Glaurung

Glaurung is a significant character of The Silmarillion. He was the first fire-breathing terrestrial Dragon in Middle-earth. He is known as the Father of Dragons, Glaurung the Deceiver, Glaurung the Great Worm, and Glaurung the Golden. Glaurung also carried the titles Servant of Melkor and Lieutenant of Morgoth's Army. The dragon also goes by the names Glorund and Glómund. Glaurung is a male dragon with yellow-orange eyes. He was a gigantic creature, and his body alone was already a natural armor, shield, and weapon. Although he had no wings, he was able to breathe fire. Dragon fire, heat, and Dark Arts were his weapons in combat. This made him a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Glaurung is usually illustrated as a huge, emerald wingless dragon that looked like a worm.​

The Dark Lord Morgoth realized that his army of Orcs was no match for the Noldor after suffering several defeats and losses in Beleriand. Because of this, Morgoth tried to look for ways to create deadlier creatures for his armies. In the dark pits of Angband, Morgoth spent a century brooding and growing creatures. Glaurung was the best result of his experiments. Glaurung first showed during the First Age in the Siege of Angband. He proved himself to be the greatest terror during his time. He was able to burn Ard-galen, the land of the Elves in Dorthonion and Hithlum. During this attack, Glaurung was not yet at his full strength. He soon had to flee back to the pits of Angband when Fingon, the prince of Hithlum, and his archers attacked him with arrows. Morgoth was very displeased when he found out Glaurung emerged from the pits before he had grown fully. Morgoth's plan to surprise his enemies with the existence of the great dragon was ruined. To Glaurung, his premature attack was a test run of his strength and capability. Through his attack, it was determined that his scales were still vulnerable to weapons.​

Morgoth had Glaurung contained in the pits of Angband for two more centuries. It was during the Dagor Bragollach, the fourth battle of the Battles of Beleriand, when Glaurung was set loose. The battle was named Dragor Bragollach because of the fires that were unleashed from the Iron mountains. Glaurung was able to use his full power and led the forces of Morgoth against the High Elves. Glaurung and the Orcs were victorious with the help of the Balrogs. This victory ended the Siege of Angband.​

Nirnaeth Arnoediad is the fifth battle of the Battles of Beleriand. Here, Glaurung was able to inflict more devastation as he was able to father a progeny of slighter Dragons to fight by his side in battle. The great army of Elves and Men had fallen even before they reached the battlefield. Only the Dwarves of Belegost were able to withstand the Dragonfire. It is during this battle that Glaurung discovered he had dark magic powers. His serpent eye had a binding power, and he also had a hypnotic dragon spell. After the battle, Morgoth assigned Glaurung to keep watch of all the new territories that he gained.​

Narhothrond was one of the Elven fortresses in Beleriand. Morgoth assigned Glaurung to complete and end the Sack of Nargothrond. Glaurung was able to sack the kingdom easily with his great force. Túrin, the son of Húrin, was at the gate when Glaurung arrived. Glaurung was able to freeze Túrin using his serpent eyes. As a result, Túrin was forced to hear the screams of the daughter of Orodreth, Finduilas, as she was dragged away by the Orcs and taken hostage. [1] When the captives were taken away, Glaurung released Túrin from his spell. The dragon then gave him two options: to rescue Finduilas or to rescue his own mother and sister, who were in trouble in Dor-lómin. Túrin chose to save his mother and sister only to find that they were not Dor-lómin. By then, Glaurung had already gathered Felagund's treasures and hoarded them in Nargothrond, where he rested and stayed on guard. Glaurung heard that Morwen and Nienor, Túrin's mother and sister, left Doriath to look for their family. In the forest, Glaurung found Nienor and made her lose her mind with a spell. Túrin found her crying on the grave of Finduilas with no memory. Unaware that she was his sister, Túrin named her Niniel and took her home, where he settled with the folk of Brandir. In the three years that they lived together; the siblings fell in love without knowing their real relationship.​

After three years, Glaurung emerged from the ruined halls of Finrod Felagund to look for Túrin. Glaurung attacked the area near Túrin and Niniel's home. This angered Túrin, who became determined to kill the great dragon. He was accompanied by two men. One became too afraid at the sight of the enormous dragon and fled. The other was crushed by rocks during the battle. Despite this, Túrin was able to thrust his sword, Gurthang, into Glaurung's belly. Glaurung felt the wound and fell to his death, screaming. When Glaurung's blood dropped on Túrin, Túrin fainted. Niniel found Túrin and Glaurung on the ground beside each other. With his last breath, Glaurung returned Niniel's memory before he died. Realizing that she married her own brother and thinking that Túrin was dead, Nienor killed herself by jumping into the river's ravines. The way Glaurung died in the hands of Túrin was similar to how Siegfried (Siegfried) killed a dragon in German Mythology. And like Glaurung, the last words of the dragon were a poisonous message that made Siegfried doubt his loved ones.​