Quote:
Originally Posted by Aiwendil
If I recall correctly, the facts are these:
- The oldest version (from the Lost Tales) is that Turin takes part in the final battle, kills Morgoth, and becomes a Vala.
- This was changed in the 1937 QS so that Turin still takes part in the final battle and still kills Morgoth, but he is not counted as one of the Valar. Instead, he 'returns from the halls of Mandos'.
- In the cursory 1950s revisions to this part of QS, 'from the halls of Mandos' became 'from the doom of Men', the words 'and Beren Camlost' were inserted, and then an X was drawn through the whole section. Presumably, we see Tolkien trying out different ideas here.
- The 1950s Valaquenta ends with a statement that Mandos has not said anything about the end of the world (this statement was transplanted to the end of the 'Quenta Silmarillion' in the 1977 published Silmarillion). So it appears that the prophecy of Mandos was at this point rejected, at least from the 'Quenta Silmarillion' tradition.
- Texts from the late 1950s found in HoMe X (including the 'Athrabeth') talk in a general way about 'Arda Remade', suggesting that some idea of an 'end of times' prophecy still existed.
- A text from c. 1968, 'The Problem of Ros', mentions the prophecy of Andreth: that Turin will return at the end of the First Age to kill Ancalagon.
- In the 1972 essay and alliterative fragment on the Istari (found in UT), mention is made of the Dagor Dagorath, when Melkor will return and Manwe will descend from Taniquetil, suggesting that this last battle, as distinct from the prophecy concerning Turin, had still not been entirely rejected.
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The story of Hurin's family is so desperate, so bleak and without any hope, which is why I believe the Tokien wanted Turin to return.
It's obviously impossible to fit Turin slaying Ancalagon the Black into the narrative.
As for the Dagor Dagorath, I am not sure Tolkien disregarded the idea rather than dropped the prophecy coming from Mandos. The Numenoreans certainly must have persevered with a prophecy about his return, but as we see from the Silmarillion, they were confused about a great deal.
When Tolkien discusses Morgoth regaining strength and re-entering Arda he claims thats it is possible since his spirit would once again grow in time. When you add in the very late reference from the essay on Istari, then it does appear there was some vague final battle in Tolkien's mind, but the details of how this was to be known to the world was vague.