Eru Ilúvatar

The One

Story

Eru (the One), also called Ilúvatar (the All High or the Father of All as defined in the index of name elements in The Silmarillion), was the supreme God of Middle-Earth. He is the single omnipotent creator, but has delegated most direct action within Eä to the Ainur, including the shaping of the Earth (Arda) itself.

Eru is the sole being to possess the Flame Imperishable, and hence the only being to be able to truly create independent life. All beings not created directly by Eru, like the Dwarves, still need to be blessed by Eru through the Flame Imperishable in order to be more than mere puppets of their creator. Melkor desired the Flame Imperishable and long sought for it in vain, but failing to find it because it was within Eru himself, Melkor could only twist that which had already been given life.