A title mainly applied to the mighty Vala Tulkas Astaldo. The last of the Valar to enter Arda, he joined the ancient wars against Melkor and drove the Dark Lord out of the world. When Melkor later returned, Tulkas assumed a leading role in the Battle of the Powers that followed. Taking on the mantle of the champion of the Valar, he wrestled with Melkor in the depths of ruined Utumno, overthrowing the Dark Lord and taking him captive. Through Tulkas' efforts, the world was freed from Melkor's malign influence for three ages.
Tulkas was perhaps the strongest of all the beings in Arda, and thus well deserving of being known as 'Tulkas the Strong'. The epithet 'Strong' is also used once for a rather less likely bearer, Samwise Gamgee. While tempted by the Ring, Samwise imagined himself as a great hero striding against Barad-dûr with a burning blade, and in this vision he saw himself as 'Samwise the Strong'.
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- Updated 19 June 2021
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