Turin Turambar

[HelplessModAddi]

I've read and heard conflicting things regarding the End of Arda. It says in the earlier HOME books - numbers 1-5 - that Turin Turambar with his black sword was destined to destroy Morgoth during the Dagor Dagorath. This, however, conflicts with the idea that Men leave Arda never to return when they die. Also, in Morgoth's Ring Tolkien stated quite clearly that the Elves had no clear apocalypse legends - besides which, Gurthang broke when Turin took his life. Ok, so Tolkien changed his legends. It's been done. But in the appendix to Narn I Hin Hurin in UT, Finduilas says:

The Adanedhel is mighty in the tale of the World, and his stature shall reach yet to Morgoth in some far day to come.

This doesn't sound like some random nonsense, does it?

OK, now I'm done rambling, may I say that UT rules. I never viewed Turin's story as dramatically or sympathetically before. Also, that quote by Finduilas made me think, of what Turin accomplished besides amusing Morgoth, destroying Nargothrond, and creating another sad tale. And then I realized - had Turin not existed, or more precisely had Glaurung not been killed at about that time - Numenor would not exist!

The House of Hador and the realm of Beor's folk were destroyed or enslaved. The dwellings of Haleth's folk at Brethil represented the last free Elf-friends in the entire world after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Had Glaurung not been destroyed in a timely fasion, all of the remaining Edain would have been incinerated when he descended on Brethil, and there would have been no people to found Westernesse! The Elves would have no companions in their twilight ages, and they would be remembered only as witches by the men of the East and South, and as peculiar sad ghosts by the kindred of the Edain in Eriador and Wilderland. (And Sauron would have taken over all Middle-Earth in the Second Age, of course.) So Turin really was very important, because Brethil was just as vital as the settlement on the isle of Balar, and much more vulnerable.

 

[Feanorian]

Had Glaurung not been destroyed in a timely fasion, all of the remaining Edain would have been incinerated when he descended on Brethil, and there would have been no people to found Westernesse! The Elves would have no companions in their twilight ages, and they would be remembered only as witches by the men of the East and South, and as peculiar sad ghosts by the kindred of the Edain in Eriador and Wilderland. (And Sauron would have taken over all Middle-Earth in the Second Age, of course.) So Turin really was very important, because Brethil was just as vital as the settlement on the isle of Balar, and much more vulnerable.

I agree. Most people don't realize the importance of Turin. Glaurung was a very formidable foe....it took the most skilled man to destroy him. You can only imagine what would have happened to the race of Men had Turin failed and been killed by Glaurung as opposed to by his own sword.