The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
After the Dragon leaves the Lonely Mountain, the people of Lake-town see a threat coming. Orcs, dwarves, elves and people prepare for war. Bilbo sees Thorin going mad and tries to help. Meanwhile, Gandalf is rescued from the Necromancer's prison and his rescuers realize who the Necromancer is.
Despite a enormous budget of $250.0M, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies became a solid performer, earning $956.0M worldwide—a 282% return. This commercial performance validated the ambitious narrative scope, demonstrating that audiences embrace compelling narrative even at blockbuster scale.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 8 wins & 56 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) demonstrates precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Peter Jackson's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 24 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.5, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Smaug awakens in fury and flies toward Lake-town to unleash destruction, establishing the immediate threat and consequences of the dwarves' quest to reclaim Erebor.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 17 minutes when With Smaug dead, Thorin takes possession of Erebor and its treasure. The dragon sickness begins to consume him as he obsessively searches for the Arkenstone, refusing to honor his promise to the people of Lake-town.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 36 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Thorin, consumed by dragon sickness, orders the gates of Erebor sealed and prepares for war rather than negotiate. He demands loyalty from his company, forcing everyone to choose sides as conflict becomes inevitable., moving from reaction to action.
At 72 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Azog's orc army erupts from the ground, forcing elves, men, and dwarves to unite against a common enemy. The Battle of the Five Armies begins in earnest, transforming a political standoff into a desperate fight for survival., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 108 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Thorin hallucinates drowning in gold, confronting the dragon sickness consuming him. He sees himself becoming the monster he despised, losing everything that made him a true king—his honor, his friends, and his purpose., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 115 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Thorin breaks free from the dragon sickness, casting off his crown and declaring he will have war. He leads his company into battle, finally choosing honor and friendship over gold, reclaiming his identity as a true leader., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies against these established plot points, we can identify how Peter Jackson utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies within the adventure genre.
Peter Jackson's Structural Approach
Among the 9 Peter Jackson films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.3, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Peter Jackson filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional adventure films include The Black Stallion, The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots. For more Peter Jackson analyses, see The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Smaug awakens in fury and flies toward Lake-town to unleash destruction, establishing the immediate threat and consequences of the dwarves' quest to reclaim Erebor.
Theme
Bard tells his children that some things are worth more than gold, foreshadowing the central conflict between greed and what truly matters—loyalty, friendship, and sacrifice.
Worldbuilding
Smaug attacks Lake-town while Bard fights to protect his family. The dwarves watch from Erebor. Bard slays Smaug with the black arrow, becoming a hero to the survivors who must now seek refuge.
Disruption
With Smaug dead, Thorin takes possession of Erebor and its treasure. The dragon sickness begins to consume him as he obsessively searches for the Arkenstone, refusing to honor his promise to the people of Lake-town.
Resistance
Multiple forces converge on the Lonely Mountain. Thranduil leads his elven army to claim jewels within Erebor. The Lake-town survivors seek compensation. Gandalf is rescued from Dol Guldur by Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman. Bilbo secretly possesses the Arkenstone.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Thorin, consumed by dragon sickness, orders the gates of Erebor sealed and prepares for war rather than negotiate. He demands loyalty from his company, forcing everyone to choose sides as conflict becomes inevitable.
Mirror World
Bilbo secretly meets with Bard and Gandalf, giving them the Arkenstone to use as a bargaining chip. This act of betraying Thorin's trust represents Bilbo's moral compass and his belief that peace is worth more than loyalty to madness.
Premise
The standoff at Erebor intensifies. Dain Ironfoot arrives with a dwarf army to support Thorin. Elves, men, and dwarves prepare for battle against each other. Bilbo navigates between factions trying to prevent bloodshed. Thorin discovers Bilbo's betrayal and nearly kills him.
Midpoint
Azog's orc army erupts from the ground, forcing elves, men, and dwarves to unite against a common enemy. The Battle of the Five Armies begins in earnest, transforming a political standoff into a desperate fight for survival.
Opposition
The massive battle rages across Dale and at the gates of Erebor. Thorin remains sealed inside, paralyzed by madness. Tauriel and Kili fight together. Legolas battles orcs. The allied forces suffer heavy losses as the orc army pushes toward victory.
Collapse
Thorin hallucinates drowning in gold, confronting the dragon sickness consuming him. He sees himself becoming the monster he despised, losing everything that made him a true king—his honor, his friends, and his purpose.
Crisis
Thorin struggles internally with the gold sickness while his companions wait in despair. Outside, the battle turns against the allies. Kili, Fili, and Dwalin urge Thorin to fight, but he remains frozen, lost between madness and his true self.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Thorin breaks free from the dragon sickness, casting off his crown and declaring he will have war. He leads his company into battle, finally choosing honor and friendship over gold, reclaiming his identity as a true leader.
Synthesis
Thorin, Fili, Kili, and Dwalin charge to Ravenhill to kill Azog. Fili is killed by Azog. Kili dies protecting Tauriel. Thorin battles Azog on the frozen waterfall and kills him but receives a mortal wound. The Eagles and Beorn arrive to turn the tide.
Transformation
Bilbo returns to the Shire, transformed from a reluctant adventurer into someone who understands that home and simple comforts are the greatest treasures. He keeps Thorin's words close: "If more people valued home above gold, the world would be a merrier place."