The Hobbit, or There and Back Again question

well Balgrogs being maiar of fire that have fallen under Melkors corruption, and Smaug is just one of the Urulóki; mortal creations of morgoth.
My money is on a Balrog winning simply because them, being ainur, are much higher on the hierarchy of being in Eä.

Remember that all the Ainur, including those that entered into Arda thus becoming either Valar or Maiar, are each a part of the Mind of Ilúvatar, The single creator of everything. Maiar are sort of like demigods. Gandalf defeated the Balrog in Khazad-dûm, this is true. BUT remember that Gandalf is himself a maiar, known as Olórin in the Elder Days.

tldr; based on Tolkien's cosmological hierarchy, my money's on a Balrog.

Balrogs are fallen spirits of the Maiar corrupted by Melkor. They are demigods for all intents and purposes. Dragons, while very powerful, are still mortal.

Balrog wins

There were three battles occuring with Balrogs:

- Glorfindel vs. a Balrog: both perished
- Echtelion vs. Gothmog: both perished
- Gandalf vs. a Balrog: both perished

There were four battles with Dragons:

- Turin vs. Glaurung: Turin killed the dragon without dying himself
- Eärendil vs. Ancalagon: Eärendil killed the dragon
- Fram vs. Scatha: Fram killed the dragon
- Bard vs. Smaug: Bard killed the dragon

Can any conclusion be made from this? The Balrogs fought with two Eldar and a Maia, and all of them perished in the fight.
The Dragons fought with three men and a half-elf and none of the latter died in combat.
Do I really have to say it out loud? The Balrogs would win over dragons any day!

Raise your hand, anyone here's who's been on a date in the last five years.

Sweet geezuz.

I would say that Balrog could defeat Smaug, but I don't get how Gandalf can't, considering that he defeats Balrog? Old age?

A balrog would so win that fight, for all the reasons listed above. Great thread, btw.

I would point out that Smaug's primary weapon is fire, something a balrog would laugh at. The Balrog, being Maiar is almost impossible to destroy.

Also, I believe that Balrogs rode dragons at the battle of Gondolin.

Balrog for sure :)

Smaug would melt Balrog before he think of using his whip

no duh its smaug. hes a freaking DRAGON, is all. oh, and he can breathe fire, and fly, and talk, and smash thinhs with his toenails.

Wow I thought I was a Tolkien fan...but apparently I'm not as big a fan as you all are. I personally think Smaug would win he has the advantage of size and Benedict Cumberbatch...just saying.

You've all missed the OBVIOUS answer:
The fight would become a battle of riddles!
Smaug wins, steals the ring, and makes 3 more movies...

Balrog!

The Balrog wrecks Smaug. Dan just checkmated all the Smaug fans.

Balrog ftw. As noted above, Balrogs, though fallen, were originally angelic creatures, and Smaug was weak for a dragon.

Gabe has it right. He even left out that the Moria Balrog was one of the stronger ones. Had to be to have survived for so long. Smaug is weak as dragons go. He fled south to avoid stronger dragons. He might have handled a few dwarves is a surpise attack but he didn't last long when a unsurprised and prepared man was there.

Tolkien kept on changing his mind about how powerful a Balrog was, so it's hard to say.

But I'd say a draw. Both are pretty much fire-based and that gives them a degree of fire-proofing. So they would probably have a few rounds of breathing fire over each other and saying something like "hey, that tickles".

So then they would go at it with claw and whip ... mano a mano. Or should that be beasto a beasto? And after a while they would find that neither one was winning so they'd probably call it a draw and either go down the pub together to swap stories of evil-doing in dark places ... or they would retreat to their hidey holes and wait for easier prey. Being evil characters they would almost certainly have an element of cowardice tucked somewhere near their indestructibility and boundless hatred of anything cute and fluffy.

Sure, but I doubt that Balrog would be able to utilize that weak spot. Smaug!!!

I think Balrog would win because Smaug has a weak spot, despite his size, whereas it took a great wizard like Gandalf (and his amazing power, which led to his "upgrade" to white) to defeat Balrog!

only the black arrow can kill smaug. balrog has no black arrow. gandalf killed a balrog. why didn't gandalf kill smaug? so, smaug the stupendous :D

Balrog all the way.

SMAUG!!! He is totally awesome.

None of the above. Chernabog from Kingdom Keepers would beat them. He is based off of a bat-god called Cammazotz and the Minotar. Plus he's Disney!