Valar and Maia abilities?

[Ivriniel]

The rest of the Valar, to be honest, do remain fairly much entrenched in denial. Shifting them to compassion is pretty difficult and takes a tumultuous event.

Originally Posted by Zigûr

Is this true? Manwë may have been capable of believing that Melkor was rehabilitated, but "Ulmo was not deceived, and Tulkas clenched his hands whenever he saw Melkor his foe go by." Now in Tulkas' case this may have derived from sheer mistrust, but Ulmo specifically was "not deceived" - but mighty as he was (and he was mighty indeed among the Valar, second only to the Elder King himself among the male Valar) he had to obey the judgement of Manwë "for those who will defend authority against rebellion must not themselves rebel."

When I wrote my categorical statement, I had a feeling it would be tackled (rightly so) for being too absolute. Of course, there are indications of the opposite of what I'm positing, where I rank them an 'in denial' on a spectrum of relative blindness.

But, the denial I write about is about the blindness to their own Vanity. Tulkas's rage, and Ulmo's antipathy are precisely two examples of the critical indications of denial I point out. E.g. Methinks he doth protest too much. The refusal to accept that they were present during the Ainulindale, at which time, Melkor's disharmony and repetitious defiance were promulgated into Eru's orchestrations. Should it not have been entirely clear, before their music was made manifest in Arda in the Vision Illuvatar brought forth, that Melkor's presence was somehow significant. Eru did not send Melkor into Arda from The Void, 'corrected'.

I actually wanted to talk about Ulmo, because he seems to be quite compassionate, giving advice to Turgon and Tuor. He was also the leader of those Valar who counselled against the Eldar being brought (or rather invited) to Aman - and he definitely had a point there.

Yes, Ulmo was more appreciably helpful in The First Age, though his influence retreated (as his power was withdrawn from Rivers and Streams).

No-one much pays much heed to Nienna, though. She is the embodiment of compassion, which is her liberal, perpetual tears, and her Home overlooks Middle Earth, where, from time to time, others of her Kind join her. I do not imagine that she would withhold tears about Melkor, Sauron and all the Fallen, either, and suspect that her wisdom would embody, or extend means of deepening understanding beyond the generalist wisdom where "Melkor as the Vala pinup boi and catchall for the blame game". So, I'm presenting an alternative view to the reductionists' position and the categorical posturing of "Melkor is All Evil and That is Bad". Perhaps Evil serves Illuvatar's final purpose, in time to come, in ways the Valar are not far-seeing enough to discern. Their Vanity and lack of Unsight.

Incidentally, Manwë was not blind. As is stated in Morgoth's Ring (and I quoted in a recent thread) he knew that letting the Noldor fight Morgoth would cause Morgoth to waste his power until he was weakened to the point where he could be dealt with in a way that would not risk the destruction of Arda. The Valar did not lack compassion - they actually avoided fighting Melkor because that was the lesser of two evils: wait, and allow Melkor to become manageable, or go to battle, and risk Arda being destroyed and the death of all Eru's children.

Compassion takes many forms, many of which the Valar deny as legitimate expressions of compassion. That's my first point: for example, avoiding the bringing of Arda to a terminal conclusion and endpoint is (arguably)--extending suffering--and an indulgence for those beings protected and shielded (The Hiding of Valinor), while Mandos prohibits the Firstborn's Return because of an Oath made in wrath. It's just all too unyielding! If The Elves could battle, five times with Morgoth with the limit of the power of Elvendom, and make as much headway as they did, I imagine that a partial fortification of Elvendom during the Noldor's struggle would not have broken Arda.

We also saw the partial deliberate breaking of the Earth with Numenor, when Ar Pharazon and co got swallowed up and holed up in the Caves of the Forgotten until the Last Battle, at which time, the breaking of Arda shall occur, before a Second Making.

Sometimes compassion means ending the existence of that which suffers, because of flaws in the design and making.