Gandalf's Speech To The Balrog & What It Means | Tolkien Explained
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2023
- The brand new Magic: the Gathering The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth releases June 23, 2023! Check out the card packs here: spr.ly/LOTRxNotR
In today's video, we go line-by-line through Gandalf's speech to the balrog, explaining the meaning and significance of his words.
Gandalf and the Balrog - Matthew Stewart
Gandalf v Balrog - Dzmitry Yakhouski
Gandalf and Balrog - JG Jones
Flame of Udûn - Manuel Castañón
Gandalf and Balrog - Daniel Dougherty
The Bridge of Khazad-Dum - Anna Kulisz
The Balrog - Ted Nasmith
Balrog - JG Jones
Gandalf Balrog - Felix Englund
Gandalf - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf the Grey - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf - skullb*st*rd
gandalf - Jenny Dolfen
Mithlond - Sara M. Morello
ainur, children of iluvatar - nahar
birth of valar - skullb*st*rd
Ainulindale, Harmony - Anna Kulisz
Iluvatar's Mighty Theme - Anna Kulisz
Eru Iluvatar - Janka Latečková
Ainulindale, The last chord - Anna Kulisz
the music of the ainur - aegeri
Ainulindale - Alystraea
Eru and the Gods Singing the First Song of Creation - Kip Rasmussen
Eru Iluvatar (and_the_Ainur) - Šárka Škorpíková
green elves - Turner Mohan
iluvatar's mighty theme - kuliszu
Melkor Weaves Opposing Music - Ted Nasmith
The Dawn of the Firstborn Elves - Ted Nasmith
Aule and the Seven Fathers - Ted Nasmith
fathers of the dwarves - steamey
Aule the Destroyer - Ted Nasmith
The Dwarf Lords - Ralph Damiani
And Morgoth came - Jenny Dolfen
origin of the orcs - Turner Mohan
Misty Mountain Orc - Olanda Fong-Surdenas
Gandalf - aegeri
gandalf - John Howe
Gandalf - Kinko White
Legolas and Gandalf - Catherine Karina Chmiel
Balrog - John_Howe
Gothmog - Anastasiya
Gandalf and the Balrog - John Howe
Bane of Durin - Jerry Vanderstelt
fingolfin facing morgoth - Tolman Cotton
Gandalf the Grey - Kinko White
Gandalf, A Light in the Dark - Matthew Stewart
Gandalf and the Balrog - John Howe
The Elven Rings - Ralph Damiani
grey havens - Tolman Cotton
Gandalf and Shadowfax - Ted Nasmith
Cirdan, Lord of the Falathrim - Peter Xavier Price
Cirdan - Alystraea
Gandalf - Catherine Karina Chmiel
Gandalf and Frodo - Ivan Cavini
Gandalf - Rafael Damiani
Ringbearers - Jenny Dolfen
Galadriel - Ted Nasmith
Gandalf at the Doors of Durin moria - Dzmitry Yakhouski
mountains - felix englund
glorfindel with elrond and gandalf - alystraea
Grey Havens - Alan Lee
JRR Tolkien - skullb*st*rd
Gandalf Balrog - Felix Englund
Moria - John Howe
Gandalf - Elrodimus Flash
The Bridge of Khazad-dum - John Howe
Gandalf - Catherine Karina Chmiel
The First Dawn of the Sun - Ted Nasmith
Of Sun and Moon - Šárka Škorpíková
Balrog - John Howe
fingolfin vs morgoth - Matt Leese
Fingolfin vs Morgoth - Šárka Škorpíková
Arien - Lída Holubová
Morgoth and Fingolfin - YidanYuan
Anfauglith - Peter Xavier Price
Anar - the Sun vessel - Matěj Čadil
Lungorthin - Anastasiya Cemetery
Balrog - Daniel Govar
The Balrog - Ted Nasmith
Balrog - John_Howe
Balrog - John_Howe
Gandalf - Daniel Dougherty
Dark valley - Felix Englund
Battle in the distance - Felix Englund
dramatic clouds - Felix Englund
Battle of Sudden Flame - Alan Lee
Balrog - John Howe
balrog - Kinko White
Balrog - Jerry Vanderstelt
Beren and Luthien flee Angband - Pete Amachree
At the Bridge - Ted Nasmith
Gothmog - Steve Airola
Gandalf book Mazarbul - Matthew Stewart
Lord of the Eagles - Tuuliky
Fionwe - Marya Filatova
Angband - skullb*st*rd
Gandalf v Balrog - Dzmitry Yakhouski
khazad-dum - CK Goksoy
Gandalf and the Balrog Upon Celebdil - Ted Nasmith
#gandalf #lordoftherings #balrog 
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The brand new Magic: the Gathering The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth releases June 23, 2023! Check out the card packs here: spr.ly/LOTRxNotR
Be careful talking about it! Wizards of the Coast might hire a mercenary group link the Pinkertons to harass your neighbors and family!
Black Aragorn lol
No thank you I had enough of the insults to the memory of Tolkien
No. Just no.
Just an insult
Arguably THE Gandalf moment, at least when he is showing off his great Istari power and not getting high with hobbits.
😂😂
Gandalf the high is no more!
Def a moment Ian Mckellan was casted for.
Followed by his battle with 5 Nazgul upon Amon Sul. His meeting with the Witch-King at Gondor could have been epic as well, but I know why it wasn't as Tolkien had his reasons for why it went down the way it did.
REAL talk:
Is there "weed" in middle-earth? Lol did Tolkien smoke?
Everyone focuses on Gandalf here, but what I find equally profound is the effect it has on those even with lesser knowledge of it. Legolas drew his bow but dropped his arrow mid action, and "he gave a cry of dismay and fear" and wails aloud, yelling in fear that 'a Balrog has come!'
Gimli, very possibly the stoutest and dwarfiest dwarf in Middle Earth, actually _drops his axe_ and covers his face in fear. Amazing storytelling.
_"A Balrog." Muttered Gandalf. "Now I understand." He faltered and leaned heavily on his staff. "What an evil fortune! And I am already weary."_
but Gandalf had lived this exact moment before: way back when the Bolrog and he were singing in the music of the Ainur
But, Boromir, a simpe man got in front of the Balrog and made it hestitate.
@@rhorynotmylastname7781 Boromir can't be had by a nasty fire ape.
@@calencrawford2195 To be fair, he did had the Horn of Gondor, and that is not to be taken lightly
@@rhorynotmylastname7781is this true? I'm not very knowledgeable on LOTR stuff
Basically Gandalf said, "I know what you are--a servant of Melkor from the first age of Middle Earth. But I am your equal. If you try to fight me, you're not leaving alive."
Indeed, they were so evenly matched, they killed each other. Their battle was so legendary, Eru Ilúvatar brought Gandalf back to life and gave him a promotion.
This is the best summary of this event I've ever heard!
It really, really wasn't because their battle was so legendary. It was because Gandalf was needed.
@@martavdz4972 It's interesting because Eru did not want to get rid of Melkor, rather he understood Melkor's creations would inspire other, more wonderous works from the other Ainor. There's a passage where Eru basically calls Melkor a whiny b* per, "And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined."
The unbalanced part of this is that only Eru can "alive.exe" things. So by attrition Eru will always be able to choose which Ainor's vision is made manifest. Which is a bit frustrating for me, I'd rather it be a democratic process or even a music theory dork one. A tritone is present in all dominant+7 -> tonic resolutions. Basically the other Ainor can take the discord of Melkor's machinations and just force them into a chord progression which resolves to peace. Such, Gandalf's resurrection could have been a synthesis of the Balrog and Grey Gandalf. Personality wise, I would wager this is the case. Gandalf the white is more cunning and assertive, IMO.
@@martavdz4972 Do you take everything so literally? Always gotta be one weirdo doing this in the comments.
@@kaipakta817why should Eru have any balance whatsoever?
Two immortals, once of the same kin, coming face to face centuries after they were first divided by the conflict of light a dark. To the casual audience it's an amazing David and Goliath style clash between an old wizard and a huge demon, to those who know the lore it's a reckoning thousands of years in the making where an angelic being vanquishes a an evil traitor.
It works fantastically on both levels, that's what makes for great depth.
Imagine how both glorious and terrifying the battle between these two would have been if they duelled in their divine/angelic forms outside of Eä.
Millennia really... 😉
It's more like Goliath and Goliath's nicer cousin.
@@raziel0111 What gives a good contrast is the "they took shape after that manner which they had beheld in the Vision of Ilúvatar, save only in majesty and splendour". In Eä they didn't have that look, save from the vision. The Dressing Of Power in Valinor would be something to behold, though.
The Balrog does use his "dress", but the Istari were “forbidden to reveal themselves in forms of majesty, or to seek to rule the wills of Men or Elves by open display of power.” Maybe during the battle in Zirakzigil Gandalf finally shed his body cladding before he smote down the Balrog.
@@BBBrasil I like to think that once he was out of sight of the mortals, Gandalf cut loose a little. Afterall, he was specifically banned from matching _Sauron_ power for power, no one except Iluvatar could have anticipated him running into Morgoth's last surviving Balrog. I imagine he was afforded some leeway, so long as they didn't bring down the mountains, or lay open any fiery pits in their fight.
A point I really like is that Gandalf uses 'can not', rather than 'will not' or 'shall not'. He's not saying that the balrog might try and fail, chooses to but is rebuffed, but just that it is impossible for it to do so.
It might seem a small thing, but as Tolkien was both a linguist and a stickler for detail, I think he chose those words to convey that exact meaning.
Which begs the question of why Gandalf chose to confront it. If it could not leave Moria then they could have destroyed the bridge and run, or just run. The balrog was too big to pass the tunnels they used. They leave Moria almost immediately after the confrontation.
@@I_Don_t_want_a_handle My guess is this was a confrontation he lived for. It was possibly more important than leading the Fellowship, this opportunity to potentially destroy an evil Maiar, second only to defeating Sauron himself. He very quickly forgot about everything else and focused on the Balrog. Interestingly, Aragorn was one of the few that recognized the importance of the duel, but could not explain it to the rest of the Fellowship. They presented this in the movie pretty well, where Aragorn almost seemed triumphant while the rest of the Fellowship were devastated by the loss.
@@jaysmith8957 I don't think so: we're told that in Gandalf's youth he didn't want to be chosen as an Istari, because he was afraid of Sauron. A Balrog though, is an evil of the first age and shouldn't be Gandalf's responsibility at all: he and the other Istari are to set themselves opposite Sauron. Gandalf in particular is of the opinion that he is meant to fight the Witch-King of Angmar.
In point of fact, the Balrog did leave Moria, but at the point where it was dying "I threw down my enemy, who smote the mountaintop in his ruin."
Anyway, I always took it was "you cannot pass" because I, Gandalf, servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor, will not let you. He's listing the source of his power almost as credentials and reasons that "the dark fire will not avail you." Also, Gandalf IS good with words -- see the embassy with the Mouth of Sauron, or his back and forths with Saruman -- and a Balrog is not immune to doubt.
I'm have to disagree with regards to "can not" vs. "shall not". Ian McKellan's delivery of "YOU..SHALL NOT..PASS!" was just too good.
@@1guncrazy1 The films and books can and should be taken on their own merits, and I love both. I think it's a miracle that any film adaptation of the books could do them justice, but the combination of cast, direction, costume and props, music and everything else that went into the huge undertaking that was the film trilogy actually pulled it off. Gandalf/McKellan's line on the bridge in the film definitely gave me goosebumps :)
I was around six or seven when my mom read lotr to us as a bedtime story. I was so inconsolable after Gandalf fell that she showed me the chapter title “The White Rider” and said something like “Now who does that sound like?” I put two and two together and was finally able to sleep 😅
You little cry baby.
That is adorable. Thank you for sharing your small story.
Praises to your mom for her choice in literature.... Thoughtful, competent parents aren't commonplace.
Wholesome.
Did you enjoy Tom Bombidil?
This is such a genius moment of storytelling in the Lord of The Rings. Just imagine being one of the fellowship members, more so the hobbits, looking at their old familiar Gandalf, challenging such a terrible beast with light and words that they have never seen or thought him capable of. It is a moment of great wonder for the characters, who see the true nature of their companion in his final moments with them.
P.S: Can you imagine being present at the time the Fellowship was published, reading it first hand, and then discovering that it ends like THIS! It must have been unbelievably shocking to the readers and I can only imagine the kind of anticipation that must have consumed them in the wait for the Towers.
I always see this moment from the perspective of the Hobbits. They perhaps just thought of Gandalf as a jolly old man who had his fireworks and his clever tricks, and maybe even Frodo didn’t take him too seriously. But now to see him wreathed in fire and light, commanding such power and authority. What a surprise!
@@Drabkikker I think you kind of answered yourself with that comment :D. Obviously tolkien didn't write this. Booksellers did.
@@DrabkikkerI mean pipin saves faramir, maybe not as ‘heroic’ as helping slay the Witch King, but still an incredibly important moment in the story that shows his own heroism in a different light. Just my thoughts 😊
@@NoName-mo8yt Pippin faced Sauron in the Palantir, deceiving him into turning his attention westward prematurely, thus making the defense of Minas Tirith and the destruction of the ring achievable.
@@Drabkikker Damn spoilers!! More please!!!
I read a cool observation made by a commenter on another video. Notice that after Gandalf announced who he (Gandalf) was, the Balrog IMMEDIATELY (look back at the film scene), reached up to its full height and drew its sword to engage in battle. It immediately realized the class of opponent it was up against and was getting ready to fight another Maiar. Blink and you'd miss it, but such a cool detail with an ever cooler backstory.
I never noticed that but it is a very good detail to notice and I love it!
I love the idea that only the balrog even comprehends what he's saying. His words are so old and cryptic as to call upon the creation of the world, possibly the last event both spirits were present at. Full circle, a battle of two fires, and two immortals meeting again in forms now constrained to the physical world
So, Gandalf wields the fire of creation and the light of the sun against a being of literal hellfire. Makes perfect sense to me.
He also has the implicit backing of the setting's God to do anything he feels is necessary, so long as he doesn't match Sauron power-for-power. This is more so after he dies and comes back, because Iluvatar loosened his limits a bit in recognition of him being the only Wizard that stayed on mission. Once Saruman went rogue, Radaghast went native, and the two Blue Wizards did...whatever they did, and meanwhile Gandalf was going toe-to-toe with a demon from the dawn of time, it became pretty obvious who was going to get the job done. Hence Gandalf coming back from the dead, and hence the promotion to White Wizard.
@@dmgroberts5471 Indeed. Eru had found the right wizard to put his money on, so he gave Gandalf the ultimate power boost he could give. The rest was up Frodo and Sam, with just a little nudge to make sure Gollum fell of the platform on Mount Doom, with the ring.
That's why the Balrog chose to fight in caves so gandalf couldn't use his power of Magnatism
@@dmgroberts5471 "Force ghost"
No, they both were related beings who once both had the same fire of creation. My son pointed this out to me. We're both Tolkien fans. He has autism, and has experienced a lot of bullying and injury his whole life, so maybe that's why he sees things like this. Anyway, if you notice, everyone in Tolkien's works were good beings at some point. The ones that became evil, became evil when they were injured. The orcs, remember, were injured elves. The Balrog was kin to Gandalf, but had been injured. Gollum, even, was an average Hobbit, who became lost and injured by the people who didn't like him. This is throughout all the books, and I think something on Tolkien's mind most of the time.
It's crazy to think that it's hard to decide (at least for me) which is more epic, this scene in the books, or this scene in the movies. Obviously it's only as epic as it is because it was written so amazingly by Tolkien, but wow, Peter Jackson did such a good job putting this to screen.
It was so well done especially when dubbed w/ the fall/fight/climb ITS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHEN U SEE IT WHATEVER U IMAGINED SOMEHOW THE SCENE BECOMES THAT SOMEHOW AND YOU FEEL LUCKY THAT UR WITNESSING IT SO SURREAL …… I showed my Mom just recently for the first time and she was in awe it made me overwhelmed I actually teared up SOOO CRAZY
I am the snobby as all hell Tolkien OG. I actually refuse to count people who are fans because of the movies as "true fans". Yup, I am that ass hole. But this scene in the movie was done with total accuracy and "canon" dialogue. He did an incredible job!! Absolutely fantastic!! Everything that went on in the Fellowship film before the mountain pass pissed me off. I came close to walking out of the theater. But I didn`t and hung in there. Every scene was wrong. Every single one. But the disaster at the pass was really good as well. So from there on he did stay much closer to the story, and I have to tip my hat to PJ. But then came Two Towers and he is making Gimli a bufoon, Aragorn dragged off a cliff?? WHAT?? Just made no sense at all. All in all the films were very different, and one time was enough. I have only seen each movie once. I do not want Viggo (who I love) in my head. Same with McKellan. My Gandalf is the dark and deep eyes that were keen and daunting. Not as tall as Aragorn or Elrond and Glorfindel, but had broad shoulders. His nose is long and sharp and his face is lined with long labor.
I thought Peter Jackson changing the final "you cannot pass" line to "you SHALL not pass" made it such a powerful moment, made that much stronger by Ian McKellen's perfect delivery of the line. It was Gandalf saying to the Balrog that 'no matter what happens: you're NOT passing this bridge'. And he was right.
I must have seen than scene a few dozen times by now and it still gives me chills.
@@ArchEvil666 Couldn't agree more, after rereading it, and realising it didn't have the 'SHALL', I was like 'damn, I feel like it needs it' haha
Peter Jackson's work is the best LotR ( and Hobbit ) to date. imo.
I love that Gandalf's words are, in essence, an indictment of Morgoth and all his works. The Balrog is an impressive creation, a great and terrible force, but even Morgoth's finest craft is nothing but a twisted husk of the true Creator's power. Thus, as we see, the icon of Morgoth's might lashes out at Gandalf, only to smash uselessly against his fire, falling back with its weapon broken.
They killed each other. That is hardly an indictment of the Balrog for being ineffectual.
@@richardmather1906 Not in the original version. Gandalf almost died shortly after the fall but when the Balrog fell to the deep lake of the Moria, the water quenched the Balrog's fire, reducing it to "a thing of slime, stronger than a strangling snake".
They latter started to fight again, but the Balrog fled through a Tunnel and Gandalf pursued it for eight days until they reached Zirakzigil and fought for three days and two nights.
So yeah, in general the Balrog tried to run after it fires died and became bascially just a demon with burning tar rather than flesh
@@josetapia9606 Gandalf did die in the book. He tells us this. He says he was sent back.
@@richardmather1906 Hmm - you don't know the story? - might be wise to read or watch it - spoiler - Gandalf kills the Balrog.
@@womblissimo6666 I first read the story in 1972. And read it many times thereafter. Gandalf and the Balrog both die. Then he is "sent back" as he describes it.
This truly enriches my understanding of the Tolkien universe. Every bit of dialogue has a deeper meaning & needs to be “unpackaged”. This confrontation is “epic”! Many thanks!!!
💯💯💯
Just like the rings of power gave homage to Tolkien
not
Yep. I feel like this video opens a gateway to tonnes more exciting new NOTR shows. For Frodo!!!!
It's actually spelled Token'.
@@jennyanydots2389 It’s a German name. Think the family spells it Tolkien. I’ve never seen any other spelling.
I remember how I needed to take a break after reading that Gandalf fell. I was pretty emotional. I read the books before the films so the only context I had was the words on the page and my imagination. Powerful stuff.
Big same!
Yes, I remember I felt like that when I read that Frodo was attacked by Shelob!
For a time it was very hard to me, and only later I learned that it was not so.
I was around six or seven when my mom read lotr to us as a bedtime story. I was so inconsolable after Gandalf fell that she showed me the chapter title “The White Rider” and said something like “Now who does that sound like?” I put two and two together and was finally able to sleep 😅
I had to stop and roll another joint.
@@AskMia411 that was such a nice thing your mom did! What a good memory to have 😊
I believe this was the 7th & last of the Balrogs. It managed to escape the last war of the 1st Age & fled eastwards. It still had it's Flaming Sword & whip given to him by Morgoth. It was ancient by the time Gandalf encountered him in Moria. After an epic battle Gandalf defeated the last of the Balrogs, it had reached its Fate. I'm sure this Balrog knew of Sauron, but unsure if it was allined with him. It seems to have been living independently at this point in time. Gandalf's greatest challenge & the Balrog's greatest fight. Incredible.🧙♂️🔥
Well said!
@@nataliep6385 Thank you❤️
I.... Don't buy the only seven Balrogs concept. Granted that's toward what he was leaning, but too much of the Silmarillion depends on more.
I view it as seven captains/lieutenants of them, including Gothmog.
@@Svensk7119 Interesting, you could be right, This Balrog survived though for thousands of years in middle Earth.
@@claytonhosty9876 Yes, making me think he was one of the lieutenants, at least. Probably not less than a "Sergeant", if we continue the rank structure.
Most of the Balrogs would certainly have been the on the lower end of the Maiar spectrum, if you will forgive me saying that overused word.
It's the reverence in which you speak about Tolkien and his works that makes you my absolute FAVORITE RUclips personality, I also view his works with reverence of the deep spirituality that exists within them. No other creator has expressed the deep intimacy of understanding of their own work the way Tolkien has, and you incorporate you're appreciation of that in your retelling, and I love that! I can't join yet due to finances but I will definitely be joining soon! Thank you for helping me understand Tolkien better! ❤
I've heard this broken down a few times and this is by far the most eloquent and precise, thank you so much! This scene for me is so wondeful for Gandalf, someone we otherwise have seen smoking his pipe or providing wisdom to the fellowship, this scene so thoroughly establishes his legend and the power behind him, and also is a wonderful connection to his shared past with this Balrog. The way he speaks so specifically to it, in ways only it would understand, its a beautifully written scene and one of the many great examples of how amazing tolkeins writing is.
My favourite shot of the trilogy is the wide shot of the sheer humongous caverns of Moria with the Balrog and Gandalf locked in a death battle, falling towards the lake. Sheer epic cinema.
I don't often talk about the theological efficacy of Tolkien's work on this channel, but, there most certainly IS regarding the Balrog and Gandalf; whether Tolkien intended it or not, this scene is Theologically profound. CS Lewis was obvious, Tolkien was subtle. 😊🧝♂️🧝♀️🧙♂️🍻
C S Lewis may have been obvious with his analogies, but his writing and storytelling is still fantastic - and it’s only obvious to those who are familiar with the Bible or Lewis’ theological works. In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Aslan says, “In your world I am known by another name. You were brought here so that in knowing me here you would learn to know me better there,” meaning he wrote the books to clearly convey the gospel to those who aren’t familiar with it - and present it in a way that wouldn’t be tarnished by the flawed preconceptions of the reader towards Christianity.
Concur 110%
Subtile ? Silmarillon took obviously his inspiration from the Genesis
@@TheoPhim regarding The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings...not including the other tales necessarily. It may be argued that the Silmarilion Theology may be more Anglo-Saxon in nature than Christian.
@@Eowyn3Pride Have you ever read the book of Enoch and the book of jubilees in addition to the Bible? Then, what is the source of all the mythologies throughout the world. If we follow linguistics, we see that there is only one story of the original creation that has been adapted and transformed through the ages and civilizations. That is why every civilization tells a story of the flood, that the story of Nimrod in the bible became Gilgamech for the Sumerians...
I love videos like this that go deep into what was meant by the words vs. a simple recantation of the history/event. It not only helps us understand the lore in a deeper level but it expands the ways in which RUclips creators can share their breadth of Tolkienian lore.
The secret fire is free will itself, the Flame Imperishable. Our internal free soul. Not Illuvatar per se, but his gift, that no tyrant, however monstrous, can take away. Gandalf is saying he is a defender of freedom. It's not insignificant that the Balrog has a whip, a painful and miserable and ancient symbol of tyranny.
Excellent
I love this part. The Wizard was amazing. When the balrog dragged Gandalf off of the bridge I was crying as much as the characters in the movie and the book! Y’all explained it very well!
I thought JRR Token' sexualized him too much in the book.
I also think the line "you cannot/shall not pass" are a call-back to the battle of Verdun where such a proclimation was made; "They(the Germans) shall not pass".
Ils ne passeront pas, by General Neville at Verdun 1916
Yes, insofar as the Spanish Revolutionaries liked to reference this quote. As Tolkien was writing LotR he would have been hearing "No Pasaran!" (Spanish: you will not pass) on the radio quite a lot. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he intentionally made this reference, as he would have been hard-pressed to NOT include it by accident.
Ah, you mean the m4554cr3 of verdun, where foreign imperialists b3h34d3d 4,500 Saxons for not accepting vassalage to Charlemagne. Yeah, no. It isn't.
I was hoping this would also include their first confrontation at the door where Gandalf talks about a power he hasn’t faced. The words in the book are so powerful
I would love to see the War of Wrath spread over 3 movies with Ancalagon being the last defeat, breaking mountains when he fell.
Pitch that idea to Amazon.....I'l bet they could do a good job...... 😱😱😱💀💀💀
Amazon would make it woke, having trans goblins winning over those white supremacists .
@@tonypapas9854 Amazon must have the rights to the Silmarillion to make a War of Wrath movie.
@@Mentallect And hopefully that should never happen.
@@Mentallect Amazon already messed up bigtime with their version of middle earth, so no.
I like how Gandalf is also saying that the Balrog, a creature of fire, is nothing compared to REAL FIRE.
It's a subtle burn.
Your mention of a subtle burn is in itself a subtle burn. Nice!
Bud - um - sh
They are both maiar, are they not? Made from the same flame.
It's actually not subtle. Gandalf knows exactly what he is saying and he says it with intention. He reveals himself as a Maiar and all that entails, issues a threat that he will defeat the Balrog, and explicitly insults the Balrog by referring to it as "Flame of Udun." Udun was the Elven name for Utumno, not given by Morgoth, and would be considered insulting.
@@Jackaroo.He then proceeds to pretty much kick his arse. "You cannot pass" - Orc backup lose their nerve and hang back. "You cannot pass" - Glamdring and a sheet of white fire destroy the Balrog's sword. "You _cannot_ pass." - Bridge fails and Balrog is sent into the abyss. Gandalf wins. Balrog drags him down with his whip, falls into underground lake, extinguishing his fires, balrog panics and books it. Gandalf wins. Gandalf hounds the fleeing balrog all the way up the Great Stair to the mountain peak and forces him to fight once more, pouring everything he has into it, striking the balrog down and smiting his ruin upon the mountainside. Gandalf wins. Gandalf poured a little *too* much into that and his frame fails him, he collapses and is unclothed, a free, exhausted, Maia spirit. Eru has a word with him and gives him a promotion and a fresh set of flesh. Gandalf. **Wins.**
this was a great idea to roust up some new content. I like the very microscopic look at parts of the story like this, keep them coming!
Love your reading! I would love to hear you reading LOTR as an audiobook. This passage is probably the closest Tolkien ever gets to being explicitly Christian, which is probably where he got the idea of holy fire vs. hellfire from.
I see the entire series as taking parts from most religions.
The Road goes Ever On is a TOP TIER audio book reading of the entire LOTR series with authentic voices and sounds/music.
Sadly it was taken off Spotify last year and IDK where you get it now, but it's the best reading ive heard,
@@scallie6462 yes absolutely! So gutted that it got taken off Spotify 🤕
The art at 12:53 is incredible! I love the illustrations you find for these.
This moment is so great. For me it really was the turning point where my perception of ganalf shifted from the kooky old mysterious wizard i loved from the hobbit to being of great power and mystery that is older than all the kingdoms of middle earth. Really shows the difference in tale between the hobbit and lotr and shows the range of the world and its writer.
I used to be very confused by the use of Udûn in relation to the Balrog of Moria. I always thought it referred to the plains of the same name that stretched behind the Morannon as far as the Isenmouthe. This info about Utumno never before occurred to me, and it puts me at great ease for this doubt I've had for twenty years or so XD
Little trivia. The expression "flame of Udûn" sounds like "flamme doudoune" in french which could translate into "soft fire".
So I thought a very long time Gandalf was trying to provoke the Balrog which could really make sense since he wants his enemy to cross the bridge and not to make attention to the weakness he created. It's only when I dived into the lore that I found out the true quote.
I have enjoyed every minute of this video. I also thought until now that "flame of Udun" was an enchantment. So after so many years, I keep discovering new things about The Lord of the Rings. I would love to see more content like this, in which you explain different speeches. My suggestion is to analyse the one Galadriel says to Frodo in Lothlorien.
A Silmarillion film would be so amazing, it could easily be done in one movie too. A short prelude synopsizing the Ainelindule and then a stirring and action-packed biography of Faenor would make for a very fine film I think. Something could come after as another stand-alone if a filmmaker wished to tie it all in with later Ages or The War of the Ring. My copy of The Silmarillion is one of my most prized possessions.
It would need a TV show, surely. Just not one run by Amazon.
One movie? My good sir, no. I'm not saying it's impossible, but that it would be very poorly done.
@@StushPothong Isn't the story of Beren and Luthian in The Silmarillion? That could be a movie all by itself.
@@davidg4288 Yep you got it...sooo many interesting and detailed stories jam packed in TS. No way one movie would do it justice
One move. Hardly. Especially with sections like the Fall of Ondolinde, the tale of Beren and Luthien and the tale of Turin Turambar.
I am so thankful for your scholarship and your videos…every time I am enthralled to learn and connect more of the greatest world in literary history.
I LOVE that you made a video on this. What a great content idea.
I really appreciate all the work you put into each of these videos. You are an excellent educator!
I mean he has made basically the same video at least 3 times now so I'd guess he'd get pretty good at it.
Hairs on my arms sticking straight up for the entirety of this one. The moment of fantasy lore that all subsequent fantasy aspires to live up to. There will never be another JRRTolkien.
I love these videos! Breaking down the lore and such. This is such a fascinating topic and I love explaining the scene when watching it. Thank you Matt!
definitely one of the best episodes in this channel , i am an old member of this channel but the way you narrated this whole sequence of Gandalf/Balrog conflict definitely sent shivers down my spine
Excellent content and left me wanting more from this extraordinary world ♥
Nerd!! Love your videos man, keep up the good work 👏
The "secret fire" of Eru is actually the closest Tolkien comes to incorporating allegory into the story. In Scripture, fire is associated with the Holy Spirit: John the Baptist predicts that Jesus will be the One to “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11), and when the Holy Spirit began His ministry of indwelling the early church, He chose to appear as “tongues of fire” resting on each of the believers, and at that moment, “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:3-4). So, Gandalf basically affirmed himself as a servant of Eru's Holy Spirit.
That's not formal literary "allegory", my friend. It's just a reference. And I do know that Tolkien famously disliked allegory.
So glad the RUclips gods finally put this channel in my feed. Excellent video. Love the illustrations. I’ve always wondered exactly what Gandalf’s words meant. Can’t wait to watch the rest of your content.
Your research and analysis never ceases to amaze me. Thank you so much for such enriching content.
The Ring of Fire, I believe, gave Gandalf some resistance to the Balrog's flames when they fought, and without it, Gandalf would have been overcome by the fire. At least its possible, and not a stretch to believe Narya aided Gandalf in the battle.
You don't need Ring of Fire to come to that conclusion though. Just Gandalfs speech to the Balrog as explained in this very video.
@@Wigalot What conclusion? The Ring of Fire also enhanced Gandalf's endurance. Tolkien stated Gandalf's body was that of an old man albeit immortal. No human of advanced age could endure a fall into icy water, fight a Balrog in water, pursue it for days without food, then fight and kill it. That was done by enhancements of Narya.
Maiar have greater fire and heat resistance compared to other races so I think even without his ring he would survive it.
@@MentallectGandalf was immune to both fire and Ice, and Narya definitely helped Gandalf with stamina and endurance.
@@Mentallect The Istari are banned from showing their full strength to awe the people of Middle Earth, particularly mortal Men. They would be perceived and worshiped as gods, just as Sauron was. Certain of the Elves would better understand the real hierarchy; Noldor like Galadriel who came from Valinor may even have known him as Olorin. But the world was not for the Elves at this point.
I mention this, because I speculate that the restrictions placed on the Istari were dropped when confronted by the Balrog. Olorin was allowed to use his full power and strength, especially once it became an unwitnessed 1-on-1 fight. The Balrog is not in the service of Sauron, so he is now a remnant of Morgoth's forces. As we saw in the the War of Wrath, there were no holds barred in that war, and this was the final battle of it.
I also don't think the Witch King was any real threat to Gandalf, or Saruman or any of the Istari. The Istari were cloaked, but still of an order immeasurably higher than Men, even augmented with Rings of Power. Sauron likely misled them to think they could overcome him, but the reality is they couldn't touch a Maia. Saruman never feared the Nazgul, only the One they served. The Istari had to work tediously and with subtlety, but they would defeat the Nazgul in open combat if it came to it. Gandalf held off a few, and never attempted to really destroy them.
Versus the Balrog, he had no such limitations placed on him.
And this is why I'm subscribed to you, you don't just share a favourite theory, but other theories as well, and you don't shame them.
I like this idea a lot. Taking dialog that we know so well and take for granted but diving in to what it may actually mean or what we tend to miss.
This video is really well done, self contained and explains everything to those who havent delved deep
I appreciate you for making this!
I love your character voices so much! I really hope you do your own readings.
Everytime I think of Gandalf falling, I then think of his journey in the underworld and then .... the Nameless Things .....
A lot of great clues from history of Middle-earth. Another early story I like is that Gandalf was originally going to fight Saruman on the bridge.
I first read LotR in Grade 8 (an Age ago), and most of this stuff was clear to me before young Christopher published all his glosses of his father's works. I have cherished and re-read the Professor's works for over 50 years -- thank you for introducing movie-fans to the depth of meaning behind everything.
I was hopping for that video for so long..! My favorite part of boths books and movies..
Like many others, I had interpreted ""Flame of Anor" as being Narya but your explanation connects dots I missed and make much more sense. The story has so many layers and speaks to Tolkien's talent and obsession with his world. Writers of that caliber and passion no longer exist.
I thought Gandalf said "Flame of Arnor" as in the Kingdom of Arnor but I was wrong.
The "You shall not pass" line was said three times doing what could be considered an incantation, in magic, mythology, theology is a very powerful number. One of the things about Tolkien is words hold power, so the times before are building up to the final activation phrase
Wow. Thank you for a GREAT breakdown. I'm familiar with Tolkien's writings, but know the picture is more complete with your extraordinary added detail. Excellent videos. Looking forward to seeing more of your work and cheers from Canada!
I have recenlty found your channel and I am so damn happy about it!
I love the way you tell the stories, not to mention all the great content!
Wish you all the best!
Easily my favorite fictional character of all time, thanks for helping me understand him even more through not only this but other videos.
I have been wondering something about the conflict between Gandalf and the Balrog. Considering that Gandalf greatly feared this creature and even in the film, Gandalf instantly denied going thru moria because of his fear of the Balrog. However, I feel that Perhaps the this particular Balrog (which was once a Miar like Gandalf and the other wizards) could of had some history with the Grey Wizard prior to becoming a Balrog.
Could the Balrog of Moria have known Gandalf in the past? It seems strange that this Balrog would be drawn to the Grey Wizard after the conflict in Balin's Tomb. I don't know if you covered this in a previous video, but it's something I find interesting and how significant this conflict was in both the book and film. Perhaps showing there was more to this event than what Tolkien was letting on.
Possible, but unlikely. Even Gandalf himself after thousands of years began to lose memories of Valinor after coming to Middle Earth. Also, the twisting of the wills of the Maiar that followed Melkor Morgoth likely also twisted or erased many of their memories as well.
In the book Gandalf did not know prior to seeing the balrog what is was, (it was legolas that immediately identified it coming towards them) he knew of course of "durins bane", but not its nature (no one did until that time).
As both maiar i would assume they "recognized" each other when met, and also felt some of each others presence through moria prior to meeting, even if gandalf could not identify it at first, -in balins tomb he didn´t know what it was, just a powerful being.
If gandalf took part in the valinor wars against morgoth they maybe met on the battlefield at some time.
In the book Gandalf wants to go to Moria and Aragorn doesn't want to and they debate on this. Gandalf also doesn't know what "Durin's Bane" exactly is.
@@vexaris1890 Exactly. He did not know the Balrog was there. Otherwise he would not have gone there. And Gandalf had been in Moria before.
Thank you for bringing this to us Mat the in-depth exploration of Tolkeins text and explanation of its meaning is very insightful 😉
You did a great job on this one!
One of the great tributes and how greatly Peter Jackson (and Fran and Phillipa!!) understood this material. I can queue up Fellowship and just watch the entire Mines of Moria sequence. That camera pullback when they first go in, the amount of sets, the Pillars (Let me risk a little more light), the music, the shaft of light, the great build up to the Balrog by showing that great orangish glow moving through the pillars! Then the payoff! The Balrog with that heat haze (when I got it in 4k, I was blown away all over again with the detail!), and then, the entire scene on the Bridge of Khazad-dum was choreographed EXACTLY as in the book! One thing about Jackson's version of LOTR, it seems he put his ego aside (imagine Lucas or Spielberg doing this movie.... NOPE! Great directors, but could they stay faithful to the material the way Jackson was?) and listened to Fran and Phillipa (listen to the commentary, both of these women get it!). BUT perhaps one of the greatest movie intros was in Two Towers when we go BACK to the Bridge of Khazad-dum and see the aftermath of Gandalf's fall! It was spectacular! Especially the camera pullback to that underground lake and the Balrog and Gandalf falling through the ceiling down to the water! BRILLIANT!
Great job Nerd of the Rings! Your explanation was very lucid and coherent
@@stephenlaing2152 Sure...it's all make believe..like your nonsense..His"conjecture" sure makes sense
This was one of the first videos I ever watched on this channel. One of the best decisions I’ve made
Incredible content, as usual, my favourite channel.
Goosebumps.... everytime I hear it
Not being a die hard and hardcore fan.
Finding this channel made me buy all the books and wanting more.
The story telling you do make me feel like im there ! It makes me feel like a Hardcore fan ❤
Very very nicely done.
Also this fight between the Balrog is almost to cool to be "real" or made up 😅😅❤😅
You have earned a sub simply because of your excellent RP. The video itself was amazing, but as an Englishman I was very impressed with the accent! Great job.
Thank you so much! You are too kind! :)
I love this gandalf moment. That is awesome also feel sad when he falls from the cliff. We always appreciate your hard work and dedication towards these videos.
I'll never forget the first time I read LOTR and got to the passage of the fall of Gandalf. I was completely stun locked and had to put the book down for a while. How could the fellowship possibly succeed now? Whadda We Gonna Do Now?!?! (Bill Paxton style)
I feel like there’s something really significant about how in the book, he says “you *cannot* pass”, as opposed to “you *shall not* pass”.
Both are very similar, but there’s more of a sense of unchallengeable *command* in “you cannot”.
It's a magic spell. He's not telling the Balrog that he won't let it pass, he's telling it that it is _forbidden_ to pass, in the name of Iluvatar, i.e. God, who he casually name drops right after. He's basically saying, "I am calling upon the creator of this universe, who we, as one fallen and one unfallen angel, personally know, to forbid you from crossing this bridge." The Balrog tires anyway, Gandalf backs up his invocation, and the bridge shatters.
Gandalf knows a lot of spells, and some of them can be used by humans and elves, but the most powerful things he can do are literal invocations of Iluvatar, which only Istari, i.e. angels in human form, can do.
Ian McKellen felt terrible about messing up the line, but I guess Jackson liked the take too much
@@dmgroberts5471 I like that. There’s a really powerful feeling in magic that is so fundamental that you don’t need any special words; you’re simply telling the world your will.
@@enlongjones2394 Exactly. He does it when he casts Saruman out of the Istari as well, he tells Saruman that he is powerless and his staff is broken, and it is so.
This is really crucial, and I get the impression a lot of folks don't notice it or don't see the significance. I think this choice of wording is *very* important and not an accident. It's frustrating that the film changed it, as it's created a sort of fog of misunderstanding over that scene when movie-watchers read that scene.
Very well done, and thank you very much! 👍
This was a fun vid I can't wait until next week!
Im just excited about how absolutely faithful the Magic lotr sets will be. I'm sure they won't take creative liberties that directly contradict Tolkien himself.
Lol the sarcastic meter is at 100.
**checks MTG LOTR card set**
Iluvatar save us ...💀💀💀💀
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
@@istari0 lol same here.
A shame this channel is promoting it.
Excellent summary. It kills me to watch reaction videos from so many that don't have a damn clue as to the deeper meanings of this and many other scenes in the movies. Well done.
Very well done! I enjoyed your post as always.
Second video I seen today you made. I'm hooked now
7:56 -- I would imagine Gandalf's ability to tap into Anor is similar to Galadriel, in that she gave Frodo the phial of moonlight. It too was incredibly strong, able to force Shelob into retreat, who's also a Maiar.
Wait that giant spider is a Maiar!?
@@VoidCraftGaming "Shelob was a Maiar who was one of the greatest offspring of Ungoliant and lived in the land of Mordor."
@@WarhavenSCwhat is that quote from
@@eamonreidy9534 It's from a LotR wiki, but she's also described in _The Two Towers,_ "...evil thing in spider-form...[the] last child of Ungoliant to trouble the unhappy world," as well as "But still she was there, who was there before Sauron, and before the first stone of Barad-dûr..."
And she's expanded upon in _The Silmarillion,_ where she helps Melkor destroy the Two Trees of Valinor.
@WarhavenSC ungoliant wasn't a Maiar. It's never explained what she is or where she comes from. Furthermore, whenever a Maiar does have children in Middle Earth which is rare, the children aren't also called Maiar by Tolkein.
9:41 No way, me too!! Because he said “Flame Of Udûn” while raising his glowing staff, I thought he was chanting the name of a spell he was using to brighten it.
Only after exploring the comments of videos about this scene did I realize Gandalf is *addressing* Durin’s Bane as “Flame of Udûn,” but I still didn’t know who or what Udûn was until hearing your explanation.
ngl, I have no idea how people interpreted it this way. It's not that I knew what 'Udun' meant, but it's not like Gandalf goes around speaking english to cast any of his other spells. 🤷♂The closest I can think of is when he's trying to nullify Saruman's blizzard on Caradras, and that's in elvish (Sindarin, apparently).
Thank you for the explanation of this. Great video!!!
Love this 😍❣️
Thank you Matt❣️
Arguably the most iconic moment in film of this century-I love that there is so much depth to this scene in the book. Great job analyzing it! Now I need to go open my UC Glamdring my wife and kids got me for Father’s Day!
I wouldn't necessarily interpret "You cannot pass" as a rejection of the Balrog leaving Moria. The bridge does not lead immediatly out of the city, there are still stairs and the first hall. And if the Balrog was able to leave or wanted to leave, it could've left anytime before. I think what Gandalf means is more immediate: The Balrog can't be allowed to pass over the bridge and get to the other members of the fellowship (and especially Frodo with the ring). The bridge is a bottleneck and if Gandalf isn't able to stop the Balrog there, they will not be able to resist or flee.
I've always thought of it as part of an incantation. Maybe doing several things at once but primarily aiding to destroy the bridge.
@@Jacob-ge1py Maybe, but I don't think there actually are "incantations" in Tolkien's world, at least not in the usual sense. Gandalf talks about something like this earlier, but I think it is more like a disguise for the eyes mortals to hide the true nature of the Istari's power or, alternatively, a misguided interpretation of the powers of "the mighty/wise", who perhaps use certain memory lines or verses to help them concentrate. There isn't really such a thing as "magic" in Tolkien's (secondary) world. Some beings have the power to alter reality according to their will or perceive hidden things and some don't. But for the former, altering the world is not really different from an artisan crafting an object (as can be seen in Galadriel's conversation with Frodo and Sam).
@@untruelie2640 Cool, but what about when Saruman mutters gibberish, and starts an avalanche above Moria?
@@Jacob-ge1py Uhm... You know that this only happens in the films, right?
@@untruelie2640 I didn't.
REALLY nicely done!
This is the first time I've heard a sufficient breakdown of this exchange to capture how truly epic it was, and to explain just how a few mortal beings glimpsed as through a dim window the ongoing, devastating, and aged war of the giver and lovers of life with those who seek to destroy and twist life in service of their own desire and pursuit of power.
Beautiful moment. Excellent explanation.
Have you done Frodo's lines in opposition to the Nazgul at Weathertop and in the Bruinen?
Great idea! I’ll add it to my list!
Great breakdown of one of Gandalf's finest moments.
The Red Book did an episode on this speech, I believe. :)
He's ripped it off. Even the phrasing and structure is the same. Words on screen are the same. Another big channel taking from a smaller one.
Excellent job on this. Thx
Really deep lore in this one. Much appreciated!
can you do a video on why men descended from Beren and Luthien or Tuor and Idril cannot choose to become elves the same way someone like Elrond and his kin could choose to be mortal or not.
A video on the ins and outs of the peredhil would be fantastic!
In my opinion, because 'The Gift to Men' can NOT be taken away, Elrond chose to be numbered with the elves, his children were able to choose their own path, Elros chose to be numbered with Men, his descendants could not chose to be nu beret with the Elves, The 'Gift' once given can NOT be taken away
The Elven blood is there but it's very distant by the time Aragorn is King of the reunited kingdom. His Elven ancestry is from thousands of years earlier. The elven traits that he and the Dúnedain have are longer lifespans than non Numenorian mortal Men and the inability to grow beards. But the choice to either be of Elven kind or Mortal Men has long past. These descendants of the three Elven kindreds and the Three houses of the Edain after Elros, twin brother of Elrond, are not accorded the fate of the Peredhel. They are merely Mortal Men with just longer life spans. For example Aragorn and Arwen's son and daughters are not given that choice because they are not designated Half Elven.
At the end of the War of Wrath, the 4 people who were of mixed ancestry were Eärendil, Elwing, Elrond, and Elros. These were the ones that got to make the choice and once they made that choice it could not be changed. Elros chose to be a man. As a consequence of this, none of his descendants could lose that gift. Eärendil and Elwing chose to be Elves and never returned to Middle-Earth. Elrond chose to be an Elf and his three children were also given the choice. We don't know what choice Elladan and Elrohir made. It's just my personal view but I think they eventually took a ship to Valinor. Arwen chose to be mortal so the children she had with Aragorn had two mortal parents and were therefore mortal.
@@istari0 100% correct.
_"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"_
Awesome video!!!! Really detailed explanation. Always was curious what Gandalf met.
So well explained! Thanks for this video! It was awesome!
Can’t wait for this set! And love this explanation!
I learned of yet another Christopher Tolkien text because of this posting. Thanks!
An incredible analysis, thanks!
In the film, Gandalf is next to invisible in the battle against the cave troll. Just a few frames here and there, in murky back-lit close up, where you can hardly tell what he's killing or where he is relative to anything else going on, but he's clearly dishing it with both hands (staff and sword). He never engages the cave troll, and he's nowhere around when the anointed ring-bearer needs defense.
Maybe Gandalf is the reason why the cave troll isn't getting a huge amount of help from his orc companions-I mean apart from the problem that every orc that gets anywhere near the cave troll is instantly pancaked by the cave troll's wild backswing.
Not long afterwards, a Balrog struts into the room, and that's finally enough to release Gandalf from his cultish devotion to hunchback nerf mojo.
ChatGPT, render me this: Yoda on spar stands and hisses: "Pass you shall not!" Then he goes force-nine popcorn on the Balrog, like he did in that other film. Midget hunchback nerf mojo.
Gimli stands there, at maximum mouth-breath, gobsmacked by Yoda's combat acrobatics. "No-one will ever toss my honorary dwarf cousin, that's for certain." Here's the thing. Yoda isn't actually green by nature. It's merely a consequence of eating all that spinach. Hold my spinach smoothy. Famous last words.
This scene in the Lord of the rings tells a lot about Middle Earths oldest times. It is very important to the story. What if the Belrog had excaped Moria? Who would it have attacked? 'Flames of Arnor' the beging of times. This is one of the most indepth scenes in the first Lord of the Rings book/movie.
Excellent! Great show !!
Nice work dude thanks