Quote Originally Posted by Vilnas View Post
The words were spoken by Glorfindel to Earnur at Fornost (I believe the material appears in the RotK appendices), but it is unclear whether this was in fact a "prophesy" in the sense of conveying a fated outcome. My personal interpretation is that it was in the nature of a foreseeing on the part of Glorfindel where he perceives what will happen rather than what must happen.

The tale of those words obviously spread - as far as I know it is the only source that we have for the concept of the WK being unable to be harmed by the hand of "man." I find it entirely believable that the WK himself misunderstood the exact import of what Glorfindel said and believed himself invulnerable.
True, I don't know if the warning was intended to be delivered as a prophecy or whether it foreshadowed what would be, or what was designed to be. Perhaps it was both. Maybe he was just trying to save Eärnur from his destiny in Angmar. I don't doubt that the WK's arrogance led him to his destruction. Prophecy is seldom clear until after the fact, and not always even then. I think it was fate in that it was the will of Ilúvatar, though that doesn't mean it was absolutely unavoidable. Melkor (aka Morgoth) was able to oppose his destiny, that's what brought evil to Arda in the first place. Gandalf surely would have known this history and while he may not have been allowed to interfere, I think he had the ability. Although he would no longer be Gandalf the White, and his disobedience may even have brought down a worse fate upon the world than was the threat of Sauron. How difficult it is to watch those you love suffer and, seeing so much, know that standing back and allowing them to exercise their own free will is what's best for them. He had a choice, but being who he was did he really have a choice? There's some pretty deep theology in Tolkien's tales.