Balrog size - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Kuruharan · 02-02-2002, 08:38 PM

YEEEEESSSSS!! Balrog size is one of my favorite axes to grind.
[picks up axe and starts to grind it]
I too have serious problems with gigantic 50' Balrogs. As Thingol said, the Balrog could not have been gigantic or else it would not have been able to exist in Khazad-dum for thousands and thousands of years. Case in point, the Chamber of Mazarbul. In the book the way that the room is described as being a rather small chamber, there is no way that a gigantic Balrog would have been able to even fit through the door much less stand up or even crawl around in the room.
Next case in point. If the Balrog was gigantic and stepped on the Bridge...well no wonder the Bridge gave way. Gandalf didn't cast a spell, the Bridge just succumed to the tremendous weight of the Balrog that had just stormed onto it.
Now I realise that there were undoubtedly halls and passages that were big enough for such a Balrog to live in, but I find it exceedingly hard to swallow that such a big Balrog would have been able to live in only the largest halls.
Next case in point. When Feanor was surrounded by Balrogs, if they were so monsterously tall why did they have so much trouble killing him? Why didn't they just stomp on him and be done with it? The same thing goes for Fingon in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Glorfindel's case would also fall under this category.
Well, anyway you probably get the idea.
[puts down the remains of his axe]
I guess the reason why I have such strong opinions on this is because there is a lot of artwork (and a movie) out there that depicts these mammoth Balrogs and I just think that's totally unfounded from the books.

02-02-2002, 08:38 PM	#7
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	YEEEEESSSSS!! Balrog size is one of my favorite axes to grind. [picks up axe and starts to grind it] I too have serious problems with gigantic 50' Balrogs. As Thingol said, the Balrog could not have been gigantic or else it would not have been able to exist in Khazad-dum for thousands and thousands of years. Case in point, the Chamber of Mazarbul. In the book the way that the room is described as being a rather small chamber, there is no way that a gigantic Balrog would have been able to even fit through the door much less stand up or even crawl around in the room. Next case in point. If the Balrog was gigantic and stepped on the Bridge...well no wonder the Bridge gave way. Gandalf didn't cast a spell, the Bridge just succumed to the tremendous weight of the Balrog that had just stormed onto it. Now I realise that there were undoubtedly halls and passages that were big enough for such a Balrog to live in, but I find it exceedingly hard to swallow that such a big Balrog would have been able to live in only the largest halls. Next case in point. When Feanor was surrounded by Balrogs, if they were so monsterously tall why did they have so much trouble killing him? Why didn't they just stomp on him and be done with it? The same thing goes for Fingon in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Glorfindel's case would also fall under this category. Well, anyway you probably get the idea. [puts down the remains of his axe] I guess the reason why I have such strong opinions on this is because there is a lot of artwork (and a movie) out there that depicts these mammoth Balrogs and I just think that's totally unfounded from the books. __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...