Do Balrogs Have Wings? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

mark12_30 · 01-10-2005, 04:38 PM

Child, you are eloquent, and thorough, and persuasive.

But if Balrogs were so groundbound, then why didn't Frodo (and the rest of the fellowship) just look at Gimli and say, "In the air?"

They had just as much reason to guess "Black Rider" as they did to guess "balrog". The reason they didn't guess "Nazgul" first is that they had no reason to suspect a Nazgul could fly; they'd always been on the ground before.

All the falling-from-mountainside arguments don't convince me. There are large birds that can fly, but need room, headwind and some luck to get off of the ground. (Canadian geese; swans.)

EDIT

You know, thirty years later, and here I am. Balrogs? I feel like a lounge-lizard. I can't believe I got sucked into this.

Wings, I tell you. Wings.

View Poll Results: Do balrogs have wings?
Yes	114	58.16%
No	82	41.84%
Voters: 196. You may not vote on this poll

01-10-2005, 04:38 PM	#11
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Child, you are eloquent, and thorough, and persuasive. But if Balrogs were so groundbound, then why didn't Frodo (and the rest of the fellowship) just look at Gimli and say, "In the air?" They had just as much reason to guess "Black Rider" as they did to guess "balrog". The reason they didn't guess "Nazgul" first is that they had no reason to suspect a Nazgul could fly; they'd always been on the ground before. All the falling-from-mountainside arguments don't convince me. There are large birds that can fly, but need room, headwind and some luck to get off of the ground. (Canadian geese; swans.) EDIT You know, thirty years later, and here I am. Balrogs? I feel like a lounge-lizard. I can't believe I got sucked into this. Wings, I tell you. Wings. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.