I've been wondering for a while why Gandalf was unable to solve that simple riddle in order to enter Moria. This could be the answer. I thought it may be that either Gandalf was simply afraid of what he suspected lurked within or that Gandalf was putting off the inevitable. I tend towards the latter - as Gandalf's return seems to be a reward for displaying extreme bravery in accepting and finally facing his doom.
So the delay in entering Moria, together with a fair bit of procrastination (about routes, to look at the Book of Mazarbul etc) during that journey point towards a reluctant Gandalf to me, towards a wizard who has an inkling of his fate.
If his return was 'reward' then this would also depend upon his not thinking that - or else would it be much of a reward for bravery?
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Gordon's alive!
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