Gandalf's Staff

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Originally Posted by Essex

I believe this is why Gandalf first tried to at least drag the Balrog to a stalemate on the bridge, instead of fighting him straight off.

I think that Gandalf thought that there was a chance that the Balrog (or whatever it was that he perceived behind the Chamber door) may be buried/hampered by the destruction of the door etc. The Bridge, being the way out (though there must have been other exits as the Orcs get out later that night), would be a good idea if it weren't held against the Nine Walkers as a few (or just Gandalf) could hold it while the others got out into the daylight. And if Gandalf could break the Bridge irregardless of Balrog appearance, the Orc pursuit would be slowed.

The Balrog complicated matters somewhat, but the same plan could work if Gandalf broke the Bridge, because wings or no, it seemed to me that the Balrog wasn't jumping the chasm. It might have been even more important to break the Bridge at that point as I'm not sure that the Balrog would have wilted in the daylight.