So in the Sketch, itâs actually Maedhros who rescues Elrond (Elros didnât exist yet) and not Maglor.
âTheir son Elrond who is part mortal and part elven, a child, was saved however by Maidros.â
(The Fall of Gondolin, p. 243; âThe Conclusion of the Sketch of Mythologyâ)
And in the Quenta, you can literally see when Tolkien changes his mind and switches around Maglor and Maedhros.
âBut great was the sorrow of EĂ€rendel and Elwing for the ruin of the havens of Sirion, and the captivity of their son, for whom they feared death, and yet it was not so. For Maidros took pity on Elrond, and he cherished him, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought; but Maidrosâ heart was sick and weary with the burden of the dreadful oath.
[This passage was rewritten thus:
But great was the sorrow of EĂ€rendel and Elwing for the ruin of the havens of Sirion, and the captivity of their sons; and they feared that they would be slain. But it was not so. For Maglor took pity on Elros and Elrond, and he cherished them, and love grew after between them, as little might be thought; but Maglorâs heart was sick and weary, &c.]â
(The Fall of Gondolin, p. 252, âThe Conclusion of the Quenta Noldorinwaâ)
Likewise, on the next page (255), it is first Maidros/Maedhros who says unto Maglor: âIf that be the Silamril that riseth by some power divine out of the sea into which we saw it fall, then let us be glad, that its glory is seen now by many,â but in the revision the brothers switch places so that Maglor is the hopeful one.
Iâm so interested by this decision. Maybe itâs connected to making Maglor more sympathetic and the survivor, as Tolkien starts to realize that Maedhros is going to commit suicide and Maglor is going to wander the shoreline for all eternity. You can also see Elros take shape â as Tolkien starts to envision a future for this world, a Second Age, he invents the Father of NĂșmenor and starts arrange things for the coming years, and that means killing Maedhros and making Maglor the more tragically sympathetic character.
Ever since I wrote this fic, Iâve had the headcanon that Maglor is more open with affection and has a better relationship with the twins, but that Maedhros loves them just as much if in a more subtle way, and this only affirms that idea. Maglor may have been the one to take initiative, but Maedhros is there to support them, too. I also really like the idea that Maedhros will make himself into the bad guy, especially as the twins are growing up, so that they will project their resentment and anger onto him and thus spare Maglor their wrath. Maybe thatâs why the stories tell of Maglor fostering the boys and not Maedhros, though I canât imagine that Elrond or Elros failed to realize what Maedhros was doing when they grew older and became fathers themselves.
