Ilúvatar

Ilúvatar, also called Eru Ilúvatar, is the supreme deity of Tolkien's legendarium. In Quenya his name means All-father or Father of All, and he stands as the ultimate source and ruler of all that exists in Ea, the world and its life.

According to the Silmarillion, Ilúvatar created the Ainur, a group of divine beings who existed before the world. He revealed to them a theme for a great musical work, the Music of the Ainur. The Ainur sang, and through their music the universe, Ea, was brought into being; within this music the world Arda took form. After the creation, Ilúvatar invited the Ainur to behold Ea and granted many of them authority to shape it in accordance with the theme they had sung.

From among the Ainur, the Valar and the Maiar became the powers that governed Arda for a time, while Ilúvatar prepared for the awakening of the Children of Ilúvatar—Elves and Men—endowed with free will. The Children would awaken late in the cycle and carry forward creation within the framework of Ilúvatar’s design. Ilúvatar’s will underlies all that happens, though he allows the Children and the Valar a measure of independence in how they fulfill their destinies. He rarely appears directly in the events of Middle-earth, but his authority is final, and his plans are not easily thwarted.

In the history of Ea, Ilúvatar’s acts include the destruction of the Lamps Illuin and Ormal and the subsequent creation of the Sun and Moon to light the world for the Children. He resides in the Timeless Halls beyond the world, governing through a combination of will, order, and the possibility of hope through the Children of Ilúvatar.