Will the Dwarves' Mithril Mining Wake the Balrog in The Rings of Power?

**Warning – Spoilers ahead for The Rings of Power**

This week’s Middle-earth entry saw Elrond discover what his friend Durin and the other Dwarves were mining in Khazad-dum and we reveal if the Dwarves’ mining will awaken the Balrog.

Episode 4 also saw Bronwynn and Theo arrive at the Elven tower while Arondir was tasked with delivering a message from Adar. Additionally, Galadriel joined forces with Miriel and the Numenoreans to stand against Sauron’s forces in the Southlands.

Developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay for Amazon Prime and based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, The Lord of the Rings, The Rings of Power will be set thousands of years before The Hobbit and its successor, starring Robert Aramayo, Morfydd Clark, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, and many more.

• MORE: Is Sauron’s Sigil in The Rings of Power a Map or an Eye?

Will the Dwarves’ Mithril Mining Wake the Balrog?

Yes, according to Tolkien lore, the Dwarves “delved too greedily and too deep” into the mines of Khazad-dum, awakening the Balrog that lurked in its depths.

Lord of the Rings fans will remember the demon from Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring, when it attacked the party in the Mines of Moria and dragged Gandalf to his presumed death on the bridge. We later found out in The Two Towers that Gandalf slayed the Balrog and returned from the Valar as Gandalf the White.

We already have confirmation of the Balrog’s appearance in the series, thanks to previously released trailers for The Rings of Power, and that presence will likely be felt next week during Episode 5.

Does the Balrog Kill the Dwarves?

**Spoilers ahead**

Yes, during the Balrog’s appearance in the Third Age, the Dwarves were not able to sustain the power of the demon and many Dwarves were killed, including Durin VI. The monster was later known as Durin’s Bane.

We know that The Rings of Power is practicing a condensed timeline in the narrative, however, we won’t know if this outcome applies to Durin IV’s fate, as The Rings of Power is currently working in the Second Age and Durin VI’s defeat took place during the Third Age.

Since Durin IV is thought to be a main character of the series, it is possible that they may introduce an original encounter with the Balrog with ties to the source material.

• MORE: The Rings of Power Episode 5 Release Date, Time and Plot Preview

How Many Episodes are in The Rings of Power?

The Rings of Power has eight episodes to bulk out its Season 1 debut on Amazon Prime.

The series is scheduled to release every Thursday/Friday on Amazon Prime, and the following schedule confirms the finale will air on Friday, October 14, 2022.

Below, we have provided the show’s release schedule in full with dates to mark in your calendar. We will also update episode titles as they are announced:

• Episode 1: Shadow of the Past – Friday, September 2, 2022
• Episode 2: Adrift – Friday, September 2, 2022
• Episode 3: Adar – Friday, September 9, 2022
• Episode 4: The Great Wave – Friday, September 16, 2022
• Episode 5: TBA – Friday, September 23, 2022
• Episode 6: TBA  – Friday, September 30, 2022
• Episode 7: TBA – Friday, October 7, 2022
• Episode 8: TBA – Friday, October 14, 2022

By Jo Craig – [email protected]

The Rings of Power is now streaming on Amazon Prime.