June 9, 2002

About Balrogs
Loremaster

I agree with richard on the fact that the balrog couldn't do anything unless it was told to. Tolkien lets us know that Sauron controlls his minions with his mind. Notice in RoTK (the book) when Frodo and Gollum fight over the ring in Mt. Doom what happens? It says then all the energy of Sauron was focused on the Mountain and then the nazgul try to get there before the ring is gone. But if you remember that back at the battle all the orcs just stoped. it was as if thier masters though was no longer with them so they just stoped, no motivation, only the evil men continued fighting. And once the ring was destroyed the orcs all got confused and started going berserk. Once thier master's will was broken its like they then gained controll of themselves and saw Aragorns army and said "oh crap!" and then ran off. So I think the balrog was just kept there so that it would seal the only other way east other that Rohan (which would soon be at war) and Redhorn Gate (which he already convinced the travelers that it wasnt a safe way to go).Also the fact that it went after Gandalf was not so much that Gandalf was another Maia it was more because gandalf was the only one he could get to, note that both times gandalf confronted the Balrog it was because he stayed behind to protect the company.