At the heart of J. R. R. Tolkien's(1892-1973) work is a strife between his two worldviews, that of Catholic Christianity and that of the Norse myths. This strife plays a major role in how Tolkien's religious cosmology plays out its linear progress from creation of the world to the final, future defeat of Melkor. The former has Redemption of the humanity, and for a time after the return of Jesus Christ, of the world at its core. Humanity not only can but will find Salvation through embracing Christ's message. The latter is more bleak - there will be no redemption, only destruction of the world and its gods. As guaranteed as the Redemption is in Catholic Christianity, as certain is the Ragnarök in the Norse. No matter how noble and courageous struggle is fought, there will be no salvation. The end of the world will spare no one, not even the gods. Tolkien's Middle-Earth is balanced precariously between these two. It embraces far more of the latter while giving er