[Luthien_ Tinuviel]

And taking that one step further, they had to lose by logic, too. Since "to evil end shall all things turn that [the House of Fëanor] begin well....", they must ultimately have been defeated. Seeing as they won the second and third battles, it stands to reason that they must then lose the fourth and fifth battles, as they did. It seems to me that if they had paid the Doom of Mandos any heed at all, they should have expected this. But whether or not they had seen it coming, chances are they would have been defeated anyway. Would they have been routed as thoroughly as they were, though, is the question. I think they would have; doom in effect an' all that, but perhaps not. Yet going into the Ninaeth Arnoediad expecting a loss would have severely decreased morale and even further lowered the chances of victory so...... they were doomed, as Elenrod said. Every way you look at it, they were doomed.