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The most powerful fighter in the ME?
http://arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21630
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Author:  Will [ September 20th, 2017, 5:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

Thanks for your PM, Gandolorin.
I am indeed still activeish and try to check the site at least every week or so, if real life allows it. :whistle:
I'll keep an eye on things and in case of evident spam I'll delete the member. :)

Author:  Hanasian [ September 22nd, 2017, 8:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

Thanks Much Will.
It appears a new name with a samish web url is signing up daily. I expect many are 'sleeper' accounts that will unleash spam at any given moment.

Author:  Gandolorin [ February 28th, 2018, 8:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

Second try.

Been browsing my secondary literature a lot lately (K. Crabbe, H. Carpenter’s “Letters”, but more to the point stuff by Hammond / Scull …).

Glorfindel. From possibly previously unpublished writing, Glorfindel seemed to scare the Nazgûl even more than Gandalf (still the Grey in Fellowship) did. And JRRT seems to have come down firmly, in late writing, on the side of Glorfindel of Rivendell indeed being the reincarnated (as in re-bodied) Glorfindel of Gondolin. With the argument that the name of any Elf of note, let alone fame, was never given (or taken) by another Elf of later times. And Glorfindel of Rivendell might very well be considered relative to Glorfindel of Gondolin (no slouch himself, having killed a Balrog) as Gandalf the White was to Gandalf the Grey. That he was not sent along as a member of the Fellowship, say, instead of Legolas, might very well have to do with how Frodo, close to becoming a wraith himself at the Fords of Bruinen, saw Glorfindel as (or in) a blazing white light. So in terms of camouflage whenever arounds wraiths, and probably very much so in Mordor where Sauron would also have been able to see his bright “other side” aspect, sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Author:  Captain Boromir [ March 11th, 2018, 4:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

That could be a very good possibility Gandolorin.

Author:  Evil.Shieldmaiden [ March 12th, 2018, 9:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

I concur Gando. The passage where Glorfindel frightens the Nazgûl with his mere presence is one of my favourites, especially as his arrival is described so serenely.

I may be misremembering, but I seem to recall the Calequendi in Arda (and there is no reason to believe Glorfindal is not one of them)* shone with an aura derived from the Two Trees; that could be seen by some but not I believe by Men.

* I've always fancied Glorfindel as being cousin to Galadriel through her mother. Her mother, Eärwen, is stated as having "unnamed brothers - at least two" (Silmarillion?) This kinship would explain his presence at Imladris, where his counsel would be greatly valued by his kinsman by marriage.

Getting off topic here: Would it be plausible that Glorfindel would have departed Middle-earth when Galadriel and Elrond did?

Author:  Gandolorin [ March 13th, 2018, 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

Evil.Shieldmaiden wrote:
* I've always fancied Glorfindel as being cousin to Galadriel through her mother. Her mother, Eärwen, is stated as having "unnamed brothers - at least two" (Silmarillion?) This kinship would explain his presence at Imladris, where his counsel would be greatly valued by his kinsman by marriage.

Erm. Galadriel’s mother Earwen (wife of Finarfin) was the daughter of Olwë, High King of the Teleri of Valinor after his brother Elwë (Thingol) had decided to remain in Middle-earth with Melian the Maia. Since in origin in First Age Middle-earth Glorfindel was of Gondolin, I would guess strongly that he was a Noldo of Turgon’s people, and thus ultimately a follower of Fingolfin’s people, not of those of Finarfin’s children (Finarfin ultimately did not join the rebellion led by Fëanor and his sons, but remained in Valinor).

And as for being in Imladris, Elrond was Eärendil’s son, thus Idril’s grandson and Turgon’s great-grandson. And Glorfindel’s fight with, and self-sacrificing destruction of the Balrog saved Eärendil when the latter was still a small child, and Elrond not even born.

Departing Middle-earth: not on the same ship together with the bearers of the three Great Rings of the Elves, and Bilbo and Frodo, otherwise JRRT would have mentioned it. Some unknown time later, probably. But then Elladan and Elrohir, and Arwen, Elrond’s children, still remained in Middle-earth (Arwen to a known end, E&E to an unknown one). And though necessarily separated by many dozen human generations, Aragorn was descended from Elrond’s brother Elros. So besides both Aragorn and Arwen being descendants of Lúthien, they were also descendants of Turgon of Gondolin (and of practically every royal Elvish and Mannish house mentioned in the Silmarillion). Last, Glorfindel being a unique returnee to Middle-earth via the Halls of Mandos, he may have had a unique ability to endure the dominion of Men, and also a unique ability to return to Valinor.

Author:  Elthir [ March 16th, 2018, 11:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

It seems that Glorfindel had some sort of "kinship" with Turgon. Tolkien wrote: "... though he left Valinor in the host of Turgon, and so incurred the ban, he did so reluctantly because of kinship with Turgon and allegiance to him, and had no part in the kinslaying of Alqualonde."

And after getting a new body: "His return must have been for the purpose of strengthening Gil-galad and Elrond, when the growing evil of the intentions of Sauron were at last perceived by them." Glorfindel II, Last Writings, The Peoples of Middle-Earth

As for Glorfindel returning West Over Sea with Elrond: seems plausible to me. I'm not sure Tolkien would have necessarily mentioned Glorfindel among the "many Elves of the High Kindred" who went with Elrond and Frodo and so on. True, Gildor is mentioned, but to me this seems like something Tolkien would note -- ending the tale with mention of an Elf that was there basically at the start of the Hobbits' adventures, helped them and so on.

And (internally) Sam might arguably mention Gildor too, Samwise arguably finishing off the last parts of the tale here. Concerning Sam and the night with Gildor and the Elves: "... it remained in his memory as one of the chief events of his life."

Tolkien, for the second edition, did add a mention of Shadowfax being at the Havens, being asked about the horse's fate in a letter.

Anyway, Glorfindel isn't mentioned specifically of course... so maybe something else too :whistle:

Author:  Kiron123 [ April 9th, 2019, 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The most powerful fighter in the ME?

It's Legolas for me.

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