Pick Your Favorite Valar - Poll

[Philipa]

Pick Your Favorite Valar

© Kate Kasenow

The fourteen greatest Valar, as it is remembered by the Eldar in the Valaquenta, are the seven Lords and seven Queens of the Ainur. These Valar are those who chose to enter Eä to fulfill the vision of Ilúvatar. Each of the Ainur contributed to creating and protecting Eä and the Children of Ilúvatar from Melkor, the mightiest of the Valar.

You can choose one Lord and one Queen from the poll entries.
Please participate in the discussion and tell us why you chose those Valar for the poll.
Passages from the Silmarillion or other Tolkien Canon are welcome.

[Merry]

This is wonderful! Thanks, Philipa. I'm going to have to think about this one. And what a wonderful illustration! I haven't seen this artist before.

[Philipa]

I am thinking about my answers as well Merry. My choice for the Lady is easy but the Lord needs more pondering.

I'm pleased you like Kate Kasenow's illustration. I found it on her blog From the Lost Road yesterday. She's quite talented and I liked her idea of creating a graphic novel for the Sil. I wonder if she ever pursued the project further?

[Merry]

Gee, I wonder if anyone will vote for Melkor?

[MICHKA]

Varda pour la création des lumières qui me semblent indispensables à la vie, un pouvoir magnifique fait de promesse de félicité ; et Yavana pour les bienfaits terrestres de récolte abondante , nourriture , fruits, tout ce qui est plaisant à l'humain, la permission de cultiver des trésors de bienfaisance

[Philipa]

Two great choices MICHKA. None of the Lord's are appealing to you?

How about Melkor?

[Merry]

So while we're deciding, we could also study the picture Philipa found for us. Any idea who is who?

[Philipa]

I just had a realization, Ulmo is not on this list! I must have forgotten him. I see him in the illustration... I think he is in the middle on the bottom with green garments and water / waves by his feet. I guess Manwe is the fella in blue garments playing with the air and Aule is the Valar with his back to us on the bottom right? What do you think?

[Merry]

Yes, I would think so. Is Melkor the big one in black in the middle? And Varda is playing with light to the upper left on Manwe?

I'm wondering who the little Tinkerbell is?

And is it too late to add Ulmo? Only one person has voted so far. (Ulmo might be my favorite male!)

[Lindariel]

I voted for Varda/Elbereth the Star-Kindler, and, believe it or not -- for Namo/Mandos!

I love Varda/Elbereth, not only because she is the creator of the stars, but also because, in the guise of Fanuilos, she is the intercessor, the one to whom Elves and Men send (pray?) their petitions. I find just the idea of her incredibly enchanting and endearing.

I chose Namo/Mandos because I think he has an extraordinarily difficult and IMPORTANT job. As the Doomsman of the Valar, Namo really does all the heavy lifting -- revealing judgments and pronouncing punishments. He also tends to souls in the afterlife. I think he is just astonishingly important.

Close runners-up for me are Este and Nienna.

[Lindariel]

And yes, you definitely need to add Ulmo to the list!

[Merry]

I just voted for Aule and Yavanna--although on another day I might have voted for others! They are the chief crafters of Middle-earth, the 'makers'. I have always appreciated Yavanna's love for trees and other plants, so the gardener in me likes her. I also love what Aule did after he understood that making the dwarves without Eru's permission was a mistake: he was humble and offered to destroy them. But Eru didn't demand this sacrifice.

They make a nice couple, don't they?

[MICHKA]

Two great choices MICHKA. None of the Lord's are appealing to you?

How about Melkor?

oh!non! ,mais si je dois opter pour un seigneur je choisirai Manwé, à cause de l'air et des vents

[MICHKA]

Je n'arrive pas à replacer un vote, comment y parvenir?

[Philipa]

And yes, you definitely need to add Ulmo to the list!

I wish I could.

I finally voted and it was for Yavanna (trees and her persistence to protect all things natural. And Irmo, because I find it fascinating he works in the spirit world and dreams.