Every award season during the series, I got hopeful. Especially when the last season of “Malcolm” aired, and “Friends” had ended… but then, the award went to the brand-new “Desperate Housewives” instead. Alas…
Thinking back on the movie trilogy for “The Hobbit,” I remembered that a regular theme for Tolkien was that showing mercy even to those who seem undeserving can lead to good things happening. The mercy Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam showed to Gollum at different points enabled the Ring to be destroyed. And Theoden sparing Grima Wormtongue led to him stabbing Saruman, rather than the hobbits or other “good” characters having to do it and sully their names and natures.
So when it comes to Alfrid, who was created for the “Hobbit” movies, I wondered if there was a similar thing intended. Characters gave him numerous chances, and he always picked the selfish and cowardly path… but was there anything good that came from everyone letting him go?