Cruelty or Consequence?
Well, I never thought I’d end up writing about this, but I’ve seen way too many people drawing the wrong conclusions. Not necesarily out of stupidity or delusion, but way too many people want to put all blame of the Fall of Númenor on Pharazôn and act like sinking the rest of the island was a dick move. This is a wrong take, so let’s talk about it. Before you come at me, I have the Silmarillion and have read the Akallabeth, or Downfall of Númenor, several times, and neither of those times has it translated as “Númenor was collateral damage” or “Númenor shouldn’t have been sunk”. Númenor’s fall was triggered by Pharazôn’s actions, yes, but that was hardly the only reason for it happening. The reason for the island sinking into the sea was centuries of corruption coming to a tipping point. As we read in the Akallabeth, over time, Númenor grew jealous of the elves. Though they were descended in part from elves, had long lives, and did not succumb to illness, they did not have eternal life...