Durin's Bane

**Durin's Bane** refers to the particular **Balrog** of Morgoth that had fled following the War of Wrath to dwell deep within the depths of the Dwarven kingdom of Moria.

Although its true name and particular history are unknown, this Balrog eventually became an important figure during the War of the Ring after being awakened by the Dwarves of Moria. It was not until the Fellowship of the Ring had passed through Moria and inadvertently reawakened the Balrog that it was finally slain in a great duel with the wizard Gandalf.

## Biography

### Years of the Trees and the First Age

Durin's Bane was one of the Maiar spirits that existed before the world was created (of the same race as Gandalf and Saruman), who descended into Arda with the Valar. It was eventually seduced and corrupted by Melkor, becoming one of the Valaraukar and joining with the other Balrogs in Morgoth's service. The Balrog likely fought in many battles of the War of the Jewels, up to and including the War of Wrath. It somehow managed to survive Morgoth's defeat, fleeing east and taking refuge beneath the Misty Mountains.

### Third Age

For more than five thousand years, the Balrog lay dormant at the roots of the Misty Mountains beneath the Dwarven kingdom of Moria. It remained undisturbed throughout the Second Age and most of the Third Age, until the Dwarves awoke it in 1980 of the Third Age when they mined too deeply and too greedily in their search for mithril. It slew Durin VI that year, and his son Náin I attempted to destroy it a year later in 1981. He was also slain by the Balrog.

In TA 2799 after the Battle of Azanulbizar, Thráin II wished to reenter Moria, but was stopped by Dáin Ironfoot, who alone had reached the threshold and saw the waiting Balrog.

In January of TA 3019, the Fellowship of the Ring traveled through Moria on their way to Mordor. There, they were attacked in the Chamber of Mazarbul by Orcs. The Fellowship fled through a side door, but when Gandalf, who was also a Maia, tried to place a "shutting spell" on the door to block the pursuit behind them, the Balrog entered the chamber on the other side and cast a counterspell. Gandalf spoke a word of command to stay the door, but the door shattered and the chamber collapsed.

The company fled with Gandalf, but the Orcs and the Balrog, taking a different route, caught up with them at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. At the Bridge, Legolas instantly recognized it as a Balrog, and Gimli recognized it as Durin's Bane. Gandalf, the only one capable of battling it, then commanded the rest of the Fellowship to flee across the bridge, where he then stood, blocking the Balrog's way. The demon's flames then seemed to die, but its shadow increased before attacking with its flaming sword, which melted into red-hot liquid metal when it met Gandalf's own sword, Glamdring. The Balrog then leapt onto the bridge, brandishing its whip, and in response Gandalf smote the Bridge before him with his staff. The staff broke asunder, a blinding sheet of white flame springing up, and the bridge cracked at the feet of the Balrog, who fell forward into the abyss. But as the Balrog fell, it lashed out with its whip, catching Gandalf and dragging him over the edge and into the darkness below.

After a long fall, the two crashed into a great subterranean lake, which Gandalf later said was as cold as the tide of death and almost froze his heart. The water quenched the Balrog's fire, reducing it to "a thing of slime, stronger than a strangling snake". Despite this relatively weak state, Durin's Bane renewed its attack on the wizard, and the two fought in the water, with the Balrog clutching at Gandalf to strangle him, and Gandalf hewing the Balrog with his sword, until finally the Balrog fled into ancient tunnels of unknown origin. There, Gandalf pursued the creature up the Endless Stair and onto Durin's Tower, where Gandalf finally prevailed and slew the Balrog, casting it down from the peak and sending it crashing onto the mountain side.

The ultimate fate of Durin's Bane is not known, as only its physical form died, as with all Maiar when they were "killed," but what happened to the spirit of the Balrog was not revealed. It is also unknown if it was the last of its kind, or if there were other Balrogs who managed to escape the War of Wrath and remained hidden in long forgotten places.