Numenor: Why Tolkien's Atlantis Had to Fall | Silmarillion Explained

Numenor was the greatest realm of Men ever built - a star-shaped island raised from the sea as a divine reward for those who fought against Morgoth. Its people received extraordinary gifts: extended lifespans of centuries, wisdom beyond any other mortals, and proximity to the Blessed Realm itself. But these very blessings became their undoing. As generations passed, gratitude curdled into entitlement, and the Numenoreans grew obsessed with the one thing they could not have: immortality. Sauron, brought to the island as a prisoner, exploited this fear masterfully, corrupting their religion until they built temples to Morgoth and burned human sacrifices. When King Ar-Pharazon finally launched an armada to seize deathlessness by force, Iluvatar himself intervened. The great wave Tolkien had dreamed since childhood drowned the island forever, and the world was made round - removing Valinor from mortal reach entirely. Only nine ships of the Faithful escaped, carrying the White Tree's seedling and the heritage that would become Gondor and Arnor.