Dagor Dagorath

The Dagor Dagorath, Sindarin for 'Battle of Battles' or 'Final Battle', is an event described in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. The published Silmarillion ends with the recounting of the voyage of Eärendil the Mariner, but this is due to an editorial decision by Christopher Tolkien. The Silmarillion as J. R. R. Tolkien originally wrote it ends with a prophecy by Mandos about the Dagor Dagorath, often referred to as "The End". The remaining clue to this prophecy is found at the end of Akallabêth, where "Ar-Pharazôn and his mortal warriors who had set foot on Aman were buried by falling hills, imprisoned in the Caves of the Forgotten until the "Last Battle and Day of Doom". The account is clearly inspired by and bears many similarities to the Norse legend of Ragnarök.

According to the prophecy, Morgoth will discover how to break the Door of Night, and will destroy the Sun and the Moon. For the love of these, Eärendil will return from the sky and shall meet Tulkas, Manwë (or Eönwë his herald) and Túrin Turambar on the plains of Valinor. All the Free Peoples of Middle-earth will participate in this final battle, Elves, Men and Dwarves alike. To their number will be added Ar-Pharazôn and the Númenóreans who landed at Aman in 3319 S.A.

Many fallen enemies shall return to fight on Morgoth's side as well. Sauron, whose ruined spirit fled to the Void after the destruction of the Ring, will be present at Dagor Dagorath. It is said that all types of Morgoth's creations will return, and that orcs, trolls, dragons, and other fearsome creatures will return. It is presumed that the remaining 1 or 2 Balrogs shall fight for him, and it is a disputed fact whether or not Morgoth's slain champions (such as the Nazgûl, Ancalagon the Black, Glaurung, and Gothmog Chieftain of the Balrogs) will return as do Beren and Túrin and perhaps Scatha, Smaug, and Durin's Bane. Gandalf at least believes that the Witch-king of Angmar and the others of the Nazgûl shall not die but be thrown into the Void with Sauron at the destruction of the One Ring (The Return of the King, "The Siege of Gondor"). This suggests that if Sauron becomes free of the Void they may also be.

There the forces of the Valar shall fight against Melkor. Tulkas will wrestle with him, but it will be by the hand of Túrin that finally death and destruction will be dealt to Melkor. Túrin will run his black sword Gurthang (Iron of Death) through Melkor's heart, thus avenging the Children of Húrin (Sindarin: Hîn Húrin) and all Men. Then the Pelóri Mountains will be levelled, the three Silmarils will be recovered from the Earth, sea, and sky, and Fëanor's spirit shall be released from the halls of Mandos to give them to Yavanna, who will break them and rekindle the light of the Two Trees. The battle will end and renew Arda's existence: all the Elves shall awaken and the Powers will be young again.

Following this, there will be a Second Music of the Ainur. This song will sing into being a new world. Men will sing it with the Ainur. It is unknown what the fate of the old races, or of the old world, will be in the new one. Even the Ainur do not know anything of the second world or the Second Music. All the Ainur know is that the Second Music will be greater than the First Music.

Christopher Tolkien removed the prophecy from The Silmarillion based on a 1958 version of the Valaquenta wherein his father wrote that none of Mandos' dooms had declared whether the Marring of Arda would ever be repaired (Christopher Tolkien adopted this passage and used it to close the Quenta Silmarillion). Given this removal of the prophecy Christopher apparently assumed that the Dagor Dagorath had been removed as well. He later noted his surprise at finding references to it and a new version (in which Beren also returns from death for the final battle) written after the Valaquenta passage.

It is to be noted that the published Simarillion contradicts the Second Prophecy in places. Whereas the Second Prophecy explicitly states that the Elves and Valar shall be renewed after Dagor Dagorath and that the fate of Men is unknown, The Silmarillion states that Men will participate in singing the Second Music, and that it is the fate of the Elves that is unknown.