The Great Goblin

The Great Goblin was the fearsome and cruel ruler of the vast goblin realm that lay deep within the Misty Mountains. He presided over a sprawling, torch-lit cavern filled with his subjects, where he sat on a large flat stone surrounded by armed guards carrying axes and bent swords. His authority was absolute, and his domain was a place of darkness, torture, and slave labor, where goblins manufactured weapons and instruments of pain. He was a figure of immense power and malice, embodying the wickedness of his race.

Capture and Confrontation

When Thorin Oakenshield and his company, along with Bilbo Baggins, were captured by goblins after taking shelter in a cave during a thunderstorm, they were dragged before the Great Goblin. He interrogated Thorin with a mixture of mockery and menace, demanding to know their purpose in the mountains. Thorin attempted to deceive him, claiming they were on a journey to visit relatives, but the ruse was quickly exposed when a goblin driver produced the sword Orcrist, which Thorin had taken from the trolls' lair. The Great Goblin recognized the blade immediately, for it was a famous weapon from Gondolin that had killed hundreds of goblins in ages past. In a rage, he shouted, "Murderers and elf-friends! Slash them! Beat them! Bite them! Gnash them! Take them away to dark holes full of snakes, and never let them see the light again!" He then leaped from his seat and rushed at Thorin with his mouth open, intent on killing him personally.

Death and Aftermath

At that critical moment, Gandalf, who had been following the company in secret, extinguished all the lights in the cavern and killed the Great Goblin with a single stroke of his sword, Glamdring. The goblin fell dead, and his soldiers fled in terror before the flashing blade. The death of their leader threw the goblin host into chaos, allowing the dwarves and Bilbo to escape through the dark tunnels. The Great Goblin's demise, however, had far-reaching consequences. It rekindled the hatred of the goblin race for the dwarves to a fury, and messengers were sent to all their cities and strongholds. They resolved to win the dominion of the North, and a vast host was assembled under the mountain Gundabad. This army, learning of the death of Smaug, marched south and ultimately clashed with the combined forces of Elves, Men, and Dwarves in the Battle of Five Armies. Beorn himself later chuckled fiercely at the news, saying, "Killed the Great Goblin!" The Great Goblin's death was thus a pivotal event that not only saved the company in the moment but also set in motion the great war that would reshape the northern lands.