“You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm. Shadow and Flame.” Those words, spoken by Saruman the White, are the first mention of the demonicBalrog named Durin’s BaneinThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. And when the Fellowship finally arrives atthe mines of Moria, they end up coming face to face with the Balrog, which is depicted as a massive figure composed of flames and darkness with two massive wings. But those wingshave been the subject of much debateamongTheLord of the Ringsfans, as some believe that Balrogs actually possess wings while others think it’s just a figure of speech.
The ‘Lord of the Rings’ Novels Don’t Specify if the Balrog’s Wings Are Real or Not
Most of the debate surrounding Balrogs' wings comes from the two lines of text inThe Fellowship of the Ringthat depict Durin’s Bane’s appearance. The first line is “His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings,” while the second line reads “…suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall.” With the first line,fans argue that the Balrog’s “wings” are merely an illusioncast by the shadows of its body, butother fans say that the second line clearly states the Balrog possesses a pair of functioning wings.
The Silmarilliononly throws fuel on the proverbial fire with references to two Balrogs who fell into an abyss. Some argue that these Balrogs lost their wings during the fall. Others say they kept their wings sincethey were once Maiar— angelic beings who fell under the thrall of theDark Lord Morgoth; nowhere in the book does it say anything about a Balrog losing its wings.It’s easy to see why this debate has been going on for as long as it has, and both sides arguably have a point.
Most ‘Lord of the Rings’ Media Depicts Balrogs As Having Wings
The great debate surrounding Balrogs' wings hasn’t cooled down, thanks to the multiple film adaptations ofTheLord of the Rings. InPeter JacksonandRalph Bakshi’s adaptationsofThe Fellowship of the Ring,Durin’s Baneis depicted with wings that are a clear part of its body.Jackson chooses to have these wings depicted as skeletal, leathery extensions of the Balrog’s body; in Bakshi’s film, the Balrog is a Manticore-esque creature with wings that spread out from either side of its body, resulting in a terrifying sight.
Jackson’s depiction would also influence Durin’s Bane’s appearance in the Season 2 finale ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.Althoughthat appearance sparked yet another fan debateasit wasn’t until the Third Age of Middle-Earththat Durin’s Bane made its presence known in Tolkien’s legendarium. Regardless, when people who have only seen theLord of the Ringsmovies think of a Balrog, they’ll think of a winged, flaming monster shrouded in darkness.
The Case For and Against The Balrog Having Wings
Despite the major debate, theargument for Balrogs having wings versus not having wingsis up to interpretation.The idea of Balrogs having wings not only makes them terrifying figures, but also ties intotheir backstory under Morgoth; those wings give them the appearance of a fallen angel. On the other hand, fans who say the wings don’t exist also build on the Balrog’s fear factor. All you know at the point Durin’s Bane emerges is that it’s a shadowy figure that drove the dwarves out of Moria — and when it appears, keeping it in shadow only underlinesthe battle that Gandalf is undertakingwhen he faces off against the fiery beast.
Fans would eventually turn toChristopher Tolkienfor clarification. After all, he helped edit many Tolkien books, and compiledThe Silmarillion.Surely he’d know the definitive answer, right? No, Christopher said thatthe matter was up in the air: “I myself never thought that the second mention of the ‘wings’ of the Balrog had any different signification from the first.” The debate about whether Balrogs have wings or not will probably rage on, butit’s refreshing to learn that the Tolkiens weren’t entirely too sure themselves.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
