How did Gollum escape from Moria ?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Findegil

I don't think that there was an other way around or over the chasm. What proteting would the bridge have been if there was an other way?

But the Orcs were seen greatte numbers at the border of Lorien the same night as Gollum. We can assume that they bridge the chasm sone after the fellowship left Moria. Probably the Orcs waited for the night, before they came out of Moria but Gollum could have moved earlier.

Certainly the Orcs waited for the night, and as for crossing the chasm, I just recalled that they had these cave-trolls who brought gangways over the fire. The pit itself was probably rather wide, but the bridge didn't collapse completely, I belive, so the trolls could have brought some large stone blocks to put them over the crack, so that the Orcs could pass.

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

I also tend to think Gollum got out before them. I think it was rather obvious that they were passing through Moria, and thus there would be only one place for them to exit. As I recall, Gollum did not follow them into Moria; he was already there, and drawn by the Ring, picked up their trail. My suspicion is that once they got closer to the east door, possibly during the night they slept in one of the upper chambers, he scooted ahead and out to a place where he could watch for them, safely away from the interference of Orcs and any other servant or ally of Sauron who would either take the Ring to him or want it for him/her/itself.

The only thing, like I already said, is that Gollum was seemingly blocked in Moria before. There were Orcs in the East Gate! How could he pass them unnoticed, WHY would he pass them? Even if he could sneak past them, why would he take the awful risk of confronting them in the first place? And the risk that for example the Fellowship saw the Orcs by the eastern gate or was confronted with them and decided to retreat back to the West again? That way, Gollum would lose the Ring again! Why would he run away from the Fellowship? THEY had the Ring, and it was not 100% sure that they'd pass through. What if they died and the Ring was left to rot somewhere in the dark corridors (or be picked up by Orcs, more likely)?
No, now thinking of it, I believe Gollum actually slipped out either just shortly before the Fellowship (with Orcs in his - and their - heels, not much time to think, their destination was to run, to escape to the east), or after them - which would be rather complicated, I think, as it would need to include the Orcs making a new "bridge" right after the Fellowship left (possibly in order to pursue them rightaway, which sounds a bit overstretched if you try to imagine it) and Gollum somehow managing to sneak past it... and then past the Orcs who have already crossed... okay, really, that won't do... (that's like that riddle where you have to find out how to make a cabbage, a goat and a wolf to cross the river using a boat for two, if you know it, or whatever modification in which you may know it...)

I guess we really have to put Gollum's crossing BEFORE the Fellowship, but sometime AFTER the Orc attack, I guess really after the visit of the Chamber of Mazarbul, imagining Gollum being basically pushed by a horde of Orcs to the East with no other choice but to go to the Bridge and across it, owing the luck and confusion of the Orc guards by the sudden disruption of the quiet routine for safe escape.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

I guess we really have to put Gollum's crossing BEFORE the Fellowship, but sometime AFTER the Orc attack, I guess really after the visit of the Chamber of Mazarbul, imagining Gollum being basically pushed by a horde of Orcs to the East with no other choice but to go to the Bridge and across it, owing the luck and confusion of the Orc guards by the sudden disruption of the quiet routine for safe escape.

Gollum certainly knew Orcs guarded the East-gate: indeed they were inhabiting the eastern side of Moria, and had been when he first entered Moria. He knew they would attempt to stop the Fellowship, and was probably tormented with the thought the Fellowship might be killed, and the Ring lost. If that was to be their fate though, what could he reasonably have done to prevent it, had he stayed behind the Company? He had no weapons, no armour, and most importantly, no Ring to give him invisibility.
I think he took a gamble that at least some of the Company would escape, and that one of them would save the Ring if at all possible. If the likes of Aragorn or Gandalf could not do so, what chance had he? So, as they lay in the large hall before finding Balin's tomb, he knew they were very near the East-gate and made his move to get there ahead of them. Certainly passing the guards was risky, but he had done it before when he had entered, and this was Gollum, after all, the creature who escaped from wood-crafty Silvan Elves of Mirkwood and a band of Orcs who were hunting him simultaneously.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Well, it's just, the way I see him, that I believe he would try to remain as close to the Ring as possible until the very last moment, until there was really no chance that he could hide from the Orcs or whatever. Imagine all the crazy stuff he did and what he risked for the Ring.

[narfforc]

And Gollum existed and escaped from within the Misty Mountains without his Ring.

[alatar]

This issue has bothered me for some time.

Gollum is last seen peaking in on the Fellowship as they sleep outside the Chamber of Mazarbul in Moria. We next find him in a tree in the woods outside of Lothlorien. Much happens between points A and B.

As we all know, the Fellowship awakens, go into the Chamber, gets attacked, Gandalf brings the house down, the Fellowship flees, flies (you fools!) across the Bridge, which is destroyed behind them. Aragorn assumes command and keeps the company clipping along towards Celeborn's quarters. The Fellowship stops a few times, to look at a mere, to bandage the wounded, to wade and to sing. Despite all of this, they hope to make it to some place of safety before the orcs emerge from Moria to hunt them down.

So let's look at Gollum's possible route. We have to assume that he parts from the Company outside of the Chamber of Mazarbul, goes all the way back to where there is another passage, and starts his shadowing of the Fellowship anew.

Or did Gollum sneak past all Nine Walkers (including Aragorn) so to get ahead of them? Gollum obviously did not follow after the Ringbearer after Gandalf buries the Chamber, and so had to follow the Fellowship via another route. He could not have gone the 'main way,' out, as Gandalf remarks that, had the Fellowship done so, their exit from Moria would have been cut off via fire. Later, trolls bridge this fire/gap using slabs of stone. Was Gollum so extraordinary that he was able to make it past this trap that Gandalf and the orcs found so perplexing?

Or did he sneak past the Fellowship, and get on the other side of the Chamber, and so somehow stays in front of the Fellowship (on alert since the attack) as the Fellowship makes their way to the Bridge?

But let's say he is somewhere near the Fellowship as they make for the Bridge. He then must find another exit from Moria, as the Bridge is destroyed before he can use that way.

But let's assume that the Dwarves had built other ways out of Moria (though the Bridge was the main way), and that Gollum found and used one of these, which I assume were not guarded or were poorly guarded.

So assume Gollum escapes Moria somehow. He then actively pursues the Fellowship. Now, I'll concede that Aragorn is looking more forward than backward at this time, trying to get those thrust into his care to safety as quickly as possible. So let's say he doesn't see Gollum, who though trapped inside a mine for some time, is able to keep up with the Fellowship, moving as fast as possible to avoid orcs.

In daylight.

So, to recap: Gollum somehow gets past the greatest hunter of all time or finds an alternate route through a maze that almost stumps Gandalf, gets past a trap that would inhibit both Free People and orcs, gets across a chasm that, without a Bridge, keeps enemies from entering (or he finds an unguarded alternate passage), pursues the Fellowship unseen and travels rapidly despite suffering from deprivation and Yellow Face being in the sky.

Uh-huh.

My theory, based on what we read in the Books, is that the eagle Deus ex machina flies Gollum out of Moria, setting him down later across the Nimrodel.

These are the 'wings' that we see behind the Balrog...

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by alatar

Or did he sneak past the Fellowship, and get on the other side of the Chamber, and so somehow stays in front of the Fellowship (on alert since the attack) as the Fellowship makes their way to the Bridge?

But let's say he is somewhere near the Fellowship as they make for the Bridge. He then must find another exit from Moria, as the Bridge is destroyed before he can use that way.

But let's assume that the Dwarves had built other ways out of Moria (though the Bridge was the main way), and that Gollum found and used one of these, which I assume were not guarded or were poorly guarded.

That seems possible to me. Gollum had entered Moria from the east and had been there a while. He would have been much more likely to have known other routes around the road the Fellowship was forced to take. Aragorn and Gandalf had both once passed through Moria, but they presumably had been looking for the shortest and straightest ways through, so they wouldn't have known all ways leading to the Doors. And any Orcs would have been on the lookout for the Fellowship, not one little withered hobbit, so I don't think it's out of the question he could have got past them.

Originally Posted by alatar

So assume Gollum escapes Moria somehow. He then actively pursues the Fellowship. Now, I'll concede that Aragorn is looking more forward than backward at this time, trying to get those thrust into his care to safety as quickly as possible. So let's say he doesn't see Gollum, who though trapped inside a mine for some time, is able to keep up with the Fellowship, moving as fast as possible to avoid orcs.

Aragorn knew all about Gollum, or at least that's what he told Frodo.

'Ah!' said Aragorn. 'So you know about our little footpad, do you? He padded after us all through Moria and right down to Nimrodel.'

FOTR The Great River

Originally Posted by alatar

So, to recap: Gollum somehow gets past the greatest hunter of all time or finds an alternate route through a maze that almost stumps Gandalf, gets past a trap that would inhibit both Free People and orcs, gets across a chasm that, without a Bridge, keeps enemies from entering (or he finds an unguarded alternate passage), pursues the Fellowship unseen and travels rapidly despite suffering from deprivation and Yellow Face being in the sky.

Amazing what lust for the One Ring and a natual 'sneaking' tendancy could enable one to accomplish....

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

That seems possible to me. Gollum had entered Moria from the east and had been there a while. He would have been much more likely to have known other routes around the road the Fellowship was forced to take. Aragorn and Gandalf had both once passed through Moria, but they presumably had been looking for the shortest and straightest ways through, so they wouldn't have known all ways leading to the Doors.

That's fine; however, would Gollum have time to get 'round? He needed to keep the Fellowship in sight to see where they were going. Did he know for sure that they were going to the East Gate?

Note that, after the collapse of the Chamber of Mazarbul, even the orcs couldn't find a path to the Fellowship.

And any Orcs would have been on the lookout for the Fellowship, not one little withered hobbit, so I don't think it's out of the question he could have got past them.

Do we know if the orcs gave Gollum free reign?

Aragorn knew all about Gollum, or at least that's what he told Frodo.

Either Aragorn didn't think it important, or he really didn't know, but you'd think that if Aragorn knew that Gollum was close behind that he would have told the Elves. Their surprise and lack of knowledge about this strange creature means, to me, that Aragorn said nothing.

Amazing what lust for the One Ring and a natual 'sneaking' tendancy could enable one to accomplish....

Truly.