After 28 years in captivity, Húrin is released by Melkor, who hopes that the human will sew more seeds of discord between Men and Elves. Húrin is shunned by his people and is watched by Melkor’s spies as he hopes to return to Gondolin. He cannot gain entry and wanders away before Turgon can send the Eagles to collect him. Húrin’s movements have revealed to Melkor the general location of the previously hidden Gondolin. Húrin finds Morwen as Túrin’s grave. She dies beside him, and he is filled with a desire “to seek vengeance for his wrongs and for the wrongs of his kin” (113).

Húrin travels to the destroyed city of Nargothrond that Mîm the Dwarf has made his home. Húrin kills Mîm for betraying Túrin, takes “one thing only” (113) from the ruins, and travels east, where he is brought before Thingol. Húrin gives Thingol the Nauglamír, the Necklace of the Dwarves, as a price for taking care of his family, though it is intended as an insult. Thingol and Melian convince Húrin of the truth about his family; he accepts their story, leaves, and throws himself into the sea.

Thingol decides that he should set the Silmaril into the necklace.