# The death of Fingolfin



## Thorondor_ (Sep 14, 2005)

> But at the last the King grew weary, and Morgoth bore down his shield upon hint Thrice he was crushed to his knees, and thrice arose again and bore up his broken shield and stricken helm. _But the earth was all rent and pitted about him, and he stumbled and fell backward before the feet of Morgoth_; and Morgoth set his left foot upon his neck, and the weight of it was like a fallen hill


"Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin"
What do you think? Shouldn't Fingolfin keep on moving further away from the pits in order to avoid stumbling? Would it have made any significant difference if the fight lasted longer this way? Or was it that he was too tired and that his doom was close anyway?


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## Ithrynluin (Sep 14, 2005)

I believe Fingolfin was exhausted at that point, and that it was difficult to maneuver on such uneven terrain as it is. I don't think that Fingolfin staying alive for a few more minutes would have increased the chances for his survival and victory. Even though he succeeded in wounding and frightening the Dark Lord, it was ultimately beyond the power of Fingolfin (or most likely any elf at all) to slay Morgoth.


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## Grond (Sep 14, 2005)

Ithrynluin said:


> I believe Fingolfin was exhausted at that point, and that it was difficult to maneuver on such uneven terrain as it is. I don't think that Fingolfin staying alive for a few more minutes would have increased the chances for his survival and victory. Even though he succeeded in wounding and frightening the Dark Lord, it was ultimately beyond the power of Fingolfin (or most likely any elf at all) to slay Morgoth.


Fingolfin's effort was valiant, bold, daring, memorable, and ultimately stupid. His wrath was great, his fury unbridled but... he was messing with a Vala. Game/Set/Match

(This isn't a criticism... Fin's my favorite character in the Sil).

Cheers,

grond


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## Arata (Sep 15, 2005)

I believe Fingolfin was utterly chanceless, but what would have been the outcome of this fight if Fingolfin were aided by several other Elves? But I guess that it wouldn't have been a fight against Morgoth alone in this case.

The hopelessness of this fight is obvious, but the whole war was rather desperate for the Elves and Men...


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## Inderjit S (Sep 21, 2005)

I agree-valiant as Fingolfin was, he was not strong enough to slay Morgoth, sadly, a heroic end. I wonder what Feanor and Fingolfin could have done if Feanor wasn't such a prat, after all he was able to take on a few Balrogs right after he routed a host of Orks.


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## Celebthôl (Sep 27, 2005)

FINGOLFIN WOULD HAVE WON!!!

Morgoth was a cheater! Fingolfin was the mightiest Eldar ever! He nearly took Morgoths foot off in his last dispair, why not his head if Morgoths lame pits weren't everywhere?


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## Hammersmith (Sep 28, 2005)

Ithrynluin said:


> I believe...it was ultimately beyond the power of Fingolfin (or most likely any elf at all) to slay Morgoth.


What about destroy his physical body? It could be marred by mortals (eagle chap, Fingolfin, Beren) so could his body be destroyed?



Grond said:


> His wraith was great


Goodness gracious me! It was?


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## Inderjit S (Sep 28, 2005)

Yes his body could be 'destroyed', it latter was destroyed by Mandos, but the question is whether or not Fingolfin had enough power to destroy it....


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## Hammersmith (Sep 28, 2005)

Well he had power to hurt it. Doesn't one suggest the other?


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## Ithrynluin (Sep 28, 2005)

Hammersmith said:


> What about destroy his physical body? It could be marred by mortals (eagle chap, Fingolfin, Beren) so could his body be destroyed?



Yes, his body could be destroyed, but I don't think Fingolfin or any elf for that matter, could do it alone. It took the army of the West to do that, I assume it was one of the Ainur who finally cornered Melkor, shackled him and hewed his feet from under him.


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## Hammersmith (Sep 29, 2005)

I'll stubbornly stay with this. I like Fingolfin a lot, and I think your refutations have been weak so far. What if he had slid in a lucky strike and hamstrung Morgoth? Hm? Or blinded him? What if Morgoth had been accidentally incapacitated due both to Fingolfin's valour, his amalgam of friendly woodland creatures and Morgoth's own bad luck? I'm not asking if it would be likely, but could it happen?


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## Inderjit S (Sep 29, 2005)

Of course he "could" have killed him since it was possible to kill him, but Sauron "could" have shacked up with Melian in Doriath, there is a difference between "could have" and "would have" in that one depicts a possiblity and the other probability, and not everything that is probable is possible. I still wonder what Morgoth would have done if he had been attacked by Feanor and Fingolfin or the House of Finwe by himself.


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