What Happened in Middle-earth Between 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings': Never Shown in the Films
Nearly 60 years went unseen by viewers.
The Lord of the Rings franchise remains one of the most renowned fantasy sagas in the world. However, even with the release of the series The Rings of Power, many periods of Middle-earth's history have never been adapted to screen — including the 60-year gap between Bilbo Baggins’ journey to Erebor and Frodo’s mission to destroy the Ring.
And yet, this era is also significant. It contains many key events.
Sauron’s Flight
After being defeated by the White Council at Dol Guldur, Sauron is forced to seek a new refuge. He eventually chooses the desolate lands of Mordor, where he begins to gather strength.
At the beginning of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Gandalf is imprisoned by Sauron’s servants, but is rescued by Elrond, Galadriel, and Saruman. Together, they drive out the Nine Nazgûl and then the Dark Lord himself, forcing him to delay his plans to conquer Middle-earth. Between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Sauron builds his power in Mordor, prepares his armies, and eventually launches a war against the Free Peoples.
The Story of Bard the Bowman
After slaying Smaug and showing heroism in the Battle of the Five Armies, Bard the Bowman becomes the ruler of the restored kingdom of Dale. Under his wise leadership, it gradually rises from ruin.
By the time of The Lord of the Rings, the kingdom has become a strong and prosperous realm, with renewed alliances with Erebor and other lands. Before the events of The Lord of the Rings, Sauron’s forces begin to gather near Dale’s eastern borders. The kingdom is once again forced to take up arms.
The Dwarves of Erebor
After the Battle of the Five Armies, the dwarves of Erebor launch a fateful expedition to recolonise Moria. This attempt ends in tragedy, becoming one of the darkest chapters in Middle-earth’s history. They did not know that Moria was crawling with orcs, goblins, and ancient evil. The Balrog that destroyed the kingdom in the Third Age had survived for centuries in the underground halls. All members of the expedition perished, including Balin.
The Birth of a New Generation of Middle-earth Heroes
Between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, key characters are born who would shape the fate of the Third Age. These include the future King of Rohan, Théoden, the hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, and warriors of Gondor such as Boromir and Faramir.
The Fate of Aragorn
Over the 60 years between the two stories, this hero learns of his heritage: as a descendant of Isildur and Elendil, he is the rightful heir of Gondor and Arnor. Aragorn defends the Free Peoples against Sauron’s servants and hunts Gollum at Gandalf’s request.
