Editing Balrog (section)

==Context==
{{further|Tolkien's monsters#Fallen angels}}

According to the mythology in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', the evil [[Vala (Middle-earth)|Vala]] [[Morgoth|Melkor]], later called "Morgoth", corrupted lesser [[Maia (Middle-earth)|Maiar]] (angelic beings) to his service, as Balrogs, in the days of his splendour before the making of [[Arda (Middle-earth)|Arda]].<ref name="The Silmarillion p. 31" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, "Valaquenta"</ref><ref name="Of the Coming of the Elves" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1977}}, ch. 3 "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"</ref> After the awakening of the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]], the Valar captured Melkor and destroyed his fortresses Utumno and [[Angband (Middle-earth)|Angband]]. But they overlooked the deepest pits, where, with many of Melkor's other allies, the Balrogs fled into hiding.  When Melkor returned to Middle-earth from [[Valinor]], he was attacked by the evil giant spider [[Ungoliant]]; his scream drew the Balrogs out of hiding to his rescue.<ref name="Of the Coming of the Elves" group=T/>