[ghettoelleth]

Is there a universally accepted 'canon' version of the return of Glorfindel? The conflicting essays in PoME are giving me a headache.

[BittenBuggy]

No.

[ghettoelleth]

But wouldn't it make more sense that he returned in the second age to help Gil-Galad than that he returned with Gandalf just cuz. I mean, he didn't really stay with Gandalf so the whole 'guardian of the Istar' thing doesn't really work, does it?

[inglor]

I THINK, and maybe Andreth will swoop in and refute or support me, the Prof said in one of his Letters that there is just 1 Glorfindel and that he may have come with the Istari??

Personally, I say 1

Inglor

[ghettoelleth]

Well, there are two essays in PoME. The first is missing the first page, but that is the one that says that more than one elf returned with the Istari as guardians. I hope not cuz that messes with my story, lol.

The second is where he finally states definitively that the two Glorfindels are one and the same and that he returned during the second age to help Gil-Galad. Which makes more sense because he also says in the second essay that after the fall of numenor, no one was permitted to travel back to Arda. But then, I would suspect that Glorfindel was special and they might have made exception for him.

[BittenBuggy]

Hmm... I dont remeber that Inglor Would be curious to know though - Anna?!?!

[SpaceWeavil]

I've always gone with the reasoning in Glorfindel II, that he had to come back before the fall of Numenor and before the Undying Lands were removed from the circles of the world. Of course, at the time that fitted with the story I wanted to write, as I needed Glorfindel around for the Last Alliance. I didn't have a problem following the logic behind his being sent back to help the elves during the wars in the second age. Taking it that he was sent back after the forging of the One Ring, it makes sense that the Valar might have sent him, then later sent the Istari when the Last Alliance failed to destroy the ring.

Just MHO.

[ghettoelleth]

I believe I read something of a similar nature about a footnote BB. But that comes back to which is canon, the most recent version or the published version. I just want to make sure that I use the most feasable and widely accepted version as opposed to the one that doesn't make me rethink aspects of my story.

[ghettoelleth]

Oh yeah, that really makes sense Space. That was another thing I was thinking about, which event would make it more imperative for Glorfindel to return. And adding that the Istari were sent because they had, for all intents and purposes, failed in the Last Alliance because, though Sauron was defeated, the ring wasn't destroyed. That's excellent reasoning. I'll be interested to hear what Andreth thinks as well.

[SpaceWeavil]

[ghettoelleth]

lol, I know what you mean Space, but I figure, if someone has an opposing view to ours, I'd like to hear it because, same as you, the second fits in with what I've already planned for my story and the first will require a re-write of the first chapter. If I have to do that, I'd like to find out before I post it.

[Viv]

There's so much conflicting canon about so many different things... most readers will be delighted if you just make a note at the bottom explaining which source you used for your info. Or, failing that, just saying that you recognize that there are other contradictory Tolkien writings.

It's impossible to be exact in this canon because the canon itself is vague and self-contradictory. But the fact that you started this thread indicates to me that you've put enough thought into it. I doubt anybody is going to nitpick any well-thought-out Glorfindel return scenario.

[Andreth]

Short answer, no - there's no 'canon' version. What you see of him in LotR would be all the info that's considered canon. I'll come back with a longer answer later. Have to get back to work.

[ghettoelleth]

It's the happy Andreth's here dance.

I'm just gonna take Viv's advice and go with what fits. Considering the list of people whose opinion I value that have answered with a basic and emphatic no, I'm gonna take that and run.....

[BittenBuggy]