[Legendarium, The Silmarillion] – Background Information Lord of the Rings – Mandos, Hall of Mandos, Curse of Mandos
Mandos
Mandos was the Valar responsible for the judgement of all souls as he managed the Halls of Mandos.
Mando’s original name is Namo, however as the keeper and the judge of the Halls of Mandos, Namo was more referred as Mandos throughout the history of the Legendarium. Madndos’s wife was the valar Vaire who was also known as the Weaver of the EA.
Vaire would weave the whole history of the Ard. Mandos was recognized as the most just and emotionless valar known for his fairness and honor.
Mandos locked up Melkor in the Halls of Mandos for 300 years after Melkor was captured by the War of the Powers and Mandos judged Feanor by exile for aiming his sword against his half-brother Fingolfin.
Halls of Mandos
The Halls of Mandos was like the afterlife but it also served as a prison and a judgement court by Mandos. Elves were immortal, however if their body perished, their souls would rside in the Halls of Mandos. Mandos would then judge the sins of the elves and wouldn’t allow the physical revival of elves that have committed sins.
Humans who were gifted with death by Iluvatar would also arrive at the Halls of Mandos first before the human soul completely left Arda to a different dimension that even the Valar didn’t have any knowledge.
For Ainur that committed any sins, they would also be locked up in the Halls of Mandos. Melkor was once locked up in the Halls of Mandos for the destruction of the Two Lamps of the Valar and his crimes for the First War and the War of Powers.
However, Manwe released him deceived by the fake pledges by Melkor. Melkor was later banished to the voids after his defeat by the War of Wrath.
Mandos and the Noldor king Finwe
The Noldor elf queen Miriel, the spouse of the Nodlor king Finwe has passed away while she gave birth to Feanor. Elves were immortal, however once they lose their physical body, their souls were sent to the Halls of Mandos and await until they restore a physical body.
After Finwe the king of the Noldor elves was murdered by Melkor, Finwe has encountered Mandos and Finwe begged the early revival of his wife Miriel.
Mandos, in exchange demanded that the soul of Finwe would dwell forever in the Halls of Mandos while he could never resurrect like other elves. Finwe accepted this exchange of his reincarnation with the revival of his wife Miriel.
Curse of Mandos / Doom of Mandos – Fate of the elves of Middle-Earth
After Feanor has spoke against the Valars and swore the Oath of Feanor that the Feanor and his descendants, the Noldor elves shall claim the silmarils and punish Melkor at all costs, the Noldor elves resisted the Valars and headed to the coasts of Aman to set course to Middle Earth.
The Falmari elves(Teleri) tried to persuade the Noldor elves, but the Noldor elves slayed the Falmari elves in demand of boats to ship themselves to Middle Earth.
This was the first kinslaying of the elves and the Valars were raged of the anguish and madness of Feanor and the Noldor elves. Mandos declared the Curse of Mandos or the Doom of Mandos which determined the fate of the Noldor elves and all the elves of Arda.
Finarfin, who was leading a group of Noldor elves would return to Aman and beg for forgiveness after hearing the Doom of Mandos and resided on Aman.
The rest of the Noldor elves and all the elves on Middle-Earth had to suffer from the prophecy of Mandos. The Curse of Mandos wasn’t more of a curse but a destiny that Iluvatar had for the elves.
Curse of Mandos / Doom of Mandos
Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation shall pass over the mountains. On the House of Fëanor the wrath of the Valar lieth from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all that will follow them it shall be laid also. Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. The Dispossessed shall they be for ever.
Ye have spilled the blood of your kindred unrighteously and have stained the land of Aman. For blood ye shall render blood, and beyond Aman ye shall dwell in Death's shadow. For though Eru appointed to you to die not in Eä, and no sickness may assail you, yet slain ye may be, and slain ye shall be: by weapon and by torment and by grief; and your houseless spirits shall come then to Mandos. There long shall ye abide and yearn for your bodies, and find little pity though all whom ye have slain should entreat for you. And those that endure in Middle-earth and come not to Mandos shall grow weary of the world as with a great burden, and shall wane, and become as shadows of regret before the younger race that cometh after. The Valar have spoken.
Only mercy of Mandos – Beren and Luthien
Mandos was a valar who was always fair and just, however for only one instance, Mandos has gave mercy to Beren and Luthien.
After Beren has returned from the conquest of the silmarils to the Sindar elf king of Doraith Thingol to marry his daughter Luthien, Beren has died from the wounds and the venom by the wearwolf Carcharoth. Luthien has also started to slowly die by her griefs over the death of Beren.
After Luthien died and her soul reached the Halls of Madnos, Luthien has sung the grieves of the loss of her love that even touched the Valars.
Mandos was also moved by the grief and sorrows of Luthien granted Beren and Luthien another life on the condition that Luthien would also become a mortal human. This was the only instance that Mandos has ever gave such mercy to a being.
Mandos and Earendil
Eärendil was the half-elf, half- human son of the great human hero Tuor from House of Hador and the Idril(Celebrindal) the daughter of the Noldor elf king(the second son of Fingolfin) Turgon who was also the elf king of Gondolin. Earendil also striked the final blow into the most powerful dragon, Ancalagon the Black.
After the fall of Gondolin and the forces of Morgoth almost took over Middle-Earth, the half-elf Earendil has crossed the Belegaer Sea and managed to arrive at Valinor to ask for the aid of the Valars.
The Valars accepted the aid of Eaendil and would start the War of the Wrath that would end the Jewel Wars where Morgoth would perish and become banished to the Endless Void.
However, Eärendil had to choose fate between an elf and a human by the orders of Mandos where Earendil chose the fate as an elf. By Mandos, the sons of Earendil also had to choose their fate as whether a human or an elf.
The two sons of Earendil were Elrond who would become the elf king of Rivendell and Elros, the chieftain of the Edain, the Dunedain and the first king of Numenor. Elrond has chose his fate as an elf while Elros chose his fate as human
