[Zsinj16]

You know, I have not read the "Silmarillion"
as of yet, but I certainly plan to in the future. And I've heard that in the Silmarillion there is a dark prophecy that says that "The Dark Lord Morgoth shall return through the Gates of Night". Now, regarding this dark prophecy, do any of you think that there is even a slim chance that Christopher Tolkien will write another LOTR novel based on Morgoth's return?

[Thom]

No the valars took care of Morgoth.

[Bardos]

Fact is that J.R.R. Tolkien had planned to write "The Return of the Shadow". Or he *had* writen it --I can't remeber exactly now. But he asked his son (Christopher) not to publish it. So we're never going to see it...

[Mithfânion]

I guess this one's for me ( or Hobbit) http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

And I've heard that in the Silmarillion there is a dark prophecy that says that "The Dark Lord Morgoth shall return through the Gates of Night".

There is no prophecy of such kind in the published Silmarillion. What you mean is the Second Prophecy of Mandos. Mandos was the great Doomsayer of the Valar, the gods of Middle-earth. He guarded the Halls of Mandos, the halls of Death and apparently saw the designs of the great God Iluavatar clearer than anyone else (except maybe Manwe Sulimo, King of the Valar). In one of the History of Middle-earth volumes, Shaping of Middle-earth, this prophecy is found in full. I could quote it if you like. What it says is that the Valar shall eventually grow weary of the agelong guarding of the Doors of Night (which guard the deep void that Morgoth has been cast into). Morgoth returns for a while, gathering to him all things evil. He faces enemies, which include Tulkas (the Valar wargod), Eonwe, the herald of Manwe and Turin Turambar, son of Men, who slays Morhoth and by doing so rights the wrongs done by Morgoth to his family and the race of Men in general. It's called Poetic justice http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif One needs to read the Silmarillion to appreciate this prophecy and its foretold outcome. After this battle the Second changing of the World takes place, and Arda (middle-earth is a part of Arda) takes on a new hue.

Return of the Shadow is an 18-page start of a story that is recorded in "Peoples of Middle-earth". It is not set after Morgoth returned though. It's set early in the Fourth Age. It's not that interesting, Tolkien quickly found that it didn't work now that there was no longer a great, superhuman evil at work.

[This message has been edited by Mithfânion (edited March 24, 2002).]

[Hobbit]

Thank you, Mith! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Considering the (alleged) rifts in the Tolkien family that the making and release of the movie has caused, I would say that the chances of any sequels, anywhere, are zero. Authors who have asked to do so (over the last 30 years or so!) have had their offers firmly but politely refused by the family.

Hobbit

[Mithfânion]

Which begs the question, is that a blessing or a shame?