Thorondor as a Maia???

[the phantom]

It's true that Ungoliant originally served Morgoth but later "disowned her Master". But remember this from Valaquenta-

Melkor is counted no longer among the Valar

So the question is are his followers Maia since he's not one of the Valar, even though he once was? Once a Maia always a Maia? Sauron was a Maia of Aule, but when he stopped serving the Valar was he no longer a Maia (since Maia is merely a job description and doesn't define a different race or species)?

I'd say that former servants of the Valar and servants of former Valar would have to be called former Maia (since they no longer fit the job description).

Unless you do choose to believe that once a Maia always a Maia, in which case every single Ainu that came to Arda that followed one of the Valar (or Melkor) is indeed a Maia.

But on that note, it appears from the text that Ungoliant descended into Arda on her own, in other words she wasn't following anybody at the time (therefore was not originally a servant of the Valar or Melkor).

Or do unaffiliated Ainu become Maia the instant they serve a Vala or former Vala, even if it's only temporary?

(wow... this is fun [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] )