grammaboodawg: The Dwarves and Bilbo stand high above the treasure as it looks like Thorin is searching for the Arkenstone.
Garfeimao: Thorin in what appears to be the Throne room surrounded by treasure, while several of the dwarves look down on him from a balcony. This immediately sets the tone of Thorin’s estrangement from the rest of the company as he struggles with the Dragon sickness. You also hear Bilbo’s plea “Thorin, you gave a promise’ start here, then move to the close ups.
greendragon: Is that an smouldering Olympic torch over on the right of this picture…?
MrCere: This is meant to give us place in the shots following but it feels very CGI to me. I would speculate that it isn’t a quite finished shot. On the other hand I love the use of light and darkness here.
Elessar: I wonder if Thorin would give out a low interest loan?
Aragorn the Elfstone: Thorin standing alone amongst the gold. Are the other dwarves giving him a moment to absorb everything, or has his isolation from them already begun?
Ainu Laire: I did not see until the screenshot that the Dwarves are up there in the corner. Are they waiting for Bilbo to confirm that there definitely is not a dragon anymore?
Quickbeam: How could a massive mass of amassed wealth ever come between family and loved ones?
Demosthenes: The leader is isolated and alone. He has wealth. He has suzerainty. But does he have friends who are willing to follow him anymore?
J.W. Braun: “Thorin, you gave a promise.” – obviously this is a followup to DOS where Thorin makes a promise to the Men of Lake-town. In fact, in Middle-earth Madness (TORn’s book) Richard touches on this plot point and says he disagrees with Thorin’s decision in the third movie regarding it. Expect this to be a huge deal.
Kelvarhin: Love Martin Freeman’s line here. His performance as Bilbo has constantly impressed me, he truly is the perfect Bilbo.
grammaboodawg: Bilbo has grown so much. I love how he tries to reason with Thorin using his promise and honour to remind him of the integrity of the Dwarf he was.
Garfeimao: Bilbo close up, in discussion with Thorin, reminding him he gave a promise. The concern in his voice and on his face is evident.
greendragon: Mithril!
Elessar: I do believe Bilbo is wearing his Mithril Vest. I also love the tone of Bilbo reminding Thorin is who losing it of his promise.
Aragorn the Elfstone: This is especially poignant when one considers that it was Bilbo who vouched for Thorin to the people of Lake-town (in the Extended Cut of The Desolation of Smaug). This will become incredibly important to Bilbo, no doubt, in light of the responsibility he surely feels for unleashing Smaug upon them.
Quickbeam: Erebor might be Thorin’s inheritance but it’s depicted in constant gloom, a visual reminder of the Line of Durin’s grim fate.
Demosthenes: Is Bilbo reacting to an exchange between Bard and Thorin? It seems entirely possible. That being said, Thorin in the next frame, does not seem to be fully kitted out as per his “I will have war” line. Thus I believe there is more than one parley (as per the novels). Perhaps this moment represents the breaking point for Bilbo, too, where the hobbit, morally, can go no further with Thorin.
Sarumann: “Thorin, you gave a promise” – Bilbo. In the last film, we saw the beginning of the breakdown of Thorin’s honor, resulting in a lecture from Balin. Now Bilbo is lecturing him. It’s only going to get worse.
Kelvarhin: Thorin looking #majestic again 😉
Garfeimao: Thorin close up, apparently the same scene with him reacting to Bilbo’s reminder that he gave a promise. This refers back to the scene in the DOS extended scene in Laketown when Thorin promises that the Dwarves reclaiming Erebor would lead to wealth pouring out through Laketown, with Bilbo standing up for Thorin and stating that he keeps his promises.
MrCere: Richard Armitage, even with a big Thorin Oakenshield prosthetic nose, is a handsome man. I recall years ago at conventions when our staff would tell people that Thorin Oakenshield would be one of the main thrusts behind the plot of this film with Bilbo and Gandalf and people seemed unsure of what we meant or if we were nutters making stuff up for a panel. This is what we meant. At the time I never considered how central Legolas, Tauriel and Thranduil would be though and I also thought we might have more, you know, dwarves actually involved.
Also, he seems to be thinking here, “What? A promise? I might be having a moment of clarity. I did in fact make a promise. Oh crap.” In a moment it will pass and the madness will return. Now, this look from Thorin might not even be in the same scene as with Bilbo, but that is how I read it.
Aragorn the Elfstone: We see a Thorin here who almost seems receptive to what Bilbo is saying (if this is indeed from the same scene). It will be heartbreaking to see him turn away from the wiser course.
Kelvarhin: The Lake-town firestorm 🙁
grammaboodawg: It’s amazing to imagine Bard at the pinnacle of that highest point in the center of the fire. Wow!
Garfeimao: Laketown engulfed in flames. We don’t see Smaug, but then there is no question that this is his handiwork.
MrCere: Another scene setter but a clear indication that Lake Town is going to be completely razed, setting up the citizens mixing with Elves as refugees in other shots in previous trailers.
Elessar: This is what happens when a fire breathing dragon gets upset.
Aragorn the Elfstone: Will this serve as our prologue of sorts? The destruction of Laketown all before the title even reveals itself? If so, what a somber opening it shall be.
Ainu Laire: This scene is probably the one I am looking forward to most. I want to see the dragon act like a proper dragon before Bard ends his legacy.
Quickbeam: “I See Fire” but “I Don’t See Smaug” would be the appropriate follow up song……
Demosthenes: Where there’s smoke there’s Smaug… except we never see Smaug in this trailer. That is surely no accident and probably indicates that Smaug’s demise will occur fairly early in the film. First five minutes, anyone? Within the first ten, surely. This film is going to move very quickly.
Calisuri: We are obviously going to have a pretty cool aerial shot of Smaug’s fury.
Sarumann: The destruction of Lake-town is going to be pretty epic.
Kelvarhin: It looks like Bard is staring at Smaug here? He has his bow with him, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he does use it to kill Smaug and not the windlance.
grammaboodawg: Is this Bard watching Smaug’s approach? You can see his bow lying on the boards next to him.
Garfeimao: Bard is no longer in jail, but rather a balcony or parapet at some height, trying to regain his feet. His bow is behind him, but the look on his face seems to indicate he is tracking Smaug’s flight before he moves.
greendragon: This image makes me hopeful that Bard can’t make it to the wind-lance, and has to use his regular bow to fire that Black Arrow. I’m clutching at straws here but I would really like to see it play out that way.
MrCere: Bard, in this shot, reminds me a bit of Dracula rising from his coffin. Nope, I am not trying to be funny.
Elessar: Bard freaking out a bit? Maybe realizing he’s going to have to kill Smaug with a regular arrow?
Aragorn the Elfstone: This image really brings home that Bard is not necessarily a born king – just a man. A man desperate to defend his family.
Ainu Laire: I wonder if this is Bard’s ‘holy crud I just shot down a dragon!’ face?
Demosthenes: Bard has fallen and discarded his bow. Is he out of arrows? If we are playing for drama, and also trying to get Bard to accept his destiny as more than a “mere” bargeman (in the PJverse), then do we need a sequence where Bard attempts to slay the dragon with his own bow before realising he must use the windlance and embrace the legacy of his forebear, Girion? It’s the sort of “arc” that would appeal to the writers, methinks.
Calisuri: You can do it Bard!
Kelvarhin: Bard reminding Thorin that he was right to tick him off back in Lake-town.
Garfeimao: Bard: “You brought upon them only ruin and death”, Bard speaking to Thorin through a space in front entrance of Erebor. By them I assume Bard is referring to the people of Laketown, since this is before the battle and therefore before any of the Dwarves have been hurt. It also harkens back to Bard’s warning all along about the repercussions of entering the Mountain.
greendragon: I like how this shot makes us aware of how ‘shut in’ the dwarves are. Thorin’s outlook on life has dwindled down to the point where he can only see one thing – and that is visually reflected as Bard tries to get through to him.
MrCere: The “death” word here is great. But are the writers trying to echo everything in LOTR or is it a me problem?
Elessar: Bard I believe talking to the Master about what he has done to Lake Town with his terrible leadership.
Aragorn the Elfstone: Bard’s pained expression shows that this is not merely condemnation of Thorin’s actions, but also grief – grief for his home, and for his people.
Ainu Laire: I love the cinematography and lighting of this shot. Intimate despite the barrier. Absolutely perfect. And Bard makes a very, very good point.
Quickbeam: This is actually more visually interesting showing a whispered yet urgent voice through the great Dwarven architectural diamond-weave walls. A leader of Men tells a great leader of Dwarves that his mistakes loom large.
Demosthenes: I love the framing (composition) of this shot, the way your eye is inevitably drawn down that tunnel to Bard. Beautiful stuff.
Sarumann: “You brought upon them only ruin and death.” Now Bard’s getting in on the Thorin-shaming!
