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What are Balrogs in Lord of the Rings?
Balrogs are powerful demons in J.R.R Tolkien’s fictional universe of Middle-earth who served the dark lord Morgoth. They are huge humanoid creatures with the ability to shroud themselves in fire, darkness and shadow. Their most distinguishing feature is their ability to wield a flaming whip. Balrogs played an important role in Tolkien’s stories as formidable servants of evil. They first appeared in The Silmarillion and later played a major antagonistic role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Who was the most powerful Balrog in Middle-earth?
The mightiest and most renowned Balrog in Middle-earth was undoubtedly the Balrog known as Durin’s Bane. Durin’s Bane single-handedly drove the Dwarves out of their underground city of Moria. This Balrog lived deep under the Misty Mountains and was discovered in the year 1980 of the Third Age by the Dwarves of Moria led by King Durin VI. The Dwarves awoke Durin’s Bane while mining Mithril deep underground, and the Balrog slew King Durin and destroyed the Kingdom of Moria.
Appearance and abilities of Durin’s Bane
Durin’s Bane was physically immense and towered menacingly over his victims. Tolkien described him as having a black, man-shape but also wreathed in shadow and flame. He had the ability to shroud himself in fire, darkness and smoke. His chief weapon was a blazing whip of many thongs. Besides his physical abilities, he could also induce terror in his enemies. Durin’s Bane single-handedly defeated the Dwarves of Moria and even slays Gandalf the Grey before being finally defeated by him as Gandalf the White.
The battle between Gandalf and Durin’s Bane
The epic confrontation between Durin’s Bane and Gandalf the Grey takes place in the Mines of Moria in the chapter “The Bridge of Khazad-dum” in The Fellowship of the Ring. After being discovered by the Fellowship, the Balrog pursues them across a deep chasm. As it tries to attack them using a flaming sword, Gandalf confronts the Balrog on the bridge and declares “You cannot pass!”. He shatters the Balrog’s sword but the Balrog drags Gandalf down into the abyss with its whip. Gandalf later returns as Gandalf the White after slaying the Balrog deep under the mountains.
Physical attributes of Balrogs
Balrogs generally had the following physical traits and abilities according to Tolkien:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Size | Stood twice the height of a man or elf, at least 20 feet tall |
| Appearance | Humanoid, wreathed in shadow and flame |
| Weaponry | Flaming whip, flaming sword |
| Armor | None, shadow and flames were their armor |
| Strengths | Immense physical strength, ability to induce terror, control over fire and darkness |
However, each Balrog also had some unique physical traits and powers based on their age and experiences. For example, Durin’s Bane was one of the oldest and strongest Balrogs, even more powerful than the average Balrog.
The evolutionary origins of Balrogs
Balrogs were once Maiar, angelic spirits that descended to Arda (earth) to serve the Valar. They were seduced and corrupted by Morgoth who was the first Dark Lord of Middle-earth. Morgoth twisted them and turned them into the Balrogs – powerful but evil demons.
The Maiar were primordial spirits that existed before the shaping of Arda. They originally had spiritual etheral bodies that could change and adapt their appearance. After being corrupted into demons limited to physical bodies, Balrogs took the form of towering humanoid monsters. While restricted to physical form, they could still adapt their appearance to some extent which is why they were constantly wreathed in menacing shadows and flames.
Notable Balrogs in history
Some of the well known Balrogs in Middle-earth history were:
- Gothmog – Lord of Balrogs, slain by Ecthelion in Gondolin
- Durin’s Bane – Slain Gandalf the Grey, killed by Gandalf the White in Moria
- Lungorthin – Fought in the War of Wrath, fate unknown
- Balrog of Moria – Fought Beren and Lúthien, fate unknown
Of these, Gothmog and Durin’s Bane were likely the mightiest Balrogs ever known. Gothmog was the Lord of Balrogs while Durin’s Bane had the feat of slaying Gandalf the Grey.
The diminishing powers of Balrogs
Balrogs are described as becoming less powerful as the ages passed in Middle-earth. The earliest Balrogs of the First Age were the most powerful, being able to go toe-to-toe against even the mightiest Elf lords like Fëanor and Fingolfin. Comparatively, later Balrogs like Durin’s Bane were defeated more easily by the Istari (wizards).
There are a couple of reasons for this diminishing in power:
- TheBalrogs’ power originated from Morgoth, who lost a lot of his own potency over time after squandering it in his wars against the Elves and Valar
- The Balrogs themselves expended much of their essence and strength in the wars against the Elves over the ages
- With Morgoth’s defeat, the ability of the Balrogs to draw upon his resevoirs of power also diminished
So while the later Balrogs were still fearsome and deadly foes, they became weaker shadows of their former selves from the First Age.
The dwindling numbers of Balrogs
| Age | Estimated Number of Balrogs |
|---|---|
| First Age | Hundreds initially, dwindled to tens by the War of Wrath |
| Second Age | At most 10 |
| Third Age | Fewer than 5 |
In the earliest days when Morgoth corrupted the Maiar, there were hundreds of Balrogs in his service. But their numbers gradually dwindled over the millennia due to losses sustained in battles against the Elves, Valar, and later the Dúnedain.
By the Third Age when Durin’s Bane appears, there are likely no more than 5 Balrogs left in Middle-earth. So Durin’s Bane was one of the last surviving Balrogs of a once mighty demon race.
Could Durin’s Bane have been the last Balrog?
It is very likely that Durin’s Bane was the last surviving Balrog left in Middle-earth by the late Third Age. Here is the evidence supporting this:
- No other Balrog is mentioned after Durin’s Bane in any story or historical text
- The defeat of Durin’s Bane coincided with Sauron’s final defeat, which ended the dominance of evil in Middle-earth
- If any Balrogs survived, they likely fled Middle-earth or hid in remote places never to trouble the world again
- Durin’s Bane was encountered in Moria, one of the deepest and most ancient places of Middle-earth where a final Balrog could plausibly survive undetected
So while not conclusively proven, there are strong indications that Durin’s Bane represented the last of a dying ancient race of demons – the Balrogs of Morgoth.
Other theories on Durin’s Bane as the last Balrog
A few other theories exist about Durin’s Bane being the final Balrog:
- Hibernation theory: Durin’s Bane was likely sleeping or hibernating undisturbed in Moria for most of the Third Age until being awoken by the Dwarves. Other Balrogs may have also been hibernating in hidden places, eventually fading away or losing their physical form.
- Morgoth’s gift theory: As the most loyal Balrog to Morgoth, Durin’s Bane was gifted with greater longevity and resilience compared to other Balrogs.
- Gandalf’s cleansing theory: Gandalf slaying Durin’s Bane cleansed Middle-earth of the last demon of Morgoth, similar to how Sauron’s defeat cleansed Middle-earth of evil.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Durin’s Bane was undoubtedly among the mightiest and most dangerous Balrogs to have walked Middle-earth. His vast size, firepower, and combat skills established him as a deadly foe. By the late Third Age when he was discovered by the Dwarves, he was likely the sole surviving Balrog left. The circumstances of his awakening, confrontation with Gandalf, and eventual defeat fit the narrative of him being the final ancient demon of Middle-earth. His slaying marked the end of the fiery Balrogs that had menaced Middle-earth since the First Age.