Killing the Balrog.....

[Mandos]

In TTT, when Gandalf and the Balrog is fighting on Zirak-zigil, Gandalf uses his sword to "hold" lightining in it and stabs the Balrog, killing him. How can this lightining kill a powerful servant of Morgoth?

[eleanor_niphredil]

Beats me. Magic Lightning? Powers from the heavens? Plain good luck?

[pherostien]

I thought the Balrog was shadow and flame. Why is the balrog a solid form?

[Mandos]

it seems that the balrog is semi-spirit, semi-physical. any other ideas as to what it is?

[Manwe Sulimo]

Do you really need this in two forums?<P>Easy answer to that question, though; the Balrogs were killed by weapons; Gothmog and the Balrog that Glorfindel slew were both killed by weapons, so had physical forms.

[Mandos]

haha. no we do not need it in two forums. i had a little mix up. how do i take it off one?

[Maeglin]

Are we absolutely sure he died? His body did no doubt. I cant remember what the book says...

[Mandos]

hmm..well the balrog was a Mai like Gandalf. that is a good question. i think that he did die though. look at the other balrogs that were destroyed in the Silmarillion. we never heard of them coming back. perhaps since they were evil, they dont get that chance

[doug*platypus]

To add to Manwe's answer, Gandalf's battle with the Balrog lasted from the time he fell, all the way down to the bowels of the earth, then back all the way up to the peak of Zirak-Zigil, and then some more. The final blow was just the killing stroke. Looked to me too much like a power up attack from some cheesy computer game, though. Maybe to boost sales of PS2's TTT game?? <P>If you haven't read the Good Book and are a little sceptical about the above paragraph, I hear the Extended DVD will clear it up. <P>The Balrog <B>definitely</B> died by the way, though I didn't see much of the "smote" or the "ruin" that Gandy was talking about. Once <B>again</B> PJ and co rip off a quote without taking it deeper than the surface.

[Alex Chamois]

Film is a visual medium. Don't you think the killing blow had to be visually spectacular to illustrate to the audience what was going on? An invisible power struggle worked once (the wizard's duel at Orthanc), but for the balrog, we needed to actually see Gandalf gather power and then strike. Besides, if they are made of the same stuff, and one has a physical form that can be damaged (Gandalf), then the other one has to too

[Maeglin]

Not neccesarley. Allthough Sauron survived his "death" and he was a mai too. Perhaps all the ancient balrogs who died are smiths inside Barad Dûr.

[the mortal elf]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> How can this lightining kill a powerful servant of Morgoth? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>You could argue that since Glamdring was out of Gondolin, where quite a few Balrogs got there tails whooped, that the lightning was reasonable. The lightning was a bit much to us know it alls, since we understand that Glamdring itself could get the Balrog. But our ignorant friends (i.e. non readers) would have no idea of Glamdring's origins (or about Gondolin at all) and would be confused if a 'normal' sword just killed this thing that Gandalf's been fighting with for hours/days (I don't know) in one stroke. Sorry, I know that's a very confusing explanation.

[Alex Chamois]

lol Maeglin<P>and good point, Mortal Elf