Forums:Theory on Maia

Tolkien Gateway > Council > Theory on Maia

I've been searching around about Maia and a few things don't quite add up.I suddenly had a "eureka!" moment and came up with this theory:

When Tolkien said "the Maia were sent by the Valar, perhaps he didn't mean "sent" as in their bodies included. Perhaps he meant their souls alone were sent. Kinda like how Christianity says the "spirit of Jesus came to Earth as a man". In that example, Jesus had mortal parents, yet was the son of God. Thus, his body was the son of his parents, but his soul was the son of God. Perhaps is kinda the same with Maia (though most probably didn't have parents). For example:

-Gandalf and the other Istari were Maia, but they were also men.

-Likewise, perhaps Galadriel was also a Maia, yet sent in the form of an elf.

-Just like Durin, who was possibly also a Maia, but sent as one of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves.

-Then there's the Balrogs. Tolkien first tells us that there were thousands of them, but later changes this to "between three and seven". Perhaps there were thousands of ordinary Balrogs, but only seven or so were Maia - these would be the most powerful, such as the one fought by Galdalf in Moria (Durin's Bane).

-Then there's the ents. Tolkien only mentions six or so, yet there are clearly much more, as seen in Peter Jackson's movie adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Perhaps these six or so ents (such as Treebeard) were also Maia!

-Finally, I once read a book (Tolkien's World - witch I now believe to be mostly fanon) witch said that Sauron was a Maia in the form of an elf (o0). Whether or not this is true or not still remains a mystery to me.

So, perhaps there are still Maia spirits by the side of the Valar, waiting to be sent in some or other physical form. Perhaps a baby could be born and the soul of that baby could be a Maia. Who knows. If only Tolkien still lived, we would have been able to ask him of this. But since he is no longer capable of answering, what do you think of my theory? -- Explorer of Arda 08:36, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Nice that you are thinking about the works of Tolkien but I think this theory can't be true.

- Gandalf was a maia was sended in a human body (he wasn't an men, it was said he looked more like a elf inside)

- The Children of Ilúvatar were made by Eru Ilúvator alone, not by the Valar.

- Eru Ilúvatar gave the Dwarves a soul, Aulë hadn't the power to do that.

- The Balrog's numbers were just changed by Tolkien. that were thousand is just non-canon information.

- Tolkien named 6, but there were many more described at the Entmoot.

- the thing in your book, isnt true. It has no grounds.

It is however said by Tolkien that the first Eagles, first Drakes, Huan and Vampires were Maiar. --Amroth 15:04, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

- Ah. So Galdalf was more like some sort of half-elf than a human?

- I know the Children of Ilúvatar were made by Eru alone, but what of their decendants? I don't think Tolkien ever said that Ilúvatar/Eru made a soul for every single individual ever to exist, so perhaps some of their souls could have been made by other Valar.

- That I know. Eru "adopted" the dwarves and put them to sleep, placing each somewhere within the numerous mountain ranges. How does this discount my theory?

- I know. Tolkien originally states that there were thousands, but later changes it to somewhere between 6 and twelve. I simply noted that perhaps there were thousands, but only 6 to twelve were Maia.

- Perhaps the named ents were named because they were of higher importance? Perhaps these named ents (though they all probably had names) were named by Tolkien because they were Maia. Who knows?

- It's highly likely that the book at hand was lying. Ederchill has allready proven that much of what is mentioned inside is fanon.

- Yes. My theory is partly based on that. Perhaps all first beings were Maia. Again, who knows? Tolkien never really elaborated on this, so perhaps it's safe to say that there's room for speculation. -- Explorer of Arda 11:52, 5 April 2010 (UTC)