Top 10 warriors in middle earth history (ranked)

[Turin_Turambar]

There are rankings on this subject on some sites on the internet. I have created my own ranking. The only thing you need to know is that this list is only the order of success and sword skill. That is, it includes the most successful and great warriors. The list goes from the best to the lowest.

1-Turin turambar
I put Turin as the 1st on the list. According to the elves' expression, no one can kill him with a weapon unless an arrow comes by chance. Moreover, he killed dragons such as glaurung and ancalagon, although not alone, with the help of his friends and earendil, and he put an end to all evil by killing melkor in dagor dagorath. He should be at the top of the list of warriors.

2-Fingolfin
As you can all guess, Fingolfin is in the second place of the list. After Dagor Bragollach, he appeared like a vala with his horse in his anger, plunged into the armies of Orcs, and injured Melkor 7 times, leaving him lame.

3-Ecthelion
Some of you may not agree with me, but I thought ecthelion should be in the top 3 on the list. That's why I put ecthelion in the 3rd place. Because he kills 3 balrogs by himself and then kills the gothmog, the lord of the balrogs. Not even Feanor has such a feat. The making of silmarils and fighting are two different things I think.

4-Glorfindel
Glorfindel is mentioned as a very skilled swordsman in most sources. Therefore, there is no harm in putting him on the list. Killing the balrog and returning with the Maiar powers is the biggest indicator of his combativeness.

5-Feanor
although he never killed a balrog when he fought a pack of balrogs, I think it definitely deserves to be on this list.

6-Hurin
Hurin, the strongest of the first age in physical strength, destroyed the troll guards with his giant axe.

7-Isildur
I'm putting on the list in isildur because he defeated sauron.

8-Fingon
I think fingon should be on the list since he got into a one-on-one sword fight with a balrog.

9-Maedhros
He wielded a sword so well that the orcs would curse him even if he lost his hand.

10-Earendil
I think he deserves respect even though he is in the last place for killing ancalagon, which is bigger than a mountain, together with turin, with a bow made of dragon horn.

The list is completely my opinion. If you want, you can put your own list under this topic.

 

[Miguel]

I personally consider Húrin and his Dor-lómin men gnarlier than Númenóreans. Yup.

 

[Elthir]

Moreover, he killed dragons such as glaurung and ancalagon, although not alone, with the help of his friends and earendil, and he put an end to all evil by killing melkor in dagor dagorath.

I just think certain things on this list need not be as straightforward as you seem to be presenting them.

A) Túrin did not kill Ancalagon with help from Earendil. You're mixing an older idea with a newer one here -- which adds up to inventing something Tolkien never wrote.

B) In my opinion we don't know for a fact that Túrin killed Morgoth in an End of Time scenario, given that the prophecy of Andreth at least arguably puts the older idea in doubt -- and again, the End of Time scenario at the end of QS had become a Mannish Myth in any case, as the Second Prophecy of Mandos was rejected.

C) Even if Tolkien retained one or both ideas, I myself do not think that the slaying of Ancalagon, for example, should necessarily be counted in a comparison to feats of martial prowess with other beings who were not sent back by Eru. Is Túrin returned from the dead the same being in all ways? We can argue that his return has to be an act of Eru, and for all we know, Túrin had become "something more" and could not lose, no matter what.

And if there is a Mannish Myth that claims Túrin comes back from the dead to slay Morgoth, I'd say of course a myth about the future will have Túrin win . . . it's a myth that arises so that Túrin will win.

In other words, why would a Mannish Myth arise in which Túrin is slain by Morgoth at the end of time? I'd think that would rather be a myth that arises among the "bad guys" who believe Morgoth will prevail over Túrin.

And yes, you could still consider him "Túrin" in any case, and he might have been exactly the same after returning from an ineffable existence, and thus could possibly be killed by Ancalagon but still defeated him anyway . . .

. . . but in my opinion, a better comparison (that avoids such questions) to other warriors would include what Túrin did in his "regular" life -- which still gives him a notable place as far as bravery and warrior type deeds go.

All that and handsome too

Because he kills 3 balrogs by himself and then kills the gothmog, the lord of the balrogs. Not even Feanor has such a feat. The making of silmarils and fighting are two different things I think.

The Balrogs of the very early version of The Fall of Gondolin were not the Balrogs that Tolkien envisioned decades later. "The early conception of the Balrogs makes them less terrible, and certainly more destructible, than they afterwards became . . . " Christopher Tolkien, The Fall of Gondolin

Thus I think this become a dubious source for "counting Balrog kills" as a factor, not to mention that decades later Tolkien even entertained that the (now) more powerful Balrogs (who had only become Maiar well after the source you are using here), possibly numbered as low as 3!

Killing the balrog and returning with the Maiar powers is the biggest indicator of his combativeness.

Tolkien noted that Glorfindel had become "almost" an equal to the Maiar with respect to spiritual power. Make of that what you (anyone) will with respect to swording and smashing people about.

I think he deserves respect even though he is in the last place for killing ancalagon, which is bigger than a mountain, together with turin, with a bow made of dragon horn.

Again, not with Túrin

And according to Bilbo's song in Rivendell, Earendil owned a dragon horn bow, along with a sword and other stuff, but the song doesn't describe Ancalagon's death in any case.

 

[Hisoka Morrow]

Hope this help you^^

Good analysis, yet there're several elements could be taken into account, such as tactical assistance provided by comrades or not(Such as Gothmog did meet other combat before fighting Ecthelion or not). In addition, You forgot those warriors in the 3rd Age, such as Bard as well as Fram, both having the records of killing dragons.

 

[Turin_Turambar]

I just think certain things on this list need not be as straightforward as you seem to be presenting them.

A) Túrin did not kill Ancalagon with help from Earendil. You're mixing an older idea with a newer one here -- which adds up to inventing something Tolkien never wrote.

B) In my opinion we don't know for a fact that Túrin killed Morgoth in an End of Time scenario, given that the prophecy of Andreth at least arguably puts the older idea in doubt -- and again, the End of Time scenario at the end of QS had become a Mannish Myth in any case, as the Second Prophecy of Mandos was rejected.

C) Even if Tolkien retained one or both ideas, I myself do not think that the slaying of Ancalagon, for example, should necessarily be counted in a comparison to feats of martial prowess with other beings who were not sent back by Eru. Is Túrin returned from the dead the same being in all ways? We can argue that his return has to be an act of Eru, and for all we know, Túrin had become "something more" and could not lose, no matter what.

And if there is a Mannish Myth that claims Túrin comes back from the dead to slay Morgoth, I'd say of course a myth about the future will have Túrin win . . . it's a myth that arises so that Túrin will win.

In other words, why would a Mannish Myth arise in which Túrin is slain by Morgoth at the end of time? I'd think that would rather be a myth that arises among the "bad guys" who believe Morgoth will prevail over Túrin.

And yes, you could still consider him "Túrin" in any case, and he might have been exactly the same after returning from an ineffable existence, and thus could possibly be killed by Ancalagon but still defeated him anyway . . .

. . . but in my opinion, a better comparison (that avoids such questions) to other warriors would include what Túrin did in his "regular" life -- which still gives him a notable place as far as bravery and warrior type deeds go.

All that and handsome too



The Balrogs of the very early version of The Fall of Gondolin were not the Balrogs that Tolkien envisioned decades later. "The early conception of the Balrogs makes them less terrible, and certainly more destructible, than they afterwards became . . . " Christopher Tolkien, The Fall of Gondolin

Thus I think this become a dubious source for "counting Balrog kills" as a factor, not to mention that decades later Tolkien even entertained that the (now) more powerful Balrogs (who had only become Maiar well after the source you are using here), possibly numbered as low as 3!




Tolkien noted that Glorfindel had become "almost" an equal to the Maiar with respect to spiritual power. Make of that what you (anyone) will with respect to swording and smashing people about.



Again, not with Túrin

And according to Bilbo's song in Rivendell, Earendil owned a dragon horn bow, along with a sword and other stuff, but the song doesn't describe Ancalagon's death in any case.

Thank you for your answer. What I want to ask you is: Can we assume that turin and earendil killed the ancalagon together? And is the dagor dagorath and turin fighting in the war of wrath in the same story? Or different versions?

 

[Elthir]

Can we assume that turin and earendil killed the ancalagon together?

For myself, I see no reason to assume this; and as I say, to do so would amount to something that Tolkien never wrote.

And is the dagor dagorath and turin fighting in the war of wrath in the same story?

Without going into a detailed textual history, when talking about Túrin and the Dagor Dagorath (or The Second Prophecy of Mandos), most people are probably referring to a version that appears in (a version of) Quenta Silmarillion.

So no, the Andreth prophecy concerning Túrin is not in Quenta Silmarillion, and only appears in a late author's note to a text called The Problem Of Ros -- where Tolkien was musing about a linguistic issue concerning the Elvish words ros -- there was a "color word" ros that referred to the red-brown hair of Maedros and Feanor's two youngest sons, and another Elvish word ros, meaning something different.

And as you might have noticed, in a thread a certain "Glorfindel" started elsewhere, at another Tolkien forum (gasp!), I'm currently chatting about this stuff with someone who's going to publish an essay on Túrin.

🐾

 

[Turin_Turambar]

For myself, I see no reason to assume this; and as I say, to do so would amount to something that Tolkien never wrote.



Without going into a detailed textual history, when talking about Túrin and the Dagor Dagorath (or The Second Prophecy of Mandos), most people are probably referring to a version that appears in (a version of) Quenta Silmarillion.

So no, the Andreth prophecy concerning Túrin is not in Quenta Silmarillion, and only appears in a late author's note to a text called The Problem Of Ros -- where Tolkien was musing about a linguistic issue concerning the Elvish words ros -- there was a "color word" ros that referred to the red-brown hair of Maedros and Feanor's two youngest sons, and another Elvish word ros, meaning something different.

And as you might have noticed, in a thread a certain "Glorfindel" started elsewhere, at another Tolkien forum (gasp!), I'm currently chatting about this stuff with someone who's going to publish an essay on Túrin.

🐾

Who is the author who wrote that note to the problem of ros text? So that writer isn't Tolkien? someone else?

 

[Elthir]

By author's note I mean Tolkien

 

[Turin_Turambar]

By author's note I mean Tolkien

Well, I will ask a question. Is the text that turin killed the ancalagon more valid than other prophecies because it was written later? And the accepted prophecy dagor dagorath? Or the andreth prophecy?
PS: The reason I ask so many questions is because I am looking for a suitable middle-earth character for myself. According to my principle, my character should be the character who took part in the most wars and played the most key role in the universe. But there is no such man in the middle earth that's why my username in the other forum is glorfindel.I oscillate between turin ecthelion and glorfindel. Excuse my obsession. I wish Tolkien had diversified the battles of the characters he wrote. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you could answer my first question.

 

[Elthir]

Well, I will ask a question. Is the text that turin killed the ancalagon more valid than other prophecies because it was written later?

I'll apologize up front, as I'm guessing the following isn't the answer you're looking for!

I wish I could give you an all-agreed-upon answer to this question, but I think everyone is going to bring in a "canon based" subjective opinion about this.

If Tolkien had published either idea . . . if only!

To be honest, and I could be wrong obviously, but I don't get the feeling that tons of Tolkien fans even bother to read The Problem of Ros, much less the notes to it (Andreth's Prophecy), and since it arguably muddies the waters in some measure about a couple of concepts at least . . .

. . . well, some people don't like muddy water

What I do say with a measure of certainty -- which, as you see "elsewhere" at the moment, others take issue with -- is that The Second Prophecy was abandoned. Christopher Tolkien said, "definitively disappeared" and I agree . . .

. . . but the important distinction is that, Christopher Tolkien did not say a Ragnarok-like End of Days battle scenario was definitively abandoned, and neither am I. Tolkien himself re-characterized the Second Prophecy as a Mannish Myth, which is not the same thing in any case . . .

. . . and then years later, as we see, JRRT tosses in a potential wrench in the works with the Andreth Prophecy -- concerning which I have probably talked about more in the last two weeks . . .

. . . than in the last twenty years!

 

[earthfriend]

Turin vs Bombadil?
What about Durin?

 

[Turin_Turambar]

I'll apologize up front, as I'm guessing the following isn't the answer you're looking for!

I wish I could give you an all-agreed-upon answer to this question, but I think everyone is going to bring in a "canon based" subjective opinion about this.

If Tolkien had published either idea . . . if only!

To be honest, and I could be wrong obviously, but I don't get the feeling that tons of Tolkien fans even bother to read The Problem of Ros, much less the notes to it (Andreth's Prophecy), and since it arguably muddies the waters in some measure about a couple of concepts at least . . .

. . . well, some people don't like muddy water

What I do say with a measure of certainty -- which, as you see "elsewhere" at the moment, others take issue with -- is that The Second Prophecy was abandoned. Christopher Tolkien said, "definitively disappeared" and I agree . . .

. . . but the important distinction is that, Christopher Tolkien did not say a Ragnarok-like End of Days battle scenario was definitively abandoned, and neither am I. Tolkien himself re-characterized the Second Prophecy as a Mannish Myth, which is not the same thing in any case . . .

. . . and then years later, as we see, JRRT tosses in a potential wrench in the works with the Andreth Prophecy -- concerning which I have probably talked about more in the last two weeks . . .

. . . than in the last twenty years!

The person who wrote the article on this site wrote that Turin returned to the middle earth with Earendil and killed ancalagon in the war. Moreover, he said that his claim was canon. What do you think?

User:LorenzoCB

"Nai Eru manyuva tanwenya ar tératuvas!" ― Aulë in Quenta Silmarillion, "Of Aulë and Yavanna" I'm a fan from Spain, a member of the Spanish Tolkien Society, active...

184.106.199.101

 

[earthfriend]

It was my understanding that at the End of Days, Turin returned from the Halls of Mandos, and in a Ragnarokian Final Battle, went toe to toe with Morgoth and killed him, presumably this was closure for all the woes, but I couldn't give you chapter and verse, I'll leave that to the true Tolkein scholars. This is why I thought Turin, above all others in Middle Earth had some role defined for him that was not made clear during his lifetime. I guess Tolkein made so many revisions to his own work. I read Lorenzo's description, obviously a work of outstanding scholarship. It does clarify Bombadil's role as ''extra-literary'', being somewhat outside any of Arda/Middle Earth mythology. But Turin returning WITH Earendil , and killing Ancalagon? That's new to me

 

[Elthir]

The person who wrote the article on this site wrote that Turin returned to the middle earth with Earendil and killed ancalagon in the war. Moreover, he said that his claim was canon. What do you think?

The claim on this page is not represented as canon however, rather it's under a section titled Headcanons. Headcanon basically means: elements and interpretations of a fictional universe
accepted by an individual fan, but not necessarily found within or supported by the official canon.

In any case, as I've said before, Tolkien did not write any text (nothing that's been made public so far, anyway) in which Earendil kills Ancalagon with Túrin.

🐾

 

[grendel]

Sometimes you gotta keep things simple.

Fingolfin took on, not just an Ainu but the mightiest being in all of Arda, mano-a-mano, and survived long enough to do him some permanent damage. That puts him #1 on my list.

Everyone else is just fighting orcs, or men, or elves, and the occasional Balrog.

 

[m4r35n357]

Ancalagon was slain by Earendil according to both the published Silmarillion and the Quenta Silmarillion (which was never afterwards updated by JRRT) and also in the Annals of Beleriand (which was used as the basis for the unpublished First Age Tale of Years).
So, Ancalagon was killed at the end of the First Age, end of

(unless your head canon includes something like "Mandos for Dragons").

 

[Elthir]

( . . . ) So, Ancalagon was killed at the end of the First Age, end of

(unless your head canon includes something like "Mandos for Dragons").

Oh I agree. In addition, Christopher Tolkien notes that the prophecy of Andreth -- wherein Túrin slays Ancalagon -- refers to the end of the First Age.

 

[m4r35n357]

Ah OK I re-read Athrabeth today and didn't find it, also Ancalagon is not in the index of Vol 10, so I gave up

It is looking very much like I have never seen her prophecy! Where is it to be found?

At any rate, my understanding is that all these "resurrections" are supposed to happen at the "End of Days", not necessarily the end of the First Age, unless of course that was the same thing at the time of writing . . .

 

[Elthir]

Andreth's prophecy concerning Túrin only appears in a late author's note to a text called The Problem Of Ros.

And that's published in The Peoples of Middle-Earth

 

[m4r35n357]

OK thanks, found it. So that one is at the end of the "Elder days" not the end of time as it were.

So, despite Athrabeth being a post-LotR text, it doesn't mention her prophesy at all. So does this mean that all the prophesies of this sort are incompatible with Second, Third etc. ages?

Strange then that the updated QS (written post-LotR) includes it, and even adds Beren to the mix (no mention of Ancalagon here!). This is definitely at the Ending of the World (see $31 and $32 on the last page of the later QS, vol. 11).

I've left some stuff struck through because I'm still trying to make sense of all this!