I would still argue that the ending of Tehanu leaves a lot unresolved, or at least without explicit answers. After Therru reveals herself as a dragonlord and calls Kalessin to save Tenar and Ged, we’re left to assume that she’s the “woman on Gont” referred to in the prophecies on Roke. But we never find out how the wizards on Roke deal with this – if they figure it out at all. Ogion and Kalessin both say Therru has a great destiny ahead of her, but we never learn what it is – whether it’s to become the first female Archmange, to reforge the bonds between humans and dragons, or to learn the secrets of “women’s magic” – the deep-rooted power viewed with misunderstanding and contempt by male wizards.

For Therru, Tehanu is about learning to rise above her fears and her scars. But her story doesn’t end there. She still has an entire lifetime to fulfill the prophecies of Ogion and Kalessin. So I believe Tehanu, like many of LeGuin’s novels, closes with a new beginning.