Eru Ilúvatar | Tolkien Explained | Hobbit Day 2023

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Ainulindale - Ralph Damiani
Ainulindale - alystraea art
Eru_Iluvatar_(and_the_Ainur) - Šárka_Škorpíková
Eru and the Gods Singing the First Song of Creation - Kip Rasmussen
The Creation of Arda - Ralph Damiani
Eru_Iluvatar - Janka Latečková
iluvatar's mighty theme - kuliszu
ainulindale - kuliszu
ainulindale, harmony - kuliszu
Between Ilmen and Vista - Šárka Škorpíková
ainur, children of iluvatar - nahar
birth of valar - skullb*st*rd
ainulindale - Anato Finnstark
The Making of Middle-earth - John Howe
valar, melkor - kuliszu
the music of the ainur - aegeri
the discord of melkor - kuliszu
ainulindale, disturbance - kuliszu
ainulindale, discord - kuliszu
Ainulindale - aegeri
Ainulindale - Anna Kulisz
Ainulindale - The last chord - Anna Kulisz
Melkor Weaves Opposing Music - Ted Nasmith
The Court of the Valar - Ralph Damiani
Wizards, the Istari - Ivan Cavini
cuivienen - aegeri
awakening of the elves - kuliszu
And Aule made the Dwarves - Anna Kulisz
fathers of the dwarves - steamey
Aule - Ralph Damiani
Aule Crafting the Dwarves - Peet
Aule the Destroyer – Ted Nasmith
Aule - Janka Latečková
Aule and the Seven Fathers – Ted Nasmith
Fantasy landscape - Felix Englund
Ancient Garden - Ralph Damiani
Ents - Steamey
Mt Doom - Felix Englund
Manwe - Janka Latečková
The Wave Destroying Numenor - Daniel Dougherty
Luthien Finds Beren - Kip Rasmussen
men met dark elves - steamey
Thingol - Kimberly
making the girdle of melian - steamey
the royal court of thingol - steamey
Melian - Kimberly
Melian of the Maiar - Šárka Škorpíková
Beren and Luthien Plight Their Troth - Kip Rasmussen
Beren Recovers a Silmaril - Anke Eissmann
The White Flame - Ralph Damiani
Numenor Atlantis - Pete Amachree
Elves - steamey
ancalime in numenor's harbor - steamey
The Eagles of Manwë stand guard over a Númenórean coastal town - Pete Amachree
Númenórean shrine to Yavanna, before the arrival of Sauron - Pete Amachree
Númenórean shrine to Yavanna Kementari - Pete Amachree
Sunrise on Numenor - Kip Rasmussen
Meneltarma - Peter Xavier Price
Meneltarma - Ralph Damiani
a royal wedding in numenor - Matej Cadil
imperial numenorean armour - Turner Mohan
Of the Shape of Numenor - Alan Lee
Looking West from Andunie - Alan Lee
Numenor - Šárka Škorpíková
Sauron and Ar-Pharazon - Janka Latečková
ar pharazon - steamey
downfall of numenor - dracarys drekkar
Ar Pharazons ships - John Howe
Drowning of Numenor - John Howe
The Eagles of Manwe – Ted Nasmith
drowning of numenor - mattleese87
Fall of Numenor – Alan Lee
The Eagles and the Army - Alan Lee
The Ships of the Faithful – Ted Nasmith
Ar-Pharazon assails Valinor - Alan Lee
Elros looking west Númenor - Anke Eißmann
Last battle - Felix Englund
Light of Valinor – Ted Nasmith
Gandalf Balrog - Felix Englund
gandalf the white - bembiann
Zirak-zigil - John Howe
Manwe and Varda - Šárka Škorpíková
The Blue Wizards Journeying East – Ted Nasmith
The White Hand of Saruman - Ralph Damiani
Gandalf and the Balrog Upon Celebdil – Ted Nasmith
Ainulindale - Anna Kulisz

#iluvatar #tolkien #silmarillion

[untruelie]

The fact that Gandalf was resurrected by Eru himself explains another detail in the story I never quite understood before reading this letter. After coming back, Gandalf laughs much more often than before, and Pippin observes in Minas Tirith that beneath his present worries and thoughts, he seems to contain "a source of great joy, enough to make a whole kingdom laugh" (paraphrased). Why is he so happy? My guess is that it's because he somehow "met" Eru, in some way that is not comprehensible for beings like us who are bound by time and space. And we know that Gandalf last left Eru's presence a very, very long time ago. So directly perceiving him again might have had that effect, a child unexpectedly reunited with its father. The fact that the returned Gandalf seems to emitt some sort of pure light/power may point in the same direction - perhaps he was sort of "purified" and the others can now see more of his true being and power, like if he is a vessel of light. That at least is my theory.

[ShanaReviews]

"Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay... simple acts of kindness and love."

Idk if this line was in the book, but i always liked it and felt that this was something Eru would also work through.

[JohnMcKinney-uwqc]

I love how Tolkien used Iluvatar sparingly. Really keeps the mystery alive.

[FallenOne]

I think Eru had a hand in Gandalf and Thorin's initial meeting before the Hobbit. Thorin describes 'a strange urging' to seek Gandalf. The only character who acts so subtly is Eru.

[carson]

I love how Eru directly improved Gandalf and sent him back….. he knew he would fulfill his duties and was the greatest of the Istari.

[silvereaglestudios]

Morgoth plays his own music.

Eru Ilúvatar: Not quite my tempo.

[manicdgr]

The protagonist of all the writings of Tolkien set in Ea...
Frodo wasn't the one to defeat evil, because he wasn't meant to. He was only meant to get to mt. Doom and uphold the values of Iluvatar on the way (sparing Gollum) that led to the destruction of evil. Tolkien's heavily religious thought is perfectly distilled in this single realisation. Nobody is meant to take up arms and defeat evil by themselves through might, because nobody is capable of wielding such might without becoming evil themselves. We cannot hope to achieve good in a selfish quest for righteous vengeance but only through love, self sacrifice offer ourselves as tools for God to defeat evil can we achieve it. We are not meant to take the ring and rule mordor, and we cannot destroy the ring either. We simply have to ensure that our faith is strong enough so that when we inevitably falter in our journey, we will be open to God's help. And failing isn't shameful, neither is being small and -in the eyes of the world- insignificant. God often works through people that others may look down upon.
This is a beautiful message of humility, love and most of all faith which I believe perfectly captures the pre-modern views, so lost on us of the modern generations. We ought to be ever greatful to the professor for this story.

[Tazkar]

What I love most about this is how starkly it contrasts Eru and Melkor/Morgoth. The latter of which schemed and made all kinds of grand plans to attain his own goals and surpass Eru.

Meanwhile Eru simply guides the right people like Bilbo to be in the right place at the right time to play their part in his ongoing story. No huge scheming because Eru has no need as everything originates with him.

[riverplate]

Those books got me through rough times. The Simarillion. Hard to read but so beautiful.

[AnakinTheWeird]

You forgot about the Council of Elrond, and how everyone there just happened to all show up randomly at the exact same time for different reasons.

[bobo]

Gollum breaking the oath to Frodo is further proof of Eru’s work and his hand in destroying the Ring, not a rebuttal. A punishment on Gollum for violating his word.

It even mentions in the Prologue about only the most evil beings violating oaths that were made. Melkor becoming such an individual, a liar with no shame.

[ghstdog]

The story of the Ainulindalë is one of the most beautifully written pieces I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I remember where I was when I read it; sat on the train home, hoping no one saw my face as every page wowed me more than the last

[thibaud]

One of the things I love the most about the movie trilogy is that Jackson, Boyens and Walsh, though not sharing Tolkien’s faith, clearly respected it and reflected it both in general and in specific scenes whenever appropriate (like the resurrection of Gandalf scene, which is basically an Easter icon brought to the screen).

(I also love one moment in the commentary where they discuss that the fact that Gollum can never be beyond redemption comes from Tolkien’s faith)

[mysticwanderer]

I love this presentation. It has been some time since I have read The Silmarillion. Tolkien was a devout Catholic and it shows in his storytelling. He masterfully weaves biblical stories and concepts with primarily Norse and Celtic mythology to create a world of his own. I have read The Lord of the Rings countless times and continue to discover something that I had not noticed every time. I am now in my sixties and one of my most prized possessions is that leather bound red book I got for Christmas when I was eleven years old. It is simply the greatest work of fiction in modern times bar none.

[joaodebrito]

As a catholic, it's such a wonderful experience to recognize in Tolkien's creation, from the big picture to its smallest details, so much of our own understanding of Creation, the real one, the one we ourselves are living in, the earth on which we walk, the air we breath, the stars we look at in the sky at night. Tolkien's world is our faith with the glamor of fantasy and the salt of adventure, only to find that very salt at the core of our faith, our life and our world, with the wonder not of fantasy but of the spiritual dimension of reality. It fills our hearts with joy and kindles in our spirits the thrill of recognizing Ilúvatar (= the Father of all: God) present and secretly active in our lives through the Secret Fire (the Holy Spirit). Thank God for Tolkien and his brilliant literary works!
And thank you, NOTR, for all your work on this channel, which I truly appreciate!

[hoo]

Eru's intervention in the destruction of the One Ring is one of my favourite subjects to think about. The layers of intricacy, divine subtlety, and villanous goofiness are absolutely biblical! Not only did Eru punish Gollum accordingly for his oath breaking, but he also holds the One Ring up to its own word! Remember: right before Frodo enters the Crack of Doom the Ring sort-of takes over him and curses Gollum.
(paraphrased: "Begone and trouble me no more! If you touch me again, you shall be tossed into the Fire of Doom!" I wonder if the Ring knew its downfall would come because of Gollum or if it was just tired of him after ~300 years...)

[blackeyedlily]

I never get tired of listening to the audio of Tolkien’s creation story in the Silmarillion. It is truly a work of beauty!

[Imperor]

That's the kind of topic I keep looking into, watching videos on and so forth, yet, I retain almost no information at the end. But this way, it's always sort of new and exciting to me! Thank you for your hard work here!

[dannycee]

"Even small hands may be used to move the wheels of the world. And all that transpires, both good and bad, march the world closer to the promised Second Music and the new world to come." The last few minutes of this episode brought forth emotions from my childhood and pulled out a few tears. Tolkien's work is absolutely enthralling. Thank you for making all the lore and stories more accessible through all these episodes.

[Swatta]

I met the original artist, Kip Rasmussen, of your thumbnail picture of Eru Illuvutar! Met him yesterday at the SLC Comic-con. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! Super nice guy and AMAZING art! He mentioned both you, Matt, and Yoisten from Men of the West. I bought a nice collection of his art, all signed. :)