Thorin in the Blue Mountains

[Puddleglum]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

So in Middle-earth math, one Noldo > thousands of Dwarves?

Not as such. I think it's more a matter of match-ups. The greatest of the Eldar had the particular skill/talent/whatever to match up with a Balrog's particular strengths and weaknesses (whatever they may be), the Dwarves apparently didn't (at least in the setting of the Mines). That doesn't mean that an Elf hero would match-up so well against the strengths/weaknesses of an army of Dwarves.

It may be as simple as the Elves having a defense (lacked by Dwarves) against the Balrog's primary attack methods. Or, to use a slightly wacky illustration,

• Sissors (Dwarves) Cuts Paper (Elves)
• Paper (Elves) Wraps Rock (Balrog)
• Rock (Balrog) Smashes Sissors (Dwarves)

That is, in fighting, A Beats B and B beats C does *not* necessarily mean A beats C.

Of course, don't read too much into this illustration. In reality, Elves (esp Noldor) hold their own pretty well against Dwarves also.