Balrogs: Difference between revisions

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


At the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]] the Balrogs along with [[Dragons]] and [[Wargs]] overhelmed the troops of [[Maedros]]; in the same battle, Gothmog and another Balrog killed [[Fingon]], High-King of the Noldor.
At the [[Dagor Bragollach]] the Balrogs came out of [[Thangorodrim]] following [[Glaurung]] the [[Urulókë]].


A few years later, Gothmog leaded the storming of the city of [[Gondolin]] where he was killed by  [[Echtelion]], and hosts of other Balrogs participated to the fight. One of them then ambushed the survivors at [[Cirith Thoronath]] and was killed by [[Glorfindel]].
At the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]] they overhelmed, along with [[Dragons]] and [[Wargs]], the troops of [[Maedros]]; in the same battle, Gothmog and another Balrog killed [[Fingon]], High-King of the Noldor.
 
A few years later, Gothmog leaded the storming of the city of [[Gondolin]], and hosts of other Balrogs participated to the assault; then he fought with [[Echtelion]] and both died. One Balrog ambushed the survivors at [[Cirith Thoronath]]; he duelled with [[Glorfindel]] and they killed each other.


After the last battle of the First Age, some Balrogs escaped the Valar's wrath and hid deep underground, in inaccessible places at the roots of the earth.  
After the last battle of the First Age, some Balrogs escaped the Valar's wrath and hid deep underground, in inaccessible places at the roots of the earth.  

Revision as of 06:26, 28 November 2017

"I shan't call it the end, till we've cleared up the mess." — Sam
This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.
The name Balrog refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Balrog (disambiguation).


Balrogs
People
Thomas Rouillard - Valaraukar.jpg
General Information
MembersGothmog, Durin's Bane
Physical Description
LifespanImmortal
DistinctionsMan-like, surrounded by shadow and fire, covered in smoke
Average heightTwice the height of a man
GalleryImages of Balrogs

The Balrogs, or Balrogath ("Balrog-kind") were Maiar corrupted by Morgoth during the creation of Arda, who cloaked themselves in shadow and flame and carried whips and swords. Famed Balrogs include Gothmog, slain by Ecthelion, and Durin's Bane, slain by Olórin (Gandalf).

History

Balrogs, also called Valaraukar, were a group of Maiar who were seduced by Morgoth and corrupted for his service before the coming of the Elves. They were of close relation to Arien, the Maia who guided the sun. The Balrogs were originally gathered by Morgoth in his fastness of Utumno during the Years of the Lamps. This ancient fortress was eventually stormed by the Valar, but the Balrogs evaded capture.

Three ages later, after Morgoth and Ungoliant had escaped from Valinor with the Silmarils, the latter demanded the Silmarils for herself when they had reached Lammoth. Morgoth, overhelmed, issued a terrible scream, so the Balrogs came out from their hiding-place in the deepest pits of Angband and swiftly rescued him by cutting him free from Ungoliant's webs using their whips.

The Balrogs were first encountered by the Elves during the last events of the Dagor-nuin-Giliath ("Battle under the Stars") in the First Age. After the victory of the Noldorin Elves over Morgoth's forces, the Elf Lord Fëanor pressed on towards Angband, but the Balrogs came up against him. He was surrounded and fought long against them before being mortally wounded by Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs. Though Fëanor's sons fought off the demons of fire, Fëanor died of his wounds soon after.

At the Dagor Bragollach the Balrogs came out of Thangorodrim following Glaurung the Urulókë.

At the Nirnaeth Arnoediad they overhelmed, along with Dragons and Wargs, the troops of Maedros; in the same battle, Gothmog and another Balrog killed Fingon, High-King of the Noldor.

A few years later, Gothmog leaded the storming of the city of Gondolin, and hosts of other Balrogs participated to the assault; then he fought with Echtelion and both died. One Balrog ambushed the survivors at Cirith Thoronath; he duelled with Glorfindel and they killed each other.

After the last battle of the First Age, some Balrogs escaped the Valar's wrath and hid deep underground, in inaccessible places at the roots of the earth.

In the Third Age the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm unwittingly released a Balrog, afterwards known as Durin's Bane, while mining for mithril and were eventually driven out of Moria by the creature. The same Balrog later battled with Gandalf on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

Other versions of the Legendarium

In one of Tolkien's early Middle-earth writings, The Lay of the Children of Húrin, "Lungorthin, Lord of Balrogs" is mentioned. No other Balrog is known by name.

Originally, in the earlier scripts, the Balrogs were envisioned as being immense in numbers: one thousand, it is said. They were described as large demons of fire in metal armours, armed with steel fangs, darts, and iron whips. They were incredibly swift and dreadful, to the point that infamous were the sayings as swift as the Balrog, and the torture of the Balrogs. They had no wings, though.

With the description of Durin's Bane in The Lord of the Rings, the author changed his mind about these demons. The creature was now depicted, in fact, even more powerful and larger than the previous ones, and armed with a flaming sword and whip, and capable of flying with huge wings. Tolkien had not, however, the time or will to modify the older writings. He only noted that of such creatures there should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed.[1]

Thus a deep difference still remains between the Silmarillion Balrogs and the one that's depicted in The Lord of the Rings, and it is very difficult to imaginate how these two kinds could cohexist, if not either by forgetting the existence of one of them, or by postulating that both a lesser and a lord Balrog did exist.

Etymology

Balrog is Sindarin for "Demon of Might" from bal-, "power" and raug, rog, "demon".

The Quenya form Valarauko points to a possible Primitive Quendian form *balaraukô.

In the earlier Etymologies, the word Balrog was derived from ñgwalaraukô,[2] but this is inconsistent with Quenya Valarauko.

A list of Old English equivalents of Elvish words, glosses Balrog as having the equivalent Bealuwearg and Bealubroga. As noted by Christopher Tolkien, the Old English word contains the elements bealu ("evil"; as in bale(ful)) and wearg ("wolf, outlaw") or broga ("terror").[3]

Portrayal in adaptations

If adaptations were to be counted as canon, the matter of the existence of Balrog wings would be decided.

1978: The Lord of the Rings (1978 film):

The Balrog has wings and appears capable of limited flight. The head resembles a lion but the rest of the body was rendered in matte black, a technique commonly used for shadowy surreal effect in rotoscope animation.

2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring:

Durin's Bane has 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.

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game):

The Balrog has, once again, wings. The fight sequence, in which the player is Gandalf, takes considerably longer: only after a short fight on the bridge does Gandalf let it collapse.

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:

The chase up the Endless Stair and the slime Balrog were omitted due to budget constraints.[source?] However, part of Gandalf's battle with the Balrog is shown at the beginning of the film, and the fight atop Zirak-Zigil is seen in a flashback after Gandalf's return.

2003: Sierra's The War of the Ring:

The Balrog is the most powerful magical power available to Servants of Sauron. They have horns and wings.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age:

The players assist Gandalf in his fight with the Balrog.

2004: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth:

The Balrog is the most powerful magical power available to both Mordor and Isengard faction. Visual appearance follows the movie version.

2006: The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II:

Unlike the original game, The Balrog is not available to Isengard faction, but only to Mordor and the new Goblin factions.

2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:

Durin's Bane can be observed in two "session plays" (player character not present): one depicts the awakening of the Balrog by Dwarves under Durin VI, the other depicts dwarves of Balin's company fleeing from the ancient evil. After Gandalf defeats him, the lifeless body of Durin's Bane can be found on the slopes of Zirakzigil. Despite the players knowing the Balrog dead, another Servant of Sauron tests their will and fears, by portraying an illusion of it. In the illusion, the fight between Gandalf and the Balrog on the Endless Stair is recreated, until it ends the opposite way of the actual event: the Balrog defeats the Wizard, throwing his lifeless body from Zirakzigil. Players have to defeat the Balrog in order to combat the illusion.
The game also features another Balrog: named Thaurlach, he can be found in the Rift of Nûrz Ghâshu, where Angmar meets Misty Mountains. He fled there are the breaking of Thangorodrim, but was followed by an elf-maiden Glathlírel who was determined to end him. The Balrog eluded her for millennia, until she was able to face him in combat and defeat him. Rather than kill the Balrog, the two Blue Wizards decided to imprison him in the Rift, so that he could await his judgment at the end of days. However, by the end of the Third Age his chains were loosening and a band of players was sent to defeat the weakened Balrog - something, that as Gandalf remarked, should have been done ages ago.

2009: The Lord of the Rings: Conquest:

The Balrog is one of the "heroes" available to Servants of Sauron during evil campaign. Appearance reflects the movie version.

See Also

External links

References

  1. Morgoth's Ring, Section 2 (AAm*): note 50)
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, The Etymologies, RUK
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: Appendix 1: Fragments of a translation of The Quenta Noldorinwa into Old English, made by Ælfwine or Eriol; together with Old English equivalents of Elvish names", p. 209
Ainur
Valar Lords Manwë · Ulmo · Aulë · Oromë · Mandos · Irmo · Tulkas · Melkor
Valier Varda · Yavanna · Nienna · Estë · Vairë · Vána · Nessa
Maiar Arien · Blue Wizards · Eönwë · Gandalf · Ilmarë · Melian · Ossë · Radagast · Salmar · Saruman · Tilion · Uinen
Úmaiar Sauron · Balrogs (Gothmog · Durin's Bane) · Boldogs
Concepts and locations Almaren · Aratar (indicated in italics) · Creation of the Ainur · Fana · Máhanaxar · Ainulindalë · Order of Wizards (indicated in bold) · Second Music of the Ainur · Timeless Halls · Valarin · Valinor · Valimar