User blog:Sppople/PE Proposal: Ungoliant

I'm uncertain about Ungoliant and want to discuss her.

What's the work
The Silmarillion is a high fantasy mythopoeic book written by J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. It is a collection of stories set in Middle-Earth, from at the beginning of it's creation to before and during it's First Age to the Second Age, long before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Who is she
Ungoliant is primordial being that took the form of a giant Spider. She was initially an ally of Melkor in Aman, and for a short time in Middle-earth as well. She was a distant mother of Shelob, and the oldest and first great spider of Arda.

Heinous acts

 * Alongside Morgoth, carried out one of the worst crimes he ever did, and devoured the light of the Two Trees, temporarily casting all of Arda (the world) into darkness.
 * Demanded the Silmarils from Morgoth, even though she had already been given things to devour, out of unsatisfiable greed. Once he refused, she attacked him and tried to kill him and take them for herself.
 * Was willing to devour her own children, which is why Shelob and others fled to escape her hunger.
 * Was a sentient being, not a mindless beast, and could speak and negotiate with Morgoth.

Mitigating factors

 * Morgoth came up with the plan to destroy the Two Trees and Ungoliant was hesitant to assist him, though this was out of fear of the Valar and not out of morals.
 * Was motivated by hunger, though was happy to do the most atrocious acts to satisfy it.