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Originally Posted by davem
When we're talking about magic it becomes more complex - it may take no more magic to shatter a city gate than to break a sword.
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I really doubt it takes a hundred-feet long ram the level of Grond to shatter a blade.
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Why bother if the WK can just shatter the gate unaided?
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I already expounded my arguments on that, with quotes from Tolkien about tyrants' disregard for human costs, the rather scarcity of magic and that using this power may not be worth it for the WK in such conditions.
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we're never shown Gandalf doing anything like killing a Balrog before, & we don't look for 'added spiritual power' to explain that
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I don't think the situation is comparable. We don't have a previous situation in which Gandalf had reasons to use his full power. Moreover, all over the LotR is the implication that all the good characters are aided in their quest, even in the most dire situations, against unimaginable odds. [And I also add that even the appendices mention that the istari were forbidden to "match Sauron's power with power, or to seek to dominate Elves or Men by force and fear", thus a second-time reader knows he can expect more from Gandalf the Grey than he shows. But I needn't go that far.]
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It may well have take more power to break the sword than the gate.
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I am not aware that such a blade is in any way more resistant that a normal blade.
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What else did he do in the battle to display this extra power?
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A sword in flames is rather impressive, but only because you asked
. Never before seen, if I remember correctly.
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Originally Posted by Mansun
Was the Balrog coming in for the Ring
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That may be so, I have a foggy memory of something similar stated by Tolkien. The ring definitely influences evil creatures (such as the orcs that attacked Isildur - or even the watcher in the water who went straight for Frodo).
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As mentioned earlier, the fact that Gandalf the Grey was able to break the flaming sword of the Balrog was very significant in terms of power, particularly as the sword was blessed with spell fire & other demonic spells.
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I am not aware that the balrog's sword had those; it was pretty much a contest between blades, sort of speaking. I don't see any reason why Gandalf put forth magic in that particular episode.