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F|Bi|20s|[REDACTED]

[tanoraqui]

so firmly do I believe Maedhros would be re-embodied with only one hand that I’m genuinely a little jarred every time I read him coming back with two. All other scars would be gone, sure, but A) at heart he’s a melodramatic bastard who was utterly and irrevocably changed by his experiences and deeds in Middle Earth, fair and (mostly) fell alike, and consciously and subconsciously he’d want that reflected in a new body; and B) myriad other scars were from orcs, elves, torture, etc, but the cutting-off of his right hand was the climax of the single greatest act of love of which he was ever beneficiary. It is not a loss that needs to be healed. It is not a mark of marring that needs to be cleansed. Of course Maedhros will be re-embodied with only one hand.

He might finally let Curufin make him a flawlessly beautiful copper-and-gold prosthetic, though, with rubies on the back in a Star of Fëanor, which perfectly carries out the actions of a real hand and possibly can shoot Iron Man-style laser blasts of concentrated sunlight. (The laser blasts are Celebrimbor’s idea, actually, after hearing some of what Olórin did with Narya. The hand is an all-Curufinwë group project.)

[theoppositeofprofound]

More killjoy nerd, conciliatory diplomat Maedhros. Yeah, the fire in his eyes, but also his biggest achievements are giving up a crown and forming a union. He’s the one who sits out of boat burning, who goes to a parley knowing it’s a trap. He sits down and makes negotiations with people work. Even after the Nirnaeth, when his sanity is fraying, he still starts his efforts with letters (full of thinly veiled threats). He ran after Eluréd and Elurín because killing children is bad but also think of the political ramifications. This is a buzzkill who spent his adolescence confiscating throwing axes from brothers and cousins, breaking up raucous parties, and mediating fights. He carries a briefcase, did elven model UN, and though Thangorodrim and a brief bout of kingship make him more menacing he’s still at his core a guy with binders. What If The Fun Police Was Possessed Of A Blazing Flame Within And Burdened By A Terrible Oath.

[omegas-reincarnation]

I have always read Maedhros as an extremely principled and inherently decent person who values nobility and goodness - but who consistently makes choices that do not align with his own values, because in the moment he can't see a way of not doing it.

He can't contemplate not following his father, he can't contemplate not fulfilling the oath, but the whole time he is watching himself get further and further away from the person he wants to be, the person he once thought he was.

The moment he holds the silmaril and it burns him, it confirms everything he has feared about who he has become.

And the tragedy of that floors me every time.

[lotrhobbitsilmincorrectquotes]

Young and naive Maedhros: I hope something good happens

Adult and tired Maedhros: I hope whatever bad thing happens next is at least funny

.

Inspired by this post

[lendmyboyfriendahand]

#tolkien#ok but this raises the question:#which disaster is Maedhros version of 'I miss when the big boat was stuck :('#what is his Ever Given?

@shrikeseams

May I propose: Glaurung's first attack.

What's the problem?: Weird giant lizard is attacking people

Will this cause a political crisis?: No.

How will society solve this problem?: Fingon is attacking the weird lizard back

Is there anything I need to do in Himring?: No.

What are the expected long term consequences of this problem?: We know weird lizards exist now.

Did one of my family members cause this problem?: No! This is a pleasant surprise.

[bretwalda-lamnguin]

I like Maedhros as a character, but I admit the usual fandom portrayal of him does nothing for me. I don't see him as a particularly 'nice' person. He can be manipulative, ruthless and harsh. I think he tries to play the clever pragmatist, but he gets it deeply wrong, and I think the oath is largely to blame.

Maedhros has two clear goals, although to him, at first at least, they are one and the same. Defeat Morgoth, and regain the silmarils, fulfilling the oath. Everything he does is in service of one of these goals, but once Doriath gains a silmaril the two goals seem to become contradictory.

A lot of Maedhros’ early actions in Beleriand make sense through this lens. When he suggests sending the ships back, he names Fingon as the first that should be taken. Not only a close friend (or romantic partner) but by now a fellow kinslayer-his loyalty is more assured because they have spilled blood together. He stands aside because the burning of the ships is a spiteful act with no aim, whereas the far morally worse first kinslaying had a logical goal at least.  

Civil war contradicts Maedhros’ goal-his aim is to defeat Morgoth and get the silmarils, not be high king, so he willingly steps aside for Fingolfin. Likewise, Thingol is not his enemy yet, so he laughs off his scorn. He has what he wants, the lands and resources to make war on Morgoth. Doriath is of little concern to him, and if Finrod can bring them into the alliance, all the better.

The quest for the silmaril breaks this unity of purpose. Celegorm and Curufin, driven by the Oath, overthrow Finrod and kidnap Lúthien. Maedhros cannot complain overmuch, he does not want the silmaril in other hands. Finrod and Lúthien had become rival claimants for the jewel and were thus enemies. He cannot punish his brothers. His failure to do so however permanently alienates Nargothrond and Doriath, with Maedhros’ letter to the latter being the final nail. It is at best deeply foolish and at worst blackmail. Lúthien’s quest may have given Maedhros hope Morgoth can be defeated, but he does not rebuke Celegorm calling for Doriath’s destruction.

I think this may also be behind his and his brother’s failure to see through Ulfang and his son’s treachery. By this point, the Fëanorians see desire for the silmarils as the main source of treachery. Ulfang and his sons have no desire for the silmarils, so they must be loyal. They fail to see that they might desire other things and be loyal to Morgoth for completely different reasons.

Maedhros is so devoted to one singular goal, and ruthless in his pursuit of it that he fails to see it has become two contradictory goals, to his ruin. By the end his attempts to regain the silmaril are actively helping Morgoth. I also think that he does treat others, including Fingon and Maglor, as pawns in his game. I do think of him as somewhat manipulative, even though I also think he very deeply loves Fingon and Maglor. Fingon’s love saves him from Thangorodrim and by the end he is completely dependent on Maglor. He drags them down into ruin all the same.  

[nelyafinwe]

maedhros: *gives opinion*

maedhros: on the other hand, which i do not possess anymore,

[shineoftherainbow]

No you don’t understand. I unironically believe that this is how he dismisses ideas he thinks are stupid.

“On one hand [his own, sensible idea]. On the other hand *tries to gesture with right hand, looks comically surprised* oh, whoops”

[nelyafinwe]

maedhros does this during a war council and everyone present gives high king fingon their death stare as he is the only one laughing

[nimium-amatrix-ingenii-sui]

I’m inappropriately fond of this as well.

Maitimo laughed, loud and harsh, making his brothers wince. “What did Father fight for? Many things, of course, but I for my part have sworn an Oath that makes no mention of the crown. It does mention the Silmarils, and to win them, we need a far greater force than we have or ever will have as long as the Noldor follow two different kings.” “But on the other hand–” Tyelkormo began, but he was cut short at once: “I have no other hand.”

I mean, Beren shamelessly uses his handicap for dramatic emphasis, so why wouldn’t Maedhros!

[sesamenom]

night falls upon Himring Fortress | Blood Was Our Inheritance: TRSB 2024 collaboration with @tilion-writes !

From the waters of Alqualondë to the ruins of Tol Himling, the Oath pulls and pushes, waxes and wanes: binds the sons of Fëanor together, and just as fiercely drives them apart—until they are nothing but a song on the wind, and a singer by the shore. [Or: Maglor loses his brothers, one by one.]

Fic link to be added soon!

[inthehouseoffinwe]

I see in fics that Maedhros uses his height/scars/general big scary vibe to intimidate his brothers.

And I get that. I use it too.

But hear me out.

Having a sibling both a lot older and taller than me, and several cousins much taller and older than me, height and looks does little to intimidate even at their most furious. If anything it becomes something to poke fun at even more like ‘really? That’s what you’re gonna do cause you can’t win this argument?’

So I think it would be really funny to see:

Maedhros is so used to using his height/scars/etc to intimidate people in Beleriand, he forgets his brothers literally Do Not Care, will call him a drama queen to his face, then go right back to doing whatever they want. Probably with more determination because he’s so insistent on stopping them. While also sifting through their mental pile of blackmail of how Nelyo used to trip over his feet during his growth spurt, and embarrassed himself in court That One Time before learning to control his temper.

Mae might be a little more succcessful with cousins but even then it’s 50/50 and to his dismay, he ends up looking exactly that. A dramaqueen.

…He does get pats of commiseration from Turgon and Fingolfin though. They’ve both been there.

[find-the-path]

"Russandol" fascinates me. Your lord is this terrifying eight-foot-tall Elf with one hand and blood-red hair and a face that is 80% scar tissue, who has committed multiple counts of murder and will again.

And all his brothers/cousins all call him Carrots.

[unused-d-deactivated20181225]

When Elrond and Elros first fall ill in the Feanorian’s care, it isn’t Maglor who nurses them back to health. It’s Maedhros.

Maglor isn’t quite sure how to deal with sick elflings given that elflings do not fall ill, at least none of the elfings that  Maglor has cared for (and he has cared for a great deal of elflings, being the second son of Feanor that is).

Only, they aren’t exactly elflings, they are mortal. Mortal children very susceptible to illness.

The first time they run a fever, Maglor freaks. They are insanely hot and throwing up everywhere (it started with one, but Elrond coughed on Elros, and the both were ill within an hour), and Maglor has absolutely no idea what he should do.

On top of that, he’s utterly disgusted, and unsure of how to exactly approach sickly children.

So Maedhros takes the lead—surprisingly. He mixes herbs and spices that Maglor never knew existed, brews teas and makes soups out of leaves and vegetables that Maglor has never touched.

He makes medicines and potions as if he is some human medicine worker, and in all honesty, Maglor is impressed.

“Where did you learn to do that?”

“In…Angband. We fell ill all the time—the prisoners and I, so they shared their techniques with us—“

“But elves cannot—“

“It was Angband, Kana. Things were strange—now give a teaspoon to each of the children.”

Maglor does not question it, and simply does what his brother tells him to do (For once, without argument). Never before his Maedhros opened up about his time in Angband, at least not to Maglor.

It’s amazing with Elrond and Elros can get out of his usually cold, guarded brother.

[silmarilliongenerator]

rate my fëanor

[cycas]

Curufin:  10/10 greatest of the Noldor. 

Maedhros : 7/10 awesome but would it kill him to listen occasionally?

Fingolfin : 10/10 my big brother  no wait, 5/10 no wait, 1/10 I will punch him in the face 6/10 why is he dead?

[unused-d-deactivated20181225]

I think out of Maedhros, Elrond, and Elros, Maglor tends to be the most ethereal, otherworldly amongst them. I think he’d be the one to  struggle with being  “human” for slightly human children, despite being an elf.

I always think it’s easier to be “human” for Maedhros, considering he’s more sociable than his brother (and his time in Angband).

But at one point or another, they are both very “elvish” and still do elvish things around Elrond and Elros, which annoy the brothers to no end as they get older (like singing for no reason, or riddles–Maedhros is always riddling, and then they’re both dramatic).

I’m imaging Elros to Maedhros  like, “You’ve managed to fit almost every elven stereotype in the book except dance”, and then Elrond to Maglor like, “You literally dropped one egg, we don’t need a ballad about it”.

And then the worst is when they stare straight ahead with their eyes wide open, for hours. It took Elrond and Elros far too long to figure out they were just sleeping sitting up.

[easterlingwanderer]

LEGIT FACE OF MEN WHEN ELVES STARTS IMPROMPTU SINGING SESSION:

[mironntt-deactivated20190612]

[piyo13sdoodles]

“… and Maidros tall (the eldest, whose ardour yet more eager burnt than his father’s flame, than Fëanor’s wrath; him fate awaited with fell purpose)…”

everyone remembers when jirt said maedhros burns brighter than even fëanor, the guy who literally spontaneously combusted when he died, right? i no longer accept maedhroses that aren’t literally on fire, as was jonald’s will,

also hc about maebae’s hair! because i was thinking about it while drawing: after thangorodrim, he keeps half of it shaved, because of his scars that needed to heal. however, the rest he lets grow long and fingon takes care of it when he can. and then fingon dies! so mae chops it all off 

supplementary hc to this drawing in particular: he’s wearing the pelt of one of the wolves of angband, after he got released from thangorodrim he went on the HUNT and he kept the pelt as a trophy but also as a reminder that he was stronger in the end (right?)

[faustandfurious]

Tolkien + Onion headlines

Hurin: Man Who Thought He’d Lost All Hope Loses Last Additional Bit Of Hope He Didn’t Even Know He Still Had

Fingon: Gay Teen Worried He Might Be Christian

Pippin: Group Of Friends Chanting ‘Shots’ Make Compelling Point

Fingolfin and Finarfin: Siblings Quietly Relieved Oldest Brother Setting Bar So Low

Galadriel: Sometimes I Feel Like I’m The Only One Trying To Gentrify This Neighborhood

Maglor: Abandoned Tuba Player Honks Mournfully by Side of Road

Morgoth: Narcissist Thrilled To Find Symptoms In DSM-IV

Finwe: Everything A Goddamn Ordeal in Area Family

Miriel: Cost of Living Now Outweighs Benefits

Aredhel: I Hope My Baby Don’t Come Out All Fucked Up And Shit

Fëanor: Man Who Plays Devil’s Advocate Really Just Wants To Be Asshole

Turin: Florida Man Beats Out Heart Disease As Nation’s No. 1 Killer

Huan: Worthless Dog Can’t Talk, Drive, Solve Crimes

Bilbo: Only 20 Minutes Until Introverted Man Gets To Leave Party

Legolas: Study: People Far Away From You Not Actually Smaller

Sauron: Hell Now Thriving Epicenter of Gay Culture

Beleg: How Do Archers Resist Firing Arrows At Everyone In The Spectator Gallery?

Maedhros: Gay Conversion Therapists Claim Most Patients Fully Straight By The Time They Commit Suicide

Eru: God Outdoes Terrorists Yet Again

Haleth: Area Woman Not Yelling At You, She’s Just Saying

Nerdanel: I Fucked My Way Into This Mess, And I’ll Fuck My Way Out

Gil-galad: Baby Found on Doorstep Moved to Neighbor’s Doorstep

Caranthir: Resourceful Man Able To Cobble Together Bad Mood From Handful Of Minor Annoyances

Thingol: Asshole Admits to Being Asshole In Supreme Asshole Move

The Fellowship: Poll: Majority Of Americans Still Remember Where They Were When Gandalf Fell Into Abyss

Sam: Buddy System Results in Additional Drowning

Frodo: Man Honestly Thought Breakdown Would Be More Obvious To People

The entire Silmarillion: Mortality Rate Holding Strong at 100%

(Source: X)

[silmaspens]

Nelafinwë Maitimo

[n0-n1c]

listen. this man canonically wrote a sad song about the first kinslaying. which he took part in