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As Chapter 17 of The Hobbit begins, the Lonely Mountain is under siege. Thorin \u2014 hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in Middle-earth \u2014 refuses to negotiate, knowing Dain is on his way. When Bilbo\u2019s plot is revealed, Thorin goes into a rage and orders him gone (\u201c\u2018Order\u2019, eh? \u2018Oo does \u2018e think \u2018e is?\u201d); but just as all looks hopeless, goblins attack, and we see the\u2026 well, you know. The Battle of Five Armies begins, and we look back at Tolkien\u2019s famous essay \u201cOn Fairy-Stories\u201d to explain the sudden turn of events.