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r/tolkienfans • … • u/webbed_feets

Is Turin's participation in Dagor Dagorath the only instance of a human returning from outside of Arda? Do we have any sense of how this happens?

In some drafts of the Silmarillion, Tolkien has Turin play a major role in the Dagor Dagorath. Here is one excerpt I found, though I'm not sure what the original source is.

> Then shall the Last Battle be gathered on the fields of Valinor. In that day, Tulkas shall strive with Morgoth, and on his right hand shall be Eönwë, and **on his left Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin, returning from the Doom of Men at the ending of the world**; and the black sword of Túrin shall deal unto Morgoth his death and final end; and so shall the Children of Húrin and all fallen Men be avenged.

This text implies that Turin dies and leaves Arda, only to return for the Last Battle. This seems to contrast with Tolkien's other writing where humans spend a short time in the Halls of Mandos before leaving Arda permanently. Our only example of a human coming back to life is Beren, but he never leaves the Halls of Mandos, so he is still in Arda. Hurin seems to be unique in that he returns after leaving Arda. Is this interpretation correct?

I'm also unsure of how this would work in Tolkien's mythology. The Gift of Men is permanent. Turin leave the world again after Dagor Dagorath?

Dagor Dagorath was removed from the Silmarillion, so I guess it makes sense that it's inconsistent with the rest of the legendarium. Still, I'm wondering if any of these inconsistencies can be resolved.

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