PJ wanted to include the background stories of Moria and the dwarves, but there wasn't time to get it all right. He also thought that it would be more exciting if the dwarves were fleeing from an imminent threat, rather than just adventuring (I personally disagree with that move because it undermines Thorin's determination to succeed despite setbacks). But the Black Riders were one of the best parts of FOTR, so he wanted to replicate the sense of being pursued.

Aside from my personal preferences, I think having Bolg will just be confusing for those who are not well versed in Tolkien's universe. I mean no one really gets how Bolg is the son of Azog anyway or whether that was for sure Tolkien's final decision on the matter.

In Jacksons LotR, orcs are made, not born, so the son of another orc thing doesn't make so much sense for the movie.

Hi! I've read some people talking about Azog being killed off in DOS to be replaced by Bolg. I thought I'd share my own opinion on the subject.

I'll start by saying that I'm an extreme literalist when it comes to Tolkein adaptations. My brother and I were furious as kids when the Rankin/Bass cartoon omited Beorn, and we were just as furious when PJ elminated Tom Bombadill from FOTR. But now I'm starting to think that deviation is sometimes necessary. Here is my opinion on Azog:

PJ wanted to include the background stories of Moria and the dwarves, but there wasn't time to get it all right. He also thought that it would be more exciting if the dwarves were fleeing from an imminent threat, rather than just adventuring (I personally disagree with that move because it undermines Thorin's determination to succeed despite setbacks). But the Black Riders were one of the best parts of FOTR, so he wanted to replicate the sense of being pursued.

So PJ decides to take some parts of the Azog story and fit them into the narrative. I disagree with that, but since there's nothing we can do at this point, where do we go from here?

I suggest that Azog should remain the primary orc villain until the end, and Bolg should play second fiddle. It's too late to introduce the audience to "Bolg, son of that big white guy that's been chasing Thorin." I suggest that Azog be the one to *Spoiler* you-know-who at the BOFA, which results in Thorin's final realization that pride and wealth are not the most valuable things in life. Azog's Ahab-like obsession with Thorin shows the worst parts of his own obsession with revenge and glory. I just don't think Bolg will be able to have the same impact. That's why I think Azog should survive until the end, even if it means the further contradicting the source material.

Sorry to ramble on. Thanks for your time!

And this is where my main problem lies - I already feel like Bilbo is playing second fiddle to Thorin in his own story, and I really could do without anymore Peter Jackson-Fran Walsh-Philippa Boyens-penned subplots IMO further crowding Bilbo out of his story (I know now that my wish is a pipe-dream). It seems like every character that was mentioned even once in The Hobbit book is now getting his own subplot (and even some who weren't mentioned).

One I never really liked the design of Bolg. He looks more like a clown than anything else. Although he looks very CGI, I prefer the look of Azog.

Aside from my personal preferences, I think having Bolg will just be confusing for those who are not well versed in Tolkien's universe. I mean no one really gets how Bolg is the son of Azog anyway or whether that was for sure Tolkien's final decision on the matter. In Jacksons LotR, orcs are made, not born, so the son of another orc thing doesn't make so much sense for the movie. Really, Bolg will be reduced to just another orc trying to kill some dwarves. The only difference is that this orc looks like a clown.