Balrog of Morgoth, Me, Ink and Acrylic, 2023Submitted by GoblinSuplex t3_1088xh3 in creepy
Bojikthe8th t1_j3rupdz wrote
Reply to comment by TheBerraExperience in Balrog of Morgoth, Me, Ink and Acrylic, 2023 by GoblinSuplex
> and in no other instance in the legendarium do they have wings,
It doesn't say they don't have wings though.
>It would have been very advantageous for Balrogs to have flight, yet they never fly.
It never says they don't though.
>It is much more likely that the passage in LOTR refers to the darkness emanating from the Balrog filling the chamber. This would be consistent with other evil creatures in this world, of whom darkness emanates and envelops those around them.
No other creatures have their darkness described as wings. Whenever other creatures are mentioned to have wings (like dragons) they're still assumed to have wings.
pasher5620 t1_j3to1tc wrote
I get where everyone is coming from and I agree I like the interpretation of them to have wings, but let’s be real here. The text is very clearly stating that the darkness that the Balrog creates is similar to outstretched wings blocking the light. It’s not saying the demon itself literally has wings, just using a simile to describe it. I’ve always interpreted it similar to how Gandalf creates shadows when confronting Bilbo about the ring in the movie. He’s not actually blocking out the light with his body, his presence and power are absorbing the light to appear more threatening.
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