You shall not pass!

Gandalf the Grey, standing alone on the narrow stone bridge that spans the chasm before the First Hall of Moria, faces the Balrog—a creature of shadow and flame, Durin's Bane, an evil of the Ancient World. The Company has fled behind him, and the orcs of Moria press forward, but the true threat is this: a great form of man-shape yet greater, wreathed in darkness, its streaming mane kindled, bearing a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire and a whip of many thongs. Legolas wails 'A Balrog! A Balrog is come!' and Gimli, letting his axe fall, covers his face and cries 'Durin's Bane!' Gandalf, weary from his long struggle through the Mines and the counter-spell at the door of the Chamber of Mazarbul, nonetheless plants himself in the middle of the span, leaning on his staff in his left hand, while in his right Glamdring gleams cold and white.

The Confrontation and the Command

The Balrog halts, and the shadow about it reaches out like two vast wings. It raises the whip, the thongs whining and cracking; fire comes from its nostrils. Gandalf stands firm and speaks: 'You cannot pass.' The orcs fall still, and a dead silence descends. He declares himself: 'I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.' The Balrog makes no answer; its fire seems to die, but the darkness grows. It steps forward slowly onto the bridge, drawing itself up to a great height, its wings spread from wall to wall. Yet Gandalf can still be seen, glimmering in the gloom, small and altogether alone: grey and bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm.

The Clash and the Fall

From out of the shadow a red sword leaps flaming. Glamdring glitters white in answer. There is a ringing clash and a stab of white fire. The Balrog falls back, its sword flying up in molten fragments. The wizard sways on the bridge, steps back a pace, and then again stands still, repeating: 'You cannot pass.' With a bound the Balrog leaps full upon the bridge, its whip whirling and hissing. Aragorn cries 'Elendil!' and runs back along the bridge, Boromir shouting 'Gondor!' and leaping after him. At that moment Gandalf lifts his staff and, crying aloud, smites the bridge before him. The staff breaks asunder and falls from his hand. A blinding sheet of white flame springs up. The bridge cracks. Right at the Balrog's feet it breaks, and the stone upon which it stood crashes into the gulf, while the rest remains poised, quivering like a tongue of rock thrust out into emptiness.

The Aftermath and the Company's Flight

With a terrible cry the Balrog falls forward, its shadow plunging down and vanishing. But even as it falls it swings its whip, and the thongs lash and curl about the wizard's knees, dragging him to the brink. He staggers and falls, grasps vainly at the stone, and slides into the abyss. His last cry is 'Fly, you fools!' and he is gone. The fires go out, and blank darkness falls. The Company stands rooted with horror staring into the pit. Even as Aragorn and Boromir come flying back, the rest of the bridge cracks and falls. With a cry Aragorn rouses them, calling 'Come! I will lead you now! We must obey his last command. Follow me!' They stumble wildly up the great stairs beyond the door, Aragorn leading, Boromir at the rear. Frodo hears Sam at his side weeping, and then finds that he himself is weeping as he runs. The drum-beats roll behind them, mournful now and slow: doom. They run on, the light growing before them, until they pass through huge broken doors and suddenly before them the Great Gates open, an arch of blazing light. Out of the Gates they run and spring down the age-worn steps, the threshold of Moria, coming at last beyond hope under the sky and feeling the wind on their faces. They look back: dark yawns the archway of the Gates under the mountain-shadow, and faint and far beneath the earth roll the slow drum-beats: doom. Grief at last wholly overcomes them, and they weep long: some standing and silent, some cast upon the ground. The drum-beats fade.