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For other articles that have the same name, see Varda (disambiguation).

A character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy universe, Middle-earth, Varda Elentári is a Vala, wife of Manwë.

Middle-earth Portal

Varda, also known as "Queen of the stars" is said to be too beautiful for words; within her face radiates the light of Ilúvatar. She resides with Manwë with whom she shares a complementary power. When they are together Manwë "sees further than all other eyes, through mist, and through darkness, and over the leagues of the sea" and Varda "hears more clearly than all other ears the sound of voices that cry from east to west". Varda created the stars before the Valar descended into the world, and later with the dews from the vats of Telperion she made the constellations, most significantly The Sickle of the Valar (The Big Dipper).

When Melkor first began to create his discord, Varda saw his mind, and rejected him. Melkor fears and hates Varda the most out of the Valar.

Varda means sublime or lofty in Quenya, and Elentári means Star-queen. An epithet of her is Tintallë which means Star-kindler.

In Sindarin she is also known as Elbereth (Star-queen), Gilthoniel (Starkindler) and Fanuilos (Ever-white). In Primitive Quenya she was called Barathī, from which the Old Sindarin name Barathi. In Telerin she is called Baradis. In Adûnaic her name was Avradî.

She is also referred to by the epithets The Kindler, Lady of the Stars, Queen of the Stars, Snow-white. They are translations of her Elvish names.

In NetHack and some other roguelike games, the name Elbereth is used as a protective charm.[1]

In the English localization of the Playstation game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Alucard can receive an item named "Ring of Varda", with the description "Golden ring to rule over all!". Many such Middle-earth references were inserted into the English localization, most with very little regard to the source material. Varda has nothing whatsoever to do with the One Ring.

• The metal band Dark Moor has a song named Starsmaker(Elbereth).
• Ecuadorian based Progressive Instrumental Rock Band shares the name Varda.
• Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish mentions Elbereth in their song "Wishmaster".
• DJ Elbereth from Rancho Cordova, CA.

"Varda" (ורדה), Hebrew for "Rose", is a common female first name in contemorary Israel. There is no evidence, however, that Tolkien was in any way influenced by this.

• A Elbereth Gilthoniel