Balrogs

2008-01-11T20:04:01Z

137.198.20.56: /* Portrayal in Adaptations */

{{quote|A Balrog of [[Morgoth]]. This foe is beyond any of [[Fellowship of the Ring|you]].|[[Gandalf]]}}
{{race
|image=[[Image:Rob_Alexander_-_The_Balrog_of_Moria.jpg|250px]]
|name=Balrogs
|dominions=
|languages=[[Black Speech]]?
|height=Probably between 6-12 ft
|length=
|skincolor=Black?
|haircolor=
|feathers=
|distinctions=Surrounded by fire, shadow, and fear
|lifespan=Immortal
|members=[[Gothmog (Lord of Balrogs)|Gothmog]], [[Durin's Bane]]
}}

'''Balrogs''' ([[Sindarin|S]] for "Demon of Might"; [[bal]] = power; [[rog]] = demon; the [[Quenya]] form is '''''Valarauko''''' or '''''Valarauco''''') were menacing creatures about twice the height of a man consisting of fire and shadow. Balrogs induced great terror in all and were among [[Morgoth]]'s most feared minions. The wizard Gandalf fell fighting a Balrog when the Fellowship escaped [[Moria]] in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. In the First Age notable Elf Lords [[Ecthelion of the Fountain|Ecthelion]] and [[Glorfindel (Gondolin)|Glorfindel]] each fell fighting separate Balrogs during the sack of [[Gondolin]].

== History ==
Balrogs were originally [[Maiar]] spirits, of the same order as [[Sauron]] and [[Gandalf|Olórin]] (Gandalf), but they were seduced by [[Morgoth]], who corrupted them to his service in ancient times before the coming of the [[Elves]]. During the [[First Age]], they were among the most feared of Morgoth's servants. When Morgoth's fortress of [[Angband]] was destroyed by the [[Valar]] in the First Age, most Balrogs were destroyed, but some fled and lurked in the pits of Angband or escaped across the [[Blue Mountains]] to eastern [[Middle-earth]]. In the Third Age the Dwarves of [[Khazad-dûm]] unwittingly released a Balrog while mining for ''[[mithril]]'' and were driven out of Moria by the creature. This is the same Balrog that Gandalf ultimately encountered in The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Balrogs were first encountered by Elves during the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]] ("Battle under the Stars") in the First Age. After the victory of the [[Noldor|Noldorin Elves]] over Morgoth's [[Orcs]], the Elf Lord [[Fëanor]] pressed on towards Angband, but Balrogs came against him. He was surrounded by Balrogs and fought long before being mortally wounded by [[Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs|Gothmog]], Lord of Balrogs (the only Balrog known by name). Though Feanor's sons fought off the demons of fire, Fëanor died of his wounds soon after, and his spirit departed for the [[Halls of Mandos]].

Just one Balrog appears after the First Age in Tolkien's writings. If Sauron had any in his service during the [[Second Age]] or the [[War of the Ring]], they were never revealed. The sole Balrog described by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] after the [[War of Wrath]] was [[Durin's Bane]]. It is possible that it was the last Balrog in [[Middle-earth]].

== Do Balrogs Have Wings? ==
The description of the Balrog in Moria from "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm", in the fifth chapter of ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' raised the question of whether Balrogs were winged. There are two references in this chapter:

<blockquote>''"His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"...suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall..."''</blockquote>

Tolkien's language leaves some room for speculation. The first quote seems to describe a Balrog covered in shadow that appears winglike, and is later 'spread.' However, the second quoted passage seems to indicate that this Balrog had actual wings that were spread from wall to wall.

=== Arguments ''For'' Balrog Wings ===
The most common reference for winged Balrogs is the 'vast wings' language in "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm". The plain language here explicitly refers to 'wings.' Another Tolkien reference may be taken as evidence of Balrog wings:
{{quote|Swiftly they arose, and they passed with winged speed over Hithlum, and they came to Lammoth as a tempest of fire.|''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', "The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Rape of the Silmarils"}}

This is either a metaphor for moving very quickly, or a literal reference to physical wings.

=== Arguments ''Against'' Balrog Wings ===
On the other hand, the explicit reference to "wings of shadow" leaves open the interpretation that Balrogs had no physical wings. Balrogs were never exactly described as flying in any of Tolkien's works, including the "winged speed" language quoted above. Furthermore, at least two Balrogs fell to their ruin, apparently wingless:
{{quote|Many are the songs that have been sung of the duel of [[Glorfindel of Gondolin|Glorfindel]] with the Balrog upon a pinnacle of rock in that high place; and both fell to ruin in the abyss.|''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', Chapter 23, "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"}}
{{quote|I threw down my enemy, and he fell from the high place, and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', Chapter 5, "The White Rider"}}

Some think the strongest objection is the simplest: that taking references like the second statement seriously mean that all lines must be taken literally. For example, shortly before the Balrog's appearance, "Gandalf came flying down the steps and fell to the ground in the midst of the Company." Few would believe that Gandalf literally flew.

== Are There Any Balrogs Left in Middle-earth? ==
After the last battle of the First Age some Balrogs escaped the [[Valar]]'s wrath and hid deep underground. ''The Silmarillion'' tells us that:

<blockquote>"The Balrogs were destroyed, save some few that fled and hid themselves in caverns inaccessible at the roots of the earth..."</blockquote>

Of the 'few' that remained only one, 'Durin's Bane,' was revealed in the literature. Thus there may be other Balrogs lurking in Middle-Earth.

== How Many Balrogs Were There? ==
In one of Tolkien's early Middle-earth writings, ''[[Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', "[[Lungorthin]], Lord of Balrogs" is mentioned. It is not, however, certain if it was another name for Gothmog, or it simply meant "a Balrog lord". According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the latter is more probable, as the name Gothmog was mentioned in the earliest Middle-earth writings, as well as the final version of Tolkien's mythology.

The Balrogs were originally envisioned as being immense in number:
{{quote|The early conception of Balrogs makes them less terrible, and certainly more destructible, than they afterwards became: they existed in 'hundreds' (p. 170), and were slain by [[Tuor]] and the [[Gondolin|Gondothlim]] in large numbers: "thus five fell before Tuor's great axe [[Dramborleg]], three before [[Ecthelion of the Fountain|Ecthelion's]] sword, and two score were slain by the warrior's of the king's house.|''[[The Book of Lost Tales 2]]'', commentary by Christopher Tolkien on "The Fall of Gondolin"}}
{{quote|There came wolves and serpents and there came Balrogs one thousand, and there came Glomund the Father of Dragons.|''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', ''Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter 16, §15}}

As the [[legendarium]] became more formidable and internally consistent, and the Balrogs more terrible, this number was much reduced. In the end Tolkien stated that there were probably "at most" seven Balrogs:
{{quote|In the margin my father wrote: 'There should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed.'|''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', Section 2 (AAm*): note 50}}

It should however be noted that these texts postdate the published ''The Lord of the Rings'', but predate the materials from which the published ''The Silmarillion'' was drawn. The exact number of Balrogs is therefore very uncertain, but Tolkien's note above seems to have been his final word. However, the number of 3 would require the rewriting of much of ''The Silmarillion'', and even the number of 7 causes conflicts. At least two Balrogs were killed at Gondolin. Others were destroyed during the [[War of Wrath]], and the Balrog that ultimately became Durin's Bane fled from that battle unnoticed. While "thousands" clearly is not according to the author's intent a more probable number, taking into account the writings, is that there were at least a dozen.{{Pronounce|Balrog.mp3|Ardamir}}

== Portrayal in Adaptations ==

In [[Ralph Bakshi]]'s animated film Balrog as depicted, had wings and appeared capable of limited flight. The head resembled a lion but the rest of the body was rendered in matte black, a technique commonly used for shadowy surreal effect in rotoscope animation.

[[Image:Peter Jackson's Balrog.jpg|thumb|A Balrog as envisioned in [[Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring]]]]
[[Peter Jackson]] chose to give [[Durin's Bane]] wings, albeit wings that were purely decorative as the Balrog could not fly. Jackson's "Demon of Might" was indistinct, a real blend of shadow and fire. Only its horned head, cloven feet, and clawed hands could clearly be seen.

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Balrogs|Images of Balrogs]]

== External Links ==
* [http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/TAB.html The Truth About Balrogs], an essay series by Conrad Dunkerson.

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[[Category:Balrogs]]
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Balrogs