The Deeds of Melkor

By Boddah

This little conflict possibly changed the fate of Middle-Earth. Let us begin by summarizing what happened: Morgoth and Ungoliant destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor shortly before the First Age. Let us examine Morgoth.

Morgoth was known as the First Dark Lord and he was one of the Ainur. The Ainur were spirits created by Illúvatar in the beginning. They were divided into two different categories: the Valar and the Maiar. The Valar were the more powerful and only fifteen of them existed. The fifteenth Valar was Morgoth and he turned astray and became the Dark Lord.

Melkor (original name for Morgoth) was said to be one of the most powerful beings in Arda, equaling Manwë in power. Manwë was the most powerful of the Valar and was the King of Arda. In the mind of Illúvatar, Melkor and Manwë were siblings. While the other Valar were descending to Arda with the thought of helping others and guiding the development of Arda, Melkor wanted power for himself and wished everything to revolve around him.

Melkor desired to destroy everything that the Valar made to help Arda. The first thing he did was destroy the Lamps of Valinor. The Lamps were named Illuin and Ormal and were designed to give light to the Ancient World. At this time the Valar dwelt in Almaren so Valinor was not created yet. Melkor had established a fortress in the north of Almaren called Utumno. He unleashed his forces and eventually threw down the Two Lamps. When Melkor destroyed Illuin he literally tipped it over, the lamp fell and created the inland Sea of Helcar.

The result of this war left Almaren in ruins. Tulkas was one of the Ainur and decided to give chase to Melkor. Melkor was faster and fled to his dungeon beneath Utumno. This forced the Valar to leave Middle-Earth and they hardly ever returned. They created a new land further away in the west in Aman which they named Valinor. After relocating to Valinor, the Valar began to fear for the coming of the Elves. So they made war on Melkor and imprisoned him for three ages.

When he was released the Elves had already made it to Valinor so he, being a recidivist, began to start trouble. He set his eyes on the Silmarils and the Elf Finwë stood between him and his goal. Melkor slaughtered Finwë and stole the Jewels of Fëanor. With the death of Finwë the throne was left to Fëanor and that led to the Beleriand Wars.

The other most infamous thing Melkor did was destroy the Two Trees of Valinor. He did not do this alone though, he had an accomplice named Ungoliant. Ungoliant, Shelob’s ancestor, was a Maia shaped as a gigantic spider. Not much is known about Ungoliant except after the Darkening of Valinor she retreated and infested Ered Gorgoroth.

Melkor and Ungoliant before the Two Trees

The Two Trees of Valinor were Telperion the Silver Tree and Laurelin the Gold Tree. They brought light to Aman in the ancient times. These trees were located on the mound of Ezellohar in the land of Aman. Melkor struck each tree which caused a giant gaping hole. Sap ran from these holes like blood and Ungoliant lapped up whatever sap was left, thus sucking the life out of the trees. The Trees last bit of light which was corrupted by Ungoliant was forged into the Moon and the Sun by the Valar. It is said the only true light that was uncorrupted by Ungoliant is locked away in the Silmarils.

The Two Trees of Valinor