Balrog Sprinters? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Finwe · 04-03-2004, 11:24 AM

Why don't we try not venting about the wings issue.

Since the Balrogs were spirits, normal laws of physics didn't apply to them. As much as we'd like the idea, they didn't teleport either. Urgency makes you work harder, and if you hear your master screaming like he's getting munched by a giant spider for dessert, you'd hurry up darn quick to go save him. Without a fana, an Ainu appears as a naked flame. Have you ever seen how quickly flames spread? Now multiply that by twenty or thirty or however many Balrogs there were. That's one damn big wildfire.

Son of Númenor · 08-27-2005, 03:37 AM

Quote:

...and now swiftly they arose, and passing over Hithlum they came to asunder the webs of Ungoliant...

For the record, I decided to count the number of times in The Silmarillion the phrases "passing over", "pass over" and "passed over" appear in the context of characters' travels. It turns out that, including the Valaquenta and the Ainulindalë but excluding Akallabêth and Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age (I got lazy), the phrases appear 32 times, and are used only twice in the context of flight (to describe the movements of Thorondor and Tilion). In retrospect this was an utterly profitless endeavour, although it is a (minute) dent in the argument of some pro-wingers. Thank you for your time.

The Perky Ent · 09-09-2005, 04:48 PM

I am now subscribing to a new version of the Balrog Wing issue. They have wings, but cannot fly. Instead, I have figured out Balrogs the way Tolkien wanted it: Balrogs are Hoppers. They travel by hopping, and using their wings to fly. They aren't flying, but they can travel over vast distances as if flying. Plausable?

obloquy · 09-09-2005, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Perky Ent

I am now subscribing to a new version of the Balrog Wing issue. They have wings, but cannot fly. Instead, I have figured out Balrogs the way Tolkien wanted it: Balrogs are Hoppers. They travel by hopping, and using their wings to fly. They aren't flying, but they can travel over vast distances as if flying. Plausable?

At last this issue can be put to rest.

04-03-2004, 11:24 AM	#1
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	Why don't we try not venting about the wings issue. Since the Balrogs were spirits, normal laws of physics didn't apply to them. As much as we'd like the idea, they didn't teleport either. Urgency makes you work harder, and if you hear your master screaming like he's getting munched by a giant spider for dessert, you'd hurry up darn quick to go save him. Without a fana, an Ainu appears as a naked flame. Have you ever seen how quickly flames spread? Now multiply that by twenty or thirty or however many Balrogs there were. That's one damn big wildfire. __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.

09-09-2005, 04:48 PM	#3
The Perky Ent Maniacal Mage Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Setting sail for Umbar, with Firefoot at my side! Posts: 3,297	I am now subscribing to a new version of the Balrog Wing issue. They have wings, but cannot fly. Instead, I have figured out Balrogs the way Tolkien wanted it: Balrogs are Hoppers. They travel by hopping, and using their wings to fly. They aren't flying, but they can travel over vast distances as if flying. Plausable? __________________ 'But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.'

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