'Who would win? Balrog vs. Smaug': Lord of the Rings Fans Debunk Which LOTR Villain Stands Above the Rest

Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor

Jun 12, 2024 1:00 PM EDT

There's no shortage of bad guys in Lord of the Rings.

Although through the ages, there were several dark lords including Sauron and Morgoth (most notably and most evilly) who had large armies of henchmen, foul creatures, and literal demons at their disposal. For the good guys battling their evil ways, these bitter critters were the scourge of Middle Earth and the bane of every free folk's existence. But which right-hand creature was the figurative top dog?

As Silmarillion readers will attest, there is a ton of lore out there showing the strengths and weaknesses of every creature that graces the lands of Mordor, but somehow, during the Third Age of Men, Sauron's grip over the baddest of bad creatures slipped a bit as darkness fell into hiding–which leads me to the following debate. We know that the dragons were created as the right-hand creatures of Morgoth in the First Age and second to the dragons were the Balrog. But in modern LOTR lore, who would win?

Smaug the Dragon or the Balrog in the Mines of Moria? Keep scrolling to read the expert (and not so expert) opinions of LOTR lore-masters.