Of all the dwarves met in the book, the one that stands out after Thorin Oakenshield is Balin and the films are no different. He is the dwarf that commands the same respect as his king, the dwarf that befriends Bilbo and the dwarf that ultimately leads the doomed expedition to Moria. In the hobbit movies, Kenn Stott's Balin has been as much a joy to watch as Martin Freeman's Bilbo, giving him warmth and depth of character to become a notable figure in the quest to reclaim Erebor. In the book, Balin was the only dwarf with Thorin at the time Smaug descended on the mountain and this is played to great effect in the films, giving another viewpoint in the flashbacks and creating a character that shares the same grief as Thorin while supporting him too. But what is really noticeable about Stott's performance is that he makes Balin a much warmer character than Thorin. He is one of the first to really believe in Bilbo and he brings the wisdom the company needs, particularly when Gandalf leaves them in Mirkwood. He might be prone to same the impetuousness as his fellow dwarves but he also knows when to hold back. Balin in the films is a character of great depth and that makes him as important as Thorin or Gandalf or even Bilbo.