Line #3 Heartwarming/TheSilmarillion


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3	* Aulë's creation of the Dwarves. Impatient that no mortals have yet awakened, he makes his own race, and he makes them tough and resilient, knowing Morgoth's power is out there and must be resisted. Eru Ilúvatar then intervenes and points out that, because only he can give the "Secret Fire" of true life, all Aulë has achieved is the same thing Morgoth and Sauron can do -- not to make, but only to mock, and the Dwarves are just mindless golems doing Aulë's will. Aulë repents and tearfully takes up his hammer to destroy the Dwarves...only for them to cower in fear, something that did not come from Aulë's mind, and Eru reveals he took pity on him, as his intentions were good, and by his grace has given the Secret Fire to them so they might live.
4	** Especially touching was Aulë's reaction when Eru calls him out on creating the Dwarves: he emphasizes that he meant no disrespect like Morgoth and compares himself to a child mimicking the actions of his father; not from mockery, but from a love and respect for his father.
5	** Worth noting here is the fact that while Dwarves are certainly not portrayed in the best light, most being self-interested neutral types, they are by far the most difficult race for the Dark Powers to corrupt or trick. In fact, of the seven Dwarven kings who are given rings of power by Sauron, only two join him, another three stay out of it, and two are actually helping the Last Alliance, DESPITE the rings having been in their possession for centuries.
6	** Similarly, Eru taking pity on Yavanna and making the Ents to ensure her plants at least have a line of defense.
7	* Fingon rescuing Maedhros despite believing that Maedhros had betrayed him. Even better, their relationship strayed good (a first for that family) until the bitter end. Maedhros also managed to stay friendly with the house of Fingolfin in general, not something you'd expect after them being abandoned to cross the Helcaraxë.
8	* The arrival of the Edain can count as that. They fought their way [[EverythingIsTryingToKillYou through Morgoth's territory]] to get there.
9	* Elu Thingol's first meeting with Melian. Also, when Morwen begs him to shelter her son, in response, he picks little Túrin up and sets him on his knee, unexpectedly taking him as a foster-son.
10	* Eärendil is not only spared by the Valar, despite breaking a couple of pretty big cosmic rules by stepping foot in the Undying Lands, but they grant his prayers to save what is left of the Elves and good men in Beleriand because they are touched by just how deeply he cares for both kindreds (and this DESPITE the fact that the sons of Fëanor had just kidnapped his sons and tried to kill his wife).
11	** The whole situation is also one for Ulmo, who introduced the loophole into the protections around the Undying Lands that the greatest of mariners could pass through them, knowing full well that one day someone would care enough to come to beg the Valar for help.
12	* Maglor fostering Elrond and Elros. "...and love grew after between them, as little might be thought."
13	* The tale of Beren and Lúthien Tinúviel, a mortal man and an Elven princess fall in love. Lúthien's father sending Beren on an impossible quest, while imprisoning her, couldn't keep them apart. [[BigBad Sauron]] imprisoning Beren couldn't keep them apart. Not even death itself could part them from each other! Interestingly, Lúthien was created in homage to Tolkien's wife, Edith Tolkien, while Beren was basically an AuthorAvatar. Edith was dark-haired like Lúthien, while the Elf's sacrifice of love was paralleled by Edith becoming a Catholic for Tolkien at the cost of estranging herself from her birth family. Tolkien even put "Beren" and "Lúthien" on his and Edith's gravestones.
14	** In short, the fairest Elf to have ever lived and the most beautiful story in Tolkien's entire mythos was inspired by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Tolkien his wife]].
15	** Beren, determined to carry on the quest he is sure will kill him, sings farewell to the world. His final lines strike most deep:
16	---> "Farewell sweet earth and northern sky
17	---> for ever blest, since here did lie,
18	---> and here with lissom limbs did run
19	---> beneath the moon, beneath the sun,
20	---> Lúthien Tinúviel
21	---> more fair than mortal tongue can tell.
22	---> Though all to ruin fell the world
23	---> and were dissolved and backward hurled
24	---> unmade into the old abyss,
25	---> yet were its making good, for this -
26	---> the dawn, the dusk, the earth, the sea -
27	---> that Lúthien on a time should be!"
28	* Relating to the above story, one of two things resulted in their son, Dior, becoming king of Doriath. Either Thingol had become accepting enough of their relationship to make their son his heir. Or (less likely given his character development) the elves of Doriath made him their king despite him not doing so.
29	* Túrin's friend with his house servant, Sador, which lasted even years later when Túrin returned to his home to see it conquered by Easterlings. Notably, Túrin's mother, Morwen, was '''not''' NiceToTheWaiter.
30	* On the bad guys' side, the Balrogs rescuing Melkor from Ungoliant. Granted, given it's the story of Arda that we are referring to, you will be hard-pressed to feel any sympathy for Morgoth and his demons, but it is still heartwarming to see that even the most miserable beings in Middle-Earth aren't devoid of things like loyalty and friendship. They could have left Melkor to be devoured and would have got away with it, but even so, the Balrogs chose to come to his aid, not caring they would have to face a creature whose darkness was even mightier than theirs and who was feared by the Valar themselves. But not just that, they actually defeated her and drove her away from the known world. It's not there in the text, but you know Melkor afterwards felt so proud of them.
31	* Most of the story of Eärendil and Elwing, especially when Elwing insists on accompanying Eärendil onto Valinor, knowing that she may be calling the Valar's wrath onto her. Her willingness to do so ends up moving the Valar to mercy.
32	* The story of Tuor and Idril. Not only are they hopelessly in love and an adorable couple, but there's none of the usual strife and [[EngagementChallenge Engagement Challenges]] that come with human/elf relationships. You get the impression that Turgon was already planning the wedding before they got halfway through asking about getting engaged.
33	* While this was only a side effect of Lúthien's sleep spell, she does grant Morgoth one last respite from his self-inflicted misery.
34	* This passage about the creation of Númenor, when recalling everything the Edain have gone through ever since they began journeying west after the rising of the Sun.
35	-->''That land the Valar called Andor, the Land of Gift; and the Star of Eärendil shone bright in the West as a token that all was made ready, and as a guide over the sea; and Men marvelled to see that silver flame in the paths of the Sun.''
36	-->''Then the Edain set sail upon the deep waters, following the Star; and the Valar laid a peace upon the sea for many days, and sent sunlight and a sailing wind, so that the waters glittered before the eyes of the Edain like rippling glass, and the foam flew like snow before the stems of their ships. But so bright was Rothinzil that even at morning Men could see it glimmering in the West, and in the cloudless night it shone alone, for no other star could stand beside it. And setting their course towards it the Edain came at last over leagues of sea and saw afar the land that was prepared for them, Andor, the Land of Gift, shimmering in a golden haze. Then they went up out of the sea and found a country fair and fruitful, and they were glad. And they called that land Elenna, which is Starwards; but also Anadûnë, which is Westernesse, Númenórë in the High Eldarin tongue.''

Context Heartwarming / TheSilmarillion