Of Gondolin's Beginning

Now the Sketch and Quenta turn to Gondolin. While some elements remain very similar to the Silmarillion there are some huge differences:

• Turgon and his people founded Gondolin after Unnumbered Tears
• Turgon's sister was lost after Unnumbered Tears
• The secret passage in was built mostly for a Way of Escape should that need ever arrive

This is a much different account than what it came to be. It gives Turgon's significance in coming to the Battle of Unnumbered Tears much less. Plus there is no real relationship between Húrin and Turgon since the man did not visit the secret Elvish stronghold before the battle. 

I do like how the Quenta describes the Gondolinians (did I make that up?) attitude when first settling into the city: "...their armouries were filled with weapons and with shields; for they purposed at first to come forth to war...they grew to love that place...and desired no better" (p. 140, The Shaping of Middle-earth). 

The Gondolin saga is my favorite arc in Tolkien's world. It's secrecy, it's beauty, it's prophecies, it's tragic fall. I do not think I would like it as much with a shorter history as first imagined.