They are kicking of the lien with a statue from one of the most iconic scenes from Fellowship of the Ring. The sun shone fiercely there, but all below was wrapped in cloud. The sentence where Gandalf says “I threw down my enemy, and he fell from the high place and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin” is somewhat controversial for people interpret it in different ways. Thereupon, Gandalf smites the Balrog against the mountainside. It nearly broke me. The Balrog of Moria probably could not have been killed by a simple fall from a mountainside, but that is just a guess based on an earlier passage where Gandalf describes his faceless encounter with a powerful foe at the entrance to one of the doors to the Chamber of Mazarbul: Suddenly at the top of the stair there was a stab of white light. He leads Balrogs, Orc-hosts, and Dragons as Morgoth's commander in the field in the Fifth Battle, Nírnaeth … There Was A Lord Of BalrogsBalrogs aren't just independent spirits - no, they actually have (or had) a … Have you read our other Tolkien and Middle-earth Questions and Answers articles? As others have said, he didn't. He died, presumably of burns, wounds, exhaustion, and exposure. It talks of Glorfindel fighting several Balrogs, and killing them, even though he also died. Gandalf is one of the Mair, which would be some of the more powerful beings of middle earth, but nontheless, he was killed in defeating the Balrog. `As I stood there I could hear orc-voices on the other side: at any moment I thought they would burst it open. Thunder they heard, and lightning, they said, smote upon Celebdil, and leaped back broken into tongues of fire. But don’t stand here! Why Did Frodo Wait 17 Years to Leave the Shire? We also know that Tolkien had a manenr of writing instead something simply is, something is like something (I hope you understand what I mean). The entire battle, from the confrontation on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm to the mutual demise of the Balrog and Gandalf, had taken ten days. Gandalf < Olorin - independently of how Olorin the Maia compares to Balrog the Maia. Gandalf himself died during this ordeal, and … If the balrog is a creature from the first age, it would surely know of a wizards power. Shadow Box: Gandalf Fighting the Balrog! All I caught was ghâsh; that is “fire”. Gandalf was missing and assumed dead until Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas met him in Fangorn. We know that Gandalf besides making flashlight-like effect can use this light in more deadly manner: So given that the Balrog was able to survive a sudden cave-in, continue its pursuit of Gandalf, and then survive a fall into an unmeasured chasm only to land in water, subsequent to which it ran through unmapped underground chambers and then up 10,000 (perhaps figuratively numbered) steps of the Endless Stair to engage in a final showdown with Gandalf on the peak of the mountain — a confrontation which lasted for about two days (according to Appendix B) — well, it seems reasonable to conclude that the Balrog was not easily defeated or slain. Presumably the Balrog survived the explosion and cave-in as well. Here they fought for two days and nights. But in the Sil. Gandalf is a pretty good-looking guy, it’s … But I have met my match, and have nearly been destroyed. The Middle-earth Blog's RSS Feed (summaries only). Click here to follow The Middle-earth Blog on Twitter: @tolkien_qna. The One Wiki to Rule Them All is a FANDOM Movies Community. If you are writing fan fiction or a role-playing adventure you are free to use your imagination about what an Istar (Wizard) or Balrog is capable of doing. Gandalf the Grey† If it is true that Gandalf can't die, wouldn't the balrog know this? Did Sauron Die When the One Ring was Destroyed? Gandalf was burned by the Balrog's fire on the way down, then almost froze in the water at the bottom. Balrog still has a full power of a Maiar Gandalf is in a mortal form, very deliberately stripped of most of his power, as his role was not to fight Sauron but to advise Men and Elves on the fight. Well,Manwe appointed Gandalf's task to him.So I think he is the one who can decide what happens to Gandalf after the battle with the Balrog.As we know a Maia cannot die,so there is no reason of going to the Void.Gandalf just went to Aman where Manwe decided to return him to Middle-earth. Ice fell like rain. Combatants Gandalf pursues the Balrog down into the deepest depths and up to the highest peak. The colors of each of the five wizards denoted their rank in the Wizard's council; not power level as "gandalf" suggested. Gandalf versus the Balrog, also known as the Flame of Udûn or Durin's Bane is one of the most memorable moments from the Fellowship of the Ring. I threw down my enemy, and he fell from the high place and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin. He holds the titles of the Lord of the Balrogs, the High Captain of Angband, and Marshal of the Hosts. His subsequent reappearance has also … A great smoke of vapor and steam rose about them, and ice fell like rain. 'Name him not!' In the end, they mortally … For three days he lay in a trance, until he was found by the Windlord Gwaihir and carried to Caras Galadhon in Lothlórien, where he was healed and clothed in white, and thus became Gandalf the White, more powerful than ever before.[1][2]. January 25, 3019 The sun shone fiercely, but all below was wrapped in cloud, so that anyone watching from below would think they saw flashes from lightning and heard thunder. First Battle of the Fords of Isen War of the Ring That’s over! In the end, the Balrog was cast down and it broke the mountain-side as it fell. Tolkien's philosophy on working physical effects in the "real-world" of Middle-earth required that a spiritor will actually be a physical entity: Gandalf was a Maia, or angelic being, actually clothed in … You may read our GDPR-compliant Privacy Policy here. He was created by Ilúvatar before the Music of the Ainur, and was at the beginning of Time amongst the Ainur who entered into Eä. That is, “to throw down” means “to vanquish, defeat, slay” and “in ruin” means “in death, destruction, defeat”. How Long Did Gandalf and the Balrog Fall? Gandalf's body came back to life on February 14, after being dead for 20 days. Then darkness took Gandalf, and he passed away. Then darkness took me; and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell. Gandalf was burned by the Balrog's fire on the way down, then almost froze in the water at the bottom. 3019. Next Did Gandalf Really Die after Killing the Balrog? All the wall gave way, and the roof of the chamber as well, I think. He pursued his foe for days through dark tunnels, and then all the way up the Endless Stair to the top of Durin's Tower in the living rock of Zirakzigil , where the two engaged in a two-day long battle at the pinnacle of the Silvertine above the clouds. The “something dark as a cloud” description seems to agree with the later description of the Balrog, which was man-shaped but dark and enveloped in a darkness (that Tolkien figuratively describes as a “shadow”). ‘What it was I cannot guess, but I have never felt such a challenge. You will have to do without light for a while: I am rather shaken. As an Amazon Associate, Reflective Dynamics, Inc. (owner of Xenite.Org) earns commissions from qualifying purchases. On the basis of that inferential identification we can conclude that Gandalf dropped a lot of rock either directly in front of or on top of the Balrog as it stood inside the Chamber of Mazarbul. He fell a … Gandalf came flying down the steps and fell to the ground in the midst of the Company. Gandalf pursued the Balrog for eight days until they climbed to the peak of Zirakzigil. Gandalf kills the Balrog and then shortly thereafter succumbs to death, himself. The only description of the Balrog’s last moments that has been published to date is Gandalf’s brief account from The Two Towers: ‘There upon Celebdil was a lonely window in the snow, and before it lay a narrow space, a dizzy eyrie above the mists of the world. Gothmog is developed in successive versions of Silmarillion material. (that sounds stupid isn’t it hehe). After battling the Balrog for 8 days, Gandalf defeated it, but in so doing also died. said Gandalf, and for a moment it seemed that a cloud of pain passed over his face, and he sat silent, looking old as death. So, in Tolkien's morality, Gandalf can reveal all of his power when in battle with an equal—the Balrog, or Saruman. : I love the feeling and depth that shadow boxes have, and thought it would be a perfect way to display the fighting scene between Gandalf and the Balrog!Supply list:Red & white LED strips Switch Power connector Printed template Thick paper MDF Ca… In this article, we will uncover the secrets as to why this ancient being let go. He pursued his foe for days through dark tunnels, and then all the way up the Endless Stair to the top of Durin's Tower in the living rock of Zirakzigil, where the two engaged in a two-day long battle at the pinnacle of the Silvertine above the clouds. `Well, well! In fact, only the Balrog appears to have the kind of power this dark thing on the other side of the door wields, so it’s reasonable to infer that it’s the Balrog. And there are those hints that Sauron can affect the weather (,,governs the storms in the Mountains of Shadow”, and this passage in Two Towers, where storm ,,smites Vale of Anduin with hail and lightning” conveniently in places where ,,Sauron’s thought brooded for a while”, and Great Signal response from Minas Morgul, ,,blue flame and lightning”, Witch-king by the way is too rumoured to affect weather, and Osse making storms on the sea). The theatrical version of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy clocks in at nine hours and 18 minutes, yet there’s so much of J.R.R. Tolkien does not provide details on the cause of the Balrog’s death. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. The only description of the Balrog’s last moments that has been published to date is Gandalf’s brief account from The Two Towers: ‘There upon Celebdil was a lonely window in the snow, and before it lay a narrow space, a dizzy eyrie above the mists of the world. They fell from the sky because they were dead or dying and could no longer propel themselves through the air. Out he sprang, and even as I came behind, he burst into new flame. The drum-beats broke out wildly: doom-boom, doom-boom, and then stopped. I have, maybe stupid, question (another one, what’s with me?:). Where are you, Gimli? His subsequent reappearance has also brought into question as to who senthim back. How did Gandalf actually survive his ordeal with the Balrog? I've always wondered how Gandalf could survive the fall from the bridge of Khazad-Dum and keep on fighting, since pretty much anyone could had died in that fall. The burst of power and the collapse of the roof of the chamber is something beyond the capabilities of any other members of the Fellowship; and Gandalf merely comes “flying” (running) down the stairs. This Website does not collect personally identifying information for the sake of processing user data. Tolkien Invent for Middle-earth. Gandalf killed the Balrog's body on January 25 after two days of fighting on the peak and then died. It has to do with ancient history or history for that matter. Keep close behind, all of you!’ They fought in the water, with the Balrog clutching at Gandalf to strangle him, and Gandalf hewing the Balrog with his sword, until finally the Balrog fled into ancient tunnels of unknown origin. In his \"youth\", he became one of the Maiar who served Manwë, Varda, Irmo and Nienna named. In the LOTR, Gandalf fights the Balrog, but he dies doing so. He was associated with light and fire, much like his peer Varda. They caused a lot of light bursts, thunder-like noise, explosive impacts on the mountaintop, etc. Gandalf's fight with the Balrog of Moria has raised some questions as to whether Gandalf actually 'died'in the mortal sense of the word. So those dates should be remembered when reading Gandalf's account of the battle with the Balrog. January 15: 'Come, Gandalf, tell us how you fared with the Balrog!' Bilbo’s yell had done that much good. Gandalf's body lay on the peak for nineteen days, until he was resurrected by Eru and sent back to Middle-earth alive to complete his task. However, Tolkien uses these expressions (“threw down” and “in [something’s] ruin”) in other passages where it is clear that he is using figurative, almost poetic language. ‘But what would they say in song? Something to note, Gandalf is not a normal person, he is an Istari, a group of being sent by the Valar to assist the peoples of Middle-earth in their battle against Sauron. Conflict Summit of Zirakzigil at Durin's Tower Go on! A great smoke rose about us, vapour and steam. He was, however, particularly robust, and clearly far more than an ordinary human body with a Maia inside it. The two other passages I can think of where Tolkien describes a creature falling and hitting something “in its ruin” are the descriptions of the deaths of Ancalagon the Black and Smaug, both of whom were mortally wounded as they flew through the air. However, the Balrog was from another conflict entirely, completely unrelated to the conflict at hand (Balrogs were from the War of Wrath in the First Age, I think), and as such, Gandalf was effectively unfettered. Worse that he kept chasing the Balrog, so this may be a hint that he didn't even break a leg. Since Gandalf himself died as a result of the duel it is doubtful he would have used less than his full power against his enemy; and the Balrog itself must have used all of its power against Gandalf. Gandalf's fight with the Balrog of Moria has raised some questions as to whether Gandalf actually 'died' in the mortal sense of the word. During the battle, Durin's Tower was destroyed and the entrance to the Endless Stair was blocked. How Many Creatures did J.R.R. Please read, the destruction of Beleriand in the War of Wrath, Why Does Gandalf Leave Bilbo and the Dwarves in, Tolkien and Middle-earth Questions and Answers, You may read our GDPR-compliant Privacy Policy here. If you are one of the millions of people who watched the Peter … He looks good for his actual age of several thousand years. Date Those that looked up from afar thought that the mountain was crowned with storm. What Happened to Gimli after he Sailed Over Sea? The Balrog is a being of the same order. They fought in a narrow space upon Celebdil, above the mists of the world. - Quora. Place Why Did Saruman's Uruk-hai Come Out of Pods? Then there was a dull rumble and a heavy thud. Battle of the Peak If the balrog was watching the fellowship and knew they had the company of a wizard, why would it intentionally choose to fight even though it has a chance of losing? Come ahead with me! When Did They Evolve? Balrog (Durin's Bane). So while you might view his return as ‘cheating’, his death as such certainly isn’t – and adds a layer of complexity which Tolkien would have avoided if he had wanted to. For an instant the door left my control and began to open! The Lord of the Rings – Gandalf vs Balrog Statue stands over 31″ tall standing on a diorama base of the Bridge of the Khazad Dum. History is written by the winner and it is not always truthful. Something dark as a cloud was blocking out all the light inside, and I was thrown backwards down the stairs. Yet his ways often took him to Nienna, fro… Gandalf was an immortal being...a kind of demigod. On the peak they fought for three days and two nights from 23 to 25 January T.A. Previous In fact, Gandalf’s battle with the Balrog seems rather tame compared to the destruction of Beleriand in the War of Wrath. The Balrogs incarnate body was destroyed or broken as a result of the fall but the wording implies that he was already dead or mortally stricken by the time he hit the mountainside. Gandalf pursued the creature for eight days, until they climbed to the peak of Zirakzigil, where the Balrog was forced to turn and fight once again, its body erupting into new flame. Casualties In fact, when Gandalf gets his promotion to being the White, he has the natural authority to even cancel Saruman's power. There was no difference there. When Gandalf died fighting the Balrog, he was sent back 20 days later to take the place of Saruman who had been corrupted. This story within the story is genius. It laid hold of the iron ring, and then it perceived me and my spell. Gandalf could have slain the balrog and simply survived. Because it wasn't that easy. ,,But not Gandalf. Gandalf died shortly after fighting a fiery ancient demon balrog. Imagine two armies of such great and powerful beings clashing and blasting away at each other for decades (NOTE: Not all of Morgoth’s Maiaric followers were Balrogs). The battle had left Durin's Tower in ruins and caused the destruction of the Endless Stair. I could not hear what was said; they seemed to be talking in their own hideous language. Anyway, is it possible that Maiar and Valar can just harness the lightning at will (another hint is Finwe’s death, his body somewhere in HoME is described as being burned like by lightning, and Sauron’s downfall when his dark shape is ,,lightning crowned”). The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_the_Peak?oldid=267484, Тау шыңдары шайқасы (Cyrillic) Taw şıñdarı şayqası (Latin), Битка на врхуc (Cyrillic) Bitka na Vrhu (Latin), Чўққисига Жанги (Cyrillic) Cho'qqisiga Jangi (Latin). What is the Hithlum Passage and Why Is It Important? Death of the Balrog (Durin's Bane); Death of Gandalf the Grey; Destruction of Durin's Tower and the Endless Stair Then something came into the chamber – I felt it through the door, and the orcs themselves were afraid and fell silent. Gandalf pursued the Balrog from the depths of Moria. 'Come, Gandalf, tell us how you fared with the Balrog!' There are a lot of fan-made theories behind the death of this supernatural creature such as him being too weary of the battle, or he wanted to die in order to enhance his power. The counter-spell was terrible. Sauron doesn’t have a physical form. In the Second Battle, Dagor-nuin-Giliath, he leads a force that ambushes Fëanor and wounds him mortally. Originally called Olórin, he was accounted as the wisest of the Maiar (with the possible exception of Melian). Gandalf the Grey In the end, the Balrog was cast down and broke the mountainside with its fall. ANSWER: J.R.R. He is physically massive and strong, and in one version he is some 12 feet tall. That proved too great a strain. Outcome Nonetheless, the details of the struggle are not provided. Uploaded in the highest quality possible. Once you sign up you should receive a confirmation email you must reply to. Attack on the Woodland Realm – Sauron's assault on Osgiliath – Weathertop – Balin's Tomb – Durin's Tower – Amon Hen – Fords of Isen – Attack of the Rohirrim – Battle of the Hornburg – Isengard – Ithilien – Battle of Osgiliath – Siege of Gondor – Battle of the Pelennor Fields – Dale – Battles of Lórien – Mirkwood – Cirith Ungol – Black Gate – Dol Guldur – Battle of Bywater. There was none to see, or perhaps in after ages songs would still be sung of the Battle of the Peak.’ Suddenly Gandalf laughed. It had wakened him up wide in a splintered second, and when the goblins came to grab him, there was a terrific flash like lightning in the cave, a smell like gunpowder, and several of them fell dead.” Does that mean, he, you know, can shoot lightning?? I had to speak a word of Command. ‘ said the wizard struggling to his feet. Tolkien does not provide details on the cause of the Balrog’s death. (The short version is they're supernatural beings sent by higher powers) By dying when he did, Gandalf had not completed his task of helping to defeat Sauron. Why Does Gandalf Leave Bilbo and the Dwarves in The Hobbit? `I have done all that I could. They wielded great power in their full wrath and were capable of causing considerable destruction to the landscape. There they fought until at last Gandalf threw down his enemy, and the Balrog broke the mountain-side as it fell. He wields a black axe and whip of flame as his weapons. ANSWER: J.R.R. Tolkien merely glosses over the back-and-forth of the fight; and he does not describe what Gandalf and the Balrog were actually doing to each other. Search all subdomains on our site. Why Do You Say that Balrogs Evolved? Some ISPs, like Charter, Century Link, or Spectrum have blocked emails from Xenite.Org in the past. … The entire battle sequence between Gandalf and the Balrog from The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Two Towers. The door burst in pieces. In the movies, after passing the bridge, they clearly had another staircase to climb, a very large one: The Balrog could have easily caught up with them on the stairs. Have a question you would like to see featured here? Balrog (Durin's Bane)† Prime 1 Studio is launching a new line of statue based on The Lord of the Rings films. After their fight at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, Gandalf and the Balrog both fell into the deep chasm. Ohh yes I see this with my mind, hehe. Is not that enough? The Battle of the Peak was the climax of the fight between Gandalf the Grey and the Balrog (Durin's Bane) atop Zirakzigil after they ascended the Endless Stair from the depths of Moria. Go on! Gandalf (the character in the book) did not return significantly more powerful. In the fight against Sauron, Gandalf had to play by certain rules, and couldn't bring his full power to bear in the War of the Ring. In other words, one would have to assume that Tolkien was departing from his (probably) subconscious idiomatic rules in order to mean something other than “I defeated my enemy, and he fell from the high place and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his destruction.”. The balrog had 4 options 1: go around, gandalf destroys the bridge when he is out of whip range 2: storm the bridge and hope that he can make it(the logical choice which unfortunately didn't work due to bad luck and gandalf's quick reflexes) 3: just stare gandalf down - gandalf was prepared to wait there for weeks while the fellowship escaped. 'Long time I fell,' he said at last, slowly, as if thinking back with difficulty. Gandalf fighting Balrog “The Demon of the Ancient World” is my favorite part of the Lord of the Rings. What Was the Source of Gandalf’s Fireworks? Go on! The entire fight with the Balrog, from the bridge until the demise of the Balrog, lasted for 10 days. What do you think?:):). Results appear on search.xenite.org. He was just as powerful before defeating the balrog as after. Could the Lord of the Nazgûl Have Defeated Gandalf? Skirmish in Balin's Tomb