Prime Video’s decisions with season 3 of The Rings of Power seem odd, but they don’t actually contradict J.R.R. Tolkien’s original stories. The show has faced a lot of criticism lately because many changes feel unnecessary – things like altered timelines, strange romances, and characters disappearing without explanation. But the recent choice to give Balrog a voice isn’t as big of a deal as some people are making it out to be.
Although we haven’t seen it yet, a talking Balrog will appear in season 3 of The Rings of Power. This was revealed at the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con panel, where Simon Pegg was announced as the voice actor. The Balrog is expected to be an important figure in Sauron’s process of making the One Ring, with the Dark Lord even seeking its advice on how to forge it.
Balrogs have never spoken in any movie or TV version of The Lord of the Rings, and Tolkien’s original writings don’t show them having conversations either. That’s why some fans were surprised to hear an actor voicing one. However, it makes sense that a Balrog would talk to Sauron.
Why Having A Talking Balrog Makes Sense In The Rings Of Power
Tolkien didn’t explicitly state that Balrogs could talk, but evidence suggests they once had the ability. This is because Balrogs weren’t always the monstrous creatures we know. They began as Maiar – powerful, angelic beings who could change shape and served alongside the Valar in both Valinor and Middle-earth. In fact, characters like Sauron, Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and the Blue Wizards are also Maiar, and they all clearly possess the power of speech.
Morgoth, Sauron’s former lord, was unable to create life – a power exclusive to the world’s creator god, Eru Ilúvatar. Instead, he focused on twisting and ruining existing creatures. He transformed Elves into Orcs and powerful spirits called Maiar into terrifying Balrogs. The exact methods of these corruptions remain unclear, but the change for the Balrogs likely happened gradually over time. This brings us to our current question: how long did these corrupted Maiar retain their ability to speak?
Since Balrogs were able to speak when they were spirits, there’s no strong reason to believe they lost that ability when they became creatures of darkness. They simply may not have had a chance to speak in the scenes where they appeared in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. This hasn’t been a point of discussion before, but the idea presented in season 3 of Rings of Power is logically consistent with existing lore.
The Rings Of Power Could Trigger Another Big Balrog Debate In Season 3
As a movie critic, I’ve been thinking about whether Balrogs could actually talk, and it brings up a bigger issue: the Balrogs we see on screen – both in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy and now Prime Video’s The Rings of Power – aren’t really true to Tolkien’s original vision. It’s not just about whether they had wings, which is a debate everyone knows. Tolkien specifically described them as being ‘man-shaped,’ albeit enormous, with bodies formed entirely of shadow and burning hearts fueling their fiery weapons. The on-screen versions feel like a significant departure from that core description.
While it feels strange to picture the Balrog from the screen – a huge demon with horns and wings – actually talking, a dark voice coming from the Balrog in Tolkien’s books doesn’t seem so far-fetched. Because Rings of Power has made its Balrogs look like those in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, whether or not they speak will be a major point of discussion for fans. Ultimately, it depends on how the show handles it. If the conversation between the Balrog and Sauron doesn’t feel awkward or forced, audiences might be more willing to accept it.
Why Sauron Needs A Balrog’s Help To Craft The One Ring
One odd decision in Rings of Power involves why Sauron seeks out a Balrog. Apparently, the Dark Lord needs advice on using fire to forge the One Ring. Because Balrogs are powerful creatures of flame and shadow – and also ancient beings like Sauron himself – it makes sense he’d consult one to ensure his plans for such a dangerous weapon would work.
Tolkien never explained exactly how Sauron made the One Ring, so any movie or show depicting its creation needs to imagine the process. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films originally planned to show Sauron using his own blood to forge the Ring on his finger. Since the Rings of Power series already showed him using blood to create the Nine Rings, it’s likely season 3 will follow a similar method. However, the process probably involved more than just that.
It’s probable that the Balrog will inform Sauron about Mount Doom’s power to forge and unmake the One Ring – something Tolkien didn’t fully explain. The trailer for The Rings of Power season 3 shows Sauron then using Feanor’s hammer, and while this approach seems plausible initially, we’ll have to see how Prime Video develops this interesting new direction in the story.
2026-07-28 20:10