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Username: valtur. A Quenyan name for Manwë found in early manuscripts, translating to “king of the valar”
Name: Manwë Súlimo; in Quenyan Manwë translates to “blessed one”, while Súlimo translates to “breather”. Manwë is also said to be a form of the Valarin name Mānawenūz. Other names found in early manuscripts include Taimo (“the sky”) and Valtur (“king of the Valar”).
Age: Older than Arda itself; Manwë (along with his brother Melkor) are the eldest of the Ainur created by Eru in the Timeless Halls. His wife, Varda Elentári was created in this period as well.
Appearance: Like many other ainur and maiar, Tolkien doesn’t take any pains to give a physical description of Manwë’s appearance. He’s described as wearing long blue robes with blue eyes, wielding a staff coated in sapphires that was given to him by the Noldor.
Many fans have given him white hair and pale skin to go with his blue eyes, such as the designs by phobs and gerwell. As he’s the wind and air and the creator of the eagles, feathers are often associated with him as well.
Personality: Though Melkor and Manwë are the eldest of the ainur, there was a pretty big difference between them; Melkor was the mightiest with the most power, but Manwë the noblest and greatest. Manwë understood the will of Eru the best, but he is the sky and air, the one closest and dearest to Eru, and was likewise appointed his viceregent on Arda.
In short, Manwë is the Lord of the Breath of Arda, the King of the Valar, or more commonly, the Elder King, a title gained after Arda is formed after the Music of the Ainur. Being Eru’s favorite was shown pretty early on; during the Music, when Melkor introduces discord, it was Manwë who Eru chooses as the chief instrument to take over the Second Theme; he pondered about airs and winds.
Along with Aulë and Ulmo, Manwë was the chief architect of Arda when it was formed as a result, and his opposition to Melkor and the other’s tendency for destruction draws other Valar to him, including Varda; the two are rarely parted. That said, he wasn’t able to actually stop Melkor’s fits and rampages until Tulkas comes, at which point Melkor behaves a bit simply because Tulkas was able to wrestle him down. The winds and airs, birds and clouds are his servants in Arda, from small breezes to the Veil of Arda.
Though he’s rarely parted from Varda, Ulmo is his closest friend and ally, the two most faithfully serving the purpose of Eru. Living in the Halls of Ilmarin on Mount Taniquetil (the highest mountain) in Valinor, with the stars of Varda he can see farther than all other eyes and the birds brought him news from the far reaches of the world. The only places not pierced by his sight or servants are the dark depths of Ulmo’s oceans and those hidden by the black shadow of powerful evil.
He’s kind, compassionate, and unconcerned with his own power; he invites the Elves to live among the Valar, up until the Noldor revolt later. However, he’s also rather innocent. He couldn’t understand evil, and so believed Melkor had repented and released him from the Halls of Mandos. This then resulted in the poisoning of the Two Trees, murder of Finwë, theft of the Silmarils, and revolt of the Noldor. During this revolt, the Noldor attacked and killed many Teleri, and as a result Manwë forbade the Noldor from ever returning to Valinor, and that the Elves would have no help from the Valar in their war against Melkor.
He hid Valinor via the Shadowy Seas and Enchanted Isles so the Noldor couldn’t return, but had Aulë created the Sun and Moon, along with sending the eagles to watch the Atani as he knew they would soon rise.
After the War of Wrath, Manwë cast Melkor into the Void. However, it’s said someday Melkor will escape, possibly with Sauron, and Manwë will battle with them on the Plains of Valinor though not slay each other.
Manwë also seems rather distant on his mountaintop; as Melkor rampages across Arda, he’s often left to rampage. It consistently takes quite a while for Manwë to deem it necessary to interfere in what his brother is doing, even when it involves destroying everything the Valar create. There’s an air of detachment, of being daydreamy, even.
It’s said the Vanyar are his favorite Elves, and they live with him on Mount Taniquetil, where he delights in their poetry and songs.
