Bilbo’s involvement in the company and the quest is no small thing; in fact, it changes the fate of the thirteen dwarves involved, as well as the fate of all of Middle Earth. Yet many of Thorin’s company seem to underestimate the young hobbit, and don’t see him as a valuable member of the group. This is especially true of Thorin himself at first, though this later changes as Bilbo proves himself far more heroic than they had imagined he would be. The only dwarf who actually seems to care about Bilbo from the start is Boffur.
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Of all the dwarves, Boffur would, at first glance, seem the most unlikely candidate to show such love watching over the hobbit, and genuinely have his best interests at heart. Boffur is wonderfully portrayed by James Nesbitt, who is known for his witty sense of humor and his cheeky grin and his lyrical Irish voice. Boffur often the dwarf who makes light of the situation, or comes up with a quick and comical remark when things seem dire. However, he also has a surprising soft spot for Bilbo that none of the others seem to emulate. There are many occasions throughout the trilogy where a candid and heartfelt interaction takes place between these two characters, showing how Boffur is actually the most understanding and compassionate of the bunch, especially where Bilbo is concerned.
For example, in the scene after the dwarves pass through the canyon of the stone giants, nearly losing their lives, Bilbo seizes his moment to sneak away unnoticed whilst the dwarves are asleep. This is prompted by Thorin’s harsh reprimands when Bilbo nearly fell from the wet cliff side: he “should have stayed at home.” As Boffur is the dwarf on guard that night, he notices Bilbo slinking away, and questions the hobbit where he is going. Bilbo replies with a tense, curt response, probably because he is ashamed by Thorin’s words and his decision to abandon them, but Boffur reacts with complete kindness and empathy. He tells Bilbo that he understands: “I wish you all the luck in the world, I really do.” None of the other dwarves would have been so courteous, which just goes to show how Boffur cares for Bilbo more than he cares for his own pride.
Similarly, when Bilbo hatches a plan to trade the Arkenstone in order to stop a war between the races and protect his friends, he sneaks up onto the rampart in order to escape the fortress that Thorin has built. While he is tying a rope to scale down, Boffur, who is on watch again, spots him. Instead of reporting him or questioning the hobbit’s choices, he reacts once again with deep understanding and genuine care:
Within this moment, Boffur is both giving Bilbo permission to leave without guilt, and also presenting him with the perfect opportunity to escape before the other notice his absence. Yet again, he cares for Bilbo far more than the fact that he could get in trouble for letting the hobbit leave, and just wants what is best for him.
When Bilbo’s plan comes to fruition, and Bard reveals the Arkenstone to Thorin, the lead dwarf turns on Bilbo and threatens to throw him from the tower. At this point, many of the dwarves are clearly shocked by Thorin’s rash cruelty, as they are sympathetic to Bilbo and understand his motives and his good intentions. Many of them try to prevent Thorin from harming their friend, but yet again, it is Boffur that grabs a hold of him and rushes him to safety out of Thorin’s reach, telling him to run.
Boffur puts Bilbo first, over and over, because he values life and friendship and love over gold and legacy. The only other characters to defend Bilbo in the film are Gandalf, who championed him to join the company in the first place; and Balin, who reminds Thorin when he seems willing to give the hobbit up to the dragon in the halls below: ‘His name is Bilbo!’ Nonetheless, these other characters only appear at dire moments, whereas Boffur has been there for Bilbo all along.
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