Unleashing the Fury: Balrog’s Failure to Satisfy Tolkien’s Most Pressing Mystery

The Great Balrog Debate: Can They Fly or Not?

For years, Tolkien scholars and fans have been debating a seemingly simple question: can balrogs fly? It’s a question that has sparked intense discussion and analysis, with some arguing that the text explicitly supports flight, while others claim it’s open to interpretation.

At the heart of the issue is the description of the balrog in The Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien writes: "the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings," as the balrog squares up with Gandalf on the bridge of Khazad-dûm. But is this language meant to be taken literally, or is it a metaphorical description?

One camp argues that the use of the word "wings" in this context is unequivocal proof that balrogs can fly. However, another perspective suggests that Tolkien is using a poetic device, describing the balrog’s shadow as wings to emphasize its size and intimidating presence, rather than indicating literal flight.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the new Amazon series, has a balrog that looks strikingly similar to the one in Peter Jackson’s Moria, complete with curved horns, a skull-like face, and great winged appendages. But can it fly? The show hasn’t provided a clear answer, leaving fans to continue debating.

Ultimately, the question of whether balrogs can fly or not may never be definitively answered. The textual evidence is open to interpretation, and fans can choose to take one side or the other, or even hold both ideas simultaneously.

So, can balrogs fly? The answer is… up in the air.

Here are some key points to consider:

• In The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien describes the balrog’s shadow as reaching out like two vast wings, but doesn’t explicitly state that it has wings or can fly.
• In The Silmarillion, Tolkien refers to balrogs as "flying with winged speed" and "passing over" a great distance, but some argue that this language can be interpreted as metaphorical rather than literal.
• The balrog in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has winged appendages, but its ability to fly is left ambiguous.

What do you think? Can balrogs fly, or is it a matter of interpretation? Let us know in the comments!