Balin, Lord of Moria - Epic Character History

[@saladinbob]

Peter Jackson's version may have aged him up but the character was brought to life by a very good actor who really brought the charm, wisdom, and kindness of the character out. I think it is down to Ken Scott that Balin became everyone's favourite Dwarf in the Hobbit, right behind Gimli.

[@markstott6689]

It's Ken STOTT, not Scott. Just as it's Proudfoot, not Proudfeet.

[@jakeplayzrandomstuff4738]

My favorite is Thorin

[@Steel-101]

Balin is an amazing character. In my opinion he was handled perfectly in the Hobbit movies. His words of wisdom, The kind voice, and his level of patience. I think his best moments was in the unexpected journey & The battle of five armies. When he tells Bilbo the story of Thorins first battle with Azog(should have been Bolg) & when Balin was crying about Thorins dragon sickness.

[@jacob4920]

I also really dug the scene where he's scolding Thorin, for acting "cold" about Bilbo's fate against Smaug. You could just FEEL the judgment oozing out of Balin's eyes, when Thorin wrote Bilbo off as a simple "burglar," after everything the entire company, including Thorin, had just been through with Bilbo. "Bilbo...! His NAME is Bilbo!"

[@lorddarkrai5753]

Balin is literally the nicest guy in all of Tolkien's mythology.Really just really the happiest guy around because he just won't let himself be sad.He's so great.

[@orrointhewise87]

"Balin, at your service." My FAVORITE dwarf from Thorins company 😊 His particular fondness with Bilbo made him so endearing. Which also made his death so much more tragic. I wish he would have lived, and retook Moria with Gimli. A strong yet almost humble dwarf. I'd have a nice hearty meal with him any day

[@kaidorade1317]

Bilbo Baggins at yours

[@jacob4920]

@@kaidorade1317 That's what Bilbo said to Dwalin. What he said to Balin was: "Good evening." To which Balin replies: "Yes! Yes, it is... Though I think it may rain, later..."

[@Gigas0101]

I can almost hear the pain in your voice, and I feel it too. Moria was such a tragedy.

[@noneofyourbusiness5722]

Tolkien never laid out a timeline for the dwarves extinction, he simply said "until the world grew old". I like to think they are alive still in this age.

[@geviesanta3631]

Balin is definitely the most humbling dwarf I've ever known. Even when I only read the Hobbit at least once and when I loved him in the films. ❤❤

[@kitamibu]

My favorite part of the week is almost always your videos about The Legendarium. Although my favorite part of this week was Tues when my doctor called & said my cancer has shrunk! That means more years for me to be with my family & more Sundays watching your wonderful videos! I learn something new almost every week, so keep up the good work!

[@Comicnut64]

Let’s go another dwarf video and a epic character history let’s gooo yoystan!

[@ernestcampbell9319]

You are doing a FANTASTIC job on creating new content in spite of the fact that you have already covered "everything". Good Work!

[@sampletext9390]

It's just so wholesome that after every episode you take the time to find a teaching in the story at hand

[@kevind7396]

Nice job on the video. Balin is a great character---but we have to ask why he led the effort in Moria. Balin comes off as the wisest of the dwarves in Thorin's company in the "Hobbit" but he makes the most unwise decision between that book and LOTR. In any case, I mentioned last week I wanted a video on the petty dwarves and I am excited to see our gracious host announce that will be coming next week. Mim in the house! Thanks, as always, for one of the best ways to start the week.

[@angelortiz9341]

I love Balin, son of Fundin. He's such a good wise dwarf and his friendship with Bilbo is so important because he visits Bilbo in the Shire. Gimli even mentions Balin as his cousin and Gimli is also a descendant of Durin the Deathless. Balin is my favorite ❤ dwarf from Thorin's company when he tells Bilbo the tale of the Battle of Azanulbizar he fought in and how he warns Bilbo about the power of the Arkenstone 'That stone crowns all. it is the summit of this great wealth. Restoring power upon he who bears it. Would it stay his madness? No laddie, I fear it will make him worse. Perhaps it is best, it remains lost.' Balin is descended from his ansector Durin the Deathless.

[@paulwagner688]

In a way, the Sack of Erebor taught Balin Wisdom. Even at his young age. And those lessons helped him resist the Dragon-Sickness. But as one of Thorin's closest relatives, the call of Durin's Ring would addle his wisdom in the end.

[@kaidorade1317]

Honestly I can’t read The Hobbit then read about Balin’s death in Moria and not get choked up

[@JohnAmidon-c6r]

Understandable. 😔

[@Steel-101]

That’s the only thing I really didn’t like about the Tolkien lore. Some of the dwarves from the Hobbit get a terrible fate. I was never crazy about that.

[@kaidorade1317]

@@Steel-101 you’ve met with a terrible fate haven’t you

[@Steel-101]

@@kaidorade1317 excuse me? 🤨

[@kaidorade1317]

@@Steel-101 it’s a Majora’s Mask reference

[@socialaccount0000]

I can never take his name seriously, unfortunately. "Foolish Hobbit, I'm balling!" *Slam dunks above Smaug's sleeping form*

[@avaron_VR_Gamecat]

thank you for covering less popular characters that arnt as beloved because they are older Dwarves. ❤🎉❤🎉

[@intergalactic99]

Love mines. Love the Dwarves. Can i request an episode or series chronicling every single thing about the Dwarves, every word, everything! Love the channel, long time listener!

[@imaginemyshock8067]

Aragorn was about 58 when Balin established his dwarven colony in Moria, so presumably his previous journey through there happened before Balin arrived.

[@marionbaggins]

I am not joking *being another person saying this* Balin was my Favorite Dwarf from Thorin and Company!!! He was close to and Friendly to Bilbo and he was great!!! Glad Ken Scott, I saw in Narnia as Trufflehunter first, was a really lovely Balin!!! But man his Death hurt!!! Seeing/Reading him in Hobbit and then he dies before FOTR!!! Anyways, Thanks for my Favourite Dwarf's (Tied with Gimli) ECH, Until the Petty Dwarves... *Those Guys? (researching, and was Correct) Those Guys! From the Children of Hurin* Marion Baggins Out!!! P.s Done this Large thing of Mine *Well until the Afternoon, then I am done* My Mondays are Quiet Again!!!

[@markstott6689]

Ken STOTT, not Scott.

[@BC-lo6rf]

Excellent, if brief, character history. More of these are most welcome. Great channel.

[@spyrofrost9158]

For all of Balin's time-won wisdom, it certainly seems strange that, knowing what dwelled in Moria, he thought it was a good idea to forgo the warnings of Dain and lead a trusting force to their doom. Perhaps he thought that, if Smaug could be defeated and Erebor reclaimed, that anything was possible. But one dragon is still one dragon, and an unnumbered multitude of orcs plus a dark Maiar are something else entirely. I wouldn't be surprised if the thoughts of getting Mithril flowing again sparked some of his deep-set, subdued dwarven greed.

[@JonasFilberg]

Great video

[@CoffeeIceScream]

Love these videos

[@Erebusdidnothingwrongish]

I listen to chapter three of the first book every night to fall asleep. “Three is Company” just settles my mind. Sometimes I switch to “The Ring Goes South”. It's the Rob Inglis version and my personal favourite. I have read and listened to TLOTR about 100 times all the way through. It gives me comfort and I honestly always find something new to think about. I can't overstate how much I love these books. I sometimes listen to “The Hobbit” same voice actor; not as often but what a gift given to the world. When it says (forgive my spelling) “ and Dane did not give leave willingly he took.….ect to moria” I often wonder if they argued? As Dane was a king how did Balin get to leave and get so many to follow him? I know it says “We were trapped in a narrow place, and greater freedom and wealth would be found in Kazarddoom. ( spelling again ✌️I'm talking about Moria obviously. So how did he get past the king? I can't remember if they all shared the mountain after taking it. This is what happens every time I read or listen to “The Council of Elrond”. Just so you know I normally fall asleep as they do, by the tree in The Shire. I wake up (if I have slept well at The Ford of Bruanin lol I can't spell it I'm about to go to sleep. Does anyone else fall asleep to the book. What is your secret book that knocks you out? 💯❤️😈🤖🫡

[@EMH19812010]

👏👏👏

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

"Instead there was a very old-looking dwarf on the step with a white beard and a scarlet hood; and he too hopped inside as soon as the door was open, just as if he had invited. "I see they have begun to arrive already," he said when he caught sight of Dwalin's green hood hanging up. He hung his red one next to it, and "Balin at your service!" he said with his hand on his breast." -- The Hobbit, An Unexpected Party

[@DavidOfWhitehills]

I wouldn't bother laddie, it's more of a letter-opener than a sword.

[@roberthofmann8403]

Good vid

[@istari0]

I wonder what happened to Balin in the years after The Hobbit. He was wise in The Hobbit yet somehow in the years that followed he came to believe that somehow he could reestablish the Dwarves in Khazad-dûm when there was no reason to think that wouldn't mean confronting Durin's Bane.

[@Cheeseburger137]

Rip Balin

[@TheMan05555]

One of the few good things about the Hobbit trilogy.

[@TheEvertw]

I love how Balin was kind and accessible, yet he was a great Lord of his People. That is how a leader should be.

[@IanHeins]

Nice work dude thanks

[@Acromion11]

I know you don't really do ranking videos that often but I would love to see ranking (or some other form of comparison video) of 'great' kingdoms of Men, Elves and Dwarves. Regarding their military strength, economy, size, overall prosperity, etc. (Numenor, Gondor, Arnor, Rohan, Erebor, Khazad Dum, Lindon, etc)

[@timbotron78]

Excellent work

[@jacob4920]

Never thought much of Balin, after reading "The Hobbit." It was only after watching all three of the movies that Balin became a notable character, and by far my favorite of the dwarf company! He was not only well-written for those movies, but the actor who played Balin will be forever etched in my mind as the only one who could fill Balin's shoes! I understand those three movies cause a bit of a divide in the fanbase, but their good contributions to the lore must not be overlooked!

[@leifberg2638]

My favourite Dwarf from The Hobbit

[@TheGeneralGrievous19]

Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria. 🕯

[@vikingskuld]

Great video thank you

[@claytonbarnett7084]

Unless it's already been done, a video of the retaking of Moria by the Dwarves in the 4th age would be interesting.

[@neilbakshi7365]

I find it interesting that Balin was the dwarf who visited Bilbo in the Shire at the end of The Hobbit, when for the majority of the story, it was another dwarf who served as Bilbo's protector.

[@upschutt4842]

If Balin had not taken the quest of retaking their old kingdom upon him, would the fellowship have decided to go through the mines?

[@markstott6689]

The actor who played Balin was Ken STOTT, not as many seem to think, Scott. It's an old name peculiar to northern England and central Scotland. It possibly has norse ancestry. Why do people assume that a name that they don't know is spelt wrongly and change it? Apologies, but I've been dealing with it for 55 years and Ken Stott appreciably longer.

[@annaroselarsen4218]

Belin!

[@TheRoguePrince0]

Too quote jonathan from the mummy returns. "Where is all this stuff written?"

[@Didymus20X6]

That's because Jackson wanted to make Thorin the sexy one, to be a sort of Aragorn stand-in. I always thought Thorin would be more like Grandpa Simpson yelling at clouds.

[@shanenolan5625]

Thanks

[@Shaden0040]

Hey joyston can you or have you done an episode on mickel delving in the houses of Malvern? The place where Bibo stored his mythral male and sting between his adventures and when he took them on his own to Rivendell after his birthday party? what exactly was the place would it like a museum or was it more of a weapons store or what was it? were there other valuable items stored there? Who ran it was a curator? And what part of the Shire was it located in? I thought it was near West March but not in it like the other border of West March and the West farther

[@pandoraeeris7860]

True fact: my name in real life is Balin. I was named after this dwarf (or maybe the Knight of the Table Round by the same name).

[@duncansutherland47]

Long live Balin, Lord of Moria!

[@darbyelliott2890]

Can you please discuss the background story to The Black Gate of Mordor??? ❤❤❤ No one has done that yet!

[@JohnAmidon-c6r]

👍👍

[@Didymus20X6]

I just realized something: Balin's name sounds a lot like "BALLIN'! BALLIN' BALLIN'! SWAG!" {/jarlbalgruuf}

[@whiteknightcat]

Interesting speculation ... what if Balin had never journeyed to Moria and set up the small, temporary colony there? There would have been no clues for the Fellowship to find as they made their way eastward. How would that have affected their actions on their journey through the mountains? Would the outcome have been different?

[@miahconnell23]

Theories about why he thought replicating the success of the Lonely Mountain at / with Moria could be possible ?

[@avaron_VR_Gamecat]

Okay now for the real question... Who would win, if The Balron of Moria found a secret-tunnel and arose in Smaugs Lair inside the Lonely-Mountain, instead of finding Gandalf in the Misty-Mountain? Who would win Smaug or the Balron??? 🎉😊🎉

[@alexandermontejo9301]

After the defeat of Sauron did Dwarves retake Moria aid from Erebor?

[@Svinfylka]

I disagree that Balin would have been happier had he not returned to Khazad-dûm, rather he had 5 glorious years there at the end of his life. The whole time he was dreaming about the population returning and the full re-establishment of the realm. He was then struck down by the arrow before knowing the fate about to befall his friends. No, he died happy though ultimately that chapter ended sadly!

[@DisparityOfBeliefAndTruth]

Balin’s only job in the movie was to fill the viewer in with the back story by telling his tales to Bilbo.

[@Draconisrex1]

I really hated the way Jackson made the Dwarves look in The Hobbit.

[@erikfreeman2472]

🙂

[@pinkace]

It’s too hard for me to see Balin as ‘ambitious’. I can’t accept that 😢

[@ihatehandles69420]

Why not? Most humans have some ambitions and aspirations?

[@nickpeluso7511]

The main issue with The Hobbit films is that the dwarves aren't likable. Balin is pretty much the only one we care about.

[@HighPriestFuneral]

I thought Bofur was excellent, especially in the extended editions.