Desdichado
Hero
Tolkien said in one of his Letters that they were definately the same thing. So at least at one point, he felt that way. Whether or not he maintained that opinion as the mythology evolved is unknown.
(LOTR) A poll from the LOTR site that failed there, but might be of interest here
Tolkien said in one of his Letters that they were definately the same thing. So at least at one point, he felt that way. Whether or not he maintained that opinion as the mythology evolved is unknown.
EOL
First Post
As far as Galadriel goes, first I agree with others she would never seek out the Balrog, it would ahve to come to her. If it did then it would be on her home turf and I think she would win. How you ask? I'm guessing that it would be in a fashion similiar to how Luthien and Melian(sp?) worked. Confusion, illusion, misdirection, putting it to sleep, luring it into Anduin, the great river and quenching it, all the while the Balrog being convinced that it was devouring the bones of the elves. That's how Tolkien would have written it I think.
trimeulose
First Post
No if tolkien wrote it he would throw the balrog a party that had nothing to do with anything and make it last 3 chapters. then when the best fight ever between Galadrial and the balrog took place, it would be given three lines. And the fight would last for 7 years.
Regarding the elves ability to withstand the balrog, only those who had seen the light of Aman (the two trees) in the first age would likely measure up. In the Silmarillion, Tolkien often mentions that elves who had seen the light had an innate power unachievable by others. Therefore, Galadriel and Glorfindel might have a chance but Elrond and Celeborn (both never having been to the west) would not.
Squire James
First Post
That's probably the key. If the individual in question had lived in the Uttermost West and hob-nobbed with the Valar, they have a decent chance of destroying a Balrog. Of the original list, this means Gandalf, Saruman, and Galadriel.
As for the "bad guys" on the list, we all know the cardinal LoTR rule: after an initial struggle to determine dominance, evil things work together. If the Witch-King goes out to talk to the Balrog with orders from Sauron, they might fight. The Witch-King inflicts a couple of hideous wounds, then gets the stuffing beat out of him. The Witch-King then notes how more powerful than himself his Master is, the Balrog considers for a moment (and keeps in mind Sauron was awfully high on Morgoth's totem pole), and decides to do what Sauron "asks". If it isn't too inconvenient.
Who would survive a fight with the Balrog would be a different question. If the Balrog gets even moderately lucky, I'd say all of them might die in the process of doing him in. The incredible thing about Gandalf was not that he defeated the Balrog, but that Mandos (the Vala in charge of the dead) let him go afterwards. I guess if Manwe says "jump", even Mandos asks "how high?". Then again, perhaps Maia can't really die at all (the corollary here being that Sauron and Saruman didn't die either)!
As for the "bad guys" on the list, we all know the cardinal LoTR rule: after an initial struggle to determine dominance, evil things work together. If the Witch-King goes out to talk to the Balrog with orders from Sauron, they might fight. The Witch-King inflicts a couple of hideous wounds, then gets the stuffing beat out of him. The Witch-King then notes how more powerful than himself his Master is, the Balrog considers for a moment (and keeps in mind Sauron was awfully high on Morgoth's totem pole), and decides to do what Sauron "asks". If it isn't too inconvenient.
Who would survive a fight with the Balrog would be a different question. If the Balrog gets even moderately lucky, I'd say all of them might die in the process of doing him in. The incredible thing about Gandalf was not that he defeated the Balrog, but that Mandos (the Vala in charge of the dead) let him go afterwards. I guess if Manwe says "jump", even Mandos asks "how high?". Then again, perhaps Maia can't really die at all (the corollary here being that Sauron and Saruman didn't die either)!
