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In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the Balrog is a powerful and ancient demon of shadow and flame. The Balrog is portrayed as one of the Maiar corrupted by Morgoth during the First Age. On the other hand, in Tolkien's lore, the Balrog is shown as the same creature Gandalf later fights in The Fellowship of the Ring.
The show has been renewed for its Season 3 after its Season 2 dropped in 2024. The question that is circulating among the fans is whether the Balrog will be seen again in Season 3. According to reports, the creature's appearance seems unlikely in Season 3, and here is how.
Will we see the Balrog again in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3?
The Balrog first appeared at the end of Season 1 in a teaser scene, suggesting his awakening. When Durin III's mining disturbs the creature accidentally, however, he sacrifices himself to conceal it, keeping it from destroying Khazad-dûm.
The Balrog is expected to remain mostly dormant while the main plot focuses on the War of the Elves and Sauron’s rise in the Second Age, while only awakening in the Third Age. Khazad-dûm's fall is going to be a slow process, as suggested by the showrunner, as per reports. This confirms that they are saving the complete emergence of the Balrog for later seasons.
The showrunner, Patrick McKay, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, hinted that the fall of Khazad-dûm will occur over time and not immediately.
"I think a kingdom as great and powerful as Khazad-dûm does not fall in a moment,” he continued. "The fall is the product of many disasters over time. And I think it would sell Khazad-dûm short for the Balrog to get out, and then it’s all over. It’s more complicated. We think there’s a bigger story to be told here.”
Season 3 might allow Durin IV’s rule to unfold without another immediate Balrog confrontation, aligning more closely with Tolkien’s timeline. Therefore, his appearance in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 seems unlikely.
What do the fans think of the Balrog's appearance in Season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is confirmed and currently in production, and as the synopsis suggests, it is centred on the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the forging of the One Ring escalates. There’s no official word yet on the Balrog’s role, but given the narrative shift toward Sauron’s rise and the forging of the One Ring, a major Balrog arc might take a backseat, for now.
Reddit is buzzing with theories, some serious, others more playful:
“Khazadum-dum has a full 5-season arc planned out … Balrog will play into each season until the very end," a Reddit user commented.
On the other hand, some think that the Balrog will appear as an allegory for climate change in future seasons of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
"The Balrog is going to remain unseen and over time will become a lame allegory for climate change," another comment on Reddit reads.
Trending Therefore, we can conclude that the Balrog’s return in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is unlikely in the immediate sense. The show might be placing the Balrog back into slumber, aligning with Tolkien's timeline, so that other major events like the dwarves' stories get some time to develop.
However, the setup is clearly in place for its eventual return in a future season, as part of Khazad-dûm’s gradual downfall.
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