Balrog and The One Ring

[Marwhini]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Speculation is nice, but in this case the speculation is based on the Second Prophecy of Mandos and Dagor Dagorath, something that a Balrog hiding in the nether regions of Moria since the end of the 1st Age would know absolutely nothing about. For all the Balrog knew, Morgoth was gone for good, banished with the terrible retribution of the Valar (hence the Balrog hiding in fear of being found out).

And what did Sauron know about the Second Prophecy, or care for that matter? Using Morgoth as a prop to build a religion around would certainly be easier selling to the Numenoreans than erecting totems to himself, a prisoner of Numenor. No, by the time of the War of the Ring, it would seem Sauron's only interest was Sauron, of regaining the One Ring, and his mastery of Middle-earth, figuring that the Valar had abandoned the world once Morgoth was imprisoned, and imprisoned with a finality that was much different than when Morgoth was a hostage in Valinor (and Sauron remained the good servant, ruling in his master's stead).

As far as the Balrog and the One Ring, there is zero information that I can find. Who knows what it would have done? Rather like Smaug devouring Bilbo and having access to the One Ring, I can't see a being of such power and evil intent simply surrendering it to Sauron. Power begets power and greed overpowers all.

In Morgoth's Ring, and elsewhere (I will have a look around), Tolkien points out that No Ainur may be killed, nor their life ended by any but Eru himself.

Both the Balrog and Sauron would know this was well, both being products of the "Mind of God." So both would well know that Morgoth remained "Alive" (or intact), and simply beyond the "Circles of the World."

Both would know that Morgoth (and indeed many of his original Servants and Slaves) had previously travelled outside the Circles of the World into the Void, and returned (Morgoth even hiding there for a time from the Valar).

The only difference at this point would be his binding by the chain Angainor (and perhaps blindfolding and gagging, as he was when first brought into the Ring of Doom after his first capture by the Valar).

And they would know that the world was still Marred by his effused presence within the World as a consequence of the Ainulindalë.

So his returning to within the Circles of the World should not be such an outlandish thing to seek.

If Sauron was so certain that his Lord was gone forever, he would not have set-up the Númenóreans to the Worship of Morgothism, but would instead have made himself the object of veneration.

In the Metaphysics Tolkien imagines for Middle-earth, he actually uses the words "Luciferian," "Devil," and "Satan" to describe Morgoth.

In Christian Mythology, the Servants and Slaves of Satan do not abandon Satan, even though they know that Satan is trapped within Hell until the "End-of-Times" (In Dantë, Satan is trapped, frozen within the Ice of the Ninth Circle of Hell). Yet the Demons who remain "free" to travel between Hell and the Earth continue to serve their Master, even though he remains trapped.

Why would Middle-earth's "Satan" and Daemonic Servants have different roles?

And there does seem to be a somewhat rigid authoritarian hierarchy within Morgoth's Servants and Slaves.

As for what they would have done with the One Ring....

I don't know, exactly.

But I suspect that the Balrog's desires, goals, and intentions are different from Sauron's, regardless of whatever the relationship to the One Ring might be for either.


MB