Read of the Day: ‘A HISTORY OF THE SILMARILS IN THE FIFTH AGE.’

I was originally going to render that title down from all-caps, but if you’re a Tolkien geek then you’re absolutely going to agree with me that this concept deserves it. I need a word for “one step up from brilliant,” because this qualifies. This absolutely qualifies.

The Silmarillion describes the fate of the three Silmarils. Earendil kept one, and traveled with it through the sky, where it became the planet Venus. Maedhros stole another, but regretted his deed and jumped into a fiery chasm. And Maglor took the last one, but threw it into the sea in despair.

Well, Venus is still around. But what happened to the latter two? Surely over all the intervening millennia, with so many people wanting a Silmaril, they haven’t just hung around in the earth and ocean?

There’s a lot of spoilers in that link, so be careful.

Via @TimHarford.