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Balin

2011-10-30T21:33:20Z

50.54.175.7: /* Early Life */

{{dwarves infobox
| image=[[Image:Visitbilbo.jpg|250px]]
| name=Balin
| othernames=[[Lord of Moria]]
| life={{TA|2763}} - [[10 November]], {{TA|2994}}
| realm=[[Thorin's Halls]], [[Erebor]], [[Khazad-dûm]]
| parentage=[[Fundin]]
| lineage=[[Durin's line]]
| hood=Red
| gender=Male
|}}
{{Pronounce|Balin.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Balin''' was a [[Dwarves|Dwarven]] leader, the son of [[Fundin]] and elder brother of [[Dwalin]]. He was [[Thorin and Company|one of the Dwarves]] that travelled with [[Bilbo Baggins]] and [[Gandalf]] to reclaim [[Erebor]].

==History==
===Early Life===
Balin was born in {{TA|2763}}, the son of [[Fundin]]. When he was seven years old, [[Smaug]] came to [[Erebor|the Lonely Mountain]]. After the Dwarves were driven out at great loss in {{TA|2770}}, Balin and his father [[Fundin]] lived with their king [[Thrór]] in [[Dunland]]. His brother [[Dwalin]] was born [[Third Age 2772|two years later]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|A3}}</ref>

[[Fundin]] fought in the [[War of the Dwarves and Orcs]], and fell in the [[Battle of Azanulbizar]]. His body was burned.<ref name="Durin"/><ref group="note">No information is given about Balin's involvement in the war. In a note considered for inclusion in [[Appendix A]] published in ''[[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]'', Tolkien stated that Dwarves would be of fighting age around thirty. Balin was 30 at the start and 36 at the end of the war, so it is conceivable that he participated.</ref> After the war, the Dwarves returned to their homes. The war was won, but dearly bought. The Longbeards under [[Thráin II]] at first returned to their forges in Dunland, but they moved into [[Eriador]] shortly after, and colonized the [[Blue Mountains]].

Thráin longed to return to Erebor, and with Balin and Dwalin and a few others he went on an expedition to their ancient hall. Sauron had them in his sights, eager to take the [[Ring of Thrór]] from the exiled king. [[Wolves]], [[orcs]] and evil birds harassed the small company as they came east. One night, as they had crossed the [[Anduin]], an evil rain forced them into the eaves of [[Mirkwood]], and the company was split. Thráin was never seen again, and Balin and Dwalin returned to the Blue Mountains to report the news to [[Thorin]], the new king of Durin's line.<ref name="Durin"/>

===Quest of Erebor===
Thorin was eager to retake Erebor, and Balin joined him. The second eldest of the group, Balin often stood look-out.<ref name="Mutton">{{H|Mutton}}</ref> Originally not very fond of Bilbo, he grew to appreciate him over time,<ref name="Barrels">{{H|Barrels}}</ref> especially after Bilbo managed to elude his watch and pop up right under his nose after the group escaped the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref>{{H|Flies}}</ref>

At Erebor, Balin accompanied Bilbo down the secret passage, and later showed him the Ravenhill.<ref>{{H|Inside}}</ref> Balin fought valiantly in the [[Battle of Five Armies]], and survived to great glory. Some years later, Balin accompanied Gandalf to visit Bilbo and informed him of the prosperity of Erebor and [[Dale]].<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref>

===Expedition to Moria and His Death===
Though the riches of Erebor made the Dwarves prosperous again, there were many who longed to return to [[Moria]]. [[Dain Ironfoot]] counseled against it, but Balin mounted an expedition in {{TA|2989}}.
<ref name="Many Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref> They hoped to regain the treasures, and Balin had also hoped to find the [[Ring of Thrór]], which was assumed to be lost when [[Thrór]] entered the Gates years before.<ref name="Council">{{FR|Council}}</ref>

Together with [[Flói]], [[Óin]], [[Ori]], [[Frár]], [[Lóni]], [[Náli]] and many other Dwarves, Balin entered [[Dimrill Dale]]. After a short battle that in which Flói and several others were killed, the group entered the [[Great Gate]]. They stayed in the Twenty-First Hall, and Balin set up his throne in the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]]. He proclaimed himself [[Lord of Moria]].<ref name="Bridge">{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

For five years the colony thrived. They managed to find many old treasures, mithril, and armouries. But on [[10 November]] {{TA|2994}}, Balin was caught unawares outside the gates. As he went to look in [[Mirrormere]], an orc archer fatally shot him. Balin's body was placed in a tomb in the Chamber of Mazarbul.<ref name="Bridge"/>

But the archer was just the van of the orcs. An onslaught of orcs came up the [[Silverlode]], and the surviving Dwarves had to bar themselves in. [[Óin]] led a group west, hoping to escape through the [[Doors of Durin]], but the [[Watcher in the Water]] killed him. The Dwarves were locked in. After a fierce battle in the halls, the orcs were victorious; the colony was completely wiped out.<ref name="Bridge"/>

[[Glóin]] and his son [[Gimli]] were sent to [[Rivendell]] to seek news about the colony. Gimli eventually learned of their fate when he crossed the dwarven realm with the [[Company of the Ring]]. He would report it to Dain later.<ref name="Bridge"/>

==Etymology==
Though most names from the Dwarves in ''The Hobbit'' come from the [[Voluspa]], ''Balin'' is not one of them. The name rhymes with [[Dwalin]], but has no apparent meaning.<ref>{{HM|AH}}, "Roast Mutton", note 20</ref>

== Other versions of the Legendarium ==

In the earliest drafts of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', Balin had a son named [[Burin]] (or [[Frár]]). Burin accompanied [[Glóin]] to the [[Council of Elrond]], and became part of the [[Fellowship of the Ring]]. The character was changed to [[Gimli]], son of Glóin in the final version.<ref>{{RS|Elrond}}</ref>

== Genealogy ==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree| | | | | | | FAR | | | | | | |FAR=[[Farin]]}}
{{familytree| | | |,|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|.| | | |}}
{{familytree| | | FUN | | | | | | GRO | | |FUN=[[Fundin]]|GRO=[[Gróin]]}}
{{familytree| |,|-|^|-|.| | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}
{{familytree| BAL | | DWA | | OIN | | GLO |BAL='''BALIN'''|DWA=[[Dwalin]]|OIN=[[Óin son of Gróin|Óin]]|GLO=[[Glóin son of Gróin|Glóin]]}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in Adaptations==
<center><gallery perrow=3>
File:Balin The Hobbit 1977.png|<center>[[The Hobbit (1977 film)]]
File:Balin David T. Wenzel's The_Hobbit.png|<center>[[The Hobbit (comic book)]]
File:Balinstomb.jpg|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]
File:Balins tomb viv fotr.png|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)]]
File:Balin The Hobbit 2003.png|<center>[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)]]
File:Balin's Tomb Battle for Middle-earth.png|<center>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]
</gallery></center>
'''1968: ''[[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)]]'':'''
:Balin is played by [[Peter Pratt]].<ref name="RT1968">Radio Times, Volume 180, No. 1968, [[26 September|September 26]], [[1968]]</ref>

'''1977: ''[[The Hobbit (1977 film)]]'':'''
:Balin's voice is provided by [[Don Messick]]. It is unknown if he survived the [[Battle of Five Armies]], as only six of the original survive (with Thorin and Bombur among the casualties and Óin and Glóin amongst the survivors).<ref>[[The Hobbit (1977 film)]], "Farewell, Thorin"</ref>

'''1979: ''[[The Hobbit (1979 radio series)]]'':'''
:Balin is played an uncredited actor.

'''1982: ''[[The Hobbit (1982 video game)]]'':'''
:Balin is omitted; Thorin is the only companion of the player, [[Bilbo Baggins]].<ref>''[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ZX Computing]'', 8304 (April/May 1983), p. 76 (accessed 24 March 2011)</ref>

'''1989: ''[[The Hobbit (comic book)]]'':'''
:Balin is portrayed white-haired and quite old; he looks distinctly older than his brother [[Dwalin]], whose hair is still a very dark grey. His role is unchanged from the book; he is the lookout, and visits Bilbo in the epilogue.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Balin is mentioned by [[Gimli]] as the King of Moria, and his tomb is seen in Moria.<ref>{{fotree}}, "[[Balin's Tomb (scene)|Balin's Tomb]]"</ref> No mention is made about the past of Moria and his expedition, and Gimli seems confident he is still alive.<ref>{{fotree}}, "[[Moria (scene)|Moria]]"</ref>

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)]]'':'''
:Balin's Tomb is visited between the levels "2nd Hall" and "Abyss Fight". It is a block of stone, raised from the ground by four ornamental legs.

'''2003: ''[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)]]'':'''
:No actor is credited for the role of Balin. He is one of the older dwarves, and has a long white beard. He is the team's lookout.<ref>[[The Hobbit (2003 video game)]], "Roast Mutton"</ref>

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Balin's Tomb is one of the objectives of the first act in the Good Campaign. Several groups of orcs, as well as three trolls, have to be fought off before a break in the wall allows access to the next hall and the Bridge.<ref>[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]], "Moria"</ref>

'''2011: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest]]'':'''
:Balin's Tomb is featured in Moria.

'''2012-3: ''[[The Hobbit films]]'':'''
:Balin will be played by [[Ken Stott]].<ref>[http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/12/07/41135-torn-exclusive-cate-blanchett-ken-stott-sylvester-mccoy-mikael-persbrandt-join-cast-of-peter-jackson’s-“the-hobbit”/#more-41135 TORN EXCLUSIVE: CATE BLANCHETT, KEN STOTT, SYLVESTER MCCOY, MIKAEL PERSBRANDT JOIN CAST OF PETER JACKSON'S "THE HOBBIT"], TheOnering.net, accessed [[8 December|December 8]], [[2010]]</ref>

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Balin|Images of Balin]]

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| race=dwarf
| house=[[Durin's Folk|House of Durin]]
| born={{TA|2763}}
| died={{TA|2995}}
}}
{{seq
| pvac=Vacant
| prev=Last held by:<br/>[[Náin I]], 1008 years earlier
| list=[[Kings of Khazad-dûm|King of Khazad-dûm]]
| dates={{TA|2989}} - {{TA|2995|n}}
| next=Vacant:<br/>[[Durin VII]], in the [[Fourth Age]]
| nvac=None
}}
{{seq-end}}
==Footnotes==
{{references}}
{{Thorin and Company}}

[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Dwarves]]

[[de:Balin]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:nains:3a:balin]]
[[fi:Balin]]

Mouth of Sauron

2011-10-30T21:30:46Z

50.54.175.7: /* Identity */

{{Sources}}
{{evil infobox
| image=[[Image:John Howe - The Mouth of Sauron.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Mouth of Sauron
| othernames=Lieutenant of the Tower of [[Barad-dûr]]
| created=
| years=
| age=
| destroyed=Probably [[Third Age 3019|T.A. 3019]]
| realm=[[Mordor]]
| gender=Male
| race=[[Black Númenóreans]]
| appearance=Rode a black horse, wore a great helm
| accomplishments=
|}}
'''The Mouth of Sauron''' was the [[Dark Lord]] [[Sauron]]'s servant and representative at the end of the [[Third Age]]. He had the title Lieutenant of [[Barad-dûr]], since he was so strongly devoted to the Dark Lord. The Mouth of Sauron was one of the [[Black Númenóreans]].

==History==
===Origins===
The Mouth of Sauron had served Sauron all his life; a [[Man]] of great stature, he was potentially the equal of the [[Dúnedain]], but had fallen into darkness. As a Black Númenórean he probably came from the [[Haven of Umbar]], and it is stated that "he entered the service of the [[Dark Tower]] when it first rose again"; this can be interpreted in two ways:
*Referring to the power of Sauron rather than the construction of [[Barad-dûr]], in which case, the tower ''first'' rose again some time after {{SA|3220}}. In that case he stayed alive long enough like a [[Nazgûl|Ringwraith]]; perhaps he wore a [[Ring of Power]], but a lesser one since he did not become a wrait.
*Referring to the rebuilding of {{TA|2951}}; Umbar had been defeated by [[Gondor]] under "[[Thorongil]]" [[Third Age 2980|some years later]], so the Mouth might have fled to Mordor then.

In any case, the Mouth had even forgotten his original name; either he was a small child when converted by Sauron, or had remained alive far more than 500 years ([[Gollum]] still remembered his name).

He had learned much sorcery during his time under Sauron, and knew many of the Dark Lord's plans. Being more cruel than an [[Orcs|Orc]] and cunning, rose in power and favor.

During the [[Council of Elrond]], the [[Dwarves]] of [[Erebor]] spoke of a Man who had come to tell them of the power of Mordor and persuade them to join its forces. Though the Man's identity is unknown, it is possible that he was the Mouth of Sauron.

The Mouth of Sauron briefly appeared when he haggled with the army of the west in front of the [[Morannon]], trying to convince [[Aragorn]] and [[Gandalf]] to give up and let Sauron win the battle for [[Middle-earth]]. Though he came before Aragorn and his men as an ambassador, he used quite insolent speech when he dealt with them. He tried to intimidate the army into surrendering by showing them the ''[[mithril]]'' coat of [[Frodo Baggins]] to make them think that the [[Ringbearer]] had been captured. When Gandalf turned down his proposal, the Mouth of Sauron set all the armies of [[Barad-dûr]] upon them.
[[Image:Alan Rabinowitz - The Mouth of Sauron.jpg|thumb|250px|''The Mouth of Sauron'' by [[Alan Rabinowitz]]]]
The Mouth's fate is nowhere recorded, and it is probable he died in the assault before the Morannon. If he had survived, it is likely that he would have been one of the leaders in the retreat of Sauron's evil servants after the fall of Barad-dûr.

==Identity==
The Mouth of Sauron was an agent of Sauron and ambassador of Mordor might have been the same individual as other figures mentioned elsewhere. He could have been the horseman who asked [[Dáin Ironfoot|Dáin II Ironfoot]] the location of "Baggins" [[Third Age 3017|a year before]] the [[War of the Ring]]<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref>. He could also had been "the [[Questioner]]" of Mordor who would interrogate [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]]<ref>{{TT|Uruk}}</ref>

==Name==
The name of the Mouth of Sauron itself poses a serious inconsistency in the narrative. Aragorn mentions that the name "Sauron" (meaning "Abominable") is the name used by his enemies, and according to [[Aragorn]], Sauron himself did not permit it pronounced.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Departure of Boromir]]"</ref> Therefore it could be considered strange for a servant of Sauron to have a title that includes the word "Sauron".

== Portrayal in Adaptations ==
<center><gallery>
Image:Rankin-Bass' Mouth of Sauron.jpg|<center>''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'' [[1980]] film</center>
Image:Mouth of Sauron.jpg|<center>[[Bruce Spence]] in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''</center>
</gallery></center>

'''1980: ''[[The Return of the King (1980 film)|The Return of the King]]'':'''
:The Mouth of Sauron briefly appears at the Black Gate. He was here portrayed by [[Don Messick]].

'''1981: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|BBC Radio's The Lord of the Rings]]'':'''
:The Mouth of Sauron's role is expanded. He is portrayed as the person who tortures [[Gollum]] into telling Sauron of "Baggins" and "Shire", though he is not named until the credits.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Michael Bakewell]], [[Brian Sibley]] (eds.) ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)]]'', "[[The Long Awaited Party]]"</ref> [[John Rye]] provided the voice of the Mouth of Sauron, as well as the Voice of Sauron, symbolising the function of the Lieutenant of Barad-dûr.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''
:The Mouth of Sauron does not appear in the theatrical cut of the movie, but he does appear in the extended version, played by an unrecognizable [[Bruce Spence]]. His helmet, with the words "LAMMEN GORTHAUR" ([[Sindarin]] for "Voice of (Sauron) The Abominable") in [[Cirth]] written on it, covers his entire face except for his mouth, which is horribly diseased and disfigured by all the evil he has spoken, and disproportionately large, creating an unsettling effect. In fact, much of this spectacle is a result of CGI effects. Actually Jackson conceived this idea long after the footage had been shot and asked his special effects team to create the effect digitally.

:The extended DVD cast commentary mentions that Jackson considered different depictions of the character, such as having Kate Winslet (who starred in ''Heavenly Creatures'', another Jackson film) play the role, partially to emphasize the temptations Aragorn was facing.

:In the story itself, Aragorn decapitates the Mouth of Sauron with [[Andúril|his sword]]. This sequence is often criticized by purist and outsider alike; through human history it was considered a crime of war to execute messengers or heralds; specifically the book gives emphasis against the inhumanity of such a deed.

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of the Mouth of Sauron|Images of The Mouth of Sauron]]

{{references}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mouth of Sauron}}
[[Category:Black Númenóreans | Characters]]
[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Servants of Sauron]]
[[de: Saurons Mund]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:hommes:3a:bouche_de_sauron]]
[[fa:زبان_سائورون]]