Talk:Ëalar: Difference between revisions

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Latest comment: 5 January 2010 by Earendilyon
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Latest revision as of 21:48, 4 March 2011

I replaced Balrogs as being an example of Eälar with Maiar, since the Balrogs had after some time become fully incarnate and could no longer go without their body. ~ Earendilyon 20:29, 4 January 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]

I agree. :)-- KingAragorn  talk  contribs  edits  email  20:55, 4 January 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]

IIRC the phrase where Tolkien defines the ealar, mentions specifically Balrogs. Who can look it up? Sage 23:21, 4 January 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]
J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, p. 165, I think. --Mith (Talk/Contribs/Edits) 14:21, 5 January 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]
Indeed, Mith's right. The passage he's referring to reads:
These were the (ëalar) spirits who first adhered to him in the days of his splendour, and became most like him in his corruption: their hearts were of fire, but they were cloaked in darkness, and terror went before them; they had whips of flame. Balrogs they were named by the Noldor in later days.
As the Balrogs seem to have become completely incarnate after wearing their "cloaks of darkness" for a long while, I doubt they could later be regarded as ëalar per se, especially Durin's Bane which had been incarnate for thousands of years. Unless, of course, one would consider Tolkien's description "cloaked in darkness" as suggesting they were never incarnate at all, but still spirits that hid themselves in some tangible darkness. But that would make it hard to understand how they could be killed, wouldn't it? ~ Earendilyon 19:13, 5 January 2010 (UTC)Reply[reply]