Maedhros was one of the princes of the Noldor and eldest of the Sons of Fëanor. He is the only known Elf to have committed suicide. It is uncertain whether he was eventually released from Mandos, or whether he still remains there with his father.
↳ “ Then Fingon the valiant, son of Fingolfin, resolved to heal the feud that divided the Noldor, before their Enemy should be ready for war; for the earth trembled in the Northlands with the thunder of the forges of Morgoth underground. Long before, in the bliss of Valinor, before Melkor was unchained, or lies came between them, Fingon had been close in friendship with Maedhros; and though he knew not yet that Maedhros had not forgotten him at the burning of the ships, the thought of their ancient friendship stung his heart. Therefore he dared a deed which is Justly renowned among the feats of the princes of the Noldor: alone, and without the counsel of any, he set forth in search of Maedhros; and aided by the very darkness that Morgoth had made he came unseen into the fastness of his foe. ”
Okay but like Maedhros, after the Nirnaeth Arnoidiead, before the dead were piled at the hill of the slain, riding across angfauglith in a frenzy trying to make sure Fingon wasnt there among the dead. Then upon finding Fingon’s tattered and sorched corpse, lying where he had fallen to Gothmog, falling to his knees next to Fingon and full on sobbing over him as his glassy, lifeless eyes stare up at Elbereth’s stars unceasingly.
I honestly feel this picture of Maedhros getting some time to grieve is happier than what we get in the Silmarillion, where Maedhros comes marching up from the East to find that Fingon’s army in the west has been tricked into battle prematurely. Maedhros is unable to get near them, is beaten back by overwhelming force, his army tears itself in half and ends up fighting itself, he has to flee south, there’s nobody left on the Anfauglith but poor heroic Hurin being dragged away as a prisoner, Fingon dies at the other end of the enormous battlefield and probably gets chucked on the Hill of the Slain with all the rest and they never see each other again.
Tbh it’s not surprising the Feanorians were broken after that, it must have seemed they had no hope and didn’t even get to grieve properly. It can’t have been easy for any of them, but for Maedhros worst of all.
Oh my God.
*sobs in the corner for eternity*
The Silmarillion. Where gut-wrenching Tumblr posts about one character weeping over another character’s broken, burnt corpse on the battlefield is happier than canon.
