The Hobbit: 10 Dumbest Character Decisions
8. Thorin Wouldn't Show His Map To Elrond
Though this would seem to be Thorin’s quest, to return to his grandfather’s throne and bring his kin back home, the direction of the journey was very much down to Gandalf. If it wasn’t for the wizard seeking Thorin in Bree there wouldn’t have been a quest at all.
One of the biggest keys to success for Thorin was a map and a key that Gandalf was in possession of. Not one of the company could read the map however, and there were few in Middle-earth who could. Luckily, their path led them directly to one such Elf.
After taking refuge in Rivendell, something that Thorin would have avoided at all costs if he had his own way, Gandalf wanted Elrond to read their map. It was a huge coincidence that they just so happened to be in Elrond’s presence when the very moon needed to read the map was above them.
Even so, with the reading of the map an essential part of their quest, Thorin was still against letting Elrond see it. He hated Elves so much that he would truly cut his nose off to spite his face. If it wasn’t for Gandalf reasoning with the pig-headed Dwarf, Thorin would have never known when he needed to get to Erebor, and how to find the secret door.