Summary
Arien was originally a spirit of fire whom Melkor failed to corrupt. In the days of the Two Trees, Arien was a Maia maiden who tended to the golden flowers in the gardens of Vána. She would water the flowers of Vána with dew gathered from the golden tree Laurelin.
After the destruction of the Two Trees of Valinor by Melkor, Laurelin managed to produce one last golden fruit before it died away. Aulë crafted a vessel to hold the golden fruit. Arien was chosen by the Valar to guide the vessel of the Sun above the airs of Arda to give light to the World; Tilion, another Maia and one of Oromë's hunters, was chosen to steer the Moon. The Moon had already traversed the sky seven times before the Sun was finally ready. The first dawn of the Sun was like a great fire glowing upon the towers of the Pelóri Mountains of Aman. Morgoth was dismayed, and he descended into the uttermost pit of Angband and his servants withdrew. He sent up dark clouds of smoke to conceal his land from the light of the Sun.
Tilion loved Arien and followed her through the night sky. When he occasionally caught up to her, his vessel became singed by her heat.
Powers and Stats
Tier: 4-C, possibly High 3-A | Low 1-C
Key: Within the confines of Eä | Prior to entering Eä
Name: Arien
Origin: Lord of the Rings
Gender: Female
Age: Existed before the creation of time
Classification: Ainu, Maia, guardian of the Sun
Powers and Abilities:
Powers and Resistances of the Ainur (At least possesses the Common Abilities and Resistances from "Within the confines of Eä", possibly those of the Greater Maiar), Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Flight, Regeneration (Low-Godly), Immortality (Types 1, 3 and 4), Shapeshifting, Size Alteration, Elemental Manipulation, Fire Manipulation, Empathic Manipulation (The lords of the Ainur can create joy), Transmutation, Precognition, Invulnerability (The Ainur are immune from harm via conventional weaponry, as seen when, upon unlocking more of his divine power, Gandalf became invulnerable), Resistance to Death Manipulation (In Lord of the Rings the land of the dead is a real tangible place, Mandos, and can be affected and exited. Ainur don't go there upon death, rather becoming spirits until the regenerate. The only way to keep them there is if they are physically brought there and held by physical might), Intangibility and Incorporeality (At the very least in spirit form), Analytical Prediction, Acausality (Type 2; Changes to the past or future are unable to affect the "Music in being", otherwise referred to as the present)[1] as a verse-wide ability. Resistance to Mind Manipulation (The barrier of Unwill within every individual mind prevents mental penetration by even the likes of Sauron without consent.)[2] and Soul Manipulation (Soul with free-will are considered indestructible)[3] due to verse-wide resistances
Powers and Resistances of the Ainur (At least possesses the Common Abilities and Resistances from "Prior to entering Eä", possibly those of the Greater Maiar), Resistance to Mind Manipulation and Soul Manipulation due to verse-wide resistances.
Attack Potency: Star level (Upon entering space, Arien transformed into a "naked flame" that surrounded the fruit of the Sun, Isil. Arien therefore became the vast majority of the mass that constitutes the Sun in Tolkien's Legendarium, being capable of scorching the Moon should it be driven too close by Tilion)[4] possibly High Universe level (A weakened Morgoth was said to greatly fear Arien, being said to no longer have the power to come near her. However, whether this refers to a difference in might or an inability to physically reach her is not completely clear)[4], can ignore conventional durability with Soul Manipulation (Ainur can directly influence the fëar/soul to attack it directly)[5][6][7] | Low Complex Multiverse level (The Ainur, as described by Eru, are considered to be powerful and genuine entities, being capable of shaking the Timeless Voids as a result of their strife during the Music of the Ainur. As beings that exist in a realm beyond the world depicted in The Lord of the Rings, the Ainur perceive the space-time of Eä as a lower and secondary plane of existence, with them dwelling alongside Eru within the Timeless Halls, a higher and more primary level of existence), can ignore conventional durability with Soul Manipulation
Speed: At least Supersonic+ to High Hypersonic (Superior to the likes of Tilion and likely the Balrogs as well), possibly Massively FTL+ combat speed and reactions (She may be superior to the likes of a weakened Morgoth depending on interpretation), Immeasurable when discarding her physical form (The Ainur are still capable of travelling at any speeds they desired, being able to instantly appear anywhere they desired within Eä and exploring the past at will. However, the future is something they can only explore so far as the design was made clear to them during the Music)[8][9] | Immeasurable (In their origin, the Ainur were unbound by space-time, and were capable of exploring both the past and future with their movements)
Lifting Strength: Unknown | Immeasurable
Striking Strength: Star level, possibly High Universe level | Low Complex Multiverse level
Durability: Star level, possibly High Universe level | Low Complex Multiverse level
Stamina: Superhuman (The bodies of the Ainur are described as being akin to clothing, which they can discard at will. Lesser Maiar than Arien have been known to fight for days) | Infinite
Range: Extended Melee Range | Low Complex Multiversal
Standard Equipment: The Sun
Intelligence: Extraordinary Genius (The Maiar of the Istari were made to forget so much of their knowledge and memory that they needed to relearn these through "slow experience".[10] These Istari yet retained enough knowledge and wisdom to be considered members of "The Wise", with even Radagast, who is considered to be much less wise than Gandalf or Saruman, being one of their number.[10] As Radagast was considered one of "The Wise" despite being relatively more "average" for a Maia in wisdom compared to other Istari, it can be assumed that other Maiar, who would not be restricted in mind as the Istari were, would be at least comparable to the likes of Radagast if not also his peers. As a Maia, this should make Arien comparable to members of "The Wise" who can accurately deduce the future with knowledge and experience alone)[10] | Possibly Nigh-Omniscient (The Ainur acted as the origin to all that which existed within Eä, having sung all the concepts which constitute the world during the Anulindalë. However, Eru himself withheld some knowledge about his creation from the Ainur)
Weaknesses: None notable
Notable Attacks/Techniques: Like all Ainur, Arien has access to a wide range of dangerous powers, mostly related to the elements.
Powers of the Ainur: As a Maia, Arien has access to wide variety of potent and devastating supernatural abilities, for the Ainur were created as elemental spirits, and each have divine authority and absolute control over a certain aspect of nature. Each and every one of the Ainur is also able to manipulate magical energies and reality to serve their needs, and take any form they wish, even intangible and non-corporeal spiritual forms.
- Elemental manipulation: As one of the Ainur, it is highly likely that Arien had authority and control over one aspect of nature, though that aspect was neither confirmed nor specified. Still, it is very likely she has some measure of control over the Sun and light.
- Foresight/Hindsight: The Ainur can see the past and the future (Though the latter is fallible). However, whether he ever used it was unconfirmed.
- Empathy: The Ainur are surrounded by a powerful aura, which can affect those around them, bringing joy and presumably sorrow to those near him: "In Beleriand King Thingol upon his throne was as the lords of the Maiar, whose power is at rest, whose joy is as an air that they breathe in all their days, whose thought flows in a tide untroubled from the heights to the deeps."
- Shapeshifting: As one of the Ainur, it was highly likely that Arien possessed the famous Ainur ability to transform and reshape the form of one's body, appearing in whatever form she desired. They can also appear as inanimate objects, such as when Yavanna appeared as a tree.
- Spirit form: As one of the Ainur, it is highly likely that Arien had the ability to cast off her physical form like a snake shedding its skin, and take on an intangible and non-corporeal spiritual form. In this spiritual state, the Ainur can travel forward and backward in time (Though they are unable to affect the future or the past, only see it). Of the Ainur's spirit forms and precognitive powers this was said:
“ | They could move backward or forward in thought, and return again so swiftly that to those who were in their presence they did not appear to have moved. | „ |
Notable Matchups
Victories:
Losses:
Inconclusive:
References
- ↑ Morgoth's Ring: PART FIVE. III.
- ↑ The Nature of Middle-Earth, Part Two: Body, Mind, and Spirit, IX ÓSANWE-KENTA.
- ↑ Letters of Tolkien: Letter 211
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Silmarillion: Chapter 11 OF THE SUN AND MOON AND THE HIDING OF VALINOR
- ↑ The Nature of Middle-Earth, Part Two: Body, Mind and Spirit, XIII Spirit
- ↑ Silmarillion: AINULINDALË
- ↑ Morgoth's Ring: Notes on motives in the Silmarillion (iii)
- ↑ Morgoth's Ring: PART FIVE. Text XI
- ↑ The Nature of Middle-Earth: Part Two, XIV The Visible Forms of the Valar and Maiar
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Unfinished Tales, Part Four: II, The Istari
Discussions
Discussion threads involving Arien |