Quote:
Thus even as Eru spoke to us shall beauty not before conceived be brought into Eä, and evil yet be good to have been.'
But Mandos said: 'And yet remain evil. To me shall Fëanor come soon.'
~ Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor
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This passage is not about Melkor, but I think Manwë's and Mandos' points apply to him as well. Maybe Eru had Melkor's rebellion and fall to evil in mind when he 'created' him. But Eru also devised him with a free will. Melkor didn't
have to fall to evil, he could have chosen otherwise. So even if Eru foresaw Melkor's course, it doesn't alter Melkor's responsibility for his deeds. Though good came from them, they themselves remain evil.
I wonder how Eä would have been like if Melkor had not become evil. What deeds to the glory of Ilúvatar would he have been able to accomplish? What could 'He who arises in
Might' have added to the whole? I think we will agree that, regardless, it would have been a much more perfect and pure world - and consequently incredibly dull.