Peter Jackson probably didn't want to make a trilogy. Honestly, the history of these movies is a mess of studio pressure, Guillermo del Toro leaving the project, and a production schedule that would make most directors quit on day one. By the time we got to the finale, audiences were already complaining about "bloat." So, when the theatrical cut of the third film dropped, it felt weirdly hollow. It was all action, very little heart, and some characters—looking at you, Beorn—barely appeared. That changes with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition.
It’s twenty minutes longer. That’s it. But those twenty minutes are the difference between a rushed action flick and a Middle-earth epic.
The Chariot Race and Why Physics Doesn't Matter
If you’ve only seen the version that played in theaters, you missed the best part of the movie. Period. There is a massive, sprawling sequence involving a Dwarven chariot pulled by mountain goats. It’s ridiculous. It’s over-the-top. It’s exactly what Peter Jackson does best when he isn't being forced to play it safe for a PG-13 rating.
Balin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili are hurtling across the ice, firing a massive repeating crossbow at wargs. It feels like Mad Max in the snow. It’s the kind of kinetic, inventive filmmaking that defined the Lord of the Rings trilogy but felt missing from the theatrical Hobbit films. More importantly, it gives the Dwarves something to do. In the theatrical cut, they sort of just disappear into the chaos of the battlefield. Here, you actually see them fighting as a unit. You see why they were chosen for this quest in the first place.
This sequence is also where the R-rating (yes, the extended edition is rated R) starts to show. There are trolls getting their heads lopped off by chariot wheels. It’s brutal. It’s messy. It’s fun.
The Fate of the Dwarven Rings
One of the biggest gripes fans had with the trilogy was the "White Council" subplot. We see Gandalf, Galadriel, Saruman, and Elrond go to Dol Guldur to fight the Necromancer (Sauron). In the theatrical version, it’s a cool light show, but it lacks stakes.
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The The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition fixes a massive lore hole here. We finally find out what happened to Thrain II, Thorin’s father. Gandalf finds him in the dungeons, withered and driven mad. Thrain explains how the last of the Seven Dwarven Rings of Power was taken from him. It’s a heartbreaking scene that connects the Hobbit directly to the broader history of the Ring. Without it, the whole Dol Guldur plot feels like a side quest. With it, it’s the prologue to the War of the Ring.
Seeing Thrain die in Gandalf’s arms gives the Grey Wizard a personal stake in the battle. He isn’t just there to manage the politics of Middle-earth; he’s there because he failed a friend.
A Better Send-off for the King Under the Mountain
The ending of the theatrical cut was abrupt. Thorin dies, Bilbo says goodbye, and we’re suddenly back in the Shire. It felt like Jackson forgot to film the funeral.
The extended cut includes the funeral of Thorin, Fili, and Kili. It’s a somber, beautiful moment where the Arkenstone is placed on Thorin's chest. You see the surviving dwarves mourning. You see the transition of power to Dain Ironfoot. This matters because the entire trilogy was about the reclamation of a homeland. You can't reclaim a home and then ignore the burial of the people who died for it.
- The coronation of Dain.
- The return of the Arkenstone.
- The grieving of the Company.
These aren't just "deleted scenes." They are the emotional resolution of a nine-hour journey.
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The Alfrid Problem (Or Why Some Bloat Remains)
Look, let’s be real. Even the extended edition can’t fix everything. Alfrid Lickspittle is still there. He still has way too much screen time. In fact, the extended edition gives him even more scenes.
There’s a bit where he tries to escape with gold hidden in his dress and ends up flying into the mouth of a troll. It’s slapstick. It’s weird. It clashes tonally with the rest of the movie. Most fans agree that the film would be better if these scenes were swapped for more Beorn. Speaking of Beorn, he gets about ten more seconds of footage. It’s a slight improvement, but if you were hoping for a massive "Bear-tastic" rampage, you’ll still be a little disappointed. He drops out of a giant eagle, turns into a bear, and wrecks some orcs. It’s cool, but it’s fast.
The Technical Shift to an R-Rating
Why did this movie get an R-rating? In the US, the MPAA is notoriously weird about "fantasy violence." The theatrical cut was carefully edited to hide blood and decapitations. The The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition puts it all back in.
We’re talking about:
- Orcs getting crushed by boulders.
- Dwarven goats decapitating wargs.
- Legolas using a troll’s head as a steering mechanism (it’s as gross as it sounds).
- More visceral impacts in the duel between Thorin and Azog.
It doesn’t feel like a horror movie, but it feels more "real." The stakes of the battle feel higher when you see the actual cost of the violence. It brings the film closer to the tone of the Lord of the Rings Helm’s Deep or Pelennor Fields sequences.
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The Score and the Visuals
Howard Shore's score gets more room to breathe here. There are musical motifs that were buried in the theatrical mix that shine in the extended version. The pacing of the battle is actually better despite being longer. By adding the chariot sequence and the Thrain scenes, the battle feels like it has "phases."
In the theatrical version, it’s just one big blur of CGI. In the extended version, there’s a clear beginning, middle, and end to the various skirmishes. You understand where the Orcs are, where the Elves are, and why the arrival of the Iron Hills Dwarves was such a game-changer.
Why It Matters for Your Rewatch
If you’re planning a Middle-earth marathon, skip the theatrical versions of The Hobbit. They feel like "The Hobbit Lite." The extended editions—especially Five Armies—bridge the gap between the whimsical tone of the first film and the dark, looming threat of The Fellowship of the Ring.
It’s not perfect. It’s still a three-movie adaptation of a relatively short book. But the extended edition is the version that honors the characters. It gives Thorin the tragedy he deserves. It gives the Dwarves the screen time they earned. And it gives us one last, wild ride through Peter Jackson’s vision of Middle-earth before the credits roll for the last time.
How to get the most out of your viewing:
- Watch the Dol Guldur sequence twice. Pay attention to the dialogue between Gandalf and Thrain; it explains why the White Council was so hesitant to act against Sauron initially.
- Focus on the Dwarf/Elf interaction. The extended scenes between Dain and Thranduil add a layer of political tension that makes the eventual alliance feel much more earned.
- Check the credits. The concept art shown during the credits of the extended edition is phenomenal and provides a glimpse into what might have been if the production hadn't been so rushed.
Upgrade your digital library to the 4K Extended Trilogy if you haven't already. The HDR pass on the 2020 release specifically fixes the "plastic" look of the CGI orcs, making the added violence in the extended cut look much more seamless.