- 2,705
- 2,488
In The Nature of Middle-Earth: IX, ÓSANWE-KENTA, there is a concept known as the "únati", meaning "a thing impossible to be or to be done" Regarding Melkor, it is stated that Melkor sought to overturn all limits and laws,
"But this he could not do. The únati remained, a perpetual reminder of the existence of Eru and His invincibility"
This is not just flowery language either, as the chapter notes that
"Nothing can penetrate the barrier of Unwill." in regards to the reading of minds in LOTR (which is a really long mess of stuff), yet the footnotes of this quote notes that
"No mind can, however, be closed against Eru, either against His inspection or against His message. The latter it may not heed, but it cannot say it did not receive it." - meaning impossible things are not beyond the power of Eru.
Eru in LOTR is repeatedly noted to be the upholder of "impossible things" with Letter 211
"The indestructibility of spirits with free wills, even by the Creator of them"
While Letter 153 of the Letters of Tolkien notes
"Free Will is derivative, and is.'. only operative within provided circumstances; but in order that it may exist, it is necessary that the Author should guarantee it, whatever betides : sc. when it is 'against His Will" - For the record, Eru is the "Author" here, as covered in the Lord of the Rings revision thread.
While Letter 156 would call Eru/God
"...the one wholly free Will and Agent."
Eru makes it impossible to destroy souls with free will, even by himself, as he is the sustainer of free will, being the one true free will that all other free wills derive from. Anyway, with this established, my question is this.
Does creating the impossibility of certain things count as an example of Reality Warping, or Law Manipulation?
"But this he could not do. The únati remained, a perpetual reminder of the existence of Eru and His invincibility"
This is not just flowery language either, as the chapter notes that
"Nothing can penetrate the barrier of Unwill." in regards to the reading of minds in LOTR (which is a really long mess of stuff), yet the footnotes of this quote notes that
"No mind can, however, be closed against Eru, either against His inspection or against His message. The latter it may not heed, but it cannot say it did not receive it." - meaning impossible things are not beyond the power of Eru.
Eru in LOTR is repeatedly noted to be the upholder of "impossible things" with Letter 211
"The indestructibility of spirits with free wills, even by the Creator of them"
While Letter 153 of the Letters of Tolkien notes
"Free Will is derivative, and is.'. only operative within provided circumstances; but in order that it may exist, it is necessary that the Author should guarantee it, whatever betides : sc. when it is 'against His Will" - For the record, Eru is the "Author" here, as covered in the Lord of the Rings revision thread.
While Letter 156 would call Eru/God
"...the one wholly free Will and Agent."
Eru makes it impossible to destroy souls with free will, even by himself, as he is the sustainer of free will, being the one true free will that all other free wills derive from. Anyway, with this established, my question is this.
Does creating the impossibility of certain things count as an example of Reality Warping, or Law Manipulation?
