Invading Valinor impossible?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Findegil

In the end Sauron did it with the help of the Númenorians. And doing it with an big army of Children of Ilúvatar was the one move that made the Valar hold back, I think.

Right. The Valar were capable of dealing with Númenor, but felt they lacked the authority. They were 'governors' of Arda, but were hesitant to annihilate an entire race of people, especially one that had been given special reward for their allegiance in the past.

Originally Posted by Findegil

As an aside thought: The idea of an Amry of Men invading Valinor was in away recurring: At the end of one version of The Book of Lost Tales their is mentioned a prophecy that such a invasion would occure after the return of Melko and that the behaviour of Men in that fight would decised the way of the end of the world.

The lore concerning the 'end times' of Arda has always fascinated me, and that's something I really wish there was more 'canon' available for.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

The Lost Tales era really envisioned an "end time" which had already occurred, and Aelwine/Eriol was to have witnessed it.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

The lore concerning the 'end times' of Arda has always fascinated me, and that's something I really wish there was more 'canon' available for.

Personally I hold that the tale of Morgoth being chased up a tree and spending the rest of his days knocking down stars while Varda fixes them up behind him is 100% canon to the published Silmarillion.

(BoLT 2: The History of Eriol, excerpt 4. This happens before the Eriol-witnessed apocalypse WCH mentioned, because BoLT.)

hS