In The Lord of the Rings saga, the Balrogs (also called Valaraukar) are demons shrouded in shadows and flames, who are originally one of the Maiar. These primordial spirits are corrupted by the first Dark Lord Melkor (later known as Morgoth) to join his cause.
The most famous Balrog in the lore is the one who resides under the mines of Moria, whom the Fellowship encounter at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm in 3019 of the Third Age. Only Gandalf the Grey is powerful enough to defend the others from the creature, and the two engage in what is known as the Battle of the Peak. The Balrog eventually falls into the depths of Moria, but takes Gandalf into the chasm with him. Their conflict lasts for ten days, during which they move from the Endless Stair to the peak of the Silvertine. Gandalf finally slays the Balrog at the cost of his own life. Surprisingly, however, this is not the most powerful Balrog in Middle-earth’s history; many more are known to exist in ancient times, most notably the Lord of Balrogs.
What Is a Balrog?
The exact appearance of a Balrog has been vaguely described, but they are generally tall and large, with “streaming fiery manes”. Balrogs are extremely powerful and agile, and tend to hibernate underground. They usually use whips of flames to attack, but there have been recorded uses of other weapons as well, such as flaming swords. In The Fellowship of the Ring, J. R. R. Tolkien stated that a Balrog’s shadow “reached out like two vast wings” — which has led to much speculation among fans about whether the creature actually has wings or not.
In the First Age, Balrogs are on the front lines of many of the wars waged by Morgoth against the Elves and Men. They first dwell in Utumno, their master’s first fortress, but flee to the pits of Angband when Morgoth is defeated by the Valar in the Battle of the Powers. They wait many long years for his return, until Morgoth and Ungoliant (the oldest and first giant spider) finally destroy the Trees of the Valar and make their way to the second fortress. A disagreement causes Ungoliant to attack Morgoth, who gives out a loud cry, awakening the Balrogs from their slumber. Like “a tempest of fire”, they rush towards him and destroy Ungoliant's webs, driving her away.
The Balrogs’ first confrontation with the Elves takes place after the Ñoldor win against Morgoth’s forces in the Battle Under the Stars and head towards Angband. Desperate to defeat Morgoth himself, Fëanor, the King of the Ñoldor, is eventually ambushed by the Balrogs and killed. Centuries later, in the Battle of the Sudden Flame, the Balrogs (along with the Orcs and the dragon Glaurung) attack the Elves and the Edain. Their victory marks the end of the siege of Angband.
In the Battle of Unnumbered Tears between Morgoth and the Eldar, the Balrogs appear towards the end, resulting in an overwhelming victory for their lord. This is followed by the Fall of Gondolin, in which Morgoth’s army destroy the Ñoldor’s stronghold. Two Balrogs are killed in this battle, and the remaining ones go on to fight in the War of Wrath, which puts an end to Morgoth’s rule. Most of the Balrogs are destroyed, while some manage to escape and hide in the hollows of Middle-earth.
In the Second Age, Balrogs seem nothing more than a myth as they are all dormant during this time period. In the year 1980 of the Third Age, only one Balrog emerges from the depths of Khazad-dûm, the great Dwarven kingdom, when the Dwarves are mining for mithril and unwittingly rouse him from his sleep. He drives them out of Moria, and kills their king, Durin VI — which is why he is called ‘Durin’s Bane’ from then onwards. It is only until more than a thousand years later that he is slain by Gandalf.
How Many Balrogs Were There in Middle Earth?
It has never been quite clear how many Balrogs existed. Initially, they were envisioned as being quite large in number: “There came wolves and serpents and there came Balrogs one thousand…” (The Lost Road and Other Writings). Christopher Tolkien notes in The Book of Lost Tales: Part Two that “the early conception of Balrogs makes them less terrible, and certainly more destructible, than they afterwards became”. However, as Balrogs were developed into much more frightening beings, their numbers were reduced. As it is later stated in Morgoth's Ring, “In the margin my father wrote: There should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed.”
It is also unknown whether Durin’s Bane was the last of the Balrogs as the fate of those who fled after the downfall of Morgoth, and “hid themselves in caverns inaccessible at the roots of the earth”, was never revealed.
Who Is the Strongest Balrog?
Gothmog, one of the first Balrogs to become Morgoth’s allies in the First Age, is regarded as the most powerful Balrog in Middle-earth. As the High Captain of Angband, he is given the title ‘Lord of Balrogs’. Although he carries a fiery whip to battle just like the rest, he is also renowned for having a large black ax.
He is responsible for killing two of the High Kings of the Ñoldor. He first mortally wounds Fëanor, and engages in a fight against Fingon in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. When a second Balrog called Lungorthin is able to “cast a throng of steel about him”, Gothmog manages to kill Fingon. He also captures Húrin, considered as the greatest warrior of Men in the First Age, and brings him to Angband so that his master can torture him into revealing the location of Gondolin.
In 510, Gothmog and the other Balrogs besiege Gondolin, where Gothmog duels with the lord Ecthelion of the Fountain. The latter strikes the Balrog’s chest with his pointed helmet, causing them both to fall into the Fountain of the King. He himself drowns while the waters extinguish Gothmog’s flames, killing the beast.