The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Plot
After successfully crossing over (and under) the Misty Mountains, Thorin and Company must seek aid from a powerful stranger before taking on the dangers of Mirkwood Forest--without their Wizard. If they reach the human settlement of Lake-town it will be time for the hobbit Bilbo Baggins to fulfill his contract with the dwarves. The party must complete the journey to Lonely Mountain and burglar Baggins must seek out the Secret Door that will give them access to the hoard of the dragon Smaug. And, where has Gandalf got off to? And what is his secret business to the south?
Overall Series Review
Categorical Breakdown
The film introduces themes of class and race hierarchy within the Elven realm. King Thranduil is depicted as a prejudiced figure who looks down on Tauriel because she is a Silvan Elf, presenting the established, 'white-coded' aristocracy as being inherently flawed and operating on an exclusionary class system. Tauriel is the character who rises above this prejudice, focusing on universal merit and compassion rather than her kingdom's narrow self-interest. Thorin, the central white male king figure, descends into a greedy madness (dragon-sickness), which is a common narrative device used to depict the corrupting nature of power, wealth, and aristocracy.
Hostility toward established culture and ancestral institutions is a strong theme. The Elven King Thranduil is cruel, vain, and isolationist, actively deconstructing the nobility and wisdom expected of his ancient culture. The human government in Lake-town is shown to be overtly corrupt and self-serving under the Master's incompetent and greedy leadership. Tauriel, the moral compass, actively rebels against and abandons her home kingdom and king's authority to pursue a personal sense of justice and compassion for 'the outside world,' framing her culture's traditional self-preservation as morally wrong.
The character Tauriel, an original creation not found in the source material, is introduced to provide a 'Strong Female Character' and is critics describe her as a 'Mary Sue.' She is instantly a highly skilled warrior, Captain of the Guard, and often outshines male characters like Legolas in combat. Her plot arc centers on her challenging her King's authority, rejecting his traditional worldview, and pursuing a romance with a socially inferior Dwarf, Kili. Her emotional purity and moral superiority are contrasted with the flawed, status-obsessed male leadership of Thranduil and the bumbling, greedy men of Lake-town.
The movie follows a traditional male-female narrative structure with no overt themes, characters, or dialogue that center on non-normative sexual identity, gender ideology, or the deconstruction of the nuclear family. The single major romance added to the plot is between a male Dwarf and a female Elf, which is framed as 'forbidden' due to race and social standing, not sexual or gender identity.
The core conflict continues to be framed by a transcendent moral law where objective good battles objective evil. Gandalf is shown directly confronting the Necromancer (Sauron), a clear embodiment of pure malice and darkness. The central internal moral challenge is Thorin's temptation by greed ('dragon-sickness'), which serves as an example of succumbing to a moral vice. Faith and a higher purpose (the quest, the defeat of evil) are sources of strength, not targets of hostility.