June 12, 2002

Intelligent Balrogs
Renee

Hey, umm, guys. You all keep saying that the bad guys can't do anything except what Sauron tells them to do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they actually have to be under Sauron's control in order for him to control them. Somehow, I never ever ever got the impression that they Balrog was under any control of Sauron's yet. Wouldn't he have then KNOWN about Frodo, just like the watcher in the water (to use someone else's example). I always got the impression that the Balrog, Smaug, and Shelob just weren't under Sauron's control. Atleast not yet. Besides, if he was under sauron's control, he would have gone after Frodo. I have to agree with Tavra. I think the Balrog was pretty darn intelligent.
Richard P: you say that the silmarillion says that evil things lose their intelligence when they chose to be evil. Where is that? I only remember it saying that they lose their ability to create.