[Thenamir]

You know, I'm going in another direction here, but re: Feanor the manic-depressive -- the Valar put a bad spin on the Noldor's departure. The so-called Kinslaying? Merely giving a few Teleri a restful vacation in the Halls of Mandos (I mean, they came back, didn't they?) Leaving Fingolfin behind? Hey, there weren't enough boats. Wouldn't have been a problem if Fingolfin and Co. (Friday nights, 9:00, on CBS) had 'liberated' a few more Teleri. The Oath of Feanor? Okay, okay, a bad move, but the high-and-mighty Valar should have been more understanding of Feanor's manic-depressive tendencies. He needed counseling, not a Doom on his head. The whole situation would have been solved by a big group hug.

Let's put the blame on who it belongs. Who, at the root of this, is really to blame? What group needed to "clean house" (Ken and Barbie sold separately) and prevent this needless suffering? Why, the Valar of course. Had they taken care of their own (i.e., Morgoth), the elves would have remained a group of happy campers (available at most auto and RV supply shops). Instead of calling him names, leaving him out of all the Valar games, and drawing pictures of him with a big nose (notoriously hard to draw with a nose of any size) they should have nurtured him, channeling his "creative" traits to more useful pursuits. Failing that, they should have booted his keester into the outer darkness (vaporware - don't even look for it) ASAP.

So, I maintain they are guilty. They should have bumped off the Teleri and taken ship to Middle Earth. Think of how much happier the Numenoreans would have been when they landed if the Valar weren't at home.

[ October 21, 2002: Message edited by: Thenamir ]