Dagor Dagorath

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"I shan't call it the end, till we've cleared up the mess." — Sam
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History of Arda
Before the Creation
Before the Ages
Days before days
Years of the Trees (up to Y.T. 1050)
Ages of the Children of Ilúvatar
First Age (begins in Y.T. 1050
and overlaps with the Years of the Trees
up to Y.T. 1500
)
- Years of the Sun begin in F.A. 1
Second Age
- Arda made round in S.A. 3319
Third Age
Fourth Age
Later Ages (up to present day)
End of Arda
Timeline of Arda
(See: Round World version of the Silmarillion
for a later conception of Tolkien's cosmology)


"Manwë will not descend from the Mountain until the Dagor Dagorath, and the coming of the End, when Melkor returns."
J.R.R. Tolkien[1]

The Final Battle, also known as the Second Prophecy of Mandos, but probably best as the Dagor Dagorath (Sindarin, "Battle of all Battles"), is an apocalyptic event prophesized by Mandos.

The Prophecy

According to the prophecy, included in both The Shaping of Middle-earth and in The Lost Road, Melkor will discover how to break the Door of Night, and will destroy the Sun and the Moon. For the love of these, Eärendil will return from the sky and shall meet Tulkas, Manwë (or Eönwë his herald) and Túrin Turambar on the plains of Valinor. All the Free Peoples of Middle-earth will participate in this final battle, Elves, Men, and Dwarves alike. Also in the Battle will be Ar-Pharazôn and the Númenóreans who broke the Ban and landed at Aman in 3319 SA. These Númenóreans of the Great Armament were not destroyed, but are imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten, where they await the ending of the world. The role that they have to play in the Last Battle is unknown.

The forces of the Valar shall fight against Melkor, who will have resurrected many of his old followers, including Sauron. Tulkas will wrestle with him, but it will be by the hand of Túrin that finally death and utter defeat will be dealt to Melkor. Túrin will run his black sword Gurthang (Iron of Death) through Melkor's dark heart, thus avenging the Children of Húrin, and the Pelóri Mountains will be leveled. The Silmarils will be recovered from the Earth, and Fëanor's spirit shall be released from the Halls of Mandos and he will surrender them to Yavanna. They will be broken and their Light will rekindle the Two Trees. With the flattening of the Pelóri, the light of the Trees will cover all of Arda. The battle will end and renew Arda's existence: all the Elves shall awaken and the Powers will be young again. Also, according to Dwarven legends, they will help their maker Aulë recreate Arda in all its glory again.

Following this, there will be a Second Music of the Ainur. This song will sing into being a new world. Elves and Men will sing with the Ainur. It is unknown what the fate of the old races, or of the old world, will be in the new one. Even the Ainur do not know anything of the second world or the Second Music. All the Ainur know is that the Second Music will be greater than the First Music.

Inspiration

The account bears many similarities to – and may have been inspired by - the Norse legend of Ragnarøk.[source?]

References