#the valar

[ylieke]

[shurikthereject]

I read Not The Same Hobbit by withatwistedlyre on ao3 and couldn't stop thinking about ranger Bilbo i had to draw him. I was heavily inspired by Aragorns outfit and hair while designing him and I'm honestly loving how Bilbo looks in the ultra-non-hobbitish clothes. While reading the fic, I started to imagine what Yavanna would look like and decided to give it a go. Her hair is supposed to be a willow tree but leaves are very hard to draw so its not obvious lol. I love the idea of The Valar being absolutely huge so Bilbo here is experiencing a "a giant woman!" moment.

Let me know if you guys would prefer to see more sketches (which are more frequent) or more finished works! It really helps me out with organizing!!

[velvet4510]

Here’s the thing.

Many Bagginshield shippers, especially in fics, focus on how Bilbo never got over Thorin, to the point where some describe Bilbo’s entire life as sad and empty and unfulfilled because of that loss.

Don’t get me wrong: I do agree that he suffered terrible loss and undeserved torment by the Ring. And the fact that he never married probably did have some connection to the memory of Thorin.

But, y’all, don’t forget or ignore the fact that, in Tolkien’s text, Bilbo does move on from grief and live the rest of his life well.

He does not become bitter from his pain. He retains his kind heart.

He is generous with his wealth, helping in every way he can the very community that ostracizes him.

He sees in Frodo a kindred spirit and takes it upon himself to be the parental figure that Frodo so badly needs as an orphan.

He and Frodo develop an uncle-nephew (really more like father-son) relationship built on trust, keeping no secrets from each other, to the level where he tells Frodo the truth about his encounter with Gollum. (And probably the truth about his feelings for Thorin, too.)

He and Frodo have so much fun, going for walks every day, studying the Elvish languages, and throwing big birthday parties to show the community a good time. It’s plain to see that caring for Frodo filled that massive void inside Bilbo, finally giving him someone to love and devote himself to looking after, after his first chance at that (albeit the first being a different kind of love) was taken from him.

He does not see himself as superior to the lower class despite his riches, and always treats the Gamgees with the utmost respect.

He teaches Sam to read and write.

He tells his story to the younger hobbits, inspiring more of them to want to learn more about the outside world and not be so sheltered and ignorant…an effort which ultimately saves Middle-earth because the Travelers learn from him to be curious and interested in the lands outside the Shire, and he inspires them daily, as they constantly say to themselves “if Bilbo could go there and back again despite great danger, so can we.”

He even learns to love having a tarnished reputation, ultimately taking advantage of being “mad” to play a fun prank.

When he is no longer at rest in the Shire, he gifts Frodo all his property which will ensure Frodo is set for life, and through all his passive aggressive gifts to his relatives, he gives the Gaffer genuinely useful items that he knows will help him, including ointment for creaky joints.

He gets a peaceful retirement among his Elven friends, which he spends writing his memoir so that future generations will know all about his lost friends.

And ultimately, he embraces the special gift of an exception from the Valar and rare permission to set foot in the Blessed Realm for one last adventure, where he will continue to look after his beloved nephew.

And the fact is, he never would’ve gotten any of these things if he’d stayed in Erebor. He would never have developed that special bond with Frodo - he may never have even met him - and consequently, Frodo may never have met Sam.

Yes, a lot of his life was lonely and somber. But much more of it, even after experiencing such a tragedy, was full of love and joy and fun and excitement. He became an invaluable caretaker and mentor to the next generation of hobbits, got a taste of fatherhood, passed on his expertise and his story, and spent his last years surrounded by friends and family.

Bilbo Baggins may have lost the love of his life, but he did not give up on life itself, and he lived a full one. Don’t forget that.

[aguythatlikesstuff]

Tulkas is so funny to me. His greatest joy in life is fighting Melkor. In theory he basically fills the role of "God of War" but in practice it's really just "God of Kicking Melkor's Ass".

I imagine Nessa saw this on Tulkas' dating profile:

Likes: Breaking Morgoth's stupid face.

Dislikes: Morgoth's stupid face.

Hobbies: Rearranging the features of Morgoth's stupid face; painting landscapes with Morgoth's blood; learning new knots to tie Morgoth's limbs in.

Favorite Music: Morgoth's bitchy scream; Morgoth's bones snapping; Morgoth begging for mercy.

[eccentricmya]

The Valar's mistake did not lie in seeing a possibility of good in Melkor. Rather, their mistake lay in not seeing the equal possibility of him remaining evil.

[thesummerestsolstice]

I like the idea that the Valar can grant boons to men or elves they favor. Sometimes visible– glowing markings, feathers, claws– and sometimes not. Attitudes of these blessings ranged from fear to reverence to jealousy, often reflecting opinions of the Valar more generally.

Galadriel's special treelight hair came from Finarfin. Finarfin got it as a result of Manwe's favor. Given how rare it was for Manwe to bestow such gifts, this caused quite a stir. Later, Morgoth would spread rumors that Manwe was trying to set Finarfin up as the new Noldor crown prince, bypassing Finwe's older children.

Namo gave Fingolfin a blessing, and no one was particularly sure why, Fingolfin included. The truth was that Namo had already foreseen Fingolfin's death, and wanted to give him the strength to let him wound Morgoth before falling to him. Namo has always felt a sense of responsibility for those who choose to come to his halls, even if he's powerless to change their fates.

Celegorm was blessed by Orome, given the kind of teeth and claws that a few of his best disciples had been granted over the years. Orome couldn't take those gifts back, so Celegorm kept them for all his life. You wouldn't know that looking at paintings of him, though, because none of them show him with the marks of Orome's hunt. Whether this was a choice made by him or by later revisionists trying to minimize his connection with the Valar is unknown.

Varda gave blessings to both Earendil and Gil-Galad in the final years of the First Age. Both of them are said to have shone like stars afterwards, and there were some darker rumors that like the hallowed Silmarils, they would burn any unholy flesh that touched them. Some speculated that the blessings were Varda's way of apologizing for leaving the elves to face Morgoth alone for so long.

Ulmo is probably the Vala who's given out the most blessings– Cirdan, Turgon, Finrod, and Tuor all recieved boons from him, among others. But everyone who's gotten blessings from Ulmo is weirdly secretive about it. There's lots of gossip floating around– Ulmo is the reason Cirdan has a beard, Ulmo is the reason Turgon is taller than Maedhros, Ulmo is the reason that everyone likes Finrod so much, actually everyone blessed by Ulmo gets gills and he has secret underwater meetings with them– you get the idea. Well, probably no reason to consider that last one. I can't imagine any of the Valar using their power for something that foolish.

There is fierce scholarly debate on whether Thingol received a blessing from Melian, and whether her descendants could, theoretically, do the same. Elrond would like everyone to please stop asking him about it. Elrond would also like everyone to please stop talking about Gil-Galad's hair turning silver after the two of them took a very normal hunting trip together.

(Multiple Valar have tried to take credit for just how amazingly luscious and wonderful Finwe's hair is. But no, that wasn't a blessing. He's just like that.)

[havenotwillnotreadthebooks]

It’d be so interesting tho, if the Valar saw Celebrimbor as a pseudo-Maia because he can manipulate the world.

Like, the Rings of Power had abilities of Maiar such as hiding Imladris from view, preserving time in Lothlorien, and probably more tidbits I don’t know.

Eldritch Peredhel and Eldritch Galadriel headcanons aside, the Ring that they carried either boosted them to full-Maiarin power (regarding hiding/preserving things) or just, gave them that full ability. The Rings gave elves power beyond anything the elves should’ve been able to do.

And Celebrimbor made the Rings. Maybe the Valar weren’t surprised that Sauron, ex-forge Maia extraordinaire, made the Rings, but Celebrimbor????

The silmarils were bright and lovely, yes, but they had no real, inherent power. However, Celebrimbor’s Rings have very real Power.

So I wonder if the Valar would see a re-embodied Celebrimbor and just go “well, I guess he’s a sorta-Maia, then. Since he can manipulate the world.”

And they just, gave him the Feanorian lands.

Like, every Maia in Valinor has Their Spot where they can manipulate the world a bit and shape it to their preferences. Y’know, tree maiar make forests, that sorta thing.

So the Valar give Celebrimbor relatively free-reign over the Feanorian lands like, “Okay little guy, this is your area. Feel free to manipulate the environment over here. A Vala will step in if you accidentally break something. Have fun.”

[boxofsairo]

Nienna lady of Mercy.

[rey-jake-therapist]

Since we have our tin foil hats on, I’ll reach for the stars here: what if Galadriel was the one Eru meant for Mairon, but he chose to side with Morgoth before he ever got the chance to meet her in Valinor? And now, Eru is giving Sauron the ultimate “f*ck you, your evil b*tch!” and had them cross paths, knowing full well they could never ever be together? This would go hand in hand with the theory “sea monster was actually Ossë”, sent by Ulmo, the Vala of the sea, to force Galadriel and Sauron’s encounter. Galadriel also seems to acknowledge their meeting wasn’t random, but the work of something greater (= the Gods?). And, so, Sauron did face the judgement of the Valar, after all; by having his true love delivered to him but forever doomed to never be with her, because she’s already bound to another (Celeborn) in the eyes of the Eldar and the Valar. And that’s his punishment/sentence for joining Morgoth and betraying Aman.

Oh my god, I absolutely love it. And it would make sense, I guess ?! Worse, it would be a punishment for her as well, though in a lesser degree because she would at least get a few thousands of years of happiness with Celeborn...

Seriously, if they don't write it for the show, someone needs to write it in a fanfic ! 🙏🏼

[silmarillaure]

I don’t understand people who demonize Feanor pre 1st Kinslaying because genuinely what was he supposed to do?

How is he wrong for despising Indis who was creepily obsessed with his father even before his mother died and took her first chance to throw herself at his grieving father given the opportunity?

How is he wrong for not loving his half siblings who are a permanent reminder of his father & the Valar betraying his mother & leaving her to die?

How is he in the wrong for not giving up the Silmarills?

How is he wrong for wanting revenge for his murdered father when the actual villains are the Valar who doomed him, his kin, & his people for…. seeking justice for their king?

The Valar had the power to help this severely traumatized, depressed, & mentally ill person and guide him to be less destructive.

They chose not to. Every interaction between Feanor & the Valar are them actively making his life worse and then Manwe has the audacity to cry over him as if he couldn’t have prevented this tragedy.

While I think Olwe & the Teleri should have been willing to teach the Noldor to build ships at least, the 1st Kinslaying is obviously still unjustified since Feanor did have a way to middle earth without killing (the Helcaraxe), but before that everyone else is being a bigger asshole than Feanor and pushing him to his inevitable breaking point.

[ylieke]

Snow-white! Snow-white! O Lady clear! O Queen beyond the Western Seas! O Light to us that wander here Amid the world of woven trees!

[shurikthereject]

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing dear, I just love being able to see your face up so close."

Genuinely don't know what possessed me to draw this but i really did miss digital art lmao. I wanted to test out my design for Aule with fire hair, sort of a symbolism of a forge since he's the valar of craftsmanship. I just started reading the Silmarilion so all of the mistakes to the canon are mine!

I will also post the timelapse to this piece!

[velvet4510]

Tolkien’s subtle connections between LOTR and The Silmarillion are just glorious to discover. Like the reason Gollum hates sunlight and moonlight is the same reason the Nazgûl get scared off when Frodo calls out to Varda! Sauron - and thus his servants and his Ring that has completely corrupted Gollum’s soul - shares the absolute darkness of Melkor, who always hated and feared Varda because she is absolute light and thereby she created the Sun and Moon in defiance of that darkness… and she created them out of the last remaining light of the Two Trees which Melkor destroyed, so every time a piece of Melkor’s darkness comes into contact with the light of the Sun and Moon, it is reminded that Melkor did not destroy that light completely, that it lives on. Gollum can feel Varda’s creations forever clashing with what is indirectly Melkor’s creation.

[dzhfaer]

Silmarillion #6

Happy birthday @skaelds !

thats a fanart to a future))))mwuhahahaha))@)@00@@)

[and-the-times-we-had]

So having I was having a think about the "Feanor pointing a sword at Fingolfin" thing and it hit me that there was another option for who should be adjudicating justice in this situation other than the Valar.

Ingwe.

As High King of the Elves, it's kind of weird that the Valar don't have him deal with this situation. Even if Finwe is considered too biased to hold Feanor accountable, Ingwe wouldn't be, and it feels like something that should be within his authority. The Vanyar have also been largely removed from the Melkor situation, so he might have been a more unbiased judge for this as well.