War of the Ring The Shire and ruined it. They were defeated by Hobbits under the lead of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took (Merry and Pippin) in the Battle of Bywater on 3 November. The Hobbits headed to Hobbiton where Frodo ordered Saruman and Wormtongue to leave the Shire. Wormtongue however killed Saruman, before he himself was killed by the Hobbits and their arrows. With the death of the wizard Saruman, the War of the Ring finally ended. The War of the Ring had great influence on all of the lands of the northwest of Middle-earth. Most importantly it led to the restoration of
Meriadoc Brandybuck guarded Bag End after Bilbo's party, protecting Frodo from the various and often unwanted guests. He is knowledgeable and has an innocent, teasing sense of humour. In one incident, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins accused Frodo of being a Brandybuck and no true Baggins. Merry assured Frodo, "It was a compliment; and so, of course, not true". Merry was also a force behind "the Conspiracy" of Sam, Pippin, Fredegar Bolger and himself to help Frodo. Thus, at the beginning of "The Fellowship of the Ring", Merry was well-prepared and organized — he assembled their packs and brought ponies. His shortcut through the Old