Posted: July 12, 2000 at 03:01:21: by Mordomin
We don't know that the Balrog wasn't under Sauron's influence. Indeed, Tolkien suggests that the Balrog was 'released from prison, or awakened from slumber' by the Dwarves, and attributes that latter possibility to the re-arising of Sauron.However, you are missing my point, which is 'what would the Balrog of Moria have done with the Ring had he gotten his grubby little corrupted Maiar paws on it'? I resist the notion that the Ring would have instantly overwhelmed it's mind with an urge to return it to Barad-Dur. Can you say 'Gollum'? More to the point, Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel all refused the Ring because while they could all wield the power of the Ring to defeat Sauron, it's inherent evil would cause them to set themselves up in his stead. The Balrog would have had no such scruples (granted, I'm assuming here) but would it have wanted to establish some sort of dominion over lesser creatures? I would say not. Balrogs do not display any tendency to set up independent 'kingdoms', nor any tendency to be anything other than 'shock troops'. Glaurung was more acquisitive by far than any Balrog, IMHO.
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