Let's Get Some Truth about Balrogs

We don't yet know if there will be a Silmarillion movie but if there is then you will get to see all three of Tolkien's great monsters: giant spiders, dragons, and balrogs. The balrogs are fallen angels, which makes them demons. Tolkien even translates their name as "demons of might". Balrogs were pretty strong creatures. It took Gandalf over 10 days to kill the Balrog of Moria.

One of the weirdest things about Balrogs is how people argue over their wings and abilities. The wings were made of shadow or darkness. They were not real wings like those of a bird. But even so if a Balrog wanted to fly it could soar through the air like a great fiery creature. When Gandalf descended into the abyss with the Balrog he was surrounded by its fire. They fell for a long time which must mean that the Balrog's heat slowed their fall.

Essays about Balrogs

Here are some essays about Balrogs that are very good. They explain these things better than I can. The truth about Balrogs is that they were not supposed to be flesh an blood monsters like the dragons.

The Truth about Balrogs: Flying Away on a Wing and a Hair is a great essay that puts to rest once and for all the idea that Balrogs could neither fly nor spread their shadowy wings from wall to wall.

The Truth about How Balrogs Evolved Over Time is an essay that explains how J.R.R. Tolkien kept changing the Balrogs in his stories. You cannot use the older stories to explain the abilities of Balrogs in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.

Finally the Truth about Balrog Wings is one of the first blog posts I found about Balrogs and their shadowy wings.

All the Truth about Balrogs and their Wings at SF-Fandom. This is a forum that has a lot of great Tolkien discussions.

Do Balrogs Have Wings? The Truth about How they Fly is an older essay that has been cited all over the Web. This is not one of the better arguments but it's a classic.

More Truth about Balrogs: They Are Coming! is a pretty cool essay that takes on the subject.

The Truth about Balrogs Again is another good article from that blog that puts down the crazy ideas that people have about wingless Balrogs.

The Balrog Award: A True Essay about Balrogs and Wings gives some background for the first Balrog Award that was given to Andre Norton. Wouldn't it have been great if she and Tolkien could have worked together? She should have been an Inkling.

The truth about how long Gandalf and the Balrog fell in Moria is a great read too. You can find a lot of answers to questions on this site.

The Truth about the Hithlum Passage and Flying Balrogs is another great essay that explains the faults in a lot of arguments against Balrog flight.

A third point of view on Balrog Wings and flying is a good summary of the important points in the debate. I like this blog.