Lord of Gravity

[alatar]

The idea for this thread all started with a flippant comment regarding which of the Valar was the Lord of Gravity, some wind-downed trees and recent reading of Greek mythology.

Assuming that our world is Arda in an Age later than documented by Tolkien. This world was created by Eru, marred by Melkor and patched by the Valar. We witness daily round this world 'natural' disasters - hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, blizzards, tornadoes and other calamities, on both the small and large scales.

How and why do these things occur?

Are all of the 'bad' events, such as a tornado that wipes out a village, the mixing of power of one Valar (Manwë) with the legacy of Melkor? Or is it just the work of Manwë, and we just don't understand the purpose of the event?

While driving home the other day after a particularly powerful storm, I couldn't help but think that Yavanna could not be very happy with the hundreds of uprooted trees lying about - trees uprooted by the winds purportedly under the control of Manwë. Maybe this was 'part of the plan' where the Lord of Air's help was enlisted to knock down a few aging trees, and well, sorry if one fell on your house or across your path.

At least with Ossë, we have documentation that this maia is not always 'friendly,' and so many of the sea-related natural calamities could pour from his hands. Earthquakes and mine cave-ins could be laid at the feet of the Nameless Things, which may be burrowing around under the firmament, pushing up mountains and opening up chasms, and Aulë too busy pretending to be Iarwain Ben-adar (not) to be any help. Volcanoes explode due to the fluttering of a trapped Balrog's wings perhaps? Blight and subsequent famine, at a stretch, could be some plan of Yavanna, as maybe the soil/land may need to be rebooted now and again by a swarm of locusts.

I guess the question is not how and why does evil exist, as I think that Tolkien answers that in Arda, but how and why do natural disasters occur? Science tells us that, well, things happen, and will continue to happen as the world is continually in flux (the mountains/hills where I currently live were at one time under swampy water during the Carboniferous period, so things do change). Are the 'gods' angry with us, have a plan that we don't understand, or is the marring of Melkor still in play, and the Valar can not or will not hold back its dominion?

[littlemanpoet]

The marring of Melkor is still in play. imho

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I think if you ask for the answers of Arda, then it's clear from the Ainulindalë to me, as Elempi said: all the bad things come from Morgoth's marring, for example he was the one who created the unbearable cold and also the... (*interesting, now I had some sort of problem with memory, and could not think of what is the English word for the opposite of cold... but the word that immediately came to my mind, was the Elven word úre. So yup, that's it Interesting, by the way - the Prof would surely be happy if he heard about this, because he'd explain it so that's because I find the word úre suitable for naming that thing *) I imagine it the way that he could misuse any power of Valar, because originally

Originally Posted by Ainulindalë

he had a share in all the gifts of his brethren.

Which is the main point. Or more elaborated

Originally Posted by Valaquenta

Great might was given to him by Ilъvatar, and he was coeval with Manwë. In the powers and knowledge of all the other Valar he had part, but he turned them to evil purposes, and squandered his strength in violence and tyranny.

And we also know Morgoth was expert in twisting things as he wanted, and in making the "illusions" or "tricks", to make something appear differently, to make something look as if it came from Valar but it came from him, for example what I call the "Hunter-trick" to make the Elves be afraid of Oromë and thus disable the possibility of joining him:

Originally Posted by Silmarillion, Chapter 3

And indeed the most ancient songs of the Elves, of which echoes are remembered still in the West, tell of the shadow-shapes that walked in the hills above Cuiviénen, or would pass suddenly over the stars; and of the dark Rider upon his wild horse that pursued those that wandered to take them and devour them. Now Melkor greatly hated and feared the riding of Oromë, and either he sent indeed his dark servants as riders, or he set lying whispers abroad, for the purpose that the Quendi should shun Oromë, if ever they should meet.

So in conclusion, either the catastrophes come from Morgoth himself (when he's present) or are the continuing work of his marring (already "written" in the song).

[Mithalwen]

Osse and Uinen have reached that dangerous stage in their relationship... "The Seven Age itch"

[Elladan and Elrohir]

Only alatar would actually start a thread called "Lord of Gravity" WITHOUT tongue in cheek...

[radagastly]

If a tree fals in the forest, and there's nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound?

These natural disasters are only disasters because people are around to witness (and suffer from) them.

From the Silmarillion:

And Iluvatar spoke to Ulmo, and said, "Seest thou not how here in this little realm in the Deeps of Time Melkor hath made war upon thy province? He hath thought him of bitter cold immoderate, and yet hath not destroyed the beauty of thy fountains, nor of thy clear pools. Behold the snow, and the cunning work of frost! Melkor hath devised heats and fire without restraint, and hath not dried up thy desire nor utterly quelled the music of the sea. Behold rather the height and glory of the clouds, and the everchanging mists; and listen to the fall of rain upon the Earth!

And they built lands, and Melkor destroyed them; valleys they delved, and Melkor raised them up; mountains they carved, and Melkor threw them down; seas they hollowed, and Melkor spilled them, and naught might have peace or lasting growth, for as surely as the Valar began a labor so would Melkor undo it or corrupt it.

A pretty violent, ongoing process, and yet:

For the Children of Iluvatar were conceived by him alone; and they came with the third theme, and were not in the theme which Iluvatar propounded at the beginning, and none of the Ainur had part in their making.

Natural disasters are only disasters from a human (or elvish) perspective. They have nothing to do with the (ongoing) shaping of Arda, marred or unmarred. We simply find them in our way!