Secret Fire
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In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional mythology, the Secret Fire and Flame Imperishable as well as possibly the Flame of Anor are references to a mysterious power.
The Secret Fire, also called the Flame Imperishable, seems to refer to that aspect of Eru Ilúvatar which is his Power of Creation. It was with Ilúvatar at the beginning, but Melkor, desiring power equal to Ilúvatar, sought it, but in vain. It was his desire for the Secret Fire which led to his rebellion against Ilúvatar (reminiscent of the fall of Satan in Paradise Lost). Later Ilúvatar set the Secret Fire (or an aspect of it) at the heart of Arda, somewhat similar to the way the Holy Spirit is inherent in the world according to Christianity.
- Therefore Ilúvatar gave to their vision Being, and set it amid the Void, and the Secret Fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World; and it was called Eä.
— Valaquenta, The Silmarillion.
The Secret Fire is also described as being part of all feä: it is that Gift which makes sentient beings capable of independent thought. Without it, new beings cannot be created. Speaking of Orcs, Frodo explains this to Sam:
- "The Shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own."
— The Return of the King VI 1: The Tower of Cirith Ungol
Gandalf the Grey referred to both the Secret Fire and the Flame of Anor when facing the Balrog at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm:
- "You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you here, flame of Udûn. You cannot pass."
— The Fellowship of the Ring II 5: The Bridge of Khazad-dûm.
Anor is a name for the Sun in the mythology, as well as a name for the True West (i.e. Valinor), while Udun means Hell. Further, some have speculated that Gandalf said "Flame of Anor" in reference to the fact that he wielded one of the Three Rings of Power, Narya. Thus it is uncertain if the Flame of Anor is identical to the Secret Fire, but both it and The Secret Fire identified Gandalf as a servant of the Valar. Flame of Anor may be a source of Gandalf's power to generate light and fire.
In the Return of the King video game, Gandalf states the Flame of Anor to be that of "hope".
