The Balrog vs The Witch King

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by Gordis

obloquy -

As to the Witch-King, Gandalf said: "...my heart sank. For even the Wise might fear to withstand the Nine, when they are gathered together under their fell chieftain. A great king and sorcerer he was of old, and now he wields a deadly fear. "- LOTR
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The quote would suggest to me that Gandalf is worried about the effect of the WK gathered together with the other of the Nine on the mortals out there, and thus their impact on the battle. I doubt that Gandalf personally was afraid, since like Glorfindel (as cited in The Fellowship of the Ring), the power of the dead has little effect on those who walk in both worlds (the living and the dead). Gandalf explicitly says this as a response to Frodo's comment about how Glorfindel was able to drive the Nazgul into the river at Rivendell...