The Lord Of The Rings: 10 Best Fighters In Middle-Earth Definitively Ranked

Gondolin is arguably Tolkien’s most evocative city. Nestled in a hidden vale in the Mountains of Terror, it was the jewel of the elves, and when it finally fell one of its Lords, Ecthelion, would be its greatest defender.

With Morgoth’s armies already inside the city, Ecthelion led an assault against the invaders, nearly succeeding in putting them to flight. And even when enemy reinforcements began to push him back, Ecthelion made the enemy pay for every foot gained, duelling and killing three Balrogs in combat.

As Morgoth’s dragons joined the battle the forces of Gondolin were at last forced to retreat. But not Ecthelion who, despite being wounded, made a last stand next to the Fountain of the King. There he faced Gothmog, the Lord of the Balrogs. Ecthelion held his own, and only when a wound left his sword arm useless did Gothmog gain the upper hand. In a last, heroic sacrifice Ecthelion drove the spike of his helmet into Gothmog’s chest, knocking the Balrog into the fountain and drowning them both.

It was an act to meet the highest expectations of any elf, and a stand that would be remembered as the most valiant “in all the songs or in any tale.”