Bard the Bowman

Bard the Bowman is a character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. A man of Lake-town and a descendant of the ancient Lords of Dale, Bard was created by Tolkien specifically to kill the dragon Smaug, as none of the other protagonists were able to fulfill that role.

Following his success in slaying the dragon, Bard becomes the king of Dale. It is possible that the character was inspired by the warrior Wiglaf from the Old English poem Beowulf.