Would Fëanor Have Survived the Balrog Encounter if He Used a Polearm Instead of a Sword

[Rivvy Elf]

It is literary fitting that the person mightiest in works of skill is seen multiple times using a sword. Multiple times rather threateningly towards Fingolfin, in fact. A sword is a symbol of opulent craftwork, rarity, and wealth, and would naturally be the weapon of choice for the crafter of the silmarils. It is also the preferred weapon of the Noldor, but the Noldor used other weapons too. Everybody would have been equally aghast if Fëanor threatened Fingolfin with a halberd or a ge (Chinese dagger-axe)... though good luck with the surprise factor with a polearm.

But the wealthy symbolism of the sword is not the sole weapon of choice for great civilizations, nor is it necessarily the primary one. Before gunpowder, the spear was the king of all weapons in China. Inexpensive to make, yet a very effective weapon through formations and technique, one could feasibly outfit soldiers in the hundreds of thousands in 0 BCE (with armor only given towards the higher-ranking people of course).

The Romans' pilum was key in rending opponents' shields useless, then they would rely on their individual fighting with the gladius.

In the medieval ages, knights primarily used lances on horseback and polearms on foot in battle. It was the men-at-arms that were known for using swords. But the best warriors used polearms

The spear would be the weapon of the Vanyar, and it is tempting to point out the correlation of wisdom here, but that is tangential.

So for those who do not know, after Fëanor's father gets killed by Melkor, Fëanor leads a lot of the Noldor, kill a lot of the Teleri for their boats (who preferred bows), and heads into Beleriand. After a successful battle, Fëanor gets really cocky, speeds by himself ahead the rest of his host and eventually is by himself against pretty much all of Angband's best, which are the Balrogs.

Now in the Silmarillion, Fëanor gets surrounded and gets nearly beaten to death before the rest of his army catches up. When they do catch up, Fëanor says things and dies in epic fashion. I am inferring that he is using sword (and maybe shield) here.

Given that his forces would have eventually caught up, would Fëanor have survived if his primary weapon was a polearm? Polearms have reach, and effective practitioners are constantly mobile, moving, dictating the direction of the battle, and in some ways, actually a pragmatically better weapon than a sword if one was surrounded. For instance, if there was an enemy in front and directly behind you, a shift of the shaft and you can strike both enemies in rapid succession with a polearm/spear. With a sword, there needs to be extra movement. The issue here of course is that enemies could rapidly close the distance, but that's why a competent spearman relies on their extended reach and does their best to actively avoid being surrounded in the first place because their eyes are constantly active.

Yet at the same time... the balrogs had reach too with their whips and polearms did they not? So would Fëanor have survived the encounter with the balrogs long enough for his army to catch up if his preferred weapon was a polearm?

[Eldy Dunami]

It might have improved his odds, but not as much as an M16 would have.

[Rivvy Elf]

If only there were dwarves in valinor he could’ve consulted with. After all… if fireworks exist…

[Boromir88]

I was skeptical about the question at first, thinking I'm not sure a polearm would help much against multiple balrogs. However, Hurin wielded a two-handed axe, decimating Gothmog's troll guard:

Last of all Hurin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed; and it is sung that the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog until it withered, and each time that he slew Hurin cried: 'Aure entuluva! Day shall come again!" Seventy times he uttered that that cry; but they took him at last alive, by the command of Morgoth, for the Orcs grappled him with their hands, which clung to him still though he hewed off their arms; and ever their numbers were renewed, until at last he fell buried buried beneath thm. Then Gothmog bound him and dragged him to Angband with mockery. (The Silmarillion: Of the Fifth Battle)

Unfortunately, in Hurin's case, no army is coming for him, he "stood alone." But, if Feanor had a polearm, considering how long Hurin lasted, Feanor probably would have a better chance of surviving until his army came. Gil-galad wielded a spear. I recall somewhere in the Silm stating some of the Noldor wielded great axes and were more heavily armored. It wasn't Feanor's group, but one group of the Noldor seemed to prefer wielding great axes.

[Rivvy Elf]

@Boromir88 Gondolin's Rog and the Hammers of Wrath used war hammers and maces. Rog specifically used a mace polearm:

"Thereupon he lifted his mace, and its handle was long; and he made a way before him by the wrath of his onset even unto the fallen gate." -Book of Lost Tales 2, FoG

Then, in the Book of Lost Tales 2 they were the first ones who ever killed a balrog, and killed many of them. Also killed a lot of fire drakes as well. Book of Lost Tales 2 was before Tolkien condensed the number of balrogs down to 7 and presumably raised their power levels. However, the point is, polearm weapons wielded by very angry elves were effective against strong characters.

I find it sad that Eol could've made like multiple black meteorite polearms instead of the 2 swords he did make (or 1 sword and multiple meteorite polearms).