"Swords are of no more use"...

[LePetitChoux]

...Is what Gandalf said, but why did he then Hack at the Balrog with precisely that weapon? And why did a sword designed to "cleave goblins" do any damage/mental impact to a big huge Balrog, and thereby cause him to lose his footing and come crashing to his death on the snowy peaks below?

[Purple Elf]

Exactly that realy got to me aswell, the way i read it was that Gandalf was putting his power against the Balrog using all his skills as a wizard, not poking it with a tiny, albeit powerful, sword, the Balrog could have just bitten his head off.

[GreyIstar]

That is a direct quote from the book.<P>It went by fast but I thought I saw lightning either stike the Balrog or Gandalf's sword on the top of the mountain.<P>But I think it was a way of saying "You guys shouldn't even try to fight this thing."<P>[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: GreyIstar ]<p>[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: GreyIstar ]

[Vardadurwen]

Maybe he was only referring to the use of Aragon and Boromir's sword and how they could really not use their weapons to fight off the Balrog. But Gandalf could because he could use his powers through his sword or something. Also, maybe he didn't want Aragorn or Boromir to even try to fight the Balrog, or even think about trying to fight the Balrog because he knew they couldn't win, like what GreyIstar said.

[Mandos]

Gandalf did not have his staff to use against the Balrog, so he had to use the sword as a conductor of his magic. Also, his sword , Glamdring, was forged for the High King of the Noldor, Turgon Lord of Gondolin, who used this sword to fight Balrogs.