LotR3-RotK-Seq23

[Sir Kohran]

Originally Posted by alatar

Regardless of whether we speak of the books or the movies, just how does Gandalf know if there are any survivors - especially in the movies where we have Gandalf continually relying on others for information (Saruman, Aragorn)? Clearly Gandalf went to look for any survivors, and the eagles, in battle, flew out in their battle group (a 'wing') of three - one to look and the two others to guard the flanks.

I just assume that he wasn't giving up on the Hobbits and so went to Mount Doom in the faint hope they'd be alive. There's a bit in The Hobbit just like this - after Gandalf and the Dwarves escape from the Goblin caves, Gandalf is willing to go back just to find Bilbo (though Bilbo reappears right there anyway).