One of the most fearsome creatures of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, the Balrog of Moria is described as an ancient being shrouded in both shadow and flame. However, in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies, the Balrogs were never really explored outside of the first film, The Fellowship of the Ring, likely due to the Balrog encountered by the Fellowship being slain by Gandalf after a long and climactic fight. This begs the question of where did they originate and where are the other Balrogs during the events of The Lord of the Rings?
The Balrogs Have a Long History in Middle-earth
Tolkien’s works, specifically The Silmarillion, went into much more detail regarding the Balrogs compared to the films. The Balrogs were described to be Maiar, ancient spiritual beings, who were humanoid in shape, yet extremely tall and capable of wielding a variety of weapons, including fiery swords, whips and battle axes. They originally joined forces with Melkor in his crusade against the Elves. Together, the Balrogs faced off against many foes, including King Turgon and Fingolfin.
During the First Age, the Balrogs were loyal to Melkor and fought alongside him and his army of Orcs. The Balrogs were led by Gothmog, who served as their lord and general and was described as the “Greatest of all Balrogs.” Gothmog was a fearsome opponent on the battlefield and slew many great warriors, including Feanor, the High King of Noldor. Eventually, Gothmog was slain by Ecthelion during the Fall of Gondolin and the remaining Balrogs continued to fight until most were destroyed. Those who survived fled to the deepest parts of Earth.
Who Is The Balrog in Moria in The Lord of The Rings?
The Balrog seen in The Fellowship of the Rings survived from the First Age and fled to the Misty Mountains, where it lay dormant until it was woken by Dwarves in the Third Age. It killed King Durin VI and his heir, forcing the Dwarves to abandon Khazad-dûm. Even Thorin Oakenshield’s father, Thrain II, was warned away from reclaiming the great city — now known as Moria, “Black Chasm” — due to fears of the Balrog. When the Fellowship went into the Mines of Moria, Durin’s Bane, as the Balrog had been dubbed, awoke and confronted them, wielding both a flaming sword and whip. Durin’s Bane was ultimately killed by Gandalf.
After the death of Durin’s Bane, it’s unknown where the other Balrogs were hiding, or if any remained at all. Since Sauron didn’t appear to recruit any to his cause to reclaim the One Ring, they were not seen throughout the rest of the events of The Lord of the Rings. Additionally, none fought in the final battle in Mordor, which may support the theory that Durin’s Bane was indeed the last of its kind.
Revisit Durin’s Bane’s last stand in The Lord of The Rings epic, currently streaming on HBO Max.
About The Author
