June 14, 2002

Help With Referencing
Brett C.

May I again plead with anyone who knows of a reference to the Balrog where Tokien wrote of the demon retreating into the depths of Moria because of the arrival in Lorien of Galadriel and the Elven Ring, following the loss of Amroth and Nimrodel.

Richard, I think you overestimate the Balrog's power when you speak of him attacking Gondor or Lorien. It is perhaps an arguement for the Demon's intelligence that he stays in Moria, because launching that sort of campaign would have been suicidal. If Sauron, a more powerful being, could not yet do so [ and he'd had 980 years to amass his power when the Balrog was released], I doubt the Balrog would have succeeded. Especially since he would also have been facing The Lord of the Rings himself - Sauron did not suffer rivals gladly. Leaving Moria would just have made him a target, whereas staying in the mines means his enemies would have to come in and dig him out, a much tougher propositon.