One of the most popular races from J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings has to be the mighty Dwarves. The proud race is one of the oldest in all of fantasy, and as such, has managed to leave an impressive mark on both fans and the entire fantasy genre as a whole. Across The Lord Of The Rings works, it’s possible to come across and hear of countless Dwarves of varying infamy, but one thing that remains the same is that just about every named Dwarf has an incredible list of accomplishments to their name.
Power can be a tricky thing to quantify, especially in The Lord Of The Rings, but most will agree that the Dwarves are not a race of people to be trifled with. The mountain-dwelling people have a history as rich as any of the other major races, and their beginnings go further back than some might expect, even further back than the First Age itself.
How Powerful Is The Dwarven Race?
The Dwarven race is a mighty one, though there was a time when that didn’t seem to be the case. When they were initially created by Aulë, they were viewed as mistakes and were nearly completely wiped out before they had a chance to thrive. Luckily, they were spared and were allowed to sleep within the earth until long after the Elves had first awakened from their long slumber. It was the beginning of the Dwarven race that demonstrated how truly powerful the race could be in Middle Earth.
The Dwarves were capable of creating massive homes in what many other races would consider to be inhospitable mountains. Within their homes, the Dwarves would slowly perfect their craftsmanship and begin creating the finest weapons, armor, and other trinkets seen across the lands, with only a few able to match their skill. It was their skill in creation that would eventually lead to their bitter rivalry with the Elven race years later. During the First Age, the Dwarves were able to ally themselves with the Elves, and even to some degree, the Men of the realm to fight in various conflicts.
One such conflict was what appeared to be a losing battle against Morgoth and the powerful dragon Glaurung. Rather than fleeing back to their mountains, the Dwarves stood against the dragon, losing the mighty Dwarf king Azaghâl in the process, but proving that the Dwarves fear no enemy. Even though Azaghâl would lose his life, the Dwarves were said to be so strong that they were able to pierce the dragon’s thick hide on multiple occasions, including with Azaghâl’s dying strikes.
When the Dwarves later entered into bloody conflict with the Elves, they were more than powerful enough to invade the Kingdom of Doriath, though they eventually met with karma on an elf counter-attack on the way back to their lands. The First Age was a big one for the Dwarves in establishing themselves, but it also stains their legacy due to how much petty backstabbing was going on during the same era.
The Second Age was a bit quieter for the Dwarves, but something of note was their immense resistance to the influence of the Rings Of Power. Due to the fact that Dwarves were capable of avoiding the harsher impacts of the rings, only truly becoming greedier, it’s fair to say that the race is quite powerful on that ground alone. Resisting one of the greatest evils known to Middle Earth isn’t too bad when talking about power.
The Third Age saw the Dwarves warring with Orcs, and while they would be successful, they wouldn’t be able to handle something as powerful as Durin’s Bane, the Balrog of Morgoth that resided deep within Moria. They would eventually engage in a battle with Easterlings for three days without rest, and would eventually come out victorious, showing even more of the mighty Dwarves' power.
Who Was The Most Powerful Dwarf?
There will always be debate about which Dwarf was the most powerful due to how each individual measures the value of unique feats, but one Dwarf does stand out to many Lord Of The Rings fans. Perhaps the greatest contender for the title of the most powerful Dwarf in Middle Earth’s history is Durin The Deathless. This Dwarf was so mighty that he became subject of a prophecy that predicted his return to the realm after death, and how the entire Dwarven race would decline after he had returned enough.
It was said that after the seventh incarnation of Durin, the Dwarves would begin their downfall. There would be seven incarnations total of Durin over the four ages, and each and every time Durin appeared, he held great power among the Dwarven ranks. Whether or not each subsequent Durin actually was the reincarnation of the original Durin The Deathless of the Years of the Trees and the First Age is up to interpretation, but whether true or not, the idea of Durin was so powerful that it inspire greatness for years after the original was gone.
Durin is the only currently known among the ranks of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, making him an ancient figure among the living races of Middle Earth. He was granted kingship over his people and built his great hall within the Mines of Moria. Due to his ancient status and his unnaturally long lifespan, Durin was worshipped by Durin’s Folk, a line of warriors that would eventually include fan-favorite Gimli.
While Durin may not have wielded magical abilities of any kind, his name was a thing of legend that resulted in those who would also be named Durin becoming king. Long after Durin was gone, he was providing legitimacy and power to others, whether his spirit had returned to Middle Earth or not. It was this lineage of greatness that could have inspired the other Durins to accomplish other incredible feats during their time in Middle Earth. If it were possible to ask a Dwarf of Middle Earth who they think the strongest of their people was, it’s not hard to believe that Durin The Deathless would be the first name that comes to mind.
The Lord Of The Rings is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.