Welcome to the Lord of the Rings lorecast, the show that explores the background of Tolkien's amazing world from the very beginning. When Fingin saved Medros, he didn't just save a friend from torture and almost certain death eventually.

He saved the relationship between the sons of Feanor and Fingulfan's people.

When they get back, he is praised for helping to save Madros.

Now, you have to remember here that a lot of time has gone by since Madros has been captured.

It's been about 20-ish years.

And we go over some of the reasoning for that on the last episode.

But it's another one of those little bits of pieces of the lore where a significant time goes by.

Not a lot happens,

at least among the sons of Feyenoor during this time. But when they get back, everybody's happy about it. And there's some stuff that needs to be settled. Fingulfan's people are still upset about being abandoned,

and Madros begs forgiveness for deserting them. And on top of that, he waves his claim to kingship

over all the Noldor, and says directly to Fingulfan, quote,

If there lay no grievance between us, Lord, still the kingship would rightly come to you,

the eldest here of the House of Finway, and not the least wise.

An interesting choice of words, too. I think, and not the least wise. An interesting choice of words, too.

I think and not the least wise is not like a backhanded compliment.

I have a feeling that's more about taking a humble ownership of their mistakes to this point.

Maidros is different than Feanor.

He's different than his father.

And he gives up the kingship, which he would have claimed as his birthright to his uncle.

Now, we don't have an exact formula for the way kingships are passed down in many kingdoms

across the history of the world.

There are different ways that this is done, right?

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