Lord Melkor Rightful Master of the Fates of Arda

[The Might]

1. That's not such a bad idea at all, I like Pippin...but I can't change my name, sorry.

2. "If I can speak from experience, when inventing a character, especially a villain, it is difficult to get one's mind into the right position."
I disagree, look at Alien, he's evil and doesn't change a bit

3. Hmm...I'm not so sure about that Alatar. I don't think Eru really made them pairs, I just think nobody wanted to be together with Melkor. Anyway, I am pretty certain I once say a quote where it read that he had a hidden love for Varda, which would even more justify his hatred for Manwe. What I can't understand is why it necessarily happened to him...

Also, note that the original 14 Valar were 7 Male and 7 Female (somehow it feels wrong to use such terms when talking about spirits), only after the arrival of Tulkas this balance was changed.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by The Might

3. Hmm...I'm not so sure about that Alatar. I don't think Eru really made them pairs, I just think nobody wanted to be together with Melkor. Anyway, I am pretty certain I once say a quote where it read that he had a hidden love for Varda, which would even more justify his hatred for Manwe. What I can't understand is why it necessarily happened to him...

I think that, whether paired or no, Melkor was a loner, and that says something about his personality. He hung out with Ungoliant, but she wasn't really a companion, just a fellow traveler of convenience. He deceived her, she'd have et him.

Did Melkor just need a true friend, a hug, more attention from Eru?


alatar begins to look for Melkor's address to which to send a Teddy-gram...

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by alatar

Did Melkor just need a true friend, a hug, more attention from Eru?


alatar begins to look for Melkor's address to which to send a Teddy-gram...

Love or a giggle perhaps. Perhaps he just never found a cartoon or comic that gave him a really good laugh.

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Love or a giggle perhaps. Perhaps he just never found a cartoon or comic that gave him a really good laugh.

not true not true! I loved the Savage Sword of Conan! wench.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Neithan Tol Turambar

wench.

A typo? Did you mean wrench, as in torque?

but Hurin said: "at least none shall pity [her] for this, that [she] had a craven for father."

Thanks for the quote, but mine eyes have not seen the glory nor the point. Is Melkor riding the 'Children of Hurin" bandwagon as well? Book signings at Wal-Mart soon to come?

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

And what's more, because Everything stems from Eru, even if he who reveres Darkness thinks he is doing something different, he is not because Eru planted that there too, along with the fluffy stuff. And the Darkness only serves to make the Light that much brighter.

Initially, your post sparked thoughts of wavelengths, radiation and dark matter, but thankfully I've moved back from physics to literature and philosophy. It's been always hard for me to accept an omniscient creator god that somehow is not responsible for even the 'bad,' as others have argued here. At least in Tolkien's word, we (or at least I) see that the bad was to be part of the piece from the first note. That, to me, is different that the Christian Genesis account (and other books that refer to the Fall), where it seems that all wasn't to go sour but did.

And thanks to other posters for more good thoughts.

[davem]

Legate I still can't see how you could classify the meal as 'good' if you had nothing with which to compare it. If you only ever had 'good' meals you would not think of the meal as good - you would simply think of it as a meal. 'good' implies the existence of 'bad'. If only 'good' existed you wouldn't need the word 'good'. But this is not merely a linguistic debate. What of morality? Specifically how can anyone develop the capacity to make moral judgements if they are never faced with a choice between good & evil, right & wrong?

Of course, some people will think that in an 'ideal' world 'evil' would not exist - indeed their 'ideal' world would not even contain manifestations of 'evil (guns, violent pornography, violent movies/games - even 'bad' language would be banned). Of course, this would not produce a 'morally good' world - it would produce a world where no-one had the opportunity (or the need) to make moral choices. It would be at best an amoral world. One could argue that a truly morally good world would be one in which guns, violent pornography & the like was freely available, but everyone had made a free choice not to have anything to do with it.

Hence the necessity for evil to exist - if the human race is to become fully adult. One has to have the freedom to choose evil if ones choice of the good is to count for anything. If you only have various 'goods' to choose from then choosing the good is valueless - because you can't choose anything else. Of course 'good' can exist without evil - but good cannot be freely chosen, in full knowledge, without evil existing as a possibility. Remove evil & you remove freedom to choose good.

Which is why Morgoth's rebellion is necessary, why he could be said to be the 'liberator' of the Children - his rebellion not only enables, but actually forces them to choose between good & evil & to make a stand. He makes the choice of good matter, by making it a costly choice. If the only choice the Children faced was between various 'good's then what would choosing the good actually count for? Of course, Morgoth's intention was to enslave the Children, but (as Eru stated would be the case) his actions actually serve to liberate them by forcing them to grow up & choose the good over its opposite.

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by davem

One could argue that a truly morally good world would be one in which guns, violent pornography & the like was freely available, but everyone had made a free choice not to have anything to do with it.
...
Which is why Morgoth's rebellion is necessary, why he could be said to be the 'liberator' of the Children - his rebellion not only enables, but actually forces them to choose between good & evil & to make a stand.

It is one thing to argue that evil is necessary as a moral choice, so that rational beings can manifest free will and morality, and totally another to argue that we must have Melkor - the most powerful ainu falling to the most powerful agent of evil. In fact, it can be argued that the fall of Melkor makes it harder for Men (being the weakest) to exercise their free will, since they are more susceptible to marring through their hroa. Thus, Melkor's marring doesn't help (in this sense), quite the contrary. Melkor didn't create evil as a moral choice, he merely became its first victim and most powerful agent.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by davem

Legate I still can't see how you could classify the meal as 'good' if you had nothing with which to compare it. If you only ever had 'good' meals you would not think of the meal as good - you would simply think of it as a meal. 'good' implies the existence of 'bad'. If only 'good' existed you wouldn't need the word 'good'. But this is not merely a linguistic debate.

Only to this: this is what I said in my post, that if you use "good" as description of something which is "better than something else" , then you must have evil with it, of course. I emphasised the "linguistic debate" thing - this is actually also what I said in my post above, it depends on what you imagine under the word "good" (you say "good" but if you wanted to describe what you imagine under it, you imagine actually something "better", "qualitatively higher than standard". Cf. above). Otherwise, in a world where no evil exists, the "good"=simply "normal", the inhabitant does not feel the "good" things as something "better than normal" because "good" is norm - as you said. But this does not mean that the "normal" thing is not "good" for you - qualitatively, it helps you somehow, it is, well, good for you. This is the meaning of good I'm using here. And this is the point of my post above. This is what I wanted to say.

Aside from that, with the rest of your points - as well as Lal's - I more or less agree. Good point about the light looking brighter next to darkness, yes, and the moral choices impossible without choice of evil - quite. Nothing to add to that (or at least I don't want to start on it now).

EDIT: Okay, I decided to add something. Well, the main thing I'd point to your two posts would be that the main thing we have to take in mind, and this is what the point was, that Eru/God does not invent (in a metaphysical, not physical sense = by physical I mean things like that "if he didn't want Men to kill each other, he should not have invented pointy things" - this is another dimension and totally out of what the main meaning is) or support evil, if you want to say it like that, he "sided" with the good things. There is the option to do evil, though he does not approve this. So there is no way of saying "but he made the evil..." Nope. So to make matters clear, for those who could think different, because this I think wasn't mentioned. So applying this on Melkor, he was on the "wrong side" - yes, evil.

That would be all.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by alatar

Initially, your post sparked thoughts of wavelengths, radiation and dark matter, but thankfully I've moved back from physics to literature and philosophy. It's been always hard for me to accept an omniscient creator god that somehow is not responsible for even the 'bad,' as others have argued here. At least in Tolkien's word, we (or at least I) see that the bad was to be part of the piece from the first note. That, to me, is different that the Christian Genesis account (and other books that refer to the Fall), where it seems that all wasn't to go sour but did.

Even though I can only really accept a God that's all fluffy niceness - I see that this stems from a Protestant upbringing, where God is good and The Devil or Humans (in a world where the Devil does not exist, which is the plane I exist on) are the sinners and do the bad things. However in a more Catholic mindset, and maybe in other faiths that I don't know about, God works in far more mysterious ways and can do some truly scary things to seeming innocents. In many ways, that is in fact not scary, but comforting, as if something bad does happen to you and you're left wondering "What the ....?" you can shrug and say "God is mysterious". That's what they get in Middle-earth too - and that's why Numenor and the deaths of innocents are explainable within the context of Eru's world.

And going into what davem is saying, an example of why imperfection must exist alongside perfection can be found in the Cybermen! They of course want to 'upgrade' humanity and take away all the imperfections, make everyone utterly equal - in one of the episodes of Doctor Who (The Age of Steel??? Hookbill will know!) the Cybermen tell the humans how great this upgrade will be, how it will bring an end to strife and bring them peace because everyone will be perfect. But the thought of everyone being 'perfect' is horrific - humans will have their freedom of choice taken from them and will have No Option but to be perfect.

Without choices we become machines, Cybermen. We may then have an easy life, with no challenges to face, but without challenges how could we learn and grow?

I really, really like what Tolkien says about Darkness and Light, as it's quite comforting to think that even though there is Darkness, it only serves to make that Light so much brighter. You could draw all kinds of metaphors - from the sublime: seeing stars on a black night, the rising of the sun in the morning, the waxing of the moon, the bright light people see after death, to the ordinary: improving after an illness, fighting off an enemy, finding a tenner when you're skint, finishing work and getting out into the fresh air at long last, etc, all of them depend on both Darkness and Light to make them much sharper and more valuable. If life was all Roses they might not smell quite so sweet.

[The Might]

Clearly, there was a change in him

As noted in the Ainulindale, when the Ainur sang to him in the beginning, Eru was glad
But afterwards they all spent some time in which they "sang only each alone, or but few together."
It was in this time that Melkor had changed and started seeking the Flame Imperishable, as he wanted to create things of his own.
I don't think a friend would have helped...he wanted power
And since it was hard to rule over his own kind with Eru around, he wanted to create his own things over which he could rule
I think he wanted to be just like Eru, and have his own place where he could rule everything. And since this was not possible in Ea, he would have destroyed everything had he succeeded. I think it's hard to imagine how spirits think, or what needs they have...I'm not sure about this matter.

[Thenamir]

Alright, Neithan Tol Turambar, I'm calling you out. Your verbose and insufferable tirades, your name-calling, and your general attitude (not to mention your deluded self-proclamation as Lord Sauron's "herald and messenger") have earned you the negative rep you so richly deserve. Prepare to defend yourself.

In your introductory post on the "Introduce yourself here" thread, you posted the following:

I really care about Tolkeins work and would not see it cheapened, or changed, not one word, or exploited in any way by those who love it less than I. Because if they loved it as much as I then they would know that it's greatness is far beyond everything I have within myself in total, and only the vilest and most atrocious arrogance could convince a man that he could by adjustments, great or small, improve upon the work of Tolkein.

Now aside from the fact that you revere the Learned Professor's work so much that you can't even spell his name correctly, your entire premise in beginning and carrying on this thread is entirely antithetical to every spoken and written opinion of Tolkien himself. I defy you to produce one iota, a single scintilla of evidence to show that Tolkien himself, whom you claim to revere and defend, intended that Melkor (or Sauron) was the master, savior, and liberator which you claim. Otherwise you are attempting to alter and revise that work of which you say

only the vilest and most atrocious arrogance could convince a man that he could by adjustments, great or small, improve upon the work of Tolkein.

I agree with that sentiment, and I here and now accuse you of that vile and atrocious arrogance and call you to defend your position against the following quotes from LOTR and the Silmarillion (words of Tolkien himself! ), reproduced from an earlier discussion on a similar topic.

-----

Morgoth:

From splendour he fell through arrogance to contempt for all things save himself, a spirit wasteful and pitiless. Understanding he turned to subtlety in perverting to his own will all that he would use, until he became a liar without shame. He began with the desire of Light, but when he could not possess it for himself alone, he descended through fire and wrath into a great burning, down into Darkness. And darkness he used most in his evil works upon Arda, and filled it with fear for all living things.

In the powers and knowledge of all the other Valar he had part, but he turned them to evil purposes, and squandered his strength in violence and tyranny. For he coveted Arda and all that was in it, desiring the kingship of Manwë and dominion over the realms of his peers.

But he desired rather to subdue to his will both Elves and Men, envying the gifts with which Ilúvatar promised to endow them; and he wished himself to have subject and servants, and to be called Lord, and to be a master over other wills.

Then Melkor saw what was done, and that the Valar walked on Earth as powers visible, clad in the raiment of the World, and were lovely and glorious to see, and blissful, and that the Earth was becoming as a garden for their delight, for its turmoils were subdued. His envy grew then the greater within him; and he also took visible form, but because of his mood and the malice that burned in him that form was dark and terrible. And he descended upon Arda in power and majesty greater than any other of the Valar, as a mountain that wades in the sea and has its head above the clouds and is clad in ice and crowned with smoke and fire; and the light of the eyes of Melkor was like a flame that withers with heat and pierces with a deadly cold.

But ever the Noldor feared most the treachery of those of their own kin, who had been thralls in Angband; for Morgoth used some of these for his evil purposes, and feigning to give them liberty sent them abroad, but their wills were chained to his, and they strayed only to come back to him again.

But in the north Melkor built his strength, and he slept not, but watched, and laboured; and the evil things that he had perverted walked abroad, and the dark and slumbering woods were haunted by monsters and shapes of dread...And in that dark time Melkor bred many other monsters of divers shapes and kinds that long troubled the world...

...all those of the Quendi who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes.

...he [Manwë] saw not to the depths of Melkor’s heart, and did not perceive that all love had departed from him for ever.

...Then Melkor lusted for the Silmarils, and the very memory of their radiance was a gnawing fire in his heart. From that time forth, inflamed by this desire, he sought ever more eagerly how he should destroy Fëanor and end the friendship of the Valar and the Elves; but he dissembled his purposes with cunning, and nothing of his malice could yet be seen in the semblance that he wore. Long was he at work, and slow at first and barren was his labour. But he that sows lies in the end shall not lack of a harvest, and soon he may rest from toil indeed while others reap and sow in his stead.

[Quote]...Thus with lies and evil whisperings and false counsel Melkor kindled the hearts of the Noldor to strife; and of their quarrels came at length the end of the high days of Valinor

and the evening of its ancient glory.

Sauron:

Among those of his servants that have names the greatest was that spirit whom the Eldar called Sauron, or Gorthaur the Cruel. In all the deeds of Melkor the Morgoth upon Arda, in his vast works and in the deceits of his cunning, Sauron had a part, and was only less evil than his master in that for long he served another and not himself. But in after years he rose like a shadow of Morgoth and a ghost of his malice, and walked behind him on the same ruinous path down into the Void.

...Sauron, greatest and most terrible of the servants of Morgoth, who in the Sindarin tongue was named Gorthaur, came against Orodreth, the warden of the tower upon Tol Sirion. Sauron was become now a sorcerer of dreadful power, master of shadows and of phantoms, foul in wisdom, cruel in strength, misshaping what he touched, twisting what he ruled, lord of werewolves; his dominion was torment.

So, now, let's review. Even for Lalwendë who has her fingers in her ears and isn't listening anymore.

• Arrogant and contemptful of everything except themselves
• Liars without shame
• Selfish in the extreme
• Use fear and intimidation to dominate other wills
• Turn good things to evil purposes
• Usurpers of the rightful realms of others
• Coveting everything for themselves
• Appear in dark and terrible forms
• Tortured, maimed, killed, enslaved, perverted the elves
• Completely loveless
• Envious, jealous and bitter
• Ever striving to insert strife and dissent
• Cunning dissemblers and deceivers
• Instrumental in the downfall of Numenor and the consequent deaths of almost an entire race
• And in the end complete losers and failures.

Now you tell me how you can simultaneously maintain your mutually-contradicting positions of "Melkor is the Benevolent Savior and Master" and "Tolkien's work is untouchable. "

I respectfully look forward to your reply.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Thenamir

So, now, let's review. Even for Lalwendë who has her fingers in her ears and isn't listening anymore.

Que?

[Thenamir]

My sincerest apologies, Lal -- that was inadvertenly copied from the original post. The incident to which it refers was already dealt with over in the "Rooting For The Wrong Side" thread.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Thenamir

My sincerest apologies, Lal -- that was inadvertenly copied from the original post. The incident to which it refers was already dealt with over in the "Rooting For The Wrong Side" thread.

Ah now I see what you did! I was a bit shocked there! But no harm done!

Anyway, Melkor. Of course he's the bad guy in the story, that's how he's set up - it doesn't stop anyone from reversing that if they like though. That's just another way of reading it. Course, some people do it just to wind Tolkien fans up, including other Tolkien fans, as we can be a bunch of sensitive little flowers at times My particular 'blue touchpaper' is when people start on about Hobbits being 'cr*p' etc.and how Saruman should've killed them all. Set me off on that one and I'll be all touchy! There isn't necessarily anything wrong in someone liking Melkor though - after all we don't know why they do, and what they're really like. That shouldn't form our judge of character - and if it did I'd be a poor judge because I've met enough Elf fans who were complete %^&*(s....

But he has to be there, as has been said, or there'd be no story anyway.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Thenamir

I respectfully look forward to your reply.

Melkor:

• Melkor liked Beren.

• He thought Tinuviel and Varda were 'hot.'

• Melkor invented orcs. Without such creatures, we never would have been blessed with hearing Viggo Mortensen say, "orc" like he had a clothes pin on his nose.

• Someone has to play Judas in the play.

• Who else was mighty enough to restrain the Balrogs from flying around Thangorodrim like bats?

• As stated, flour comes from milling. Melkor was the millstone.

Sauron:

• He pumped up the Witch-King in RotK.

• Sauron started the Werewolf-game madness.

• Without Annatar, jewelry in Middle Earth just wouldn't be the same - just necklaces and shiny brooches.

And the most probable (and coherent?) reply will be that all that you've stated is one point of view, from the Elves and their lackeys, and we never get to read Melkor's side, as, well, he lost, and to the victors go the publishing rights...

[QUOTE=Thenamir]Alright, Neithan Tol Turambar, I'm calling you out. Your verbose and insufferable tirades, your name-calling, and your general attitude (not to mention your deluded self-proclamation as Lord Sauron's "herald and messenger") have earned you the negative rep you so richly deserve. Prepare to defend yourself.

In your introductory post on the "Introduce yourself here" thread, you posted the following:


Now aside from the fact that you revere the Learned Professor's work so much that you can't even spell his name correctly, your entire premise in beginning and carrying on this thread is entirely antithetical to every spoken and written opinion of Tolkien himself. I defy you to produce one iota, a single scintilla of evidence to show that Tolkien himself, whom you claim to revere and defend, intended that Melkor (or Sauron) was the master, savior, and liberator which you claim. Otherwise you are attempting to alter and revise that work of which you say
I agree with that sentiment, and I here and now accuse you of that vile and atrocious arrogance and call you to defend your position against the following quotes from LOTR and the Silmarillion (words of Tolkien himself! ), reproduced from an earlier discussion on a similar topic.

-----

Morgoth:

...Thus with lies and evil whisperings and false counsel Melkor kindled the hearts of the Noldor to strife; and of their quarrels came at length the end of the high days of Valinor

Sauron:




So, now, let's review. Even for Lalwendë who has her fingers in her ears and isn't listening anymore.

• Arrogant and contemptful of everything except themselves
• Liars without shame
• Selfish in the extreme
• Use fear and intimidation to dominate other wills
• Turn good things to evil purposes
• Usurpers of the rightful realms of others
• Coveting everything for themselves
• Appear in dark and terrible forms
• Tortured, maimed, killed, enslaved, perverted the elves
• Completely loveless
• Envious, jealous and bitter
• Ever striving to insert strife and dissent
• Cunning dissemblers and deceivers
• Instrumental in the downfall of Numenor and the consequent deaths of almost an entire race
• And in the end complete losers and failures.

Now you tell me how you can simultaneously maintain your mutually-contradicting positions of "Melkor is the Benevolent Savior and Master" and "Tolkien's work is untouchable. "

I respectfully look forward to your reply.

You have agreed with me in a circular way at every point, but cannot make the proper conclusion at the end of your reasoning. Let me say this: I agree with you.
What incredible examples of the worlds finest writer. I thank you. For Tolkien was, I firmly believe the finest writer of all time and his passages arouse in me the most brilliant and compelling visions I have ever experienced. He can conjure up images of power so strong I feel them and see them he moves me!!!!
Your right. Tolkien did write those passages. He also wrote the narrative of Morgoth's perspective, an inseperable part of the whole. Melkor has glory within the revelation as an inextricably intertwined part of the story without which[EVIL] their can be no good. Think Man! By God you are at the very door!!
IN THE ABSENCE OF DARKNESS LIGHT HAS NO GLORY. EVIL REFLECTS THE GLORY OF GOD.

I laboriously type again....

"Then Illuvatar spoke, and he said: 'Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor; but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Illuvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see what ye have done. And thou, "Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not it's uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.'

Now you think about that. And if you still don't know what I am doing here, then I declare outside of all eccentricity and sarcasim and from the depths of my true heart say to you sir you have no understanding. Please do not react, THINK.

You people can thank the moderators for heavily censoring my posts, in which, while in the spirit, made a stunning and careless error, that you could have taken advantage of. WHAT A DRAG! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT ILLISTRATION OF THE WISDOM OF GANDALF. I worried all day when in the midst of lifting over 3000 pounds in twenty minutes...."The magnitude of my folly was revealed to me in a blinding flash...." Wonder what it was? TOO BAD!!! I 'M NOT TELLING!!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA OOOHHHH------(cough cough..uhckk ttwwoooo cough cough) AHHH HA HA HA HA unghckk cough cough cough)

I have a new thread that I think is just going to blow people away, sorry, I really do!
I'm going to write it soon, and it will be serious, and pure, and empirical, and GOOD.
I, We, promises to be very, very good. nice moderator! wretched we are wretched!
Neithan promises! He will be very very good! Nice Moderator! Don't censor us! don't censor us! achsss sss gollum!

[Thenamir]

Neithan, I'm unsure at this point whether you are a troll, a madman, or a thinker (of sorts), so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt at this point and attempt to see through the blinders you seem to think we're all wearing.

It is oft said that disasters bring out the best in people, or that without the contrast of the hard times we would never properly appreciate the good times, or that "every dark cloud has a silver lining". In this sense I can understand that, as Tolkien himself said, there would never have been certain beauties (as of snow) unless Melkor had brought the icy cold.

However, it is on one side of the line that one can assert that Eru can make make even the selfish evil of Morgoth work to his purposes, but let us not take the step over the line to assert that Melkor himself is good, or that evil in and of itself is good, thus confusing the two and removing all meaning from the words. The destruction and death that resulted from World War II can make us grateful for the life we have and the peace we enjoy, but let us not call Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito great men of history because of that reminder -- the price paid was far too high.

If good can be brought out as a result of evil, that does not justify the evil. The fact that Eru foresaw and incorporated all of the things that I quoted in my prior post, and eventually caused a the strength of evil to be overcome by the weakness of good, that is a testament not to the glory of Melkor for being a "free thinker", but to Eru, for taking Morgoth's free but twisted will and still making something good from it. Eru is therefore not a tyrant, as you claimed, but the true benevolent creator and savior of all.

You have said that the Valar are only puppets, aping what Eru "progammed" into them. Where Tolkien said that Iluvatar gave only a theme, a "subject" or "Guideline" from which they could use their individual gifts and talents to create the Music themselves:

Then Ilúvatar said to them: 'Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will.

You have said that the Flame Imperishable is greater than Eru. Tolkien says the Fire itself is with Iluvatar and inseparable from him.

He had gone often alone into the void places seeking the Imperishable Flame; for desire grew hot within him to bring into Being things of his own, and it seemed to him that Ilúvatar took no thought for the Void, and he was impatient of its emptiness. Yet he found not the Fire, for it is with Ilúvatar.

He would have found what he was seeking if he had but turned TO Iluvatar rather than AWAY from him.

Of Sauron you say "they lie who say that He is a Tyrant wreathed in shadow." I do believe it was our beloved professor T. who wrote that of Sauron -- and I thought you despised those who altered his works and his vision.

You have said that Morgoth "hath made valleys, and Eru's slaves filled them; Melkor hath made mountains, and Eru hath cast them down", which is the very opposite of Tolkien's writing on that topic:

The Valar endeavoured ever, in despite of Melkor, to rule the Earth and to prepare it for the coming of the Firstborn; and they built lands and Melkor destroyed them; valleys they delved and Melkor raised them up; mountains they carved and Melkor threw them down; seas they hollowed and Melkor spilled them; and naught might have peace or come to lasting growth, for as surely as the Valar began a labour so would Melkor undo it or corrupt it.

Finally, and I think perhaps this is a telling point, you ask "What would the world be without Melkor's Theme?" First of all, there was no "Melkor's Theme", only

a clamorous unison as of many trumpets braying upon a few notes. And it essayed to drown the other music by the violence of its voice

But more to the point, if there had been no Melkor, theme or no theme, then we would all go on living our lives in the REAL world. For Melkor is a fiction, a non-entity, words on a page (albeit words of genius) composed by a man we all revere, but who in the last analysis, deplored the cult status his words attained. Let us never forget that.

I have not yet made up my mind whether you have some method to your madness, or if you're just one of those folks who wander in to a forum or chat spoiling for a fight, pushing everyone's hot buttons, and watching their predictable knee-jerk reactions. Or perhaps you just quaff too many pints, or there's something "special" in those ciggies you smoke, or perhaps that fried chicken is just a wee bit past its freshness date. Nevertheless, I perceive that there is some valuable intelligence behind this belligerent facade, and I hope that it can spill forth here with less rancor and more gentleness, less veiled vagueries and more directness.

I'm off to bed. I bid you and all my readers a good night.

I rush forward in blitzkrieg attack and, being engrossed in my task, make no considerations of empathy.
Therefore I was shocked to see that The Might and Hookbill the Goomba (sp) were 18 and 20, respectively.
I was strangely and profoundly moved.
While I take back nothing, not a word, I want to say that you guys should not let a word I say bring you down. I am
how shall I put it?
very impressed with your insight, thoughtfulness and level of maturity.
The what I've been told is dog latin inscription ( can I say that? Should I look it up? I keep a dictionary right here) as my secondary signiture is latin, a living langauge, which means, "Don't let the bastards grind you down".
Now you men think carefully about all that I have said, and look in the books, and Idaresay, seek for themes within our own history that fit within analogous perception, but only and I say only! ONLY! after you aquire knowledge. And not the disgusting Melkorian knowledge you find on discovery, but true knowledge that you can only get by special order catalogues and sometimes once in a while from a inter library loan.
And use a dictionary. Never read passed a word you do not know. If you do you are a fool and unworthy. Look it up. LOOK IT UP AGAIN. look it up and write the definition down. Look it up five times if the word doesn't sound like the meaning, as is often the case, and so, hard to memorize.
You both have the talentgift of writing and insight. Make sure you get to be experts with the thesaurus. With a thesaurus you conquer, without you fail. The best in the world know this but they will never tell you.
And Hookbill, I know why you call yourself that. My oldest best closest friend, my brother, who is dead because of my carelessness, had a really big nose too.
Most girls didn't like him, and they mostly didn't like anyone at all, but by God, and you'll see, some girls do.

[The 1,000 Reader]

Dude, give it up. Tolkien himself said Morgoth was an evil, selfish thing and that Sauron was just a lesser creature than that.

[Durelin]

Originally Posted by alatar

Did Melkor just need a true friend, a hug, more attention from Eru?


alatar begins to look for Melkor's address to which to send a Teddy-gram..

I have always attested such writings as Marcus Aurelius' Meditations to one fateful day in third grade, February 14th, when the poor writer received not a single Valentine. Perhaps writing in his journal was not manly enough for Melkor, or maybe he lacked the artistry, and so resorted to self-destructiveness, which naturally grew into overall destructive behavior.

Ah, maybe that's it - he desired a creative outlet but Eru failed to give him even enough skill to draw stick figures or write nonsensical haikus?

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Originally Posted by The Might

2. "If I can speak from experience, when inventing a character, especially a villain, it is difficult to get one's mind into the right position."
I disagree, look at Alien, he's evil and doesn't change a bit

He doesnt count.
And he has changed... a bit. If anything he's got more stupid as episodes have gone on.
But then, he's not supposed to be a deep character. Remember, I put very little thought into his creation. What I was referring to are serious characters for Serious stories. Seriously.

Perhaps it can be said that the longer the story, the more complex the characters have to get. This can also be confusing for the writer. (Come back when Phantom and Alien is on Episode 1007 )

[The Might]

Serious did change...though he's not a villain
He had his old skool look for a while, then Bethberry's mustard spray face, and so he needed a holiday, definitely more complex then Alien

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Eomer

Like a nasty, hateful teenager.....with superpowers! Effects will not be pleasant.

Melkor: "Are you disrespectin' me? Am I bovvered? Do I look bovvered? Look at my my Mace, does it look bovvered? Eh? Mace? Bovvered? Bovvered? Mace? I aint Bovvered!"

Originally Posted by alatar

Did Melkor just need a true friend, a hug, more attention from Eru?

Flamin' Nora! Its David Cameron! "Hug A Minion"

I'm more into the idea that Melkor just wanted to do his own thing and went off to do it, all to no avail as Eru just wasn't going to let him. That makes the whole Melkor story even more horrible because he was created with the potential to do what he did, i.e. rebel, but without the potential to bring that to complete fruition. And of course Eru also turned Melkor's brutality into beauty - into snow and ice, and into the potential to be a hero. Without Melkor there would have been no heroes either.