[Maédhros]

This has occurred to me as well. But in the end I must come out against it. I do not think that the Gil-Galad related problems are insurmountable. And the Fingon idea was, as Christopher stressed, a very transitory idea.

I agree with this.

I disagree. First of all, and least important, the Fingon parentage would actually re-introduce what I see as a great difficulty with the matter of the Kingship as presented in the '77. That is: why should the kingship pass from Fingon to Turgon rather than from Fingon to Gil-Galad?

An excellent point Aiwendil. I have no troubles with the updated parentage of Gil-Galad.

Regarding Gil-Galad's Kingship vs. Earendil's lordship: I really don't think that there is any need for concern, whether Gil-Galad is at Balar or on the mainland at this point. Gil-Galad is the King of the Noldor - that is, the overlord of all the Noldor. Earendil is the lord of the people at the havens (and Lindil is quite right in pointing out that he is a lord, not a king). There is no contradiction here.

Very good point by lindil.

This leaves us with the question of whether Gil-Galad was at the havens or on Balar at the time of the Earendil story. I still can't understand why he should have remained on the mainland when Cirdan went to Balar.

If I recall correctly, the people of Círdan kept a foothold on the mainland too. I don't think it would be impossible for him to have returned to the mainland in a period before the attack of the Fëanorians. If I recall correctly, we don't have any hard facts about Gil-Galad's momements at that time in the FA. The only thing as I recall that comes from Tolkien is that note in the Parentage of Gil-Galad that states that he escaped the Fall of Nargothrond and came to Sirions Mouth. I think that Aiwendil made a fine point in explaining how could we support the escaped part but I don't see the great problem in having Gil-Galad in the mainland.