#feanor critical

[alsethwisson]

There is one horrific crime Feanor committed that is rarely, if ever, mentioned by the fandom.

It's the burning of the ships.

Swan Ships are explicitly and repeatedly compared to the Silmarils; they are a pinnacle of a whole nation's creative work, something that cannot be replicated, something that is immensely dear to its creators hearts.

And Feanor? He KNOWS it.

And he sees this work of art only as a means to an end, a vessel to cross the sea - and then be discarded. DESTROYED.

He, himself a creator, he, who denied Silmarils to the Valar on grounds of being unable to destroy his best work.

He destroys a whole nations' best work to spite his brother.

Not even to spite the Teleri; he doesn't even give them this ounce of respect as fellow creators.

That's the lowest point of his character.

It's THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING.

(If you haven't read this tale, here it is: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Fairy_Tales_and_Other_Stories_(Andersen,_Craigie)/The_Most_Incredible_Thing)

Something I find interesting is that Fëanor's deeds specifically are really blown out of proportion... many fanworks portray him as some bloodthirsty monster that killed everything, and everyone who stood against him. But... that's not actually true at all, is it? The only time he killed was at Alqualondë, and even then, it was something that happened out of an escalated conflict. It wasn't something Fëanor had planned out or even thought of beforehand. His other, non-boat-related crimes? Pointing a sword at his brother. That's it. Unless you count being angry for the injustice done to him and his mother, yelling at people, and refusing to kill yourself because someone asked as crimes.

Like I'm sure he wasn't a pleasant person to be around in his final years of life, and his actions did cause great harm. But damn if it isn't blown out of proportion. Yes, the oath was awful, but Fëanor was delirious with grief, and, if we are to believe his children, borderline suicidal. He wasn't thinking about what his words would mean for others, he never meant to hurt anyone but Morgoth. How did that give him the rep of being The Most Evil Elf Ever?

Also, who came up with the idea that Fëanor or his sons killed children during the kinslayings? There is 0 evidence for that. And yes, I know about E&E¹, but none of them did that.

[jennydolfen]

More Patreontober pieces

[eri-pl]

my naym is ring and wen im on i help yu hide mayk problems gon i shou yu things that ar ahed i binde yur soul i mess yur head

my naym is silm im genius-mayd i show yu things that ar long fayd and then I mayk everyone die i am so greyt i mayk yu cry

my naym is melk and wen thers feast wen time is rite or im just pist i go and maim finwe and trees i steal the rocks i mess the ryme i do the diss*

my naym is mai ron im perfect i have pet wolfs and i collect monsters and spells i live in bog cant keep an elf get bit by dog

my naym is nom and im so wyse i left my hom in paradyse i met som men i lernd wyrd stuff i likd the wolf that was enuff

my naym is kano i am a bard i mayk sad songs and i cry hard sindar hav gem so i them stab i go to beach and now im crab

my naym is fyre and I nou grif my dad was killd by petty thif i swer an outh of eternal yre i meet balrogs my naym is fire

my naym is mae my dad mayd stuff i talkd with morgoth more than enuff I did bad things i fell to fyre now im in halls i lik threds for vaire

[tathrin]

Okay I know I keep harping on this, but honestly it's the little details like costume and character design that tend to bother me more in adaptations than Big Changes (the latter feel like they're at least being done with intention so even if I don't like the choice that was made I at least can credit them for trying something even if it was dumb; the former to me tend to just come off as shortsighted or lazy or careless).

So now that I've seen (and enjoyed!) the last episode...

I just. can we take a minute and imagine how this would have gone if Celebrimbor had first walked onto screen like an elegant Elf Lord, in fine robes and jewels with his long hair done up in some intricate fashion, glittering and poised and full of confidence and grace...

Contrast that with Halbrand, bloodied and barefoot human, one of the short-lived Secondborn, a vanquished king of a fallen people. Two characters so far apart they might as well have the Sundering Seas between them.

Then Halbrand comes back dirt-stained and drenched in the rain, a miserable powerless creature, and Celebrimbor comes out to meet him as the lofty Lord of Eregion; then slowly show the shift, as Celebrimbor's pride starts to whisper to him and Annatar steps out of the light in his robes, lovely but pale and simple, a creature of the Valar, ready to kindle all the hopes the Celebrimbor thought long lost...

Of course Celebrimbor grows less elegant and coiffed as he gets more and more involved in his project, swapping the fine robes out for a smith's apron and the elegant grace for passionate excitement; and Annatar becomes a little more polished, and little more put-together, until along the way he ends up in the same type of apron, the same gear, and for a moment there in the smithy they match: creators, equals, partners, friends.

(For a moment, it all seems like it could go well.)

Then it starts moving the other direction.

Celebrimbor grows increasingly disheveled as Annatar begins adopting more and more finery. Then the time-loop, Celebrimbor falling apart, soot-streaked and manic; and Annatar swanning around Eregion like an elvish lord of the Elder Days, vibrantly colored and glittering with embellishment. The way Celebrimbor was when we first saw him. No wonder everyone in Eregion looks at Celebrimbor and believes so readily that his mind is slipping! no wonder they turn to Annatar instead, so polished and put-together and confident, and place all their doomed hopes instead in him...!

Then the end, with Celebrimbor maimed and bloody, robes blackened with ashes, lying in a dying heap of destruction; and Annatar standing over him still looking perfect, not a hair out of place...a visual reversal of where they started, one rising to his greatest heights (but doomed to fall, staring up at the elf he's destroyed) the other crumbling and broken in filth and agony (but seizing that last bitter victory, staring down from the banner-pole at Sauron and seeing the doom that will find him someday)...!

The journey, the contrast, the mirroring: the parallels moving in opposite directions, meeting on the way and ending in ruin—!

(And they did this, yes, a bit...but because they started off with Celebrimbor dressed in those simple slouchy robes with messy Hobbit-curl hair, there just isn't as much of a linear visual journey for him to take, so it doesn't come across as noticeably as it could; and it doesn't hit with the intensity that it ought to in the end.)

(And it could have! It could have!)

(And it drives me nuts it didn't.)

[mag-lore]

@feanorianweek Day 4- Caranthir + Marriage

"Then Caranthir looked kindly upon Men and did Haleth great honour"

-The Silmarillion

[that-angry-noldo]

(under my nose) not if you ask the right people, arvo

[imfromthemiddlekingdom]

I am going to refuse to engage in any content felony makes. I am not going to engage in media that makes me angry. I am not going to punch him in his stupid fugly face if I ever meet him irl because that will be assult and I do not want to go to jail. He deserves it but I will not jeopardize my own freedom to take him down a peg. Fucker needs to wake up and read the source material. The universe is not your sandbox to play with Dave. Write fanfics like the rest of us if you want an ultra op girlboss that will willingly ignore the atrocities her master committed because she is too busy blaming the council for her own actions during the wrong jedi arc.

[maaruin]

I just realized a certain potential for Sauron and Galadrial to be foils that would have been way more interesting for Rings of Power than what they ended up doing:

Both Sauron and Galadrial during the Second Age refuse to go back to Valinor for judgement. But even in this state of refusal Galadrial keeps a cernal of humility, while Sauron doesn't. Have their interactions be that of two wise beings who are nonetheless uncertain about which path they should take and who end up making different choices.

And in the last days of the Third Age they get a final chance/test. Galadrial get's offered a chance to not submit to the Valar but do things her own way with the power of the One Ring. She rejects it and goes back to Valinor. Gandalf at the Black Gate offers Sauron (through his emmisary) one last time to submit to the Valar, which he rejects. He continues on his own path and it leads to his destruction.

[sunnyshinesunshine]

I love Kidnap Fam a lot, I really do, but I’ve seen a trend of brushing over the worst parts of Maglor and especially Maedhros’ history in Kidnap Fam works.

And I suppose that’s fine sometimes you don’t wanna deal with atrocities and you just want fluff.

But I think a lot of the time when writing the Kidnap Fam there’s a tendency for mostly Elrond to sort of excuse the actions of the House of Feanor.

I think maybe that’s because it is hard to conceptualise Mags and Mae being both kind to the children and villains at the same time.

And don’t mistake me, I think all the sons of Feanor were villains by their deaths. Maedhros, in my opinion, is the definition of ‘die a hero or live long enough to be a villian’.

Being critically online (guilty) I find it hard to remember that the world isn’t black or white. People are multifaceted. Their goodness doesn’t wipe away the harm they’ve done and vice versa.

All this to say that I’m really looking forward to some more Kidnap Fam fics that explore the idea of Elrond loving and honoring them as his parents, all the while being like ‘yeah they were also horrible but I still love them and don’t think they should be doomed forever’.

Because at the end of the day, neither Mags nor Mae were truly monsters (just straight evil with no goodness), but people who were capable of hunting for hours for a pair of lost boys, and refusing to burn the ships for love, as well as slaughtering an entire city full of refugees.

So yeah! Let’s see some Elrond having complicated feelings about that!! Woo!

[in-the-glow-of-a-silmaril]

Do y'all think Maedhros at some point realized that the age gap between him and his father was smaller than the age gap between him and Curufin? Do you think, beating at the edges of his mind, the thought ever came that he was hundreds upon hundreds of years older than his father ever lived to be? If so, we know he never faced that thought fully. An elf who throws himself into a volcano clutching his father's goal even as it sears his flesh cannot be said to have critically reevaluated his father's wisdom. What a bitter end, that an elf with so much experience, who had seen so much, would repeat his father's mistakes with eyes wide open rather then relinquish a shred of that legacy. There is something there that parallels Feanor zealously safeguarding Miriel's legacy. This is not a family that knows how to let go.

[doodle-pops]

House of Feanor | Having A Human S/O

Request: Can i request a feanorian group headcannon about having a human lover? — @misfortunateleprechaun

A/N: I couldn’t resist including a short reader in the mix because I know most of us are tiny beside these elves :)

Fëanor

Curious to learn all there is about you. Whether you’re naturally short, how you age, your life span, your features, culture, linguistics, everything, you name it. And when he does, it pushes for him to become even more intrigued with YOU.

Wants to follow you around as much as possible. Just picture a short you and a giant elf nearly 8ft trailing behind you asking millions of questions or silently observing you in your natural world.

Understands that humans are delicate and much more breakable than elves, so he treats you with the same care as he does for his jewels. You are fragile and deserve the utmost protection and care.

With that being said, you are not spared from being blessed with the great riches he is endowed with. Showers upon showers of gifts bestowed to make your mortal lifespan enjoyable and full of luxuries.

An enjoyment of his would be your vast size difference, as would all the elves when you lie, sit or walk beside him. Even when he needs to make jewellery, he marvels at the sizes and concludes that you are no larger than an elfling.

He will keep to himself knowing how you react when being compared to an elf child…or he might mention it because he enjoys your responses and phrases unheard of to elven ears.

Feanor takes great pride in having you as his S/O and accepts no criticism from anyone. He adores you with every fibre of his being and will worship the ground you walk on.

Maedhros

“Why are you so tiny, unlike other mortals I have come across?” That would be words spoken to himself upon meeting you because he’s already a freaking giant. It’s worse when you must stand on objects to meet this over-eight-foot-tall figure.

Holds out his hand and watches as you wrap your entire hand around two of his fingers. He has to bite his lip to hold back the laughter, because you attempt to guide him, and it looks like a child leading him off to Eru knows where.

Prefers when you sleep on his chest while (awake) he reads or relaxes on the balcony. Never allows you to close when you’re sharing the same bed and he’s sleeping. Do you want to go flying through a window with one of his kicks? You’re fragile babes, sleep on the floor.

Deep down, he believes that you deserve a lover who doesn’t have to place a restrain on everything they’re doing to prevent hurting you…physically. Play fights are a thing that happens rarely because you once knocked your own hand on the bedpost, and he blamed himself for forgetting your fragility.

With that being said, he gets worried about you when you accidentally injure yourself because you’re a mortal…soft, squishy and delicate. Please, don’t make him wrap you in the duvets like a burrito for your safety.

Since your lifespan is shorter than his, Maedhros’ main goal is to in ensure as much peace can be granted in your life. Takes you to the most scenic places around Beleriand or just nearby Himring and keeps you far away from his brothers, minus Maglor. Gives you a Shetland pony to ride for the kicks of it and watches as you fold.

He doesn’t seem to understand how you joke so easily about ageing and grimaces every time you crack a joke about your soon-to-be wrinkled appearance or increased fragility. You’re set to give him the heart attack instead of you.

Loves to compare your size to an elfling and jokes about having to purchase ready-made clothes in the children’s section for you.

Maglor

Humoured by your size and delicacy, and equally motherly as Maedhros. Henning over every little accident with a read-to-scold expression on his face and incoherent words spilling out his mouth about needing to cover you from head to toe.

Maglor adores your compliments when he sings for you or writes sonnets or poems. He understands that his species differ greatly from humans, hence his voice would sound ethereal to your ears, sparking grand praises. It tickles his ego and spurs him into never-ending songs because he lives for your praises.

Adores carrying you around because you’re as light as a feather and he could lift you with his pinkie finger. Sit on his shoulders, piggyback rides, cling to his legs or chest as he walks around his fort and ignores all the strange looks his servants are giving him.

He’s someone who respects humans and mortal life, so at no point would he ever allow you to feel insignificant compared to his elven nature. Hates to hear you ill-speak your mortality or even condemn the relationship to failure because of your differences.

Still hesitant when it comes to playfighting and unlike a certain brother, he wouldn’t scold himself for your injury. However, he would still engage and quickly dissolve everything to cuddles or a nap.

Sleep atop his chest and he’ll fawn because you look so tiny and feel weightless. One time you both fell asleep, however, Maglor forgot you were sleeping on his chest (because you’re so light), so when he rolled, you fell right off the bed.

Surprisingly cool with your human ageing jokes, especially the wrinkly potato ones. Sometimes he’ll cruise in with an affectionate joke to make you swoon about being his favourite potato.

Celegorm

It takes a long time to get it into his head that you’re delicate because, in his mind, he saw you performing hundreds of daredevil stunts, why stop the fun for safety purposes. Wherever Tyelko is, you are curled up under his arm like a sleeping bag being carried around on his adventure.

If he’s riding a horse large enough to carry an elf, then so are you—doesn’t matter if you’re four or five feet. If you fit, you sit. However, you prefer to ride Huan because he understands your comfort and safety more than Tyelko does.

Playfighting to the roughness degree and be prepared to end up in the healer’s room sporting bruises or a sprained joint, he’ll even lie down on you. He has an affinity for challenging you to your limits, solely because it’s thrilling to him. “Try lifting me off the bed and walking to the door.” (you collapsed under his beefy body)

As big and scary as he appears, start coughing or having a fever and watch as he crumples like a left. Clingy and never leaves your side the entire duration you’re resting or in the healer’s room.

Acts as though you’re going to die in the blink of an eye from a single sneeze and the next thing you know, he’s praying that you survive your common cold when the healers have informed him that you’re alright.

In addition, he’s the perfect teddy bear for a cold night with all those muscles he has going on. The issue is his ability to cuddle to the highest degree. You cannot escape his cuddle grip, even if you need to pee.

Tyelko has confidence that’s out of this world, so no one can attempt to shun or berate your relationship, not even mock him for choosing a human to be his S/O over an elf. Celegorm makes it clear that you’re his choice and he’s proud to have you.

Caranthir

Someone who admires you day by day and how easily you overcome obstacles without lamenting the way his race does. For a human, you are quite fiery and able to keep up with his pace of living, though he prefers that you relax while he lavishes you.

Vocal about his appreciation towards you in private as you lay in his chambers on the sofa or bed, cuddling. Like his siblings, he prefers that you lay atop him, refusing to even displace an ounce of weight for fear of crushing you.

Spoils you, spoils you, spoils you more than you could even imagine because he wants your life to be filled with comfort and luxuries before your end. Complaining about how much he spoils you is like kicking a puppy.

The only thing you cannot do is tear this elf away from his duties when he’s locked away in his studies deciding who to conduct his next trade with. He’s married to his work and then you.

This brings me to you easily clinging to his body because you wish for him to stay in bed longer. All he does is roll his eyes at your antics and continue to walk around the room while you disguise yourself as a backpack.

Sneeze and there’s a deafening silence that follows before a grumpy Caranthir paces out of the room to call for the healers. You are not permitted to go anywhere, basically bedroom arrest. You want water, food, more blankets; he’s there. Want to go for a walk, sure; he’ll walk you around the room.

As much as he admires your resilience as a human being to the harsh reality of life, many of your natural occurrences terrify him due to rumours of terrible endings for others. So, expect the protectiveness to go up a few notches.

Curufin

Everyone was surprised that he had a human lover when he strolled into a ball with you decked out in jewellery from head to toe. Poor you were trying to breathe under the weight of the gemstones breaking your neck.

Curufin isn’t any different in my dating him headcanons with the addition of his protectiveness increasing. He loves to use it as an excuse to tag along with you anywhere when he really wants to spend time together (what a tsundere).

Finds himself confused at all your human terminologies because how can “Break a leg” or “Knock ‘em dead” mean best of luck. “You humans are strange with your words, why can’t you just say what you mean.” – Curufin

Finds your excitement and expressive manner endearing given elves’ lack of facial expressions and enjoys bestowing all sorts of gifts upon you just to witness your reactions. He finds them better than the simple use of words when accepting his creations.

Less inclined to school you like his father, but still peppers you with indirect questions to learn more about humans and their odd differences from elves. If you’re female, then be prepared to blow his mind with talks of your menstruation. He considers you a brave warrior for going through that every month.

Curufin doesn’t like talks of how your lifespan is short and you’re bound to die soon, and you tend to use this to your advantage when you want your way.  “But what if tomorrow doesn’t come, and I don’t get to eat chocolate cake? You should let me eat it now, so you don’t regret not letting me.”

 (Tries) Keeps you away from Tyelko because he’s a terrible influencer and causes the majority of your injuries which sends Curufin into cardiac arrest. If Curufin has never shown much emotion in his life, it was the moment he learnt that you were in the healing rooms.

Amrod

Excited because he has someone to love him, but heartbroken about your shortened lifespan, which means he’s going to cram all his years of adventure into your lifespan so it can be shared with you.

Every morning, he walks you up with a brilliant smile as warm as the sun before dragging you out of bed to go hiking or host a breakfast picnic while the sun rises (sorry if you hate waking up early).

You are not spared from his pranks or the confusion between him and his twin when Amras decides to trick you. Aware that you are human and more breakable than elves, but he’s still going to engage in roughhousing or lying half his body atop yours so you cannot go anywhere.

As I had mentioned before, he’s touch–starved being the youngest bunch in the family with less attention being directed. So when you entered the picture, as a human, it was natural for you to be overly affectionate which stunned him. Never before had Amrod believed that he was capable of receiving so much love.

He doesn’t care about the fact that elves aren’t physically affectionate, he accepts every hug, kiss and touch you gift him. He considers them your greatest gift, second to finding you.

Already protective of his younger brother, so it’s natural when you enter the picture. Prefers being your bodyguard so he can spend every second with you, never allowing for there to be a moment when you aren’t together.

I have mentioned that he’s into woodcarving, so you can expect figurines of you and him (more you) to appear before your door in beautifully wrapped boxes. You have a collection by now and can consider it a hobby thanks to Amrod.

Amras

Prefers to spend all his time with you in tranquillity and away from his nosy and noisy family, including his twin who doesn’t understand the concept of personal space and attempts to chaperone each date.

The realisation of you being human doesn’t sink in for a long while because he’s pleased that he has someone whom he can love. Amras will be spending his dates surrounded by nature.

Waterfalls, hiking trails, rivers, ponds lakes or fields of flowers, you have seen it all in your human lifespan. Places you didn’t believe existed or could be viewed by the naked eye would be revealed to you.

Amras is more open to receiving affection from you and enjoys the lavish amounts you shower him in. He is stunned by the volume that humans are capable of delivering and how dependent they are on physical touch.

Like his brothers, Amras will shower you with tons of gifts, especially handcrafted ones. He is skilled in crocheting and competes with his brother for who can make the best look-alikes of their family. In between, you can expect to receive stuffed animals or a miniature of yourself.

Reaches out to his elder brother, Maedhros and Maglor for advice on how to date a human since they’re more aware of mortal mannerisms than him. It’s a cute sight to witness as Amras practices learning your mannerisms and culture so he can help you feel at home.

His major concern is ensuring that your time spent with him was the best years you’ve ever had in your entire life, and he was able to fulfil many of your wishes in the short space of time granted to you.

Celebrimbor

Tyelpё would like to know what he has done to inherit a significant other in the first place. Forget that you’re human, he wants to know how you can choose a person like him after the history of bloodshed his family has left.

Like any normal relationship, he’s doing his best to control his temper and be as patient as possible. He would hate to make you go running for the hills with a terrible slip-up.

Eyes of a hawk at your every move, wanting to learn as much as possible with the stark differences between you in particular and him. He’s already aware of how indifferent elves and humans are, it’s just to learn your netiquettes and mannerisms.

Like his father, you will be gifted tons of jewellery—it’s his love language—with your neck breaking under the weight of the gems. Tyelpё adores seeing you decked out and looking like a disco ball; you’re his mannequin for his pieces.

As one who spent years in the forge, he’s far from small and will crush you under his weight. Thus, he’s cautious when cuddling or any form of play fighting. The last thing he needs to hear is that he injured you from his bulky muscles.

Please hold his hands and let him fawn over the size difference. You’re only able to hold two of his fingers when tugging him about the place when you’re eager to show him something.

Did someone say standing on chairs to meet his height? Yes, that is exactly what you would have to do because he’s a giant eight-foot elf. Or even parading around in his long robes pretending to be him? Yes.

Protective to a degree, but not as overprotective as his uncles since it’s the second age and let’s assume that our buddy hasn’t shown up yet to ruin the peace. Tyelpё will gladly allow you to roam freely without worrying about your safety tremendously and would even request that you return with treats.

Masterlist

Taglist: @ranhanabi777 @lilmelily @mysticmoomin @rain-on-my-umbrella @asianbutnotjapanese @batsyforyou @ladyenchanted @mcwentfandomtraveling @involuntaryspasms @stormchaser819 @a-tong @aconstructofamind @addaigio @lamemaster @hermaeuswhora

[eri-pl]

Consider: A "ghost of Feanor in LotR" fanfic, but instead of, say, Elrond, it is Gimli who can perceive the ghost.

[chaos-of-the-abyss]

can't even tell the people who tried to rape and murder your daughter to go fuck themselves anymore. because of woke :/

[warrioreowynofrohan]

i love how you deadass just said feanor was a pretty terrible father, considering one of his popular fanon is him being a good father and the fandom can be a bit worrisome when feanor and his sons are criticize. which makes me wonder, seeing as he was the only one with child, if curufin was ever the same with celebrimbor.

Sorry it took me so long to get to this!

It really frustrates me to see such widespread claims that Fëanor’s sons all following him to Formenos after his death threat to Fingolfin, and following him in taking the Oath, and in attacking Alqualondë, and in abandoning the rest of the Noldor, and (except Maedhros) in burning the ships at Losgar, and swearing the Oath a second time, and betraying and massacring in pursuit of the Oath, are an indication of him being a good father. I would conclude the precise opposite!

When it comes to what kind of a father he was before the unrest of the Noldor, we have very little evidence either way, but claims that “able to instill deep obedience and loyalty in a select group to the point of them following him into great evil” is evidence of a good relationship disturbs me. Lots of unsavory people can do that. Cult leaders can do that. To my mind, a good parent would be someone whose children are able to both recognize when he is doing wrong and stand up to him about it, and who would listen to his children if they did so.

[kitty--white]

Feanor: Are you alright with constructive criticism? I don't want to sound mean.

Fingolfin: No, go ahead. I want to hear it.

Feanor: It sucks.

Fingolfin: That's not constructive criticism.

[that-angry-noldo]

What are your favorite ships

-@outofangband

umm a lot of canon ones

Finarfin/Eärwen go first, followed by Finrod/Amarie. Beren/Luthien come close second

Morwen/Hurin hands down, can think about them all day

I don't think this counts as a ship, but i absolutely love qpr russingon

From more cracky ships, Melkor/Ulbandi make me cackle. I remember starting a fic about them