In the "Lay of Leithian," Boldog is sent to the marches of Doriath by Morgoth to capture Luthien. Thingol leads an army out of Doriath and utterly destroys Boldog's force.
This happens before Finrod and Beren are brought before Sauron because when they claim Boldog is their captain, Sauron notes, "Boldog he sent, but Boldog was slain: / strange ye were not in Boldog's train."
I would like to include Boldog's ill-fated attack on Doriath for a number of reasons:
- Allowing us to keep the reference to Boldog when Finrod and Beren talk to Sauron. I really like the way this exchange plays out in "The Lay of Leithian," and I would prefer to keep as much as possible.
- Demonstrating the strength of Doriath. Dorthonion has fallen. Most of the Feanorian lands have been taken. Sauron is in command of Minas Tirith. Now, Morgoth's forces have reached the marches of Doriath, and there is no reason to think this attack would be doomed. Melian's magic may be able to keep evil forces out of the land surrounded by the Girdle, but there is clearly land outside it that the Sindar feel necessary to protect; otherwise, Beleg and Turin wouldn't have anything to do when Turin is living in Doriath. A show of Doriath's military might would remind the viewers that the Sindar do not just rely on Melian's magic to protect them; they are also quite capable of fighting.
- Creating a greater sense of danger for those outside the Girdle. Whether or not we keep the capture of Luthien as one of the motives of Boldog's attack, the fact that there is a large force of Orcs attacking Doriath will lend credibility to Thingol's desire to keep Luthien from following Beren and heighten the sense of danger when she does set out.
- Giving Thingol something heroic to do. Thingol is going to be an antagonist of the Beren and Luthien story, but if all he does is sit on his throne and tell people what to do, I think there is a danger of him seeming all bark and no bite. Moreover, this battle would be a chance to show that Thingol is not a completely one-sided character, that he cares for his people's safety, and that he is not a coward who always hides behind the Girdle.
- Giving Beleg and Mablung something to do. Beleg and Mablung help out with the Hunting of the Wolf, but that is pretty much all they currently have to do in Season 6. This attack on Doriath is a chance for them to have some more screentime.
- Foreshadowing the impact of Thingol's death. A reminder that Thingol is an effective military leader will also help explain why Doriath falls apart after his death, and I would kind of like to include a brief scene where Thingol is about to set out and Melian warns him to be careful and cryptically hints that the power of the Girdle is tied to his life as well.
This would be a great chance to introduce Oropher and show him being captured. He could be taken to Tol-in-Gaurhoth by the few Orcs who escape to bring Sauron news of Boldog's death.
I do not think killing off Boldog in the attack on Doriath will necessarily be anticlimactic, nor do I think having another bad guy killed in Season 6 will be problematic for the later story. Morgoth will be making new monsters, we have talked of showing less of the villains' story onscreen, and reducing the number of villains will help emphasize the power those who remain. For example, the Balrog Glorfindel kills won't just be one of the many captains of Angband, it will be a Balrog who has outlasted Boldog, Draugluin, Thuringwethil, Tevildo, Glaurung, Gothmog, and any other Balrogs we decide to have killed.
Already in Season 4, we have had more major villain characters than we had roles for. After the podcast hosts vetoed the presence of Werewolves in the attack on Vinyamar, Draugluin literally did nothing all season.
If we really fee like we need more major villains towards the War of Wrath, I strongly suggest developing some of the Dragons into characters. We could even have Baby Smaug!!!!!