The hobbit who leaves Bag End with Thorin’s company in Tolkien’s The Hobbit is Bilbo Baggins.
Bilbo begins the novel as a comfort-loving resident of Hobbiton who prefers regular meals, a tidy home, and a quiet routine. The wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield unexpectedly recruit him for a journey to the Lonely Mountain. Their goal is to reclaim the Dwarves’ treasure and kingdom from the dragon Smaug.
Bilbo initially seems unlikely to become an adventurer, but the journey changes him. He uses courage, cleverness, and observation to help the company escape dangers in the wild. During the underground episode beneath the Misty Mountains, he finds a mysterious ring and meets Gollum.
Bilbo is distinct from Frodo, his younger relative and the central Ring-bearer of The Lord of the Rings. Their stories are connected by the One Ring, but Bilbo’s adventure is the earlier tale.