B is for Balrog
Hello,
“You shall not pass!”
Each time I read The Lord of the Rings or watch Peter Jackson’s cinematic adaptation, my breath hitches at those words. Few creatures in fantasy have left such a lasting impression as J.R.R. Tolkien’s demon-like creature cloaked in fire and darkness.
Balrogs are ancient beings who served the dark lord Morgoth in the First Age. They are intelligent, commanding, and immensely powerful. Balrogs are described as massive figures wreathed in shadow and flame, wielding fiery whips and swords. This gives them a fearsome, almost otherworldly presence.
The most famous Balrog is Durin’s Bane, of course, the creature that lurked deep beneath the Mines of Moria. When it emerges to confront the Fellowship, and Gandalf in particular, its arrival is a moment of pure dread, where the heroes’ lives and quest are seriously in jeopardy.
The terror and awe which the Balrog provokes is due both to its physical might as well as its ancient, supernatural power. It is not only strong but also cunning. And as we saw in the battle in the Mines of Moria, Balrogs are not creatures that can be defeated easily. Gandalf’s confrontation with Durin’s Bane is one of the most intense battles in fantasy. The fact that a wizard of Gandalf’s stature barely managed to take one down, and it cost him his life, or at least the first version of it, only adds to their legendary status.
Although Balrogs are unique to Tolkien’s world, similar creatures appear across modern fantasy. Fiery demons take clear inspiration from the Balrog. Whatever name they are given, these fiery demons embody the kind of power that can’t be reasoned with and often serve as the ultimate foes heroes must face when the stakes are highest.
Reference and further reading (or rather watching in this case 
): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM_MqWAqD7A; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBd1Z4ktL8
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