Thorin Oakenshield

Thorin Oakenshield, also known as Thorin II and later King under the Mountain, stands as a pivotal figure whose quest defines the prelude to the great wars of the Third Age. A descendant of kings and the rightful heir to the dwarf-hoards beneath Erebor, he is introduced as the leader of twelve companions in exile, a prince without a realm. His story, told in The Hobbit, is not merely an adventure but a foundational event that reshapes the political landscape of the North and sets in motion the chain of circumstances leading to the War of the Ring. His death in the Battle of Five Armies, and the succession of his cousin Dáin Ironfoot, prove to be of immense consequence, as the restored Kingdom under the Mountain becomes a crucial bulwark against the forces of Sauron.