#but seriously we always show Aman more or less unchanging for simplicity's sake

[victorie552]

Ok, I checked with the Book, and Silmarillion clearly states that Finarfin ruled over Noldor who stayed in Aman, and that these Noldor went to Middle Earth with Vanyar during War of Wrath. So this is absolutely an AU but imagine:

Vanyar took over Noldor lands, assimilating the leftover Noldor into their numbers.

It wouldn't even be that much of a stretch. Silm said that only every 1 in 10 elves stayed in Tirion and I doubt numbers got that much bigger when Finarfin and his people came back. Tirion definitely became a ghost town after The Flight. They had to rearrange everything! And there was a lot of grief among the Noldor: over Finwe, over family members who decided to go to ME, over the Trees (still no Sun and Moon), over the happy times that are over.

Who would want to be a ruler in this situation? Not Finarfin, that's for sure. But he's Finwe's son, so he has the bloodline. He has a bloodline, so he has a duty, and if he has a duty, there's nothing to be done. He's stuck with the job.

Then Indis/Ingwion/Ingwe himself offer to come to Tirion and help him with his kingly duties. Finarfin feels grateful, feels guilty over what Noldor did at Alqualonde (coming from a guy who Actually did nothing wrong), his wife left (him?) his side to go help her father and her people, his children Definitely left him. He accepts the help.

And Vanyar are helping! With administration and practical concerns, like where everyone should live now when a single Noldo living in their old house can have 3 streets to themselves each. But more importantly, they are messengers between Noldor and Teleri, who Finarfin Has to make amends to even if he doesn't know how. Teleri don't want to see any Noldo in their lands, so Vanyar messengers it is (Valar are unresponsive, thinking up the Sun and Moon).

Finarfin is doing a good job, but depending on what is practically another country to solve your problems is always tricky, and he isn't ambitious. Noldor are NOT doing well and are grateful for help, even if Before it would have hurt their collective pride (but then again, pride in what? Inventing murder? The morals are low). Ingwe is suggesting a deeper collaboration between their people and an general overlook over Noldor.

Why not? Finarfin is of Finwe's line, but he's also of Ingwe's. And wasn't Ingwe always the High King of all the elves in Aman? And he's feeding them cause his brothers' forces took most of their provisions and it's still dark and it will take a while before they relearn how to harvest under the stars. So while Noldor figure that out, why not give over some administrative power to Vanyar? Noldor judgement is probably still clouded by Morgoth's lies.

Things of course change when The Sun and Moon finally happen but the change happens, again, in Vanyar favour - they trusted the Valar who salvaged and restored The Light! They get things Right! Noldor want to get things Right too! (Vanyar clothing and customs become fashion with the same intensity as when Indis wed Finwe. Noldor are ashamed of themselves still. Teleri fashion is really not an option).

So by the time War of Wrath happens, Finarfin is not a High King, but a vassal to High King. And everyone is really cool with that.

Noldor of Middle Earth find that insane in a polite, half condensending and half betrayed way (like they can talk). Then Finarfin is the brother who, you know, actually DEFEATS Morgoth, so everyone has to reconsider their opinions on the matter.

Noldor who come back to Aman, by sailing or by reembodiment, experience a bigger culture shock than expected. Because even in the Blessed Realm, things change.