#Hel likes the Ainur

[helreginn]

pxnxply:

"I cannot ask that of you." Ilúvatar had his designs; in taking this mortal form, Melian had resigned herself to being part of them, creation and not creator - the audience, not the performer. She knew it was forbidden for the ainur to entangle themselves in the fates of the Children. Yet... "You would put yourself at such risk for her. For them. And yet I could not even tell you where they are. Morgoth has blinded me." @pxnxply @thegreatstrongbow

"Then.. Then do not ask it." The hand that wasn't laid over Melian's forearm reached up to softly caress her cheek, "I will go of my own volition."

Hel leaned forward, pressing her forehead to Melian's. Her eyes fell shut on a sigh that lingered in quiet. Bravery was not her strong suit. It took effort. Even just to figure out what it was that she was afraid of..

"If he wills it, I will find them. I will bring them home. And if I cannot.. I can at least slow down the rest."

[elennalore]

Loki associations in Tolkien's legendarium, part 3

[Part 1: Preface]

[Part 2: The Bound God: Loki’s similarities with Melkor]

The final part is here:

The Cunning God: Loki’s similarities with Mairon

Again, this post includes personal and fannish interpretations on the characters.

Mairon, like Loki, has many names. He is known as Gorthaur, Annatar, the Necromancer, and of course, Sauron. His original name Mairon means the Admirable One, either because of his good looks or his excellent skills in crafting and making. In Prose Edda, Loki is also described as pleasing and handsome in appearance. His cunning nature and an ability to create tricks for every purpose are also noted. Both Mairon and Loki are clever beings who offer their help to others – for a variety of motives. Both of them are willing and able to construct an elaborate plot to get what they want.

Early in the history of Arda, Mairon left the home of the Ainur and joined forces with Melkor who had already become the enemy of the Valar. Loki stayed in Asgard longer and only during Ragnarök he joined the opposing forces. Mairon becomes the lieutenant of Melkor and fights for him in many wars of Middle-earth, whereas Loki takes fire giant Surtr’s side during Ragnarök and leads the army of jötunn (giants), monsters and the dead into battle.

Mairon doesn’t want to destroy Middle-earth, though. He wants to shape it according to his own ideas. Loki, too, enjoys wandering in Midgard, the realm of humans in Norse mythology, and in many tales, he helps its inhabitants to thrive. Only after a series of ill events he joins the destructive forces.

Both Mairon and Loki are often pictured as a good-looking male with flaming red hair, linked to the element fire. Loki’s transformational aspect is connected to a flame of a candle, or fire in a hearth. Mairon is linked to the creative fire of a forge.

Mairon and Loki are known shapeshifters; they can change their appearance at will or become different animals. Mairon is known to become a (were)wolf and a bat. Loki in lore has taken the shape of a fly, salmon, and a mare for example. Usually they both use shape-shifting as a means to an end. Mairon is able to fly as a bat. Loki can fly with his sky-walker shoes or by borrowing Freyja’s hawk-feather cloak. In the end, both of them lose their shape-shifting abilities. Mairon loses this ability partially after the fall of Númenor and totally after losing the One Ring. Loki is not able to transform himself anymore when the Æsir capture him and bind him underground.

Loki is not hesitant to change his gender or to use seduction as his weapon to achieve the wanted result. He happily dresses as a bridesmaid and plays the role 100% if the task needs it. As a mare, Loki seduces a magical stallion in order to prevent a disaster in Asgard. As a result, Loki becomes pregnant and gives birth to an eight-legged horse Sleipnir. It is hinted that this is not even the only time he gives birth. Mairon in fanon is also heavily genderfluid. There are fan fics where Mairon becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child with uncommon traits.

Both Mairon and Loki are described as sexually attractive and often using seduction. Loki is said to have slept with everyone in Asgard. In fanon, Mairon is most often shipped with Melkor or Celebrimbor, but also with various others, and seduction is often present at some point in his relationships.

Loki is a father of three monstrous children with his jötunn lover Angrboda. One of these is a giant wolf Fenrir. In the First Age, Mairon lived on an island called Tol-in-Gaurhoth, the Isle of Werewolves where he bred werewolves for his army. Sauron’s messenger Thuringwethil (“woman of secret shadow”) who lives there reminds somewhat of Fenrir’s half-corpse sister Hel.

Loki is skilled in crafting; he is said to be the creator of the fishing net – a crucial invention in ancient times. His trademark is creating solutions to problems (which he may or may not have caused himself). He can also enhance the creativity of others. Spiritually he is often connected with creative fire. Many of the most valuable tools and weapons of the Æsir are courtesy of Loki. Loki’s interaction with the Svartálfar, the best smiths of the nine worlds, leads to the manufacture of those treasures – with some deception from Loki’s part. The Æsir are very happy with the end result, anyway, and Loki deserves a byname “Bringer of Gifts”.

Mairon, too, is extremely skilled in crafting and making. He’s connected to the forge fire. He used the name Annatar, “Lord of Gifts” while living with the Elven-smiths of Eregion and enforcing their creativity, inspiring them to create the Rings of Power – with some deception included.

As the Lord of the Rings, Mairon has a powerful rival in Gandalf who, like Mairon, is a Maia. Gandalf and Odin (especially in his wanderer aspect) share many characteristics, and Gandalf’s fight to end Sauron’s dominion is not far from Odin’s desperate efforts to prevent Ragnarök where Loki has a major role in the opposing side.

At first glance Loki’s trickster aspect is not prominent in Mairon's character, but I think we can see glimpses of it. Mairon is said to laugh at his own tricks, which is shown especially malevolently during the downfall of Númenor. However, it may be that by the Elf-smith Celebrimbor’s influence Mairon’s trickster traits become apparent. In my personal view, Celebrimbor enhances Mairon’s latent trickster attributes, which is sometimes seen in their fanon portrayals. I can imagine various pranks they must have made together. In Eregion, Mairon could have chosen a different path and evolved into a trickster figure, but sadly, it didn’t go like this in canon. Still, based on Mairon’s other similarities with Loki, I dare to think there is potential for a different story.

[thegreatstrongbow]

"I cannot imagine Námo to be forthcoming on anything." From all he had, most of the Ainur dealt in riddles and mystery. He liked that Hel did not. Beleg's doubts swirled in his mind.

There was so much unknown, such uncertainty, and for the first time in his life (or rather, unlife?) it made him wary. Where once he might have forged bravely on, he now hesitated. He was tired and all oaths seemed so lonely.

"Must I decide now?"

"I thought as much." Hel sighed, quietly relieved that her words seemed to assuade at least some of his concern.

"That, I cannot say. My foresight doesn't.. Your kind are not the ones I envision. I could ask Námo, on your behalf. But.. he is not more forthcoming with me. Says I care too much about the Children of Ilúvatar."

She smiled amusedly at the thought. It didn't bother her one bit. It was true. She was led wholly and completely by her heart and her emotions. No rhyme or reason. It didn't feel like a fault. Even if it did lead to less than savoury expeditions time and again..

"I think your chances are good, however. You all are not so many that the world would be overwhelmed to have you twice."

[imaginatvytitle]

Now this is a story all about how

The Elven race got moved around

And it’ll take a couple hours so just sit tight

I’ll recount a tale of Eru Ilúvatar’s might

In Cuiviénen awoken and raised

But Valinor was where we spent most of our days

Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool

And forging Yavanna’s light into our most precious jewels

When a couple of Ainur who were up to no good

Launched a devious attack on our luminous wood

Fëanor’s dad got offed and he made a rash vow

He called upon the Noldor: return to Middle Earth now!

The Valar begged and pleaded with the Elvenfolk to stay

But half of us packed our bags and went to Alqualondë

We got in one little fight, some of us slew our kin

So Dread Mandos appeared to denounce our sin

Well some turned back but the rest kept marching

Till afar in the distance we saw a torching

When we knew the ships burnt, quoth Galadriel:

If we wanna make it home we have to go through Hel

CARAXË,

turned out that Fëanor’s fate had been grim

And his eldest was imprisoned on Thangorodrim

But the bad blood was gone when my cuz rescued him

He just flew up the peak and gave his limb a trim

I made friends with the dwarves, I found bros among men

If the orcs liked to sing I’d have made friends with them

I established Nargothrond, I was finally there

To sit on my throne as the Prince of Beler[iand]

[ainurmoodboards]

Makar

The Slayer, The Shouter

Makar was a Warrior-Vala and brother of Meássë in Tolkien’s earliest works. They were quarelsome spirits of battle who had sided with Melkor during the Music of the Ainur. However, when they and the lesser spirits who served them entered into Arda, they sided with the Valar instead of Melkor. They set up their dwelling in the North of Aman near those of Mandos and Nienna and, unlike the other Valar, they built it themselves with the help of their followers. Most of the Valar avoided them because of their grim and violent halls, but Tulkas would sometimes go there to spar with the siblings in order to keep his strength up. He usually beat them and had a nonchalant attitude towards fighting, being described as laughing even during battle, whereas the siblings had a very serious attitude about warfare. It was for these reasons that Makar and his sister were not fond of Tulkas, even though they allowed him to practice with them. 

Makar and Meássë are described as wild spirits who, in addition to fighting, delighted in storms and earthquakes, linking them to the Maia Ossë who at one point was also aligned with Melkor and was associated with wild storms. They also enjoyed hunting, and traveled to Middle-earth to hunt wolves and bears before the physical way between there and Aman was removed. They also housed weapons and armor in their dwelling and provided these weapons to the other Valar during times of war.

Despite their allegiance to the Valar, Makar and Meássë’s opinions frequently clashed with those of the other Valar, due mainly to their love of fighting. Thus they opposed the captivity of Melkor as well as the summoning of the elves to Aman, complaining that Valinor was built for the Valar only and was already a place full of rose gardens and lovely maidens. Nevertheless, they pursued Melkor along with the other Valar after the death of the Two Trees and the theft of the Silmarils. While the Valar were unable to catch Melkor and Ungoliant, Makar is described as having slain two of Melkor’s followers, and for that reason he is described as being the only one who had any joy during that event. 

Makar and his sister existed at a time period in Tolkien’s writings when the Valar were more like Greco-Roman gods and goddesses. Many of them had children, their individual dwellings are given more description, each of their opinions on major decisions is given more seperately, and many of them have children. They also are presented as being more flawed, with some individuals making decisions or taking actions that are more self-serving, sometimes without consulting their peers. Later on this changed and the Valar became more like Christian saints and angels; most of their children either became Maiar servants or were dropped, their dwellings are less descriptive and are usually geographical places instead of physical buildings, and Tolkien usually gives the verdict of the councils of the Valar as a whole group and doesn’t go into too much detail on what stance each Vala took before the consensus was reached. They also became more hierarchical, with the Aratar (eight strongest Valar) at the top, followed by the rest of the Valar, and then the Maiar, which resembles the Christian hierarchy of archangels, angels, and saints. 

With this new characterization of the Valar, Makar and his sister were dropped and don’t appear in the published Silmarillion, making them so of the so-called Lost Valar. Whereas the other Valar were like noble, classical Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, Makar and his sister more closely resembled Norse gods and tales of unending feasting and fighting in the afterlife in preparation for Ragnarok. Makar can perhaps be seen as a combination of the more noble warrior gods Tyr and Thor with the trickster god Loki, who was known for his uncertain loyalty. Meanwhile Meássë somewhat resembles the beautiful warrior goddess Freyja who chooses half the spirits of slain warriors, mixed with aspects of the warrior-huntress frost giantess Skadi and the grim death goddess Hel.

[borgesperovago]

I find it diminishing to refer to Tolkien’s writing as “fanfic”, but I’ll go along; even if you wanna call it an AU, the very essence of it is judeochristian: the motives of Eru and the Ainur are not dominance and power like Northern gods were. Iluvatar is a merciful god who does not anger lightly; Odin was the god of sacrifices, known for striking down any foe giving it no second thought.

You are wrong to think the bulk of Tolkien’s literature lies in Asatru culture, since none of it’s values are present; heck, the dreamed life on LOTR is literally one without fights, growing plants, among family and friends, where the most trascendental thing to achieve was to have the most beautiful garden. Try compatibalize that with the mere concept of Valhalla (Heaven) for the warriors and Hel (Hell) for everyone else.

Me: Tolkien’s Middle Earth works are basically Norse Pagan fanfic.

Christians: No they’re not!

Me: He borrowed so much from Norse mythology that my Scandinavian mythology course would go over what he borrowed from what we talked about that day in class at the end of every class.

Christians: He didn’t borrow that much!

Me: He borrowed the name of the world his stories take place in (Middle Earth), name of all but one dwarf comes from a Norse poem listing dwarven lineages, Gandalf’s name comes from the same aforementioned poem, Gimli’s name is the name of one of the possible Norse afterlives, Gandalf is a copied and pasted version of Odin right down to how he looks and how he dresses, the rings of power (and the One Ring especially) were based on the ring Andvaranaut, Smaug is a copied and pasted version of Fafnir the dragon, Aragorn is based on Sigurd the Dragonslayer (as is Bard the Bowman), Aragorn’s sword and the prophecy surrounding it is based off of the sword Gram and its prophecy, the elves are based off the Alfheim elves, the dwarves are based off of the Svartalfheim elves, the ogres are based off of the incident in the Alvissmal, Shadowfax is basically Sleipnir, *continues the list on and on*

Christians: I’m glad you learned a lot in your class, but I fail to see why you think Tolkien’s work is anything other than Christian literature.

[helreginn]

"Well, no. But that is only because my hair is an extension of my raiments. Yours is an extension of your self."

With a fond and amused smile, Hel pushed herself off of the railing and walked back inside. Without a word, she picked up a hairbrush and started very carefully and gently brushing Amarië's hair.

"Would you like me to braid some flowers for you? Vána would be most flattered."

Amarië frowned at the mirror. This particular braid would simply not lay right.

“That is easy for you to say.” Amarië called back. “As if you have ever had a bad hair day.”

The last part was grumbled, although Amarië would deny it.

She sighed and undid the troublesome braid. It was her first party with any Ainur - who could blame her for being nervous?

[helreginn]

"Yes, but also no. You must remember, my kin are not.. embodied.. My birth was.."

Come to think of it, Hel couldn't rightly say. She knew they were not as men or elves were in such matters. But the only other child of ëalar she knew of was Luthien. And she most assuredly was born. Physically bound in flesh and blood. Her reddish brown brows wrinkled as several questions sprung forth in her mind. And frustratingly, she was so far from anyone that could answer them!

"I'm not sure. We never really reminisced. I must have been, though." She grinned smugly, "Most of the Ainur I am still familiar with tend to treat me how I treat Lúthien... Like I'm a pretty princess!"

“But you... you were born? Like a baby?”

He could not wrap his head around the image of her as anything but she was, the thought of her as a squalling infant (all the infants he had met had been squalling, though, so perhaps it was an elven quality) seemed ludicrous. 

“...I bet you were a cute baby.”