Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Tolkien’s balrogs went through numerous tweaks over his years of writing, with some changes coming after we met Durin’s Bane in The Fellowship of the Ring! We cover this evolution, including how many balrogs there were!

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Flame of Udûn - Manuel Castañón
Balrog - John Howe
Bane of Durin - Jerry Vanderstelt
bridge of khazad-dum - kuliszu
Balrog vs Gandalf - Anato Finnstark
Two Valaraukar - Pete Amachree
Durin and the Balrog - Ralph Damiani
Balrog - Jerry Vanderstelt
Gondolin - Alan Lee
Luthien dances before morgoth - turner Mohan
Maeglin Captured - Catherine Chmiel
The Balrog - Olanda Fong-Surdenas
The fall of gondolin - mellorianj
Ecthelion and Gothmog - Sara M. Morello
Balrog - John Howe
Balrog - John Howe
Whip of many thongs - Andrea Piparo
The Battle on Durin's Tower - The Brothers Hildebrandt
balrog concept - WETA
The Balrog of Moria - Olanda Fong-Surdenas
Slime Balrog Concept Art - WETA
Angband - David Greset
Ruins of Moria - Anthony Catillaz
angband unleashed - dracarysdrekkar
Gandalf and Balrog - Daniel Dougherty
Morgoth Ungoliant Two Trees - Daniel Dougherty
Morgoth - CK Goksoy
Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, Confronts Fingon - Kip Rasmussen
Fingon and Gothmog - Ted Nasmith
Battle of Sudden Flame - Alan Lee
Battle of the dale - tulikoura
The Battle of the Five Armies - Alan Lee
The Fall of Azaghal - Joona Kujanen
The Siege of Gondolin - John Howe
Tuor - Lida Klavina
The last stand, ecthelion - dracarysdrekkar
Ecthelion and Gothmog - Abe Papakhian
Ecthelion of the Fountain - Daniel Dougherty
Gothmog Strikes Fingon Down - Joona Kujanen
Balrog - John Howe
Glorfindel And The Balrog - John Howe
The Bridge of Khazad-dum - Alan Lee
The Chamber of Celeborn and Galadriel - Miriam Ellis
Celeborn - Andrea Piparo
Across_Gorgoroth - Ted Nasmith
Sauron - Shadow of War
Professor Tolkien - Kinko White
Gandalf Balrog - Felix Englund
Dragons of Morgoth - Anato Finnstark
Hilly Lands - Felix Englund
Battle of Bridge of Khazad-dûm - Alan Lee
Cloudy view - Felix Englund
And Morgoth came - Jenny Dolfen
Orcs - Angus McBride
Balrog - Stephen Walsh
Red sunset - felix englund
Melkor vs manwe - felix englund
Anfauglith - Peter Xavier Price
Ainulindale - Kuliszu
Ainur, children of iluvatar - nahar doa
Melkor Morgoth - Soni Alcorn-Hender
Balrog Book Art - WETA Alan Lee
Gandalf and Balrog - John Howe
Balrog - Painted Dragon Studios
The Fall of Gondolin - Aronja Art
Ainulindale, Harmony - Anna Kulisz
Fall of Gondolin - Ralph Damiani
Glorfindel and the Balrog - Steamey
Glorfindel Battle Balrog - Alystraea
Ecthelion, lord of the fountains, gondolin - dracarysdrekkar
Durin's Bane -Olanda Fong-Surdenas
Ungoliant and Melkor - Olanda Fong-Surdenas
Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs, Confronts Fingon - Kip Rasmussen
Nazgul (FOTR Poster) - Karl Fitzgerald
Balrog - John Howe
Ecthelion vs Gothmog - Anato Finnstark
Balrog - JG Jones
Hurin - steamey
Balrog - Karl Fitzgerald