Bilbo Baggins, the most daring inhabitant of the Shire, is preparing for an extraordinary event—his 111th birthday celebration. His old companion, Gandalf the Grey, a wizard with a special affinity for fire, attempts to dissuade Bilbo from using his magic ring to execute a vanishing act at the party's conclusion. Gandalf harbors grave concerns, suspecting the ring to be the One Ring, forged by the malevolent Sauron, the Dark Lord, within the fiery chasms of Mount Doom. This ring, while granting its bearer an unnaturally long life, also insidiously corrodes the soul. Even Bilbo, who acquired it while retaining his compassion, begins to exhibit signs of its dark influence. Yet, as he departs after his grand disappearance, he reluctantly bequeaths the ring, along with his other possessions, to his nephew Frodo. Gandalf issues a stern warning to Frodo about the ring's dangers and advises him to remove it from the Shire.

The Journey Begins

Frodo sets off from the Shire, accompanied by his steadfast servant Sam Gamgee and two of his cousins, Merry and Pippin. They are relentlessly pursued by the ominous Black Riders. Narrowly escaping a perilous encounter in the Old Forest, they are rescued by the exuberant and earthy Tom Bombadil, who remains impervious to the ring’s power. He revitalizes the group and sends them on their way.

Meeting Strider

In the town of Bree, the hobbits encounter a mysterious ranger known as Strider, and they discover a letter from Gandalf urging them to proceed to Rivendell with Strider, whose true name is Aragorn. On their fourth night beyond Bree’s borders, they fall under attack by the Black Riders. In a moment of panic, Frodo dons the ring, rendering himself invisible to his friends but alarmingly vulnerable to their foes, the Ringwraiths, led by Sauron’s minions, one of whom wounds Frodo with a cursed weapon. Aragorn repels them using torches, and the group hastens toward Rivendell. An elf named Glorfindel encounters them, placing Frodo on his horse. As they approach Rivendell, a river flood thwarts the Riders' pursuit.

Rivendell and the Council

Frodo awakens in Rivendell, surrounded by the healing presence of Gandalf and Elrond, who has been tending to his grievous wound. In Rivendell, he reunites with Bilbo and meets Elrond, his daughter Arwen Evenstar, and a multitude of others, including Glóin, an elderly dwarf once allied with Bilbo. Elrond convenes a council to deliberate the fate of the ring. Present are his elven kin, a wood elf named Legolas, Glóin and his son Gimli, Gandalf, the five hobbits, Aragorn, and Boromir, a noble warrior from Gondor. Elrond recounts the history of the Rings of Power, crafted by elvensmiths in the Second Age, and the secret forging of a singular ring by Sauron to dominate the others. Sauron was overthrown by a coalition of elves and humans, and Isildur severed the ring from the Dark Lord’s hand, only to lose it later to the orcs. It was eventually found by Deagol, a hobbit, who was slain by his kinsman Smeagol, who then transformed into Gollum. Bilbo discovered the ring deep underground and, feeling pity, spared Gollum. Though Sauron was defeated, he was not destroyed and is amassing power in Mordor, seeking the ring to claim world domination. Gandalf also reveals the betrayal of Saruman the White, the leader of the wizards, who held him captive until he escaped with help from Gwaihir, the eagle king.

The Quest to Destroy the Ring

The council resolves to send the ring to Mordor, where it must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. Frodo, albeit with reluctance, volunteers to...