Gah!! This is quite something. I've read it three times now and it still hits each time. I love that you chose Gil-galad as the vehicle to explore the themes of my presentation. And what a Gil-galad! Bitter, lonely, burdened. And how could he not be, at this stage of his life? Thrust into kingship at the WORST possible time in history. 

I appreciate that you Went There with Gil-galad's judgement of Elwing. It may be difficult to read, but I like that he's not perfectly compassionate and all-seeing. He's flawed, she's flawed, they all are, even beloved Cirdan. 

I admit I'd not thought much about how Gil-galad and Elrond & Elros share the experience of being fostered in a time of war and what that might mean for how they understand each other. The envy present in "“I don’t understand” was all he could say, when what he meant was, I was such a lonely child." -- is a fascinating angle. 

“Yes. So did my father,”  !!! Gil-galad and me are both struck. 

The implications about his silver hair though... Am I reading correctly that he maybe actually *is* Feanorian? Or, at least, *he* thinks he might be... Amazing stuff. 

Thanks so much for writing this. It's given me lots to think about.