#personally i like the maglor theory

[sesamenom]

Gil-galad Variations, featuring all the gil galad theories i've encountered.

[lscullzthegreat]

“What were they like?”

Elrond looked up from his work to see Estel standing there a hand running over the eight pointed star in the center of the table. He sighed

“I am not sure I know myself, by the time I was born I do not think there was a living soul save the Lady Galadriel who had met the ‘real’ Maedhros and Maglor the elves who raised me were ghosts breathing and walking but not really here”

Estel looked less than satisfied “but someone raised you ada, what were the ghosts like then?”

At that Elrond smiled sadly, the weight on his heart that was Maglor and Maedhros pressing on him.

“Maglor was kind, in spite of himself, it is an odd thing to say of someone who burned the place you were born to the ground but he was, he taught me music theory, and poetry and history, and I watched him bind the broken wings of birds until they could fly again”

Elrond was near tears by this point and Estel saw it “oh ada I’m sorry, I did not mean to upset you, you do not have to tell me any more”

Elrond shook his head “no it is well, tears are a good thing, they mean you remember” he began again

“Maedhros was by far the most intelligent person I’ve met to this day, he didn’t miss a trick, a sneak attack, a scam, feeding your peas to the cat so you could leave the table sooner. Cruel to anyone who dared to stand against him, but hopelessly soft on little things, children and kittens and puppies, he taught me how to love I think, knowing everything could end at any moment yet holding onto to it with a vise grip until the moment it does”

The tears welling in Elronds eyes had fallen now and Estel ran over and wrapped his arms around him

“And they loved you?” He asked muffled against Elrond’s chest. Elrond pressed a light kiss to the top of the boy’s head

“as I love you my dear”

[sallysavestheday]

End of Year 8+8+8+8 Fic Recs

It's that time again! This was a tough year to narrow down, so you get 8 of each, with no author repeats. There's such great stuff out there to read. Enjoy!

8 of my favorite long fics of 2024

sisyphus, unhappy by @tobermoriansass. M: 140K, WIP. Curufinrod after re-embodiment is the simplest description, but it's so much more. Philosophy, musical theory, racial and sexual politics, a very dark family comedy of manners. Featuring one of my favorite Maglors ever.

Two Half-Kings and a Full Lake Between by @melestasflight and @polutrope. T: 12K. A fantastic exploration of the period in Maglor's regency when Fingolfin had arrived but Maedhros had not yet been rescued. Tense and compelling. Another favorite Maglor.

Northern Stars by @idrilsscribe. T: 62K, WIP. An AU of an AU, featuring traumatized kidnapped-while-young Elrohir making his way back from Harad to Imladris with Glorfindel's assistance. Elegant, moving prose; fantastic worldbuilding; delightfully complex OCs; etc., etc.

I Do; I Will by @littlewhitemouseagain. M: 23K. Fingon fights all the Feanorions, back to back, at his own coronation. Glorious (and painful, and moving, and hopeful, in a very Fingon way).

i've been so worried (you've been so still) by @welcomingdisaster. E: 9.5K. Maglor is drawn to an acolyte of Este after Maedhros is taken. An absolutely fantastic OC, delicious worldbuilding, and peak Sexy Maglor. Just WOW.

a stranger in my bed (a pounding in my head) by vauquelin. T: 11K. A surprise new installment makes this a 2024 fic, hooray! Maedhros and Fingon wake up married. Maedhros wants it annulled because he can't imagine Fingon is happy; Fingon is miserable therefore. Hilarious and touching at once, with the best punchline of the year.

Across So Wide A Sea by @emyn-arnens. G: 20K, WIP. A fantastic epistolary fic: Galadriel writes to Finrod (after his death), as a deliberate historical record that quickly gets very personal. Rich and complex and humorous and poignant. Delightful.

The Other Daughter of Twilight by Anna_Wing. G: 16K. Maedhros/Thuringwethil. Just read it. Go.

8 of my favorite shorter fics of 2024

The Vigil by @balrogballs. G: 5K. Celebrian plans and delivers her own sendoff, the night before sailing. Oh, my heart.

A flickering flame by @camille-lachenille. G: 960 words. Andreth/Aegnor, Finrod, and a Gil-galad origin story, oh ow!

To Evil End by @zealouswerewolfcollector. T: 2900 words. Decades after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Fingon comes back to Maedhros. Or does he? GAH!!

Body and Spirit by @meadowlarkx. G: 1500 words. An anonymous scholar considers the food and drink customary during Elven pregnancy. Deliciously thoughtful and creative.

we could be kings by @queerofthedagger. T: 1600 words. The copper circlet Maitimo is crowned with is a work of art. He finds that he likes it much better on another's brow. Oh, babies.

Two Peredhil and an Elf in a Boat by @cycas. G: 5000 words. Elrond begins to make his peace with Earendil. Tender, humorous, touching.

precious stone set in the silver sea by rain_sleet_snow. G: 2000 words. A Celeborn/Galadriel origin story in which he is a Teler from Alqualonde. Gorgeous. Read the rest of the series, too.

The Warning Sounds Too Late by @eilinelsghost. T: 6000 words. Part 18 of the fabulous Atandil (Finrod/Beor) series, featuring a family dinner that, like so many, sparks insights and regrets.

8 oldies but goodies, circa 2013-2021, that I've recently reread and loved again.

The West Wind Quartet by @hhimring. T: 16K. Always a fave. Maglor unexpectedly takes on a Sinda as a student. Elegant, original, and moving.

Flawed and Fair by @a-tehta. M: 33K. Classic Glorthelion. Hilarious and tender all at once. Those GUYS!!!

Though All Whom Ye Have Slain Should Entreat For You by @thearrogantemu. G: 12K. Maedhros and Elwe have it out upon Elwe's return. A classic, for all the best reasons.

The Sound Below Sound by @adnirod. T: 35K. Gimleaf eloquence and angst and beauty. Spectacular.

Detour by @dawnfelagund. T: 8K. Reborn Maedhros is resigned to a gloomy life as a teacher in Fifth Age Tirion. Then Fingon Returns, with hope (and stickers).

Defiant Hope, Take Wing, by @lordnelson100. T: 10K. Halenthir: an alternative ending to the War of the Jewels, and a heartbreaker.

a light in darkness, hope in woe, by @admirablemonster. E: 4K. A Gil-galad origin story. Perpetual fave.

Letter 97 by @batshape. T: 9K. Orc academics, Russingon, and musings on the afterlife. Delightful.

8 favorites among my own fics from 2024. If you haven't read them, do give these a try.

When the Hurly-Burly's Done. G: 850 words. Elrond and Gil-galad and Celebrimbor picnic at the edge of the world.

The Blue Line Between Sea and Sky. G: 900 words, Idril/Tuor/Voronwe. Voronwe drowns. And drowns. And drowns.

Larded With Sweet Flowers. G: 400 words. Edrahil's last moments.

O, Blithe New-comer! G: 1000 words, background Russingon. Another origin story.

The Heaped Ashes of the Night Turn Into Leaves. G: 850 words. Glorfindel is being sent back to Middle-earth. Finrod has FOMO.

Deeper Roots Than Reason. G: 5500 words. The Oath of Fëanor makes its way across history and cultures, dragging Doom in its wake. TRSB 2024.

Among So Many Marvels. G: 1500 words. Early friendship between Eomer and Faramir, built around their people's stories.

Molded on One Stem. G: 3200 words. An exploration of Fingon and Aredhel's relationship, in which they are, fortunately and unfortunately, very much alike.

Everyone! What have you been reading? Consider yourself tagged. Please share!

[edennill-archived]

Browsing the #Maglor Fëanorion tag

🌌 at-even follow

This track is honestly such a mood

#my go to background music for when I'm missing home #maglor fëanorion #music tag

6 notes

🎶 songkind follow

I'd love it if Maglor haters didn't clog the tag though 😡

🍏 forrest follow

He's literally a kinslayer

🎶 songkind follow

No one asked your opinion.

🌅 anar-is-cool follow

I couldn't be more indifferent to him but there are "#anti -" tags for a reason guys.

#just through a quick search I found #anti maglor fëanorion #20k members #maglor is a kinslayer #7k members #anti-maglor #1.8k members #and there has to be more

203 notes

💛 ur-loving-frnd follow

My outlandish crack theory no one asked for:

Maglor Fëanorion is Caranthir and the Ambarussat in a trenchcoat. Wait, listen - I've got semi-reasonable arguments for that one lol.

read more

#This is all ignoring that I've actually met him #let's say they hired an actor xd #maglor fëanorion

79 notes

✨ aitos-url follow

#aitos #polls #maglor fëanorion

3948 notes

🌠 d3nq follow

You know you're old when you realise you remember when Maglor last released a happy album

#shitpost #maglor fëanorion #edit: oh wow I didn't expect this to blow up so much

9704 notes

👤 luinhasnopfp-luinneedsnopfp follow

I honestly can't believe how many of you pay lip service to justice and respect and political correctness and then turn around and listen to maglor fëanorion . you are aware you're popularising kinslayers, right? and don't care it's actively harmful?

❄️losseth following

like I'm a Sinda and I listen to him ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

👤 luinhasnopfp-luinneedsnopfp follow

he literally uses quenya in half his songs girl

244 notes

🎶 songkind follow

.

#this is just me rambling but I really can't describe what it is exactly. it speaks to me though #just how much more deeply than everyone maglor feels and suffers #I don't think it's something I or anyone (incl his critics) can understand #you can't judge him on a normal basis he's that kind of person #a category of his own #maglor fëanorion

11 notes

🔥n0ru follow

If you know you know

#maglor fëanorion

1099 notes

[silmarillaure]

Gil-Galad origin theories ranked from my favorite to least favorite

1. Son of Aegnor & Andreth - Not supported by canon at all but still the most fun & angsty idea. I also just love Aegnor & Andreth and think Gil-Galad being their son would at least bring them the comfort that them falling in love, despite how tragically their story ended, was worth it.

2. Son of Fingon + Telerin wife - I think we need to let Fingon be an a-hole more often. A Fingon who’s willing to kill his wife’s own people for Maedhros is so delicious. Gil-Galad could go live with Cirdan because it reminds him of his mother’s home.

Fingon + Sindarin wife is honestly less interesting to me (I’d put it on the same level as Son of Orodreth). Without the element of betrayal, it’s not as appealing.

3. Is actually Finduilas - I saw a blonde Tolkien woman dressing up as a man before & fighting and I loved it. Let it be done again.

4. Descendant of Feanor - Whether Gil-Galad is a son of Maglor, Caranthir, Curufin, or one of the canonically unmarried brothers, I’ll always eat it up. Celebrimbor carried Feanor’s creative legacy, but another descendant of Feanor becoming the great King that Feanor was unfortunately never able to be would be awesome.

5. Son of Dior & Nimloth (Is actually Elured or Elurin) - Love to see it! While I’m not a huge fan of Thingol & his family, a King with no Noldorin ancestry choosing to lead the Noldor onto a brighter path despite his own bad experiences with them is actually quite fun.

6. Son of Orodreth - It’s ok, it’s fine, it’s not the most interesting, but it’s not bad either. There’s a fair deal of angst I guess, which I like. It also just causes a lot of confusion though, and not in an interesting way. I also like Angrod so Gil-Galad being his grandson is a plus for me, but Finduilas pulling a Mulan is just so much more fun.

7. Son of Finrod & Amarie - NO THANK YOU!!! It’s boring, it’s uninspired, it holds less weight than being Orodreth’s son does. NEXT!

8. Son of Russingon (biological) - I personally don’t like the idea of making one half of a mlm ship ⚧️ just so they can have bio kids together, but no hate to the ppl who enjoy this version.

Adopted son of Russingon? I love it, but I actually rarely see this version. (I’d also put this one around the same level as Son of Orodreth but before Fingon + Sindarin wife)

9. Is actually any character that died (besides Finduilas) - It just doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t want an amnesiac Fingon or Feanor, sorry. It takes away from the emotional impact that those 2 deaths have on their loved ones, particularly the impact they had on Maedhros. Finduilas only works for me because 99% of her loved ones like Orodreth & Gwindor are dead.

[sweetteaanddragons]

B2MEM - "Competition"

@spring-into-arda (692 words; a long time ago I wrote a Hunger Games AU for the Silm; this takes place in a slightly different universe, but explores the same concept)

Maglor had won his Games by -

Well, it depended on which of the Games analysts you asked, naturally. He had seen them all, looping on reruns late at night as he paced, sleepless, through a living room with more chairs than he would ever need. Each of the analysts had their own theory on just what was most important about his Games, though which theory got the most screentime depended on just how happy the Capitol was with him at present.

He had won his Games by running away.

(True, of course. From the very first moment it was safe to run from the starting plate, to this moment, right now, when he was standing at the very last window on the very last car of the train rather than being anywhere remotely useful. He had long ago ceased trying to deny even to himself that it was what he had done, over and over again.)

He had won his Games by winning the crowd.

(If he had only kept his mouth shut. If he had run quietly, run alone, if he had never opened his mouth to sing . . . He had been dangerous. From a known family of rebels. If he had stayed quiet, he would probably be safely dead now. If he had won anyway, he would probably be safely obscure now.)

(But he never could just keep his mouth shut.)

He had won his Games by getting his competition to underestimate him.

(He thinks the president believes that one. He wishes he knew some way to convince him that no, he really did run. He really did mean it. All the flashes of anything else were just - remnants. Flashes of what his family had deserved for him to be.)

(But it hadn’t been enough to save them, and it wouldn’t be enough to disturb the Capitol, so please, please, please, stop trying to break what’s already ground to dust - )

None of them ever really bring up that he had won his Games by slitting three throats. 

(Four? Three and a half? He can never decide if the last one counts. He could look it up, of course, but the Capitol does not get to decide this. He is not even sure if he gets to decide this.)

It wasn’t worth mentioning, he supposed. It wasn’t anywhere near a record kill count for a Victor; it wasn’t a particularly memorable way of committing the kills. He was a Victor. Of course he had killed. 

So had a lot of others in the arena, and it hadn’t saved them. It had to have been something else that made him different.

Luck. Or running. Or acting. Or winning the crowd.

He had told each tribute had to mentor something different. Whatever he thought would fit best for their strategy.

See, this will work for you. I know, because it worked for me. Don’t you want to be like me?

(He left that last part out since the answer any sane person would give was too obviously “No,” and the last thing the tributes needed in there was doubting whether or not they really wanted to win this.)

Only now . . .

Now it was Elrond, waiting back in the dining car and no doubt comforting the other tribute, the tribute Maglor couldn’t even let himself think of, because it was down to him to mentor them both, but it couldn’t be both of them.

It couldn’t be her.

And he had to decide, here and now, in a train car that in a few weeks would hold a minimum of one coffin, exactly what it was he had done, exactly what it was he could teach, that would keep it from being two.

Luck. Or running. Or acting. Or winning the crowd.

The glass of the window felt very cold against his hands.

They had felt cold twenty years ago when they were wrapped around steel and drawing blood.

He was not what his family had been.

But perhaps the Capitol really should have done a better job of remembering that when it had come down to it, he had stopped running and started slitting throats.

[lyragoth]

I have so many questions for you and your gf about Happy Elfling and Golden Elfling !

Did Fëanor teach at Happy Elfling in person, and on a scale from 1 to 10 how much of a terrifying experience was it ? (if closer to 10 than 1, for how long did he teach before someone wiser convinced him he was more needed in the forge ?)

Who were Happy Elfling star students (I'm assuming Curvo, but beyond that ?) ?

Who were Happy Elfling's not so good students ?

Did Fingolfin's children attend Happy Elfling, and if yes, a) whose idea was it ; b) was it a good idea to?

Did Finarfin's children attend Happy Elfling, and with what result ? Did Finrod hate it so much that he swore no elfling would ever have to go through this again ? Was Galadriel the best but also by far the most annoying student ?

Did Finrod teach in person at Golden Elfling, and on the spectrum of inspiring to goofy to crazy out-of-body-experience, what was it like for the students ?

Were Finrod and Curvo fighting because Finrod wanted to put more Men stuff in the curriculum of Golden Elfling, and Curvo thought it was taking precious time away from studying the dwarfish stuff he was pushing instead ?

Later on, was Celebrimbor's patchwork education a cause of insecurities, and did Annatar play on it (I'm assuming he would have been hardcore Happy Elfling and would have made Celebrimbor feel very inadequate for having been educated in the equivalent pot-smoking methods of Golden Elfling) ?

Was Elrond homeschooled in the purest strictest Happy Elfling tradition (or did his education mostly consist of Maglor playing music and crying, with the occasional bout of martial training ?) ?

Was Gil-Galad educated in the Happy Elfling or Golden Elfling tradition ?

If Elrond was Happy Elfling trained and Gil-Galad Golden Elfling, did Elrond feel just a little bit smug about it ("Oh, you do not know the etymology and Cuiviénen pronunciation of the word for the underside of a beech leaf, High King ? Well, figures") ?

If Gil-Galad was Golden Elfing trained, was he able to retaliate in kind when it came to the long-lost traditions of the House of Bëor (extensively covered at Golden Elfling - "Oh, even though you are a peredhel, you did not know that in the third day following the Spring Equinox, the people of the House of Bëor while still leaving in the East used to fashion a clay-pot in the shape of a fish and leave it outside overnight ? Well, figures", goes Gil who has himself fashioned about a dozen such pots over the course of the years for the yearly recreations of the House of Bëor Spring Equinox traditions at Golden Elfling) ?

I must say (before saying anything else) that the idea of Happy Elfling originated in a rather silly context between my girlfriend and me, so we didn’t really consider in-depth lore or how the ages of the elves aligned. I will try my best to answer everything. So, Happy Elfling and Golden Elfling worked like what we humans have in "kindergartens" and "Elementary school". Happy Elfling: Initially, Happy Elfling began small, with Fëanor teaching Maedhros as his first student. Maedhros was everything but a happy elfling lol Fëanor hoped to instill a love for forging in his eldest son, but Maedhros, pragmatic by nature, preferred mathematics, and Maglor preferred musical theory. So for the love of his sons, he started to teach different subjects and invite different people to teach what he couldn't. As word of the school spread, Happy Elfling grew into a prestigious institution, and soon every noble family was sending their children there, Feanor also accepted exceptionally bright elflings.

Feanor likely taught Maedhros, Maglor, Finrod, and Fingon. But he stepped back from teaching once the school became too large. Nerdanel took over as principal, implementing new subjects like sculpture, Teleri and Vanyar history, and elfling psychology.

New students often asked old-schoolers like Fingon or Finrod about what it was like to have Fëanor as a teacher. The typical response was sweaty foreheads, nervous chuckles, and vague replies. They simply said they learned a lot, but "at what cost?” Maedhros and Maglor, meanwhile, had a more resigned perspective... because those amateurs had no idea about what was like dealing with that in AND out of school.

Fëanor returned to teaching temporarily when Curvo entered Happy Elfling. He wanted to oversee Curvo’s education personally. Finrod studied in Curufin's class, and they competed for grades constantly, especially in linguistics. Most of the time, their scores were even, but whenever Finrod won, Curufin would argue with the teacher that he was entitled to better grades because he was the founder's son. It’s rumored that Celegorm wasn’t academically bright, but he excelled in athletics, zoology, and surprisingly poetry (he hid this fact from his brothers). In other subjects, he was disinterested, often disrupting classes or fighting anyone who mistook him for one of Finarfin’s sons or punching elflings who drew trash cans on the blackboard with sentences like "Tyelko-Finarfin's-Trash-Can-Baby". Celegorm’s violent outbursts frequently landed him in the principal’ (his mother’s) office, which put him in double trouble. Being in the principal’s office weekly was considered fortunate. He was also known for jumping out of classroom windows to explore nature, playing with birds and colorful snails, and rarely returning to class.

Galadriel excelled as an A-grade student in Happy Elfling, bringing her international renown. Her fame as a wise elf originated from her achievements in HE. However, she considered the school’s teaching methods overly ruthless and vowed to one day establish a better and less dangerous institution. She was so traumatized by the experience, that when Feanor asked for her hair for scientific and artistic purposes, she denied him. She was more than happy to help her brother Finrod develop Golden Elfling when he later founded it.

Legend says Nerdanel still runs Happy Elfling in Valinor in her husband's place. She is not soft at all. And like Feanor, she manages the school with an iron hand.

Golden Elfling: In Middle-earth, Finrod, aided by Galadriel, founded Golden Elfling, Nargothrond’s elfling school, which Celebrimbor attended in the same class as Gil-galad. Orodreth and Curufin often argued because Orodreth claimed Tyelpe had kicked Gil-galad many times. Curufin would counter that his son was not in the wrong and that it was Orodreth’s fault for raising a dullard slow child.

By then, Galadriel was in Doriath, but she occasionally visited Golden Elfling as an invited teacher. She convinced Melian to come along as well. Melian eventually taught culinary arts and singing, but the elflings begged her to teach them "cool magic" and "dope power-shields" instead. They had zero interest in learning about lembas. Celebrimbor, especially curious, bombarded Melian with questions about the Ainur and why she looked different from most elves, with her larger stature, long ears, and unique aura. Tyelpe’s relentless annoying questioning led to the addition of "Maiar Physiology" to the subjects' curriculum.

Finrod didn’t teach in Golden Elfling because of his kingly duties. Curufin was also too absorbed in forging and dark deeds with his brother. Celegorm, except from Tyelpe, disliked elflings in general and had no interest in teaching Finrod wouldn’t have allowed him near the school anyway. However, despite his busy schedule, Curufin always joined Celebrimbor for parent-son scavenger hunts or sports contests. He taught Celebrimbor important questionable lessons like how it was fine to throw sand in an opponent’s eyes if they were bigger. Little Tyelpe would show up at these contests with war paint and a Feanor-star bandana, yelling, “House of Feanor doesn’t enter wars to lose! House of Feanor will slaughter the Golden House!” This unsettled Finrod greatly, who tried to teach Tyelpe that it was okay not to win, as long as he had fun, Curufin disagreed. Finrod also emphasized that "respect and honor" was Golden Elfling’s motto, Curufin disagreed with this motto entirely, arguing there was nothing wrong with his son being confident.

Curufin thought the meditation classes where the elflings drank a small glass of ayahuasca to have prophetic visions, were a waste of time. He suggested replacing them with pyrotechnics, teaching the art of burning things without getting burned. Finrod refused for the children’s safety. Curufin also disapproved of Golden Elfling’s student group trips to human villages because he harbored many prejudices. Whenever Celebrimbor returned home, Curufin would bathe him with enchanted herbs and use elvish healing magic, convinced that humans had infected his son with all sorts of ailments.

Although Celebrimbor was educated in Golden Elfling, his entire culture was rooted in Happy Elfling teachings, passed down from his father, uncles, and grandparents. Aftermath:

Annatar gently persistently argued that everything Melian taught about the Ainur was wrong. He never again attempted to offer his opinion on the teachings of the Happy Elfling or Golden Elfling, because Tyelpe wouldn’t allow him to comment on elvish education, especially that of his grandfather. That said, Annatar once suggested replacing Fëanor’s statue with one of Tyelpe himself, which got him fired from the forge work. He was later rehired, arguing that his work contract stipulated he couldn't be fired for 300 years, much to Tyelpe’s annoyance.

As for Elrond and Elros, although I didn’t think much about their "kidnap family" upbringing, I believe they were taught in the Happy Elfling tradition—albeit a toned-down version because Maglor wouldn’t allow Maedhros to teach pyrotechnics to children. Elrond and Elros loved astronomy, often using the big telescope to observe celestial bodies. In reality, they used it as an excuse to look for their father every night. Their weird curiosity about birds led to the inclusion of ornithology in the curriculum.

As for Elrond and Gil-galad, they certainly had some clashes, as Gil-galad was Golden Elfling schooled, while Elrond came from a Happy Elfling background. Their disputes often revolved around proper pronunciation, with Elrond politely annoyingly insisting he was correct and Gil-galad was not. Your final note about Gil-galad and Elrond debating House of Bëor’s long-lost traditions is pure Golden Elfling teaching and absolutely perfect as it is—I wouldn’t change a thing! @erendur

[blahahala]

Give me your best theories!

Personally, I just don’t know!!! He speaks Quenya, quotes Rumil, has a fancy sword, knew or at least saw Melian, has a history with Sauron and Morgoth, possibly knows Elrond…. and then Cirdan actually mentions Daeron earlier in the season... was that just for a fun reference or does it mean something bigger? I am not an expert so let me know anything I've missed/misinterpreted! Maglor: Missing, speaks Quenya, has a hand injury, likely has a fancy sword, knew Elrond, could he have red in his hair like Adar? But idk if he makes any sense time-wise.

Celeborn: Missing, could have a fancy sword, knew Melian, maybe he knows some Quenya? Perhaps he met Elrond at the same time Galadriel did? There are a few different backgrounds associated with him so idk what they're going with. Wrong hair color.

Maeglin: Quenya, fancy dark sword (could it be Anguirel?), was a captive in Angband, but he should be dead.

Maedhros: History with Morgoth, fancy sword, Quenya, knew Elrond, red hair (though Adar's is only red in certain light), hand injury, hung from a peak, but he should be dead and should be missing his right hand. But there are a lot of similarities - is Adar slightly based on him, maybe?

Daeron: Disappeared, knew Melian, was mentioned earlier in the show by Cirdan, could he have known some Quenya?

Some random elf: Probably most likely, though what is his background, I wonder? Seems to have some Noldorin traits, but also shares with Arondir the tradition of planting seeds before battle and mentions the river where Arondir grew up.

It's tricky to even try to fit these characters into this, as I don't really know the exact timeline/history that applies in this show (Adar himself mentions he was taken to serve Morgoth in the "eldest of the Elder Days"), but it's still fun to speculate!!

[aipilosse]

Now I am really really curious and want to know more about your theory of C&C and M&M not being close anymore in Beleriand and why you don't buy their super duper close relationship. I noticed that as well as the fact that C&C are the feanorians often linked not just to Aredhel but to the three Arafinweans, especially Orodreth and Angrod who in the many versions are actually close to C&C which honestly is pretty interesting and such cool thing.

oooh yeah sure, I'll talk about this! This is more contrarian headcanon-not-contradicted-by-canon than anything I came to organically, but it's now become my preferred way of thinking about them.

Anyway, first, I will clarify that my theory is not Celegorm & Curufin and Maedhros & Maglor not being close in Beleriand; it is that they were NEVER close, even in Aman. We know from the story that Fëanor's sons were fiercely devoted to him, but it's never said that they were especially close with each other. And with a father who was likely demanding, played clear favorites, and had piles of charisma, I could easily see the brothers' relationships being marked by jealousy and simmering resentment, but not in an 'every brother for himself' way. It seems M&M have a strong relationship and C&C do too. Caranthir is the odd one out where it seems like none of his brothers are too attached, and honestly there's so little about Amras & Amrod but from what's there they form another obvious pair. But yeah, C&C definitely have a lot connections to the rest of the family! And it seems like those friendships were created before the Darkening and the Flight, and then renewed after Maedhros' rescue.

After Fëanor's death, Maedhros leads his brothers, but here I don't think that's because of any especial familial love or 'big brother Maedhros protective power uwu', and more because as Princes of the Noldor descended from Fëanor they are a *political* unit.

Sidebar: I think the 'family' part of the family politics of the House of Finwë is super overemphasized and the 'politics' part languishes. Like, Maedhros' brothers owe some sort of political allegiance to him (I'd say fealty... but I feel like someone with more historical knowledge will jump out of the woodwork and 'well ackshually' me) -- they are not a normal modern family!!

Now, I think the common fandom interpretation of suffocatingly close and devoted sons of Fëanor is a reasonable conclusion to reach from reading 'Of the Return of the Noldor' and I don't think my 'brothers at odds' theory is more canon; it's more that I don't think close and devoted take is the only reasonable conclusion. I have in fact seen people discard an obvious interpretation of events off hand because of the fact that all of the sons of Fëanor were soooo obviously devoted to each other, any time they didn't seek each other out there must be *something* preventing them from joining their brothers.

I really must disagree -- while C&C seem very close as do M&M, I think it's just as likely that when they're all together they're an acrimonious bitter mess, and that Maedhros staked out lands for them out east not just to keep the peace with Fingolfin & Finrod, but also to reduce fighting between his brothers. Also, them being an acrimonious bitter mess together does not mean they aren't charming, fun even, apart. Finrod is friends with all three pairs (sorry Caranthir); there's the other aforementioned C&C Arafinwean friendships and Aredhel friendship; Maedhros is friends with Fingolfin and Fingon. They even form alliances with non-elves apart, with Curufin befriending some dwarvish groups independently, and different brothers forming different mannish alliances. And I haven't even mentioned Amrod & Amras and the green elves. This all points to the brothers being reasonable, personable people when separated, capable of forming friendships and political alliances both, and perhaps to some degree hating each other's guts when together.

Food for thought! I welcome any and all enjoyers of my 'the sons of Fëanor would rather not be in a room together ever again' theory.

[eri-pl]

Silm Advent calendar 24: Reprise

No warnings, just attempts at translating Latin terms into Sindarin purely because I can. (Not the kind of Latin terms you would most expect in the context).

Laughter and lanterns filled the hall, one echoing, others split by gems and glad into rainbows and reflections. Despite the night outside, Finrod felt almost as if he was back in the happier times. Or at least in a memory of them.

The feast seemed successful: every major group had sent some representatives, even Thingol (though it had required some diplomacy), and only the two most level-headed sons of Feanor came. So far, everything went smoothly.

So far.

It would take long before the idea of a feast would not fill him with apprehension. And yet, his uncle — his High King— had organized one and it worked. So far.

Finrod passed through the crowd, snippets of conversations floated around him: not exactly noise, but still a form of chaos.

“Like athradil, is it not?” Daeron came closer, and Maglor with him. Those two looked as if they were having an argument, but they were only upset, not angry. Good.

Maglor made an expression that for a Sinda may have been nothing, but for a Noldo he could as well have rolled his eyes.

Finrod tried diplomacy. “I see that you have been discussing musical concepts of both our cultures?”

“Musical?” Maglor asked. “They don't even use proper chords.”

“They just think about them differently, but—”

Daeron spoke at the same time. “Maybe you can explain to him—”

They both paused and apologized to each other for the interruption, and then Finrod spoke again. “The athradil is a Sindarin form of polyphony. There is a base melody, the lindog — taglinn, if you prefer to use the usual word order, I'm sorry, I've learned much of the words from Lúthien — it has to be a complete melody in itself, begin and end on the origin, plus some more detailed rules, irrelevant for now. One person sings — or plays — the taglinn, and another joins and sings… you would say: harmonizes to it.

"But again, it must work well as its own melody. This, and the further lines, if you add more, is called the athradil. It does result in chords, but the Sindar like to emphasize the particular melodies being beautiful on their own.”

Maglor looked at him with forced patience. “And how would thinking in chords make it any worse, except the fact that the Sindar would have to learn mathematics?”

Finrod forced himself not to sigh. “It would lessen the focus on individual melodies, but yes, the result is similar. When you hear it, it's often impossible to tell in which way it was composed. The Sindar even use the same rules for allowed and disallowed intervals that you stated in your book.”

“Of course they do, those are simply the rules of music! They're universal.”

“I'm certain that in a proper context, with wide enough voicing, some of those rules could be, how to phrase it... That even a tone apart could work.”

Now both Maglor and Daeron looked at him with indignation. Finrod smiled in his mind, because improving the relationship between the Feanorians and the Sindar mattered more than the details of music theory. He always sang from his heart anyway — like the Teleri — and the results, while not great, were good enough.

“Well, maybe one day you shall manage to do that and invent a whole new kind of music. Then I'll change my mind.” Maglor looked at Finrod with a challenge. Daeron nodded.

“I didn't say that I'll do it, only that it maybe could be done. Maybe. I'm trying to stay open to possibilities.” Finrod smiled widely, feeling mischievous. “Now, of you excuse me, I'll leave you two to your craft.”

He kept circling among the guests. It was late in the night, close to the morning, and he hadn't rested in a few days. There were people to talk, diplomacy to do, and Finrod was effectively the lord of his father's people here… But he was also tired.

The voices around him mixed with memories. Like athradil, indeed.

“...it's getting late, if we want to have a good look at the Sickle, we better hurry. Soon it'll be dawn.”

“...one day, I wish to build a kingdom like her, my own home, reminding of the beauty…”

Maybe Maglor had been right, maybe he should be more serious? More like a proper Noldo, and less like his mother. Maybe. But Finrod had had enough seriousness on the ice. Every moment he could spare for a whimsy felt like a treasure.

“...the Khazad are mining it, they work it into intricate…”

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Turgon approached him from behind, carrying a glass of wine, almost orange in the lamplight. It felt wonderful to see him smiling again.

All the people, all the voices, mixing, mingling, all the lights… Finrod needed a rest. “Beautiful, indeed.”

And yet, he kept glancing through the window, at the graying sky. The guards were all at their places. Good.

Why couldn't he trust in happiness? Should he?

Even after twenty years, each morning he felt relief when the sky brightened. Nobody stole the sun yet. Good.

Fingolfin discussed something with Mablung and a few others over a map. Logistics… Finrod would have to go and have an opinion about it. Later.

He was so tired. He slumped in a chair and remembered home, so far West, but his mind went to the cloaked figure and his words. Would they really never return home? They did want to leave, but not forever…

…the green lands of Aman, never fading, never withering…

…but the figure — Finrod didn't want to admit that it had been Lord Námo himself — had said that the Valar would not listen to the prayers of the Noldor, and yet— He looked again at the hall, seeking the patch of copper, and there he was, talking with Fingon, eating an insanely sweet Vanyarin dessert made of caramelized milk, so very alive.

So, if this prophecy had proved untrue in part, maybe— maybe.

Maybe one day they will come back home, triumphant. Maybe one day the spider-infested wasteland will become green again. Maybe. May it be…

…He should have gone back with his father. But who would lead the people then? They surely wouldn't all come back too. And yet, it felt like father had been right. Father didn't have to deal with the Feanorians. Father didn't have to go through the ice. Father didn't have to lie to Thingol — well, not really lie, but the omissions felt bad enough.

Well, there was no point in thinking about that now. Maybe only to think more the next time he would decide to follow an insane plan, and not do it. Or at least make sure what he really wanted to do.

He remembered the crowd with torches in the darkness, the passion… Feanáro… A spirit of fire he'd been indeed. And now he was dead, consumed by flames.

Did Nerdanel even know that she was a widow? How much did anyone back in the West know nowadays? She'd always been so kind to all the family… it must have been very hard on her when they left…

…and yet, Finrod could not regret it. Maybe it was just the Telerin unwillingness to regret what could not be changed, maybe it was more. They had left, for better or for worse, and what would come of it? He doubted he would live to see most of it.

Would he even live to see the Men? They have allegedly awakened — but the information came from the least trustworthy of sources — and Finrod was curious. The Valar said they would not win this war, but maybe with new, unpredictable allies… who knew?

He drifted deeper into dreams and memories.

…his mother, on the ship, barely aware of all the political turmoil among the Noldor…

…Taniquetil, bright in the Treelight…

…Amarië in the garden, laughing, waiting…

On the outside, Maglor and Daeron came near him, still discussing chords and melodies, and which of those was the proper way of looking at music… stupid question. Music was not to be looked at, but to be listened to. And sung. And was older than books anyway.

The sun rose and the sudden warmth felt like fire.

And yet, in his dream he was in a starless forest full of snow and wolves. The ice howled at him, and its laughter sounded like swords and chains.

“It's going to be a long night,” Finrod said into the darkness. “But eventually, the day will come.”

A single star appeared in the sky.

[glorf1ndel]

Fëanorians as Taylor Swift Albums

Speak Now: Taylor’s Version is out, so I apologize for the person I’ve become. That being said, here are the Fëanorians as Taylor Swift albums!

Fëanor: Reputation. “Look What You Made Me Do” is practically the Oath of Fëanor, guys. This album combines electrifying love with giving the middle finger to society trying to intrude on that love, which feels very Fëanor to me. (Plus, he would absolutely fight other versions of himself in order to prove himself as the supreme Fëanor.)

Nerdanel: Red. I have to give Nerdanel the album about heartbreak – and the catharsis that comes with writing a ten-minute song about it. The highs and lows of Nerdanel’s life? She remembers them all too well. Red also contains some of Taylor’s most well-regarded music, and I think Nerdanel would appreciate that, as an artist herself.

Maedhros: Midnights. Let’s face it, Maedhros has had more than 13 sleepless nights. And this album has “Anti-Hero” and “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” which are hardcore Maedhros songs. But I’d like to think Mae finds joy in life, and that’s what Midnights is about – being almost surprised that in the end, you’ve stumbled upon happiness.

Maglor: Folklore. This one has to go to Maglor for the intricate songwriting, ocean vibes, and the line I can go anywhere I want/ Anywhere I want, just not home. Plus, this was a triumphant Grammy win for Taylor – and Maglor deserves a Grammy, too. :’)

Celegorm: 1989! Celegorm needs an album to rival his energy, so why not one filled with some of Taylor’s biggest hits? “Bad Blood” and “Out of the Woods” were made for Celegorm: the son of Fëanor, the hunter, the lover of life, and everything in between. Tyelko’s got a blank space, baby, and he’ll write your name.

Caranthir: Speak Now. Here are some of Taylor’s fiercest songs, perfect for the Fëanorian who can get a little angry sometimes. Let Caranthir listen to pop rock! Also, the fairy tale themes of this album suit him; I’d like to think that he dreams of a happy ending with Haleth. Maybe he even gets it. Long live the walls we crashed through, y’all.

Curufin: Evermore goes to Curufin, who’s thoughtful and intense all at once. He’s a clever craftsman, and here is a cohesive album where every song is a little melancholy, feral, and maybe even joyful. I can see Curufin listening to “Evermore,” hoping for the moment when his own pain will end.

Amrod: Fearless! Whether or not you agree with the crispy Amrod theory, there’s no denying that Amrod (and his twin) have a good amount of fearlessness. There are a lot of songs in this album about youth, such as “Fifteen,” which suit a young Fëanorian trying to navigate Middle Earth. It’s even more stressful than high school.

Amras: Taylor Swift. What else could I give the youngest brother? Sometimes Amras might feel overshadowed by his siblings, but there’s no denying it: he’s a powerhouse, too. So here’s the album that contains Taylor Swift’s first hits, like “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops on My Guitar.” Also, I think Amras would appreciate a good country ballad.

Celebrimbor: Lover. Celebrimbor is a cheerful person who truly loves his life in Ost-in-Edhil. He’s also an expert smith, so Taylor’s first self-owned album, the product of a lot of hard work, is one that I think Celebrimbor would appreciate. And we’ve got to give him the happy ending of “Daylight.” I just think that you are what you love.

[stitcherofchaos]

Maglor is an ISFJ

I haven't known any ISFJs in my life so this will be completely unbiased (also be against stereotypes, both negative and positive). There is also a note to be said that we do not know everything about Maglor's reasons or personal thoughts in the beginning of the book; personally, I think that alone is proof for this theory.

Dom Si users are strongly loyal to the past, including patterns, people, and/or ideas they recognize and are comfortable with. It may seem boring, but to them it's about consistency and familiarity.

Maglor's Si takes form in literally everything he does from the start. Following his family in their beliefs and actions, he doesn't question anything and submits to the leader of his family. First being Feanor, which is probably why he swore the oath and assisted in the burning of the ships from the beginning, then followed Maedhros after their father died. Maglor also was the artist behind the Noldolante which is a lament of The Doom of The Noldor and The First Kinslaying (Si memories of the past).

Then there is Fe which means you are more empathetic and considerate of the thoughts and feelings of others; but this does not mean you don't have your own thoughts or feelings. It means that you have a strong instinct about what is going on (or what is going to happen) due to the patterns of people you observe around you. This Fe is perhaps a strong influence to his decisions in the start of the story but especially in the middle when he slays Uldor. He figures out the intentions of Uldor before he could kill Maedhros and killed the traitor himself.

Ti is an utility function. It takes in information and seeks for the truth in difficult situations and/or questions. This is his third function so it's mostly ignored in favor of the top two functions but Maglor begins to use it at the end of the book when he starts to become weary and sorrowful.

Examples: He sees the star of Earendil, and hope sparks in his heart, because he figures out it's better there then in Middle Earth where evil can touch it. He argues with Maedhros his point of hope and possible redemption but submits to Maedhros's will due to his first function against his analytical judgment. Not only does he throws the Silmaril into the ocean due to the pain (spiritual, physical, and mental) he feels holding it, but also due to the confirmation that he has become a monster and the oath, the quest, his accomplishments in Middle Earth, were all for naught.

The rarely used Ne is in this picture. The last function is usually not used often so I believe wholeheartedly that Maglor uses his Ne mostly in regards to his songs- this is because the last function is usually used in short periods of times of inspiration and innovation. Then Elrond and Elros came into the picture and, unexpectedly, his Ne gives him the idea, "You can raise them, you had six brothers! You can do it! Who else do they have?"

Like I said in my Maedhros post, I don't like matching up personality traits with the stereotypical traits of each type. If I made any mistakes in this analysis, please correct me or add onto this as a reblog! If you have any character/mbti type ideas you want me to analyze, I'll be more than happy to!

[doodle-pops]

mina! what do you think fading consists of, exactly? i'm sure that maglor does after some time, but... it still is nice to daydream about a reader who finds him on some cold, dark day and leads him to somewhere warm and safe

Oh, anon how I love you so for this question. When I say this concept keeps me going, I mean it has my braincells vibrating at the speed of light to figure it out. I have so many theories on what actually happens to the elves when they're fading because they're magical creatures too extravagant for an ordinary death.

They morph into nature

I have this belief that when the elves are in the process of fading, wherever they go to deal with their grief, it is there they become one with nature. The concept of fading is like how we humans grieve until our bodies cannot bear the strain we're under, so we eventually pass away. Similarly, with the elves, when they're losing their strength and crossing into the next world (afterlife), let's say they're in the forest fading. Their body would slowly morph into nature (the forest floor or a tree root) as their life departs.

Like with Maglor, if he were to fade, his body would be left behind appearing like a realistic rock. People who come across it might believe that it is actually someone trapped in the stone, but it's only his body merging with nature while the soul departed. So we get a rock that has the outline and soft features of an elf. This would mean we have elf-like/life-like looking tree roots, rocks, moss-covered ground and so forth that were the locations elves chose to fade.

2. They turn into stardust

So this one is basically when the elves have reached their final stage and are no longer able to maintain their soul within their body, they turn into stardust and return to the heavens. Brings in the concept of “our ancestors are always watching over us” when the bodies of the elves have returned to the very thing they loved the most.

I do enjoy the concept of the elves being made out of stardust, a massive reason why they GLOW so much and even more in the dark. Stars are the answer. So it would make sense for the bodies to return to the heavens from where they were extracted to be made.

So maybe the next time you're strolling on the beach and you come across a rock that has the outline of a person, it's Maglor lol. Or when you're looking at the stars, some of the elves are up there.

But, I do enjoy the idea of him still being out there, roaming the shores and never having the chance to rest because he's burdened by the grief of all that happened. This introduces us as the reader to save his poor, weary soul.

Not sure if you're aware, but there's a fic written for Maglor by @icarus-fell-in-spring where he gets redemption called A Road To Forgiveness. You all should give it a read :)

[tanoraqui]

I absolutely love your AUs! Your world building is terrific

-@outofangband

I love and appreciate that this message is, I can only assume, prompted by my most recent post about the Silmarillion Superhero AU, which is objectively crack in general and that particular post was especially so, what with declaring Maglor to be basically the Music Meister (B:TBatB).

HERE'S MORE FREE WORLDBUILDING FOR THAT WORLD:

(kinda retcon to previous statements) the Great Music and Songs of Power work the same way they do in Arda proper, or maybe a little more practically than that (though I suspect First Age Elves regularly got up to much more overt acts of power than we see in LotR). This occupies the same...worldbuilding environmental niche? as "magic" in a Marvel/DC superhero world. Like, "Song" and "spell" are used synonymously.

Correspondingly, like Scarlet Witch is technically a mutant with the mutation "is really good at magic", Maglor and Finrod both got the Light-empowered ability to be really good at Music

They don't have the exact same power. Though the most notable distinction might be more a matter of personality: Finrod is more innately talented at manipulating minds and emotions, and Maglor is more innately talented at manipulating the physical environment. However, when the House of Fëanor officially turned to Villainy, Maglor started leaning more into the manipulating hearts and minds, because that's more sinister, and Finrod was like, "cool, I see what you're doing there" and started practicing more with the sort of Songs that produce effects similar to telekinesis (or healing! Finrod's a good healer)

So, you know shit is getting Really Real if they switch back

They also both have the potential to affect the course Great Music on a level localized to currently-happening or about-to-happen events, because that's my favorite theory as to what was really going on in the Battle of Finrod and Sauron – fighting over not the minds or actions of individuals but how this story was going to go, loyalty, strength and joy or betrayal and tragedy! But that's, well, battling-a-Maiar-for-your-life-and-your-team's level of effort. Fall-unconscious-for-at-least-a-day-afterward effort.

In another recent train of thought:

People with elaborate spreadsheets on “how to kill and/or disable all my family members if necessary”: Maedhros, Fingolfin, Curufin, Finarfin (less elaborate, but he does have a spreadsheet, because he loves them but doesn't trust most of them anymore)

Has thought about it systematically but not written anything down, and the thoughts were more “how could I personally take each person down, dead or alive”: Celegorm

Has thought about it systematically but not written anything down, and the thoughts were exclusively non-lethal, “what could I Sing to quickly pacify (calm, knock out, and/or otherwise harmlessly disable) each person”: Finrod

In charge of the UN office that keeps an entire database of this sort of information for every known superhuman on the planet, but doesn't personally track it: Círdan

Maedhros is basically personally engaged in an escalating quiet war with...the US government, basically. Wherein sometimes they reasonably need to summon him to testify before Congress about his many legally dubious business and other practices, or more often he comes personally to schmooze, lobby, and offer campaign contributions...all of which he's very good at, what with the superhuman charisma. And they're perfectly aware of that danger!

So there's an entire R&D lab in the Department of Defense dedicated to trying to create security measures to counter the powers of...well, superpowered people overall, of course, very much including the House of Finwë. But also: Maedhros specifically.

Maedhros would take this as a personal challenge anyway, not to mention a thing to be evaded for entirely practical reasons. But it's emotionally heavier than that because the entire House of Finwë has trauma about being powerless, because when Ungoliant came in her cloud of Darkness, they were all utterly, painfully powerless. Like all the energy had been stolen from their limbs and all the breath from their lungs, along with (temporarily) the Light. And we all know how that went.

So Maedhros is like, "we are playing a fun little one-upmanship game :)" and then every time they spring something new on him, he does his best to steal it immediately and send it to Curufin or whoever else is necessary to reverse engineer it and devise a countermeasure

One time the DoD got their hands on a live Void Spider, a true Ungoliant spawn, and somehow caged it and started getting usable Darkness from it. Some general, and the scientists working for him, was very please when Maedhros condescendingly tried on the new required-security power-blocking cuff and visibly paled, and made a quick excuse for backing out of the White House meeting he was about to attend. They would've been less please if they'd known that the instant he was back in his car and driving away, he called Fingolfin - directly to his cell phone, not even pussyfooting around by calling Fingon instead - and said, "We have a problem."

They were even less pleased when (predictably tbh) the Spider broke out of containment and a mixed band of heroes and villains had to save Washington DC from being consumed by nothingness, but obviously the US government brought that on themselves.

[niennawept]

I'm interested in your unpopular Maglor opinions!

Hello anon! This got super long, so apologies for that. I will also preface this with the statement that my opinions are pretty negative. If you don't want to read further, I'll understand. Warning thus issued, I'll proceed to lay out all of my many thoughts under a cut.

Maglor seems often to be portrayed as 'the good one' of the sons of Fëanor, but I'm not sure that's justified by the text? Seems to me that if you can see you've done wrong enough to compose Noldolantë and then you go on to do two more Kinslayings, then maybe you're worse than the people who know it's wrong and don't care? Because it's a) wrong, b) you care deeply, and c) you willingly did it again twice.

Now this leaves out the common fandom interpretation about the compulsion of the Oath. But I'm not sure how much I buy into that theory. Part of me likes it because it does offer us an explanation and because extra magic in the world, but part of me feels it's a little too convenient a card to play. I am more in favor of the idea of having more free-will than that and feeling trapped, rather than actually being trapped. Yes, you will be doomed to 'everlasting darkness' if you are foresworn, but is that worse than living with what you've done?

That's not to say that people can't enjoy Maglor BECAUSE of these reasons, by the by. But I've never really been in the 'make him worse' part of the fandom communities I'm in. I like redemption arcs, whether they succeed or fail. I'm not very interested in people who are getting worse with no attempts to get better, but that's a personal preference. And maybe all those "Maglor is a Rivendell cryptid" stories are attempts at a redemption? But I haven't read any, so I don't know.

Okay - that was a lot already, but I haven't even touched on the whole 'kidnap fam' situation. But here is where my dislike of Maglor gets probably unfairly personal, so feel free to skip out if you don't want to know.

I haven't really talked about this much on here, but both of my parents were adopted and neither of them have ever really recovered from it. That's not to say that my adopted grandparents were bad people - they were decently good parents, according to the accounts I have of them. But there is something traumatic about adoption, even when it is the best option. And in my opinion, Maglor and Maedhros 'adopting' Elrond and Elros is very much not the best option. They are kidnapping those children. Yes, even if "love grew between them."

I think a lot of my ire focuses on Maglor for this because he's specifically mentioned in that 'love grew between them' line. I'd probably dislike Maedhros just as much if he was more present in this situation.

Anyhow, I don't think that either Maglor or Maedhros were intentionally abusive, but you can still be harmful without intending harm. And I think that's what Maedhros and Maglor were. This is why I'm not fond of anything that casts these two as "Elrond's real parents." I think that Elrond took the best parts of Maglor and reforged them into something leagues better than what he was given but I'd give that credit to Elrond and not his kidnapper.

Anyhow, one wall of text later to say that I have immensely complex feelings about Maglor and I don't like him very much. If I ever met him in person, there is a very strong chance I'd bite him.

[curiouselleth]

🔮🤔

Hi, thanks for the ask anon!

🔮You can reach into the Beyond and ask the Professor to settle one (1) debate for you. He won't even waffle on the answer, honest. What do you ask him?

Ohhh that's a really hard one! There's the classics, like do balrogs have wings, what color is Legolas's hair, do elves actually have pointed ears, what happened to Maglor... hmmmm

Okay I'm going to go the funnier debate route: What color is that costume? (It's a ongoing debate whether this Finrod costume is blue or green, I am on team blue lol)

🤔 Tell us one of your favorite Silm headcanons. Can be one that's out in the wild or a personal one!

I really like my Elured is Gil-galad theory! It's a little more out there then some of the more popular who is Gil-galad theories, but I like it!

Elurin and Elured survive and end up living in Ossiriland, and one day they get word that survivors from Doriath had made a life for themselves in the Havens and that Elwing might still be alive. Elured decided to travel there alone to try to find her. He ran into some refugees from Gondolin traveling to the Havens, and ended up joining them. He was evasive about who he was and called himself Ereinion, Beren's nickname for him, and said that he had been living in the wild ever since his city was attacked. The Noldor look at his dark hair and think he is Noldor, and heir to the throne now that Turgon is dead. He doesn't catch onto this until it's a bit too late and they've reached the havens. He is immediately taken to Balar where he gets very stuck in the lie. So he goes along with it, hoping that it will get him to Elwing.

It takes months to get back to Sirion, and by then he has been crowned king, (oops, he panicked,) when he finally reunited with Elwing, she doesn't recognize him or know him. He's devastated and throws himself into being king, trying to distract himself. Eventually he is able to get back to Ossiriland, under the guise of an alliance with the green elves. He sneaks away from camp in the night to go to where he and Elurin had lived... to find it abandoned. He is once again devastated and returns to the noldor. He's lost everyone, but at least he can help them.

I actually have him meeting Elwing again written here! I'm planning to write more with it hopefully soon.