A Balrog (/ˈbælrɒɡ/) is a powerful fictional monster in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. One first appeared in print in his high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, where the Fellowship of the Ring encounter one known as Durin's Bane in the Mines of Moria. Balrogs appear also in Tolkien's The Silmarillion and other posthumously published books. Balrogs are tall and menacing beings who can shroud themselves in fire, darkness, and shadow. They are armed with fiery whips "of many thongs", and occasionally used long swords.
In Tolkien's later conception, they could not be readily vanquished—a certain stature was required by the would-be hero. Only dragons rivalled their capacity for ferocity and destruction, and during the First Age of Middle-earth, they were among the most feared of Morgoth's forces. Their power came from their nature as Maiar, angelic beings like the Valar. Tolkien invented the name "Balrog", providing an in-universe etymology for it as a word in his invented Sindarin language. He may have gained the idea of a fire demon from his philological study of the Old English word Sigelwara, which he studied in detail in the 1930s. Balrogs appear in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings by Ralph Bakshi and Peter Jackson, and in computer and video games based on Middle-earth.
Background[]
Origins[]
Originally, in unrecorded ancient times, the Balrogs were fiery Maiar that were persuaded by Melkor's might and splendor to join his cause. Their first dwelling was in Utumno, but after their master's defeat during the War for Sake of the Elves, the Balrogs and other creatures in Melkor's service escaped to Angband.
History[]
Balrogs were present as early as the Years of the Trees when Melkor and Ungoliant went to Valinor and destroyed the Two Trees. By then, the Balrogs remained in the pits of Angband. After Morgoth destroyed the Trees with Ungoliant, he came to the ruins of Angband to renew his rule in Middle-earth. A disagreement with Ungoliant led to her attacking him, and Morgoth gave out a great cry that roused the Balrogs from their slumber. In a tempest of fire, the Balrogs drove Ungoliant away and prepared to pursue her. However, they were halted by Morgoth and returned to Angband, which shortly thereafter was constructed anew.
When the Noldor won the battle Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Fëanor furiously pressed on toward Angband. He came even within sight of Angband, but was ambushed by a force of Balrogs with few Noldor around him. Soon he stood alone, but long he fought on with all Balrogs alone as mightiest all the Children of Iluvatar even though he was wrapped in fire and wounded with many wounds. But finally Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs, felled and mortally wounded Fëanor.
Maedhros, Fëanor's son, persuaded the forces of Morgoth for a feigned treaty, but Morgoth sent his Balrogs. The entire company was slain, except for Maedhros, who was later brought to Angband.
Years later, during the Dagor Bragollach, the Balrogs, along with Glaurung and an army of Orcs, were issued forth from Angband to assault the fortresses of the Elves and to kill their allies, the Edain.
The Balrogs fought during the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, where Gothmog led the invasion. He threw aside Húrin and Turgon, turned upon Fingon and killed him with the help of another Balrog, securing the field for Morgoth's forces. He also captured Húrin, after Húrin was buried under a mountain of slain foes. He bound the human warrior and delivered him to Angband, whereupon Morgoth attempted unsuccessfully to pry the location of Gondolin from him.
In FA 510, during the Fall of Gondolin, the Balrogs rode upon the backs of dragons to reach the hidden city of Gondolin. The Lord of the House of the Fountain, Ecthelion, managed to kill Gothmog at the cost of his own life. While attempting to escape the burning city, Glorfindel and his companions were blocked by another Balrog. To save Tuor, Idril and their young son Eärendil, Glorfindel fought the Balrog on a cliff and cast it down, but he was pulled down with the Balrog to their deaths.
The remaining Balrogs fought in the War of Wrath. While most were destroyed, some managed to escape and hide in Earth's deep caverns.
Sauron gathered "all the evil things of the days of Morgoth that remained on earth and beneath it", starting Accursed Years, however it is not clear whether or not Balrogs were involved.
In TA 1980, a Balrog awoke in Moria when the Dwarves had mined too deep for Mithril. It drove the Dwarves out of their home and slew King Durin VI, and the Balrog was thereafter called "Durin's Bane".
During the War of the Ring, the Fellowship of the Ring passed through Moria and encountered Durin's Bane, which pursued them to the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Gandalf the Grey fought the Balrog, allowing the Fellowship to escape Moria. Both fell into the abyss, but the battle continued at the peak of Zirakzigil. Finally, it ended, but both Gandalf and Durin's Bane were slain in the process. Gandalf was later "sent back" by the Valar, as Gandalf the White.
Physical Appearance[]
Balrogs generally took the form of tall, menacing beings roughly humanoid in shape, though seeming to consist of or be surrounded by shadow and flame. They used both a flaming sword, and a fiery whip; they were constantly burning, and their weapons appeared molten. Gothmog, the Lord of Balrogs in the First Age, used a black ax as well.
It is unclear, and highly debated, whether Balrogs had wings.
Balrogs seemed to encapsulate and project power and terror, perhaps meant to be a dark shadow of the majesty that the Valar radiate. Additionally, Tolkien refers to Balrogs with "streaming fiery manes".
Additionally, they may have been able to alter their body structures on occasion, as in the battle between Durin's Bane and Gandalf, when the Balrog fell into a body of water he shifted himself into something slimy. However, it is also possible that this alternate form was simply Gandalf using colorful language to describe what the Balrog was like after having its flame extinguished and being covered in water. It is also possible that, while the Balrog, like all other Ainur, could shift form, this was not a case of that.
Powers and abilities[]
Balrogs were exceptionally powerful creatures. Only seven Balrogs were required to drive away Ungoliant, a large monster powerful enough to devour the fruits of Telperion, which produced the light for billions of stars.
A single Balrog, who became known as Durin's Bane, managed to drive the Dwarves of Moria from their ancient and supremely fortified nation-state, which was at the time the greatest kingdom of Dwarves that had ever been. It also contended with Gandalf, and shattered the side of a mountain with physical might alone. The Balrogs were considerably bodily agile, such that their passing is once described as a “tempest of fire”.
Gothmog fought against and overcame Fëanor, an elf who was powerful enough to control the light of the two trees. He also spread chaos through the city of Gondolin, filled with elves of similar, though far lower, caliber. It was even thought to be at least somewhat comparable to Sauron during the first age.
Etymology[]
In Sindarin, the word Balrog means "Demon of Might", from the words bal ("power") and raug, rog ("demon"). Balrogs are called Valarauko or Valaraukar in Quenya, from the words vala ("power") and rauco ("demon").
Appearances[]
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring[]
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers[]
Video game appearances[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
Differences from the source material[]
External Links[]
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