I just flailed over Radagast in general. He's little more of a footnote in his own right, and I absolutely loved that they brought him in and made hims so...uniquely awesome. And yeah, the references to Gondolin and the high elves and Ungoliant made me squee with joy. And did you catch the oblique LotR reference about Saruman 'hating meddling'? Because when I started reading FotR finished The Hobbit and work was quiet... I actually squeaked.

And I had completely forgotten that he does that. Huh. I reeeeally need to reread The Silmarillion. Though when Bilbo's giving it up, he does feel an odd reluctance to do so, which would fit with the Silmaril theory - though apparently Bard is immune to it as well, since he puts it in Thorin's tomb. And that makes Bilbo one of the most strong-minded people in Middle Earth: giving up a possible Silmaril and the One Ring. Dude. Bilbo rocks.