Battle of the Bridge of Khazad-dûm

The Battle of Bridge of Khazad-dûm was a battle between the Fellowship of the Ring and the Orcs. The orcs had discovered the presence of the Fellowship, and while Gandalf was reading the harrowing tale of the fall of Balin and his Dwarves from the Book of Mazarbul, the orcs mobilized.

Events

Prelude

After the Watcher in the Water trapped the Fellowship in Moria, they then had no choice but to move forward deep into Moria to exit via the East-gate, a three day journey. While en route to the exit they camped for a time in a guardroom near a crossroads of three passages that has a deep well in it. Pippin foolishly threw a stone down the well out of pure curiosity, angering Gandalf and alerting the Orcs to their presence. After some deliberation, Gandalf chose the passage to the right. Slowly, they made their way through the mines until they come to the Twenty-first Hall of North end, and through that, the Chamber of Mazarbul. As Gandalf read the Book of Mazarbul, drums began to sound and the Orcs moved towards the Fellowship.

Battle

The Fellowship prepared to face them, however, the orcs see them inside the chamber and rushed inside to attack. Eventually, the orcs were defeated, and the Fellowship attempted to escape through the Eastern exit, but an orc stabs Frodo in the chest with a long spear. Aragorn deals with the orc and then picks up Frodo and flees with the rest of the Fellowship. They are amazed when Frodo tells them that he is okay. Soon after, the Fellowship leaves the chamber and heads towards the Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

The orcs managed to surround the Fellowship but when they were about to attack, the sounds of a great noise made them flee the scene. Gandalf realized that the orcs fled because they were frightened of the Balrog that had been roused and was now aware of them. After moving down the path they came into the Second Hall with a vast chasm, meant to impede them but which they have luckily bypassed. Then, the orcs and the Balrog pursued the Fellowship again, signified by the drums starting again. The Fellowship turned and fled to the Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

As they reached and crossed the bridge, several orc archers shot at them. When the Balrog reached their heels, Gandalf commanded the rest of the group to cross the bridge. He then turned to confront the Balrog. Gandalf revealed his title to the Balrog, causing him to shrink away. Then he drew a sword and struck the Wizard, but Gandalf put up a shield of his power, breaking the Balrog's sword. Then as the Balrog stepped forward, Gandalf smote the bridge with his staff, causing it and the bridge to break. The Balrog fell, but used its whip to take Gandalf with him, and both fell into the abyss. The rest of the Fellowship mourned, but Aragorn led them out and towards Lothlórien.

In adaptations

Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring

In the film The Fellowship of the Ring, after Gandalf finishes reading the Book of Mazarbul Pippin foolishly knocks a body into a well, causing much racket. Drums sound below. Orc cries follow, the Fellowship prepare to make a stand, and Boromir announces the orcs have a cave-troll with them. The orcs then see the fellowship inside the chamber and numerous orcs charge at the doorway and pour in. The Fellowship battles the orcs until the troll enters. The troll is shot at multiple times by Legolas, including a shot at the top of its head. The troll soon turns its attention to Frodo, while the rest of the Fellowship is busy with the orcs. Aragorn, seeing the cave-troll about to attack Frodo, comes to his aid and stabs the troll with a large spear. The troll batters Aragorn away and stabs Frodo with the spear. Thinking Frodo is dead, Merry and Pippin leap onto it’s back. This distraction allows Legolas to shoot a shot through the roof of the monster's mouth, killing it. Frodo survives the troll attack, thanks to the vest he was wearing, and Gandalf leads the Fellowship out and toward the Bridge of Khazad-dûm before more dangers arrived.

Translations

References