rocky41_7

This has been said by another anon, but you honestly have the best interpretation of the events in the Silmarillion, especially with Elwing's situation which I super super love (I had to unfollow and block other good blogs because of how borderline misogynistic their takes were on her). I wanna know, what is your reaction to Finwe joining Feanor in exile “because of the love that he bore Feanor” which basically makes Tirion kingless, showing his favoritism and cementing Fingolfin as a 'usurper' to most, especially in the fandom? For me, that was the moment I saw how he made such stupid-ass decisions. Like I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt with being considered a 'good' father and king but no way is my response to my oldest son pulling a knife on my younger son at some kind of meeting and getting exiled with 'ah well I’m siding with your brother who almost stabbed you'. He sucks so bad like y'all chose this dumbass over Thingol????

You’re too kind, anon (^///^)

Finwe choosing to join Feanor is one of those things that I think was objectively the wrong choice, but I see how he got there. To me, it was one of Finwe’s deeply flawed moments, which makes him a real character and not just an idealized Fantasy Elf King. It’s also one of those moments where I would love to have more detail, because we get almost nothing on what Finwe’s relationship with his later four children was like. Silm virtually only addresses his relationship with Feanor, so I understand why a lot of fans interpret this to mean Finwe showed favoritism towards Feanor/preferred him to his other kids, and the narrative does tell us Finwe paid particular attention to Feanor (however, given their family history, I don’t think this is a huge surprise–he has a lot of reason to be worried about how Feanor will handle the family growing). The result though is that we get basically nothing about how Finwe and Fingolfin addressed the “Feanor pulls weapons on his brother in public” incident between them.

However–and maybe you will feel this is splitting hairs–I don’t think Finwe chooses to go into exile because he thinks Feanor was in the right, but because he believed the Valar’s punishment was unfair. He only has one quote on it:

It’s not much, but it’s always suggested to me his issue was with the punishment imposed…and I find it hard to believe Tolkien held Finwe up intending him to be “good” and would then have him approve of one of his sons drawing a weapon on the other.

Furthermore, we know how highly Feanor values loyalty and how much he values Finwe’s attention, so Finwe would have to know what a significant gesture this would be to Feanor in the wake of his being publicly exposed as having been manipulated by Melkor, and exiled. There’s also the fact that Feanor’s behavior is increasingly erratic and extreme, which must be an additional concern.

By the other side of the coin though, he must also know how it will look to Fingolfin.

It’s true that at this time, Feanor and Fingolfin are both grown adults with families of their own. They aren’t little boys chasing after daddy, but clearly Finwe’s attention and affection still means something to him. And given Elves’ immortality, I’ve always found it easy to believe that Elven parents maintain a much stronger presence in their children’s esteem, simply because they never undergo the slow degradation of mind and body that mortal children expect to see in their parents as they age. But even setting that aside, it would be hard, I think, for Fingolfin not to be hurt by Finwe’s choice, even if he understands why it was made. If Fingolfin harbored no resentment about the choice, I’d say we should nominate him for sainthood.

We see that during Feanor’s “trial,” Fingolfin is already asserting a willingness to forgive him for what was done. I talked about that here, and why I don’t find “Fingolfin the usurper” a convincing take. It may be that Finwe and Fingolfin were not in disagreement that Finwe’s going with Feanor was best–it may be that even Fingolfin thought it was better to have Finwe there to try to constrain Feanor and make him see sense (This is what he was talking to Finwe about when Feanor originally bursts in with the sword) rather than leave him to fester in Formenos with only his sons, all of whom support him (In Morgoth’s Ring, even Nerdanel is not with him in Formenos, one of the few people he actually listened to; they’ve separated due to Feanor’s troubling recent behavior).

When it comes to fights between kids, parents are often reluctant to take sides. This can be true even where one child is obviously in the wrong, even repeatedly. There are any number of reasons Finwe didn’t want to see the rift between Feanor and Fingolfin as being that serious, not least of all because I’m sure he wanted them to get along and be brothers, and he loved both of them. When Melkor’s hand in Feanor’s unrest comes to light, this must have been deeply upsetting for Finwe. Thinking that his child had been targeted by Melkor and used by him to cause these problems among the Noldor would be alarming, and there would be a sense of violation there, probably especially for Feanor. Very possibly Finwe believes that the Valar are punishing Feanor for Melkor’s actions.

I’ve said this a lot about the situation of the House of Finwe, but it was complicated. Do I think Finwe made the right choice in exiling himself with Feanor? No, not really. Do I see how he thought it was necessary or would cause less damage? Yeah, I do. People often don’t see clearly when it comes to their kids, and I think Finwe has probably always harbored a lot of concern over Feanor because of what happened with Miriel, and possibly guilt over the fact that Feanor never reconciled himself to Finwe’s remarriage or his additional children. He may feel that he needs to show this loyalty to Feanor to make up for the other things, or he may feel that leaving Feanor alone at this time will only make his mental condition worse.

Or he may just love Feanor more than his other kids. But I don’t prefer that explanation.

Finwe is a flawed person. I certainly think it’s possible to characterized him as a little selfish, and willfully blind to his children’s conflict, and the scale of Feanor’s dislike for his step-mother and her kids. But he’d hardly be the first parent to do that. I don’t think there was ever any malice in it, and I don’t generally take to interpretations that he openly and heavily favored Feanor over his other children. I think it may have felt that way to Indis’ kids at times (although I don’t think Feanor ever saw it that way, since he never seems to have managed to feel secure about anyone’s affection), but I don’t think Finwe genuinely loved Feanor more or wanted better things for him than the other kids. I think he was trying to balance Feanor’s huge and volatile feelings with his own desires, and then with Indis’ needs and the needs and desires of their children, and he probably was excessively concerned with Feanor’s feelings–but Feanor also has a way of demanding people pay attention to his feelings.

In conclusion: Yeah I think Finwe made a subpar choice there, but I don’t hate him or think he was awful (although perhaps something of an oblivious father). I think he wanted very much to believe that everything could be fine and good in Aman, so much so that he downplayed actual conflicts among the Noldor and particularly among his children, on the hope that everything would work itself out eventually (And who’s to say? If not for Melkor, maybe it would have.) And in the end, he pays for those choices with his life.

            There was a part of Fëanáro that was hurting, and Indis had thought for so long if she could touch that part, if she could ease that hurt just a little, perhaps he would not hate her so much. Instead, she learned how jealously Fëanáro guarded his hurt and how viciously he lashed out in his pain.

            She had thought that if she included him in the growth of Finwë’s family, he would resent her less (“A colorless second-rate substitute,” he had sneered at her once when he caught her looking through Miriel Serinde’s unfinished tapestries, things which no one doubted belonged to Fëanáro, not to Finwë). With Findis, she had thought perhaps there was a chance. When Nolofinwë was born, she knew that chance was shattered. When Nolofinwë was born, and Finwë named him after the fashion he had named Fëanáro, there was a part of Indis that was smug at this seeming defiance of Fëanáro’s insistence that he and his mother were the true flowers of the Noldorin royal house, and Indis and her daughter mere interlopers (Finwë, she thought, meant it to bind them together as brothers). There was a greater part that knew it could only lead to trouble.

            She wished she had asked Finwë to reconsider.

            That was one of the few times she ever recalled Fëanáro fighting with his father—really fighting. He had disappeared for weeks afterwards and never said where he went. After this, he was even more insistent on being called only by the name that Miriel Serinde had given him—anyone but his father who called him Curufinwë was met with an icy stare.

            When he began to court Mahtan’s daughter, the entire house breathed a sigh of relief. He was away a great deal then, and when he returned, it was often whistling a tune or twisting a new piece of jewelry between his fingers or with a far-off look in his eyes. No one in Finwë’s house commented that he was so young to be looking towards marriage already, or that Nerdanel seemed such an odd choice of companion for Tirion’s most eligible bachelor—they were only grateful that perhaps Fëanáro was finding his place at last.

            Fëanáro showed a patience around Nerdanel that Indis had never known him to display outside his work. It was as though she need only exist nearby to bring out the best in him. Indis had even seen them allowing her children to join in on some of their projects and adventures around the palace. With Nerdanel, that rigid, aching knot of tension Indis had seen in him since she’d first met him as a child finally seemed to relax and dissipate. When Indis mentioned to Finwë how glad she was that Fëanáro seemed at last to have found a place he was comfortable, to have someone by his side that he trusted entirely, she was genuine. As difficult as Fëanáro had been with her, she could not entirely banish the memory of him as that child in tears, not comprehending why his mother would not return to him. You may rest easy now, Miriel, she thought. Your child has found peace.

            It didn’t last.

From this ship ask meme on tumblr 

Oh, happy to tackle these two ο(=•ω＜=)ρ⌒☆

falls asleep on the couch

Nerdanel. This is only because if Feanor is going to fall asleep somewhere he shouldn't, it will be his workbench. Both of them are devoted to their craft, so it's not unusual they wear themselves out, and Feanor especially is terrible about pushing himself well beyond the norm of sleep deprivation to work on something.

makes friends with the neighbors

Nerdanel, only because it definitely isn't Feanor. Feanor does not care to talk to their neighbors, he doesn't want to hear from their neighbors, he does not want to be disturbed by their neighbors. Fortunately, as they live in the royal palace, their only real neighbors are his family. Unfortunately, he does not get along with most of his family. 

Nerdanel isn't especially gregarious either, but she can at least manage a surface level of politeness. But there are reasons she's not close with Anaire or Earwen.

is the adventurous eater

Feanor, because he'll basically eat whatever you put in front of him if he's looking to get back to something else. The only time he really whines about what he's eating is when he's being petulant. Nerdanel is not generally an adventurous eater; she has a few stock meals she makes and rarely ventures outside that because it's just easier to do it this way, and she's not a fan of cooking.

hogs the covers at night

I want to say Feanor, and also sakasakiii has a hilarious comic about this.

forgets to do the dishes

Feanor, although it's not so much that he "forgets" as that he has other things to do, and they have seven kids--there is definitely someone else whose time is less valuable who can do the dishes. But not Feanor. He's busy.

Needless to say when Nerdanel ends up doing several days' worth of dishes, she is less than pleased.

When Nerdanel goes off about the state of the kitchen, all seven boys will complain that no one told them they were supposed to do the dishes! Jeez amme, are they supposed to read minds?

tries to surprise their partner more often

Feanor. He makes stuff for Nerdanel all the time, so she's regularly getting gifts "just because" and even though a lot of it is jewelry and she doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, she keeps it all. Often, he inscribes something on what he gives her, so she hangs onto it for that. 

He's also more spontaneous than her in general and more likely to pull her out of her workshop or some artisans' meeting as if there's something important going on, only to cajole her into going riding out past the city limits or going swimming or otherwise skipping out on their responsibilities. 

After he left Aman, she didn't know what to do with it all, and ended up having several cupboards solely devoted to things Feanor had given her that she couldn't bear to sell, and some of it she destroyed when feeling particularly aggrieved. 

leaves dirty laundry on the floor

Nerdanel. If she's worked especially late or is just worn out, she'll strip off her work clothes and leave them where they fell to go wash and change. Feanor regularly picks these things up for the laundry, but he doesn't mind doing it.

stays up til 2 AM reading

Feanor. He is the absolute worst about getting sucked into whatever he's doing and completely losing track of time. He has definitely worked straight through important events before (he should consider himself grateful Elves stop counting birthdays after they reach the age of majority, and don't celebrate annual memorials like wedding anniversaries). Fingolfin more than once has had to run down and pull Feanor out of the forge to be present at some event the crown prince is supposed to be present for (not that showing up covered in grease with his hair a mess is winning him big points with Finwe and Indis, nor is the failing to pay attention because he's still working through schematics in his head).

Nerdanel regularly has to go remind him to actually get some sleep.

sings in the shower

I don't think either of them is huge on it, but between the two of them, probably Nerdanel. Either of them is a lot more likely to do this if they have one of the babies with them, but I just don't see Feanor as a big singer, at least by Elf standards. 

takes the selfies

Feanor. He's not obsessive about it, but he would definitely pose with his latest works in progress or creations to show them off. Once in a while he'll take one of him wearing jewelry he made, which is ostensibly the reason for the photo. Sometimes the kids pose with him. 

Nerdanel might take pics of her works too, but the most you're likely to get of her is her reflection in a window or a hand or foot as she tries to get a good angle on the sculpture. She does show up in the selfies of other Finweans.

plans date night

Feanor. Nerdanel definitely does not go in for date planning. She is super casual about dating, so she was always kind of blown away by the stuff Feanor would plan for them, and this had a role in his winning her over. He definitely puts together some pretty extensive date night activities and he feels pretty good about himself when he manages to impress Nerdanel so he has incentive to keep it up.

Pairing: Melkor/Sauron

Characters: Melkor, Sauron, Manwe, Thuringwethil, Gothmog, Feanor

Summary: Official family court transcript of the divorce proceedings in the matter of Mairon v. Melkor.

Expletives have been redacted from the transcript.

AN: This exists because of @meadowlarkx enjoy ❤❤❤ (You all should go read her Finrod/Sauron AU)

AO3 | tumblr | Pillowfort

Transcript of Divorce Proceedings Mairon v. Melkor

10 S.A.

Court of Máhanaxar 

Honorable judge MANWË presiding.

Bailiff TULKAS standing by. 

COUNSEL: Would you please state your name for the record?

MAIRON: Sauron.

COUNSEL: Your legal name, please. 

MAIRON: That’s not important.

MELKOR: It’s Mairon. 

MAIRON: You’re not on the stand. Answer your own [redacted] questions. 

MELKOR: You’re going to fight with them about your [redacted] name? Are you serious?

COUNSEL: Could you please state your legal name for the record?

MAIRON: Mairon.