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Originally Posted by The 1,000 Reader
You do realize that the fear build-up was different, right? With the Balrog, it was pretty much a surprise, while Gandalf had a good amount of time to think about the fight with the Witch-King.
No, as mentioned, Gandalf spoke of the possibility of fighting the Witch-King, and he was very grim while speaking about it.
He didn't fail to pose a threat to Gandalf at Weathertop, the reason he attacked with all of the Nazgul was that, for stealth, he and the others were weaker, and even then Gandalf just barely escaped and was held off by four Nazgul.
He wasn't driven away by Aragorn, he simply left because his work was already done. As I also mentioned, Gandalf just barely got away and was then held off by four Nazgul. If it helps, I've always seen the added demonic force as Sauron allowing him full power. Honestly, considering that Morgoth and Sauron made their kingdoms in places nobody was, and considering they never beat their enemies, the Witch-King actually has a more accomplished track record.
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I think we will have to agree to disgree on the above - I am of the belief that Tolkein threw in the added demonic force for the WK so as to save his credibility of being some sort of threat to Gandalf the White, which might not have otherwise looked like the case.
If Mordor wasn't so easily infront in terms of numbers etc ahead of Gondor then I doubt if Gandalf would have been as anxious of the WK. I believe in battles of this sort the human on the Good side needs confidence to see out his full potential. This applies to the Bad side too - even the WK had in the past been shaken in confidence after the battle with Gandalf at Weathertop, & the narrow escape with Frodo's enchanted blade.
As for the Balrog encounter, the movie potrays things slightly differently in that Gandalf does not contest with it until it reaches the bridge; in the book Gandalf has already ''met his match & had been nearly destroyed'' by then after ''doing all he could'' - at this stage he did not know his nemisis but admitted it was one which never gave him such a challenge compared to anything else before (therefore including the encounter with all nine Nazgul).
Tolkein never got to show (out of choice) whether the powered-up WK had the power in him to match a Balrog, but just consider the scenario of a Balrog being defeated as easiliy as the WK was by Eowyn & Merry - impossible as it would be far too strong physically as well as through it's sorcerous armoury.