Do Balrogs Have Wings?

[h890ttfyit]

Some say yes. Some say no. Some say they have wings that can't be used for flight. What is your position on the debate, ... do balrogs have wings?!!

Personally I think that balrogs don't have wings because of stories of balrogs falling great distances and not using their flight to stop the decent. The Balrog of Moria being an example.

And as for the maybe they have wings that don't work argument... remember that the balrogs were originally Ainur... why would the offspring of Ilúvatar's thought have such a flaw in design?

Discuss.  

[Fuin Elda]

There is a very special word that I think solves this in LOTR...

and it is 'like'

'and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings' is the exact quote. Like. To be similar or near the same. So the later use of 'it's wings is dependent upon that statement.

Also a chasm (which is what the room is based about)is VERY large length wise, and still excessively long for wings if it were to be done width wise (30 feet I believe), and it also states that the shadow filled the room wall to wall. Now a chasm is at least 100 feet long (I think this was the old standard) long and a balrog is by Tolkiens own writing only perhaps 7 to 8 feet tall (not that monsterous beast in the movies) As they are maiar which is exactly what Gandalf is. Tolkien would know this every word he placed in the book. I highly doubt that he'd put in a 'like' and then put in a part about it being 50 foot wings each (which is completely impossible on a 8 foot being). Cold they be 15 feet each and cover it? Yes but bridge building over a 100 foot chasm would be.... well dangerous at best impossible at worst (remember they aren't building with modern tools but hammers and picks and mortar and stone!)