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In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the climax of the story comes when Gandalf (Ian McKellen) turns to fight the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and what he shouts at the ancient fiery foe is not just a standard, off-the-dome challenge; it's a speech steeped in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium.
There are many great speeches in Tolkien's stories, many of which were translated to the screen in Peter Jackson's trilogy. Jackson and his co-writers, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, made up a handful themselves, which, while not Tolkien's exact words, express the themes and tone of his books.
Still, even talented writers as these fall short in comparison to Tolkien, whose magical storytelling and dialogue seem eternal. 90 years after The Hobbit was published, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is supposed to arrive. These are stories not confined by decades but by centuries.
In the Jackson films, it's the moments when he brings Tolkien's words to the screen that always feel the most effective. Gandalf's fight with the Balrog in Moria is one such scene, with nearly everything that happens on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm taken right from the pages of Fellowship. Tolkien injects the words spoken in this scene with significance that you may not understand until you dig into his legendarium.
What Exactly Gandalf Says To The Balrog In Moria
In Moria, the Fellowship of the Ring has managed to traverse several dangers: the Watcher in the Water, a tomb filled with goblins, a cave troll, and all the while, they keep driving forward, defeating foes and avoiding death. However, that hopeful, heroic atmosphere ends when Gandalf recognizes the approach of a Balrog.
His line, "This foe is beyond any of you," is particularly chilling, knowing what foes the Fellowship has managed to defeat so far, including the Ringwraiths. The arrival of the Balrog, Durin's Bane, which is alluded to in the book Gandalf plucks from Ori's skeleton, signals that someone in the Fellowship will not be leaving the Mines of Moria.
This someone turns out to be Gandalf, who escorts the rest of the Fellowship across the Bridge of Khazad-dûm before turning around to face the Balrog, a massive, horned creature made of fire and shadow, wielding a large flaming sword that he replaces with a flaming whip.
Gandalf challenges this seemingly insurmountable foe with a memorable speech,
"You cannot pass. I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass."
It's powerful enough of a speech that the Balrog falters for a moment, unsure if he has the power to overcome an old man. And as we learn, he doesn't, and Gandalf casts him into the abyss. It's a momentary loss of focus that allows the Balrog to drag Gandalf down with him, but even then, the fight's not over.
What The Secret Fire Is In Tolkien's Legendarium
There are two parts to this speech. In the first, Gandalf says, "I am a servant of the Secret Fire". The Secret Fire to which he refers is something Tolkien describes in his legendarium. It is also known as the Flame Imperishable, and it is the mysterious divine power that Eru Ilúvatar uses to create life.
The Secret Fire is what Melkor once failed to find before the creation of the world because, as he was unaware, the Fire was a part of Eru himself. Saying "I am a servant of the Secret Fire" to a Balrog, which is a Maiar corrupted to serve Melkor all those eons ago, is basically telling a devil that you are the servant of god.
In that line, Gandalf says he's the "wielder of the flame of Anor". This does not have as direct a translation, but we can make some educated guesses. "Anor" is an elvish word for the Sun, so a wielder of it would be a formidable opponent for a being made of shadow.
Gandalf also wears Narya, one of the three Rings of Power made for the Elves, which were not touched by Sauron. Narya is the Ring of Fire, and has the power to resist domination and despair. So Gandalf is telling the Balrog he has the power to defeat him if the Balrog tries him.
Why Gandalf Calls The Balrog Flame Of Udûn
If the first part of the speech is a warning, the second part is closer to a taunt. If this were an alley fight, you might compare this to Gandalf attempting to get a rise out of the Balrog, get him to lose focus with some insults. "The dark fire will not avail you" is Gandalf telling the Balrog, who is certainly made of fire, which can be used for destruction as well as life, that his dark version of the powerful force won't overcome Gandalf's virtuous usage of it.
Gandalf then refers to the Balrog as "flame of Udûn". Udûn was another name for Utumno, Morgoth's (Melkor) first fortress in the north of Middle-earth. Udûn was destroyed in the Battle of the Powers in the First Age, forcing the Balrogs who resided there to flee. Gandalf is reminding the Balrog that not only is he the servant of a terrible, cruel being, but he's also a failed servant. Udûn doesn't even exist anymore.
Gandalf's Speech In The Fellowship Of The Rings Is Critical To The Story's Themes
Gandalf's speech to the Balrog in Fellowship is emblematic of the themes Tolkien weaves throughout The Lord of the Rings, namely, the triumph of good vs. evil. As obvious a theme as that is, Tolkien's imagery and story explore every facet of that idea, expanding on it in ways few writers are capable of.
The power of Gandalf's speech and the underlying message has made it one of the most memorable speeches in the trilogy, and in Jackson's film. The "You cannot pass" portion is repeated throughout, and it's in that line that Tolkien's real understanding of good and evil becomes apparent.
Gandalf threatens the Balrog, he disparages it and its master, and he tells the creature it cannot pass. For Gandalf, and for Tolkien, evil is not just overcome by good; it is incapable of ever standing against it. In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the Balrog cannot pass Gandalf, not because he wields a ring and serves a stronger master. The Balrog literally cannot pass because Gandalf speaks for the good of Tolkien's universe, one in which evil cannot ultimately prevail.
