So I'm reading The Fall of Gondolin right now. I've read the part where Tuor and Voronwe are on their way to Gondolin, and see Turin heading north on his Vengeance Mission (tm).
If I'm remembering the lore right, they're cousins cause their fathers were brothers and their mothers were cousins.
But other than that--did they know the other existed? Was that chance viewing the only time they had any sort of contact? I seem to remember that that was the only time they saw each other, but I'd like some confirmation.
What would have happened if they had grown up together, met earlier, helped each other? Would anything have changed?
Tuor and Turin
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Wise Ent
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Councillor of Imladris
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It's been a few years since I last read The Silmarillion, but Turin was about nine when his father went off to the Battle of Unnumbered Tears (where his father Hurin was imprisoned, and his uncle/Tuor's father, Huor, was killed). And if I recall correctly, Huor's wife/Tuor's mother had Tuor after the battle ended, and Huor was dead. By then Turin was in the custody of Thingol, and Morwen, while she had messages sent between her and Turin, never saw him again. To my knowledge she also never saw Huor's wife after the Battle/her husband's captivity.
I believe Tuor was old enough to know his mother. Someone who's read the books more recently could correct me on this, but I believe he was in his teens when she died, so it's possible he knew he had a cousin named Turin, even if Turin himself did not know about Tuor's existence.
To make a short answer long: No, even if they knew the other existed, they wouldn't have had any contact.
And I'm sure Turin would have been way less...neurotic... if he had more contact with his family in his formative years. Poor guy.
I believe Tuor was old enough to know his mother. Someone who's read the books more recently could correct me on this, but I believe he was in his teens when she died, so it's possible he knew he had a cousin named Turin, even if Turin himself did not know about Tuor's existence.
To make a short answer long: No, even if they knew the other existed, they wouldn't have had any contact.
And I'm sure Turin would have been way less...neurotic... if he had more contact with his family in his formative years. Poor guy.
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Istari Savant
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Turin at least knew that Tuor existed. I believe the comment came up during his time in Nargothrond, Gelmir and Arminas mention Tuor to him (this was the first Turin said he'd heard of Tuor). I skimmed Silmarillion and UT, but I only saw this particular part of the conversation in the separate Children of Hurin book.
The Unfinished Tales does tell us that the chance sighting at the Pools of Ivrim was the only time that their paths ever crossed.
The Unfinished Tales does tell us that the chance sighting at the Pools of Ivrim was the only time that their paths ever crossed.
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That makes sense, that Turin would have heard somewhat of Tuor, because of the age difference...
It just seems sad that these 2 great warriors, who should have grown up together and fought together and maybe (probably?) change the course of history together, never really met and ended up so different.
It just seems sad that these 2 great warriors, who should have grown up together and fought together and maybe (probably?) change the course of history together, never really met and ended up so different.
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Galadhrim Weaver
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Didn't Tuor and Voronwe actually sort of hide from Turin as Turin was heading north back to where his home had been? I don't think that Turin actually saw Tuor because Turin was so upset that the Pools of Ivrin had been defiled by the dragon. And of course when he actually got north, he found that his mother was dead and most likely his sister, too (she wasn't but that's a later part of the story), At this moment he was not particularly a happy man and was soon to get even more upset. I think Tuor and Voronwe noticed Turin's outward feelings and decided that they really needed to move on to get to Gondolin. When I read the several parts to that story, i got the feeling that Tuor might have known about Turin, but had no idea that this man in front of him was a kinsman. I would hope that if he had known, he would have identified himself. The meeting that never was.
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Yes, Nieliqui, they did hide...cause Turin was looking kinda pissed off and scary.
Like you, I wish that they had been able to introduce themselves to each other. They could have helped each other, and who knows how Middle-Earth would have changed.
Like you, I wish that they had been able to introduce themselves to each other. They could have helped each other, and who knows how Middle-Earth would have changed.
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New Soul
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With Turin's luck, Turin would've found a way to get Tuor killed in a cruel and unusual manner either intentionally or unintentionally if Tuor got close to Turin. Perhaps getting killed by Maeglin.
