50
votes
What was the first sentient race that awoke on Arda?
Ok, so here's what happened, in order:
Eru Ilúvatar would create Elves and then Men in the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar. Aulë, not wanting to wait until the coming of the children to have ...
- 20.3k
50
votes
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Why does Isildur claim to have defeated Sauron when Gil-galad and Elendil did it?
Isildur may not be the most reliable narrator over here.
Gollum acquired the ring by murdering his relative Déagol and taking it from him. He would later claim that it was a birthday present.
‘The ...
- 95.3k
48
votes
What magical powers do balrogs have?
Magic in Middle-earth is rather different to "conventional" magic.
One must first remember that what one often thinks of as magic as used in other systems (like Harry Potter or D&D) was ...
- 77.5k
46
votes
Accepted
What is the parentage of Gil-galad?
The short version is that Tolkien changed his mind on the subject repeatedly; at various points in the progression, Gil-galad has been descended from:
Fëanor
Finrod
Fingon
Orodreth, Finarfin's ...
- 164k
46
votes
Did Tolkien come up with the Ents as he was writing Lord of the Rings, or before?
Tolkien did indeed create the Ents for The Lord of the Rings, only inserting them into The Silmarillion as he revised it later. From a relatively early point (probably following the hobbits' ...
- 98.6k
43
votes
Accepted
Distinguish the explanations of Galadriel's test in LotR
I think that the passage that best explains the apparently contradictory versions of Galadriel's status in the Third Age is given in the chapter The History of Galadriel and Celeborn in Unfinished ...
- 21.2k
43
votes
Why, in The Silmarillion, does Melkor disappear forever and leave Sauron to reign as some kind of "Melkor copy"?
Melkor and Sauron are both Ainur, beings which existed before the creation of the universe and, indeed, assisted in it.
In brief, Iluvatar -- God with a capital G -- created the Ainur and asked them ...
- 42k
39
votes
Who are the 2 most powerful entities to battle each other directly?
The battle between the 2 most powerful entities was before Melkor's first capture. After hiding in the deepest pits of Utumno, Tulkas went and wrestled with him and threw him down.
But at the last ...
- 77.5k
38
votes
Accepted
In what language did Túrin converse with Mîm?
Most likely Sindarin
It was certainly not Khuzdul, as Mîm says they do not teach that tongue, futher, Mîm is described as initially speaking a foreign language:
They have no name, save in the dwarf-...
- 77.5k
38
votes
Accepted
What were Fëanor's crimes?
Feanor's crimes were many.
First, he spoke rebellious words against the Valar.
Thus with lies and evil whisperings and false counsel Melkor kindled the hearts of the Noldor to strife; and of their ...
- 25k
34
votes
Accepted
How tall are Aragorn and Elendil?
Elendil's height comes from the Unfinished Tales.
In the Unfinished Tales, we are given one of the only measurements of the height of a person in all the works, that being of Elendil. Elendil is ...
- 77.5k
32
votes
Do you really need to read “The Silmarillion” before reading “The Children of Húrin”, “Beren and Lúthien” or “The Fall of Gondolin”?
It is not strictly necessary, but it is recommended
The Silmarillion gives you an overview of the First Age. The Great Tales are stories that happen in the First Age, and they correspond to chapters ...
- 95.3k
31
votes
In what language did Túrin converse with Mîm?
It would appear Mîm did indeed speak Sindarin, given this passage from Narn i Hîn Húrin from Unfinished Tales:
Then Mîm clapsed Túrin about his knees, saying: "Mîm will be your friend, lord. At ...
- 3,834
30
votes
Why, in The Silmarillion, does Melkor disappear forever and leave Sauron to reign as some kind of "Melkor copy"?
The essence of the question seems to be about whether Morgoth will ever return, and the nature of Sauron, his chief servant.
By the time of The Lord of the Rings, the depredations of Morgoth are ...
- 98.6k
28
votes
Accepted
Did a dragon ever attack the lands of Rohan or Gondor?
There are no recorded dragon attacks in any of Tolkien's writings on the geographic lands where Rohan and Gondor would eventually settle.
This is not to necessarily say that it never happened, but one ...
- 95.3k
27
votes
Accepted
Are beasts of burden in Middle-earth used by the Evil Forces considered inherently "evil"?
Some of Beasts of Burden are Probably Inherently Evil While Others Are Just Beasts
Firstly, since your question references the movies, I would point out that the movie version of The Hobbit shows a ...
- 1,691
27
votes
Accepted
Why didn't Beren kill Morgoth when he had the chance?
Beren was a Hero
Firstly, in the Legendarium, everything happens with accordance to the Music, fate is the main driver in the stories of Tolkien's Legendarium. More info on that can be found here but ...
- 77.5k
27
votes
Accepted
Why did the Silmarils hurt Morgoth’s hand?
There is no evidence that the Silmarils were like the Ring or were in any way aware or that they had a built-in master. But this was not needed.
Feanor made the Silmarils using, in part, light from ...
- 42k
25
votes
Accepted
Why was Ondolindë always referred to as Gondolin?
Tolkien, a Translator
As I've stated previously, Tolkien envisioned himself, and the world around him, as part of Arda, and was therefore not an author creating a world, but a translator of histories ...
- 77.5k
24
votes
What's the difference between the names Eru & Ilúvatar?
'Ilúvatar was the first beginning, and beyond that no wisdom of the
Valar or of Eldar or of Men can go.'
'Who was Ilúvatar?' asked Eriol. 'Was he of the Gods?'
'Nay,' said Rúmil, 'that he was not, for ...
- 7,944
23
votes
Why does Isildur claim to have defeated Sauron when Gil-galad and Elendil did it?
From The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age":
Then Gil-galad and Elendil passed into Mordor and encompassed the
stronghold of Sauron; and they laid siege to it for seven ...
- 3,873
22
votes
Accepted
Did the Light of the Trees diminish after the creation of the Silmarils?
No
...Not until the Sun passes and the Moon falls, shall it be known of what substance they were made...And the inner fire of the Silmarils Fëanor made of the blended light of thr Trees of Valinor...
...
- 16k
22
votes
What are all the prophecies in The Lord of the Rings?
I'm going to have a stab, although I make no promises about completeness. All the below prophecies were made at times of stress and all came true.
Hobbit: none that I can recall
LOTR: Boromir's dream, ...
- 11k
21
votes
Accepted
How old did Gandalf appear to be when he came to Middle Earth?
He appeared elderly
When the Istari (including Gandalf), first came to Middle-Earth, they were in the guise of old Men:
Even as the first shadows were felt in Mirkwood there appeared in the
west of ...
- 117k
21
votes
Accepted
Is there any solid evidence that Sauron was originally called Mairon?
Per Tolkien's writings on the languages of Middle-earth.
Sauron's original name was Mairon, but this was altered after he was suborned by
Melkor. But he continued to call himself Mairon the Admirable,...
- 702k
21
votes
What do the family relations between the Valar mean?
Siblinghood and marriage among the Valar come about because Eru Ilúvatar intends it. From The Silmarillion, toward the beginning of The Valaquenta:
Manwë and Melkor were brethren in the thought of ...
- 3,873
21
votes
What are all the prophecies in The Lord of the Rings?
How about Gandalf talking to Frodo about Gollum:
Frodo: "It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill Gollum when he had the chance."
Gandalf: "Pity? It's a pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that ...
- 367
20
votes
Accepted
Why could Melkor's forces not detect Gondolin by flying around?
Gondolin was protected by the Great Eagles, and in any case Morgoth lacked airborne servants. According to the Unfinished Tales
They [Great Eagles] alone save the Noldor know the Hidden Kingdom and
...
- 10.9k
19
votes
Did Tolkien come up with the Ents as he was writing Lord of the Rings, or before?
Tolkien wrote this in letter 180, in 1956:
[...] though I knew for years that Frodo would run into a tree-adventure somewhere far down the Great River, I have no recollection of inventing Ents. I ...
- 65.4k
18
votes
Why did Morgoth place a price on Beren's head?
Beren was prophesied
Beren should be considered among the greatest of the Men to have graced Middle-earth. Especially considering his feats later in life.
While Beren is being hunted by Sauron's army ...
- 77.5k
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