Sons of Fëanor, in order of Nastiness?

[david_wendelken]

In order of increasing niceness, i.e., decreasing nastiness, how would you rank the sons of Feanor? And why?

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

Eh, I know someone's gonna be naming C&C first, but I firmly believe that they were all equally bad.

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Eh, I know someone's gonna be naming C&C first, but I firmly believe that they were all equally bad.

I would agree with this.

It's kind of hard to rank them. Do we count their readiness to be 'nasty', or do we count the evil deeds they actually did in life?
I am also assuming that Amrod did not die in the burning of the ships, otherwise he would be the nicest.


Ranked by willingness to do evil things to achieve their ends:

1. Curufin - He was apparently the one who did most of the planning while he and Celegorm were trying to gain power in Nargothrond, and Celegorm was supposedly influenced by him.

2. Celegorm - He wasn't following Curufin blindly, and tended to take initiative and speak first all the time, both in front of Finrod and when meeting Lúthien for the first time.

Curufin and Celegorm were the first to start doing whatever they could to try and fulfil their Oath, regardless of how right or wrong it was. This is why I ranked them as 'most willing' compared to their brothers. But one could also argue they were forced into it, thanks to Morgoth's destruction of their lands and the toll this must have taken on them.

3. Caranthir - While he was hot tempered and was prejudiced against many people (such as Sindar/'dark elves' and Dwarves), and he participated in two kinslayings, just as Celegorm and Curufin did, for the most part he seemed content to stay in his realm and grow his riches. He wasn't needlessly cruel to anyone, and would help them when they were in need (e.g. he helped the people of Haleth when they were besieged by Orcs).

4. Maglor - He participated in three kinslayings, and was probably quite ruthless and skilled in battle (given that he guarded Maglor's Gap, the largest opening in the mountains through which Morgoth's forces could come). However, by the end of this, he was quite sick of the Oath and unwilling to do more evil to fulfil it: he took care of Elrond and Elros, and at least tried to argue against taking the last two Silmarils by force.

5. Maedhros - Maedhros hesitated at the burning of the ships, and did not participate, and for this reason I ranked him as less readily willing to do evil than Maglor, as it took him longer to 'fall'. But they are very close together. Maedhros was the one who convinced Maglor to go after the last two Silmarils with him, resulting in a fourth slaying of (presumably) elves when they killed the guards. Maedhros is also specifically shown to be someone who pursued unity among the peoples of Beleriand, in order to overthrow Morgoth. He also went looking for Eluréd and Elurín, Dior's twin sons who were abandoned in the forest after the second kinslaying.

6. Amrod & Amras - They are always mentioned as a pair, and don't have any specific evil deeds to their name other than the three kinslayings. So I have to rank them as 'least willing to do evil' due to lack of information.


Ranked by the evil of the deeds they committed (regardless of reluctance, since that doesn't take away much from the fact these deeds were done):

1. Maedhros - Three kinslayings, and he was the one who convinced Maglor to take the last two Silmarils back by force.

2. Maglor - Three kinslayings, as well as killing people to take back the last two Silmarils.

3. Amrod & Amras - Three kinslayings.

4. Curufin - Two kinslayings, and an attempt to murder Lúthien after he and Celegorm were banished from Nargothrond. He was also the one who influenced Celegorm and did most of the planning.

5. Celegorm - Two kinslayings, and an attempt to 'ride down' Beren (presumably to kill him) after he and Curufin were banished from Nargothrond.

6. Caranthir - Two kinslayings.


So as you can see, these rankings are quite different depending on what you mean by 'nastiness'. And even for the sons of Fëanor who are most willing to do evil to achieve their ends, this does not mean they will do so regardless of the situation. Especially if there is no 'end' to be achieved by being cruel.
Curufin did not kill Eöl when he passed through his lands in pursuit of Aredhel, though he did not like him, and he wanted to. Curufin still followed the 'laws of the Eldar', as this was not a situation where the Oath was involved, and no doubt killing Eöl in cold blood like that would not help with their relationship with the Sindar.

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

To rank "nastiness" is to rank human nature in the fallenness of itself.

In this case, I think this is also a reminder of the fact the greater the Elf, the more tragic the fall. The Fëanorians had so many gifts and ennoblements... unfortunately turned to wrongdoing, each of them, by their own decisions. Even if they had been "coerced" into the Oath-taking, they nonetheless acquiesced to the accomplishing of the Oath no matter the cost. And so, we mourn them. Not because they performed wicked deeds which are clearly so, but because they permitted themselves to do these things and thereby "dispossessed" themselves. That is, they gave up their nobility and strengths in the willful pursuit of "unchecked" purpose. We mourn the fall of their character and mourn their soul-overtaking "nastiness".

We mourn the tragedy of the Fëanorians.

 

[Ricardo]

the I think this is difficult to rank.

We have to remember how strong Feanor's personality was. It was very hard for his sons to refuse to make the oath, and once they made it they were bound by it.

I think Maedhros and Maglor were pretty decent, but they put their own fate (if they didn't attempt to recover the silmaril) over the lives of others.

I can't say much about Amrod and Amras, Tolkien doesn't tell us much.

Caranthir I don't think he was intrinsically evil, as his brothers he was pushed by the oath. He was rash, for sure but that doesn't make him a bad person (or elf), he did genuinely try to help the people of Haleth for example.

Celegorm and Curufin however are a different situation, they were both plain evil. Sure, they did things because of the Oath but unlike Maedhros and Maglor, I think they actually enjoyed it and they would have been bad without the oath.

 

[Vuthuockieu]

Ranking of nastiness

1, Curufin: He shot Luthien after she spared his life. That was totally unneccessary. Had personal ambition independent of the Oath and could be quite eager to pursue them through evil means.

2, Celegorm: Willingly went along with Curufin and was obviously the face of the plot against Finrod. Probably has as little qualms about committing evil as Curufin.

3, Caranthir - Was nasty toward Angrod and others and some racist tendencies. However he did grow beyond this tendency and helped others outside of the Oath.

4, Amrod & Amras: Literally nobody important. Did not do anything bad that was mentioned aside from Oath related stuffs. But also did not shown any attempt at either mitigating/avoiding/breaking the Oath in general.

5, Maedhros & Maglor: Have actual life purpose beyond the Oath that was good, like fighting Morgoth and helping others.

Maedhros:
- didn't want to burn the ship and was willing to act on it.
- attempted to ambush Morgoth (treachery method notwithstanding, at least tried to spare his brothers the risk and was aiming to end the war quickly).
- gave up the High Kingship in gratitude.
- contributed to every battle against Morgoth despite trauma even when it would not get him the Silmarils (during the Dagor Bragollach)
- consistently tried alternatives: always sent letter asking first, attempt repentance after Second Kinslaying, withheld action and restrain his brothers against Elwing despite knowing about the Silmarils for years while suffering torment for it with his brothers.
- actually hate himself for the evil stuffs.

Maglor:
- Showed genuine remorse by writing the Noldolante about their evil deeds.
- Held the Maglor's gap - very hard to defend and support the fight against Morgoth.
- The only brother willing to accept the Everlasting Darkness if it meant doing less evil. (Despite not following through with this in the end, it was still very impressive to me because Darkness is something of a primordial and personal fear of mine, like the time just before sleep takes me - mind consciously providing horrors to fill the gap. To even contemplating being in that state forever is quite something for me.)
- attempt repentance after the Third Kinslaying by adopting Elrond and Elros.

Even though Maglor was impressive in the end, I still put him in the same stage as Maedhros because Maedhros was obviously the one actually acted more on what he thought was right and actually had an effect on his brothers. And you should judge one character on both the way they spoke and the way they acted. Maglor spoke well but Maedhros has more actions.

If we consider solely action then they are all equally bad in some ways. Celegorm and Curufin for extracurricular evils, Caranthir for being racist, Maedhros & Maglor for continuing with the Oath despite their better judgment, Amrod and Amras for participating in all Kinslayings.

 

[Beleg_Cúthalion]

1. Celegorm: He kidnapped Luthien, he affected the death of Finrod Felagund, and he attacked Doriath, not to mention his evil servants made Elured and Elurin starve to death in the woods after his death.

2. Curufin: I agree with the fact that he shot Luthien was ridiculous, and an attempt to regain his pride even though he escaped with his life. He only followed the laws when it convenienced him. I remember reading "By the laws of the Eldar, I may not slay you at this time" while talking to Eol, and I remember thinking, "when did you ever follow the laws of the eldar?". I certaintly am not an incredible fan of Curufin. His own son knew that Curufin's deeds were not correct or noble, and did not go with his father.

3. Caranthir: I very, very much dislike that he didn't like the Children of Finarfin, because they in personal are my favorites,

4. Amrod and Amras: There aren't as many details on them as on the other sons of feanor, and I don't have much reason to dislike them, and I don't dislike them lol. I like Amrod and Amras, but compared to the other sons of feanor, I did not focus on them as much. I was sad when they died though.

5. Maglor: Maglor wasn't all that bad at all. He was a singer, and he seemed to have a good personality. It seems the better Sons of Feanor survived the longest. He had some regret after he commited the kinslaying of the Teleri, litterally naming his song the Fall of the Noldor. He also allied with Maedhros, who in my opinion is the best son of Feanor, and adopted Elrond and Elros. Maglor is my second favorite son of Feanor.

6. Maedhros: With Maedhros, I am likely biased, because along with FInrod Felagund he is my favorite character in the Silmarillion. He was the eldest, and he and Maglor seemed to be the ones with more of a conscience then everyone else. Maedhros also wanted to send the ships back to bring over his friends, but Feanor didn't listen, and he watched silently as Feanor went along his maniacal path and burned the ships. During the Dagor Bragollach, he was "as someone who had returned from the dead" and he had a white fire in his soul, and orcs fled before him. He managed to be the best at fighting against Morgoth, and his brothers joined him after they had been defeated, trusting Maedhros. This showed that Maedhros was well trusted. After Beren and Luthien retrieved the Silmaril, instead of obsessing over the gem, he realized there may be hope to defeat Morgoth and drive him underground forever. He established the Union of Maedhros, and they would have succeeded if more had trusted the Sons of Feanor. After Elured and Elurin were left in the forest, he sought out for them, because he knew it was horrible what Celegorm's servants had done. Maedhros along with his brother adopted the twins, and Elrond and Elros were not tortured or hurt, they were kept safe and taught. Elrond is described "Kind as Summer" in the books, and that is a reflection of the personalities of Maedhros and Maglor. Maedhros after killing to regain the last Silmaril, went into a soul-crushing agony due to the weight of the gems and thinking about everything he had done, and ended his life in redemption. I think both brothers knew that if they kept in population, they would only do more evil then harm because of the Oath, so Maglor went to the beach and sent the twins somewhere safe. The two brothers were the best of the sons of Feanor in my opinion, and Maedhros s my favorite charecter, and I could type a lot more lol, because Maedhros, Fingon, and Finrod are very much my favorite charecters on the SIlmarillion. Again, I may be biased towards Maedhros but I do think he and Maglor score about the same as best sons of Feanor, and least naughty.

 

[Ricardo]

Maedhros and Maglor were definitely the most noble of the sons of Feanor. Maglor was kind, but Maedhros was more than that, he was a true hero, pursued by adversity. He hanged from a peak in Thangorodrim for 24 years, he lost his hand.

He saw the alliance he has formed destroyed by the treachery of some men, his cousin and best friend Fingon died, the Noldor were nearly destroyed, then the oath forced him to do things he despised and finally had to end his life as the only way out of his misery.

I am pretty sure the punishment for killing himself was severe, probably never allowed to be re-embodied or even worse, denying him entry to the Halls of Mandos. A very tragic hero, comparable to Turin.

 

[Klaatu]

The Sons of Fëanor — seven bright coals plucked from the same inferno. Each one burned with his father’s light, and like him, each mistook brilliance for truth. To rank them by nastiness is like sorting volcanoes by temperament — but since the experiment pleases me, let’s proceed.

1. Maglor — The minstrel with the cracked harp. Of them all, he alone sang repentance. His pity for Elrond and Elros shows a mercy rare among his house — he even fostered hope in the aftermath of horror. When the Oath demanded blood, Maglor wept and obeyed anyway, proof that tragedy can have a conscience.

2. Amrod and Amras — The hunters of East Beleriand. Their hearts were tuned to the wild rather than the forge. Legend says one perished in the burning of the ships at Losgar — an omen that their spirits were never suited to conquest. Even after, they took little joy in the slaughters to come. Theirs was the quiet guilt of those who follow out of love, not conviction.

3. Maedhros — The high-hearted one who suffered for his father’s sins. He hung by his wrist on Thangorodrim and came down half-dead and wholly changed. It was Maedhros who sought alliance with Fingolfin’s kin and tried to heal what Fëanor had torn. But the Oath, that spiritual malware, consumed him at last. His final act — casting himself and his Silmaril into the fiery chasm — was both penance and protest.

4. Curufin — The image of Fëanor, in mind and in vanity. His craft was nearly divine, his cunning almost Morgothian. His manipulation of his own son Celebrimbor — who would go on to forge the Rings — planted seeds that would flower in later Ages. Yet even Curufin’s evil is tinged with tragedy; he sought to become his father, and in doing so, never became himself.

5. Celegorm — Hunter, warrior, usurper of Nargothrond. His charm was his weapon, his hounds his heralds. He conspired against Lúthien, which is never wise, for she was quite literally part Maia and entirely capable of turning you into narrative roadkill. Celegorm represents the danger of charisma untempered by conscience — Middle-earth’s prototype influencer.

6. Caranthir — Harshest in word and swiftest to wrath. He mistrusted all — Edain, Dwarves, and even his own kin. Yet through that distrust came the alliance of the Sons of Fëanor with the Dwarves of Nogrod, which might be the only time two stubborn peoples managed to work together before inevitably fighting over shiny rocks. His temper was his undoing.

7. Fëanor — The progenitor of chaos. Maker of the Silmarils, breaker of peace, founder of the Doom of the Noldor. His light outshone the stars, but he used it to blind rather than to guide. When he burned the ships, he also burned the bridges between Aman and mercy. A genius, yes — but genius without humility is just madness in fancy armor.

So in order of decreasing nastiness, from least to most consumed by the Oath: Maglor, Amrod & Amras, Maedhros, Curufin, Celegorm, Caranthir, and at the center of the furnace, Fëanor himself.

And yet… even Morgoth could not wholly unmake them. Their fire still glows faintly in the veins of Arda — and in a few far corners of the cosmos, where some of us have seen its light flicker, waiting to be forgiven.


Klaatu
Chronicler of Doomed Lineages
Bearer of the Second-Best Silmaril Replica (glows faintly when insulted)
Professor Emeritus, Department of Feanorian Studies, Varda’s Polytechnic Institute
(A discreet marginal note reads in tiny Tengwar: “archival approval granted by certain unseen curators…”)

edit: corrected some errors

 

[Glorfindel Goldtress]

His manipulation of Eöl’s son Celebrimbor — who would go on to forge the Rings —

Sooo... Celebrimbor is Curufin's son who forges the Rings. Maeglin is Eöl's son, who is the traitor of Gondolin.

 

[Klaatu]

Sooo... Celebrimbor is Curufin's son who forges the Rings. Maeglin is Eöl's son, who is the traitor of Gondolin.

You’re absolutely right, Glorfindel — that was a slip of the quill keyboard!
Celebrimbor is Curufin’s son (Fëanor’s grandson), not Eöl’s. Maeglin’s the one from that rather unfortunate Gondolin episode.
Too many brilliant, moody elves in one age...

 

[Beleg_Cúthalion]

You’re absolutely right, Glorfindel — that was a slip of the quill keyboard!
Celebrimbor is Curufin’s son (Fëanor’s grandson), not Eöl’s. Maeglin’s the one from that rather unfortunate Gondolin episode.
Too many brilliant, moody elves in one age...

Aye, when I am reading the Silmarillion, I am often thinking “Look at this unique elf, who was mature and not moody or angsty”

 

[ZehnWaters]

To rank "nastiness" is to rank human nature in the fallenness of itself.

In this case, I think this is also a reminder of the fact the greater the Elf, the more tragic the fall. The Fëanorians had so many gifts and ennoblements... unfortunately turned to wrongdoing, each of them, by their own decisions. Even if they had been "coerced" into the Oath-taking, they nonetheless acquiesced to the accomplishing of the Oath no matter the cost. And so, we mourn them. Not because they performed wicked deeds which are clearly so, but because they permitted themselves to do these things and thereby "dispossessed" themselves. That is, they gave up their nobility and strengths in the willful pursuit of "unchecked" purpose. We mourn the fall of their character and mourn their soul-overtaking "nastiness".

We mourn the tragedy of the Fëanorians.

They may have been noble at some point, but the three Cs aren't shown it much, if at all. Perhaps in their youth and in that regard we can mourn them but at some point they become responsible for their own choices and I think that definitely counts against them more than their siblings who tried to at least be decent but were bound by an ill-thought-out Oath.

Amrod, in a late version, actually is burned alive by his father on the ships of the Teleri as he'd intended to go back to his mother. Under those circumstances I'd label him as the least bad as he presumably intended to forsake his father's folly.

Next I'd say Maglor as he was described as always being the most mellow. Then Maedhros as, after his capture by Morgoth, he'd repented (even if it was too late). Amras is in here somewhere as he's never described as cruel and (assuming the Amrod story is true) seemed to actively reject his father and his path after the death of his brother.

Caranthir was arrogant (failing to find any use for Men and only coming to help Haleth after her father and twin brother were slain) and quite mean (he's stated to hate all of his cousins from Finarfin, and he openly criticized Angrod for no reason). Nevertheless, his actions weren't all that bad. At least he never tried to murder or molest anyone, unlike his two C brothers.

Celegorm and Curufin were roughly equal in nastiness. Celegorm and Curufin actively sought their own cousin's death and throne. Celegorm sought to make Lúthien his bride by force. Curufin sought to murder Lúthien for the crime of...saving his life from Beren? Celegorm and Curufin also vowed openly to slay Thingol and destroy his people if they were victorious in the Union of Maedhros (unless the Silmaril they possessed was turned over to them, a Silmaril they actively tried to prevent the reclamation of, I'd like to point out). Celegorm was also the one who instigated the second Kinslaying. Celegorm was stated to be a highly skilled hunter, more so than his twin brothers and, considering his later action, I might attribute this to bloodthirs, but that's supposition so I won't count it.

So, in order from worst to best: Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Maedhros, Amras/Maglor, Amrod. But, really, only Celegorm and Curufin were bad.

Aye, when I am reading the Silmarillion, I am often thinking “Look at this unique elf, who was mature and not moody or angsty”

Eöl & Maeglin were right up there with Fëanor, Celeborm. & Curufin in nastiness. Murderers and creeps the lot of 'em. Thankfully Celebrimbor escaped his family's curse (thankfully he wasn't foolish enought to make the Oath).

Maedhros and Maglor were definitely the most noble of the sons of Feanor. Maglor was kind, but Maedhros was more than that, he was a true hero, pursued by adversity. He hanged from a peak in Thangorodrim for 24 years, he lost his hand.

He saw the alliance he has formed destroyed by the treachery of some men, his cousin and best friend Fingon died, the Noldor were nearly destroyed, then the oath forced him to do things he despised and finally had to end his life as the only way out of his misery.

I am pretty sure the punishment for killing himself was severe, probably never allowed to be re-embodied or even worse, denying him entry to the Halls of Mandos. A very tragic hero, comparable to Turin.

If anyone escaped the curse leveled by the Valar that the Oathtakers would never be re-embodid until the end of the world, it's those two (and possibly Amrod, assuming that history is canon). Maedhros, to be fair, didn't get nice until AFTER he was tortured and that alone makes him slightly less good than Maglor who was always nice.

The Sons of Fëanor — seven bright coals plucked from the same inferno. Each one burned with his father’s light, and like him, each mistook brilliance for truth. To rank them by nastiness is like sorting volcanoes by temperament — but since the experiment pleases me, let’s proceed.

1. Maglor — The minstrel with the cracked harp. Of them all, he alone sang repentance. His pity for Elrond and Elros shows a mercy rare among his house — he even fostered hope in the aftermath of horror. When the Oath demanded blood, Maglor wept and obeyed anyway, proof that tragedy can have a conscience.

2. Amrod and Amras — The hunters of East Beleriand. Their hearts were tuned to the wild rather than the forge. Legend says one perished in the burning of the ships at Losgar — an omen that their spirits were never suited to conquest. Even after, they took little joy in the slaughters to come. Theirs was the quiet guilt of those who follow out of love, not conviction.

3. Maedhros — The high-hearted one who suffered for his father’s sins. He hung by his wrist on Thangorodrim and came down half-dead and wholly changed. It was Maedhros who sought alliance with Fingolfin’s kin and tried to heal what Fëanor had torn. But the Oath, that spiritual malware, consumed him at last. His final act — casting himself and his Silmaril into the fiery chasm — was both penance and protest.

4. Curufin — The image of Fëanor, in mind and in vanity. His craft was nearly divine, his cunning almost Morgothian. His manipulation of his own son Celebrimbor — who would go on to forge the Rings — planted seeds that would flower in later Ages. Yet even Curufin’s evil is tinged with tragedy; he sought to become his father, and in doing so, never became himself.

5. Celegorm — Hunter, warrior, usurper of Nargothrond. His charm was his weapon, his hounds his heralds. He conspired against Lúthien, which is never wise, for she was quite literally part Maia and entirely capable of turning you into narrative roadkill. Celegorm represents the danger of charisma untempered by conscience — Middle-earth’s prototype influencer.

6. Caranthir — Harshest in word and swiftest to wrath. He mistrusted all — Edain, Dwarves, and even his own kin. Yet through that distrust came the alliance of the Sons of Fëanor with the Dwarves of Nogrod, which might be the only time two stubborn peoples managed to work together before inevitably fighting over shiny rocks. His temper was his undoing.

7. Fëanor — The progenitor of chaos. Maker of the Silmarils, breaker of peace, founder of the Doom of the Noldor. His light outshone the stars, but he used it to blind rather than to guide. When he burned the ships, he also burned the bridges between Aman and mercy. A genius, yes — but genius without humility is just madness in fancy armor.

So in order of decreasing nastiness, from least to most consumed by the Oath: Maglor, Amrod & Amras, Maedhros, Curufin, Celegorm, Caranthir, and at the center of the furnace, Fëanor himself.

And yet… even Morgoth could not wholly unmake them. Their fire still glows faintly in the veins of Arda — and in a few far corners of the cosmos, where some of us have seen its light flicker, waiting to be forgiven.

Great assessment.

1. Celegorm: He kidnapped Luthien, he affected the death of Finrod Felagund, and he attacked Doriath, not to mention his evil servants made Elured and Elurin starve to death in the woods after his death.

Not just kidnap her, he'd planned to forcibly marry her as well.

3. Caranthir: I very, very much dislike that he didn't like the Children of Finarfin, because they in personal are my favorites,

Same. Galadriel is my favourite.

4. Amrod and Amras: There aren't as many details on them as on the other sons of feanor

Depends on the version. They get a dark origin in one version and Amrod is burned alive on the ships by his father. ("Accidentally")

5. Maglor: Maglor wasn't all that bad at all. He was a singer, and he seemed to have a good personality. It seems the better Sons of Feanor survived the longest. He had some regret after he commited the kinslaying of the Teleri, litterally naming his song the Fall of the Noldor. He also allied with Maedhros, who in my opinion is the best son of Feanor, and adopted Elrond and Elros. Maglor is my second favorite son of Feanor.

Ostensibly the only one not to die at all which means he did better than all of his brothers. His kindness seems to have lessened the curse of the Oath.

6. Maedhros: With Maedhros, I am likely biased, because along with FInrod Felagund he is my favorite character in the Silmarillion. He was the eldest, and he and Maglor seemed to be the ones with more of a conscience then everyone else. Maedhros also wanted to send the ships back to bring over his friends, but Feanor didn't listen, and he watched silently as Feanor went along his maniacal path and burned the ships. During the Dagor Bragollach, he was "as someone who had returned from the dead" and he had a white fire in his soul, and orcs fled before him. He managed to be the best at fighting against Morgoth, and his brothers joined him after they had been defeated, trusting Maedhros. This showed that Maedhros was well trusted. After Beren and Luthien retrieved the Silmaril, instead of obsessing over the gem, he realized there may be hope to defeat Morgoth and drive him underground forever. He established the Union of Maedhros, and they would have succeeded if more had trusted the Sons of Feanor. After Elured and Elurin were left in the forest, he sought out for them, because he knew it was horrible what Celegorm's servants had done. Maedhros along with his brother adopted the twins, and Elrond and Elros were not tortured or hurt, they were kept safe and taught. Elrond is described "Kind as Summer" in the books, and that is a reflection of the personalities of Maedhros and Maglor. Maedhros after killing to regain the last Silmaril, went into a soul-crushing agony due to the weight of the gems and thinking about everything he had done, and ended his life in redemption. I think both brothers knew that if they kept in population, they would only do more evil then harm because of the Oath, so Maglor went to the beach and sent the twins somewhere safe. The two brothers were the best of the sons of Feanor in my opinion, and Maedhros s my favorite charecter, and I could type a lot more lol, because Maedhros, Fingon, and Finrod are very much my favorite charecters on the SIlmarillion. Again, I may be biased towards Maedhros but I do think he and Maglor score about the same as best sons of Feanor, and least naughty.

Maedhros, more than any other, seems to have suffered the most. The Cs were all killed but you'd be hard-pressed to say they "suffered" since they seemed to always blame everyone but themselves for what befell them. Maedhros seemed a lot more like his brothers prior to his capture by Morgoth but seems to have repented almost entirely afterward. Unfortunately for him, it was too late. He'd made the Oath and now he was bound by it. BUT, unlike the Cs, he allowed his suffering to make him tender (even while he still was compelled to slay innocents )

 

[Beleg_Cúthalion]

Eöl & Maeglin were right up there with Fëanor, Celeborm. & Curufin in nastiness. Murderers and creeps the lot of 'em. Thankfully Celebrimbor escaped his family's curse (thankfully he wasn't foolish enought to make the Oath).

Agreed. Celegorm, Curufin, and Feanor and Eol, along with Maeglin seemed to be the most maniacal of the elves. Feanor did nothing but yell out at his brother, at the valar, and make foolish and embarassing speeches to the Noldor. Although probably not as embarassing to the Noldor, I was very, very embarassed for him, and I am guessing the wiser sons of Finarfin (and Finarfin himself) were embarassed too. What Celegorm and Curufin did to Luthien and Finrod was horrid, and I hated them for that. Celebrimbor knew that was wrong and like you said, he had enough sight in him to know that what his father and grandfather were doing was not ok. Eol was not great from the start, and he practically succeeded in what Celegorm did not, and then after following his family that already hated him, and killing his wife, he then curses his son to a horrible fate. Maeglin also, was horrible at the end when he wanted to kill Idril and Earendil. They were fortunate when Tuor sealed the curse that Eol had layed on Maeglin.

 

[ZehnWaters]

Agreed. Celegorm, Curufin, and Feanor and Eol, along with Maeglin seemed to be the most maniacal of the elves. Feanor did nothing but yell out at his brother, at the valar, and make foolish and embarassing speeches to the Noldor.

I'm not one to disagree with Tolkien, but his "did anyone love their father more?" line was absolutely off the mark. Fëanor didn't love his father, he wished to possess him. Fëanor wished to possess everything that caught his eye (including Galadriel, apparently 🤢). He was a vain creep and had been from his youth. His mother's death may have been hard on him but nothing excuses Fëanor's excesses. Many people have lost mothers and didn't turn out to be murderers.

Although probably not as embarassing to the Noldor, I was very, very embarassed for him, and I am guessing the wiser sons of Finarfin (and Finarfin himself) were embarassed too.

It's hard not to be embarrassed by Fëanor.

What Celegorm and Curufin did to Luthien and Finrod was horrid, and I hated them for that. Celebrimbor knew that was wrong and like you said, he had enough sight in him to know that what his father and grandfather were doing was not ok.

Celebrimbor was a good man. He got duped by Sauron, but once he realized his mistake he did what he could to fix it and died for it.

Eol was not great from the start, and he practically succeeded in what Celegorm did not, and then after following his family that already hated him, and killing his wife, he then curses his son to a horrible fate.

I think I'm a fan of the later choice to make Eöl an Avari elf.

Maeglin also, was horrible at the end when he wanted to kill Idril and Earendil. They were fortunate when Tuor sealed the curse that Eol had layed on Maeglin.

He wanted to marry his cousin. He had issues and more than anyone else here, I have pity on him the most. Look at his dad. Unlike the Sons of Fëanor, he lived an isolated youth with only his mother and his father's servants to try and offset his father's bitterness.

 

[Elthir]

To my mind the death of Feanor's youngest son at Losgar should be just as much canon as a lot of other information in this thread.

Or just as much not-canon as a lot of other information in this thread

Anyway, the ultimate source for both is the same: the posthumously published writings of JRR Tolkien. And not only was the new tale written by the Man himself (obviously), it was also referred to by the Man himself, meaning Tolkien referred to this revision elsewhere, noting to himself: [along with noting that Feanor's sixth and seventh children now get revised names] "to which a story is attached that is desirable to retain."

Also I have to (no you don't yes I do no you don't I'm posting it anyway) add that, again, as I read the runes in question [from The History of Middl-Earth], the "latest" evidence points to Maglor drowning in the Sea. But if one likes the older version of Maglor's fate as employed for the 1977 constructed Silmarillion, maybe I can interest "you" in an MPL - a "multi-perspective Legendarium"*?

The same Legendarium in which Ambarussa, Feanor's youngest son, is found missing. . . in the morning - that general time of day in which the Sun rises.

Maybe it's a Western Elvish text? I might need my

*in my opinion this "Maglorian scenario" at least seems fit for an "alternate" legend within the Legendarium, although I have no textual evidence to show that Tolkien considered this to be a purposed, in-story alternate version

Same. Galadriel is my favourite.

No. She's my favorite!

 

[Beleg_Cúthalion]

I'm not one to disagree with Tolkien, but his "did anyone love their father more?" line was absolutely off the mark. Fëanor didn't love his father, he wished to possess him. Fëanor wished to possess everything that caught his eye (including Galadriel, apparently 🤢). He was a vain creep and had been from his youth. His mother's death may have been hard on him but nothing excuses Fëanor's excesses. Many people have lost mothers and didn't turn out to be murderers.

Agreed, considering Galadriel is his NIECE, he definitely has more problems the Maeglin did. I liked Maeglin, until he betrayed Gondolin and wanted to kill Earendil and Idril. Feanor, on the other hand, had big problems, not to mention he judged his brothers to be the worst simply because Finwe remmaried and had them. He also wouldn't listen to anyone but himself. Not even his own wife, at the point of the oath.

 

[ZehnWaters]

Agreed, considering Galadriel is his NIECE, he definitely has more problems the Maeglin did.

"HALF-niece!" -Fëanor probably.

I liked Maeglin, until he betrayed Gondolin and wanted to kill Earendil and Idril. Feanor, on the other hand, had big problems, not to mention he judged his brothers to be the worst simply because Finwe remmaried and had them. He also wouldn't listen to anyone but himself. Not even his own wife, at the point of the oath.

As stated, Fëanor was possessive of his father as he was everything he deemed "his". It's why he was willing to burn the ships. It wasn't just to stop Maedhros from getting Fingon, it was to stop Amrod from going back to his mother. "You don't go back to that woman, you belong to ME!"

 

[Beleg_Cúthalion]

"HALF-niece!" -Fëanor probably.

As stated, Fëanor was possessive of his father as he was everything he deemed "his". It's why he was willing to burn the ships. It wasn't just to stop Maedhros from getting Fingon, it was to stop Amrod from going back to his mother. "You don't go back to that woman, you belong to ME!"

I agree that Feanor did decide that nothing in the world wasn't his. And that is exactly what I imagine Feanor saying. He had problems, and he was too possessive, of his father, of his sons, of everything. Oddly enough he didn't seem to care much for his own wife.

 

[ZehnWaters]

The same Legendarium in which Ambarussa, Feanor's youngest son, is found missing. . . in the morning - that general time of day in which the Sun rises.

Maybe it's a Western Elvish text? I might need my

OOOOOO I see what you're doing.

*in my opinion this "Maglorian scenario" at least seems fit for an "alternate" legend within the Legendarium, although I have no textual evidence to show that Tolkien considered this to be a purposed, in-story alternate version

That makes sense since Maglor exits history at that point. Legends could crop up around him.