Speaking of a Silly Poll

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Exactly, Lalwende. If Turgon just wanted to live in a safe, pretty white city, why didn't he stay in Tirion? Middle-Earth was obviously a bit rougher than he expected.

Or did he simple not want to play the game of the long defeat, and so instead of throwing lives away that, even if they gave victory in battle, would just be a drop in the blood bucket in the seemingly endless war that was doomed from the beginning to be lost.

And in regards to Húrin Thalion, did he not choose to stand as the rear guard so that Turgon could escape? Does one give a gift then ask to be paid for it? If so, then it is not a gift but a deal, a contract, a business transaction, and so all the less praiseworthy. Surely Húrin's decision to stay behind cost him and his kin dearly, and Turgon is forever is his debt, but this doesn't mean that Turgon is liable to repay anything, and definitely not at the price of Gondolin.

Húrin's mind was tainted by Morgoth, and so his actions after his captivity aren't that of a hero, but of a sad broken man, but what else could he do?