Editing Glorfindel (section)

===The First Age===
[[File:The Fall of Turgon's Tower cropped.jpg|thumb|The collapse of Turgon's Tower during the Fall of Gondolin. Artwork by [[Tom Loback]]]]

According to ''The Silmarillion'', Glorfindel was born around the time of the [[Years of the Trees]] in [[Valinor]]. He was part of the host of Turgon, but only followed Turgon because of their kinship. He took no part in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, but followed the rest of the Noldor host in their exile. Glorfindel later appears as a noble lord, one of King Turgon's chief lieutenants who oversees his retreat during the [[Battle of Unnumbered Tears]].<ref name="sil" group=T/> After fighting in the city's defence, Glorfindel escaped together with [[Tuor]], [[Tuor and Idril|Idril]], [[Eärendil]] and others. The survivors passed through the Encircling Mountains above [[Gondolin]]. However, they were ambushed by enemies, including a [[Balrog]]. Glorfindel fought the Balrog and succeeded in slaying the monster, but was himself mortally wounded. His body was recovered by the great eagle Thorondor and buried under a stone cairn, where afterward grew yellow flowers.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> ''The Fall of Gondolin'' relates that "Glorfindel and the Balrog" became an in-universe proverb used in Elven culture to describe great skill and courage in battle.<ref name="lt2" group=T/>

Following his death in the First Age, Glorfindel's spirit passed to the halls of Mandos in Valinor. The [[Vala (Middle-earth)|Valar]] eventually sent him back to [[Middle-earth|Middle-Earth]] on a similar mission to that of the [[Wizard (Middle-earth)|Istari]], who appeared several thousand years later.<ref name="POME Glorfindel" group=T/>