.
Bilbo is the heart and sole of the trilogy, and much of that truth is due to the fact that Martin Freeman is a remarkably charismatic actor. Freeman brings Bilbo's adventurous spirit to life in such a convincing way, it's hard not to get caught up in Bilbo's sense of wonder. What makes this Hobbit so great is that he's got a perfect blend of curiosity, intellect, bravery, wit, and kindness.
