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PotbellyHairyfoot
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Post Melkor's Minions- Balrogs
on: July 10, 2007 06:09
As a bit of background for the story, I thought i'd start some threads on the forces supporting Melkor, allied to him, or bred by him.
Just what are Balrogs. Where did they come from and what do the do to aid Melkor?

Reference threads from the 'Discuss the Books' forum

All things Balrog
Elves vs Balrogs
Lomelindi_of_Moonlight
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Post RE: Melkor's Minions- Balrogs
on: July 30, 2007 10:30
Balrogs are tricky because I think many people believe that Melkor/Morgoth created them like the orcs, dragons, ect., but he actually only corrupted some of the Maiar to his will. And like Morgoth they seemed to take on a less than beautiful form; a form of destruction and evil (fire, smoke, covered in shadow). They're powerful like Morgoth, but only in doing his bidding...which kinda makes them his cronies.
Ilandir
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Post RE: Melkor's Minions- Balrogs
on: July 31, 2007 08:36
Balrogs are fire demons who were once Maiar. Melkor corrupted them before descending into Arda and they followed him with evil intentions.

As for their physical description, they are said to be man-like, although much taller and are shrouded in fire and shadow and their main purpose is to spread fear amongst Elves, Men and Dwarves alike when going into battle.
Figwit
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Post RE: Melkor's Minions- Balrogs
on: August 02, 2007 03:21
I've always wondered about how much 'corrupting' they actually needed. Seems to me that someone like Saruman, also a Maia spirit, is very easily persuaded to change teams - if so, perhaps the Balrogs merely thought 'What the heck, we're huge fiery spirits anyway, so let's go all the way'.

Also, there's something about the fire element that's dodgy in Tolkien's works... he seems to picture it rather one-dimensionally as an evil element. Perhaps the Balrogs, being spirits of fire, were doomed from the beginning?
Will_Belegon
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Post RE: Melkor's Minions- Balrogs
on: August 10, 2007 07:53
I've always wondered about how much 'corrupting' they actually needed. Seems to me that someone like Saruman, also a Maia spirit, is very easily persuaded to change teams - if so, perhaps the Balrogs merely thought 'What the heck, we're huge fiery spirits anyway, so let's go all the way'.

Also, there's something about the fire element that's dodgy in Tolkien's works... he seems to picture it rather one-dimensionally as an evil element. Perhaps the Balrogs, being spirits of fire, were doomed from the beginning?


But Olorin (Gandalf) is also a fire spirit. Indeed, this is part of the reason Cirdan gives him his ring.

So at least not all of the fire elemental maia were bent towards evil.

[Edited on 11/8/2007 by Will_Belegon]
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