Tvärtom kom både Gandalfs återkomst och hans "främjande" fram för tanken på hans död och uppståndelse.
Tolkiens första utkast till Ringets Sammanslutning slutade vid Balins grav, vid vilken tidpunkt han stannade länge innan han fortsatte. Men en skiss av kapitlet i kapitlet (daterad av Christopher Tolkien i slutet av 1939 och skrivet omedelbart innan man började på själva utkastet) medför starkt att Gandalfs fall aldrig var tänkt att vara permanent:
Gandalf turns back and holds off [?enemy], they cross the bridge but the B[lack] R[ider] leaps forward and wrestles with Gandalf. The bridge cracks under them and the last they see is Gandalf falling into the pit with the B[lack] R[ider]. There is a flash of fire and blue light up from abyss.
Their grief. Trotter now guides party.
(Of course Gandalf must reappear later - probably fall is not as deep as it seemed. Gandalf thrusts Balrog under him and so..... and eventually following the subterranean stream in the gulf he found a way out - but he does not turn up until they have had many adventures: not indeed until they are on the [?borders] of Mordor and the King of Ond is being beaten in battle)
History of Middle-earth VI The Return of the Shadow Part 4: "The Story Continued" Chapter XXV "The Mines of Moria"
Första omnämnandet av "Gandalf the White" är antagligen i en isolerad anteckning av osäkert datum (men möjligen omkring 1940ish):
Gandalf to reappear again. How did he escape? This might never be fully explained. He passed through fire - and became the White Wizard.
History of Middle-earth VII The Treason of Isengard Chapter XXIII: "Notes on Various Topics"
När Gandalfs död kom in är berättelsen svår att bestämma. Det är tydligt inte närvarande i det tidigaste utkastet till Gandalfs berättelse om hans kamp med Balrog:
On the way they ask Gandalf how he escaped. He refuses the full tale - but tells how he passed through fire (and water?) and came to the 'bottom of the world', and there finally overthrew the Balrog, who fled. Gandalf followed up a secret way to Durin's Tower on the summit of the mountains (?of Caradras). There they had a battle - those who beheld it afar thought it was a thunderstorm with lightning. A great rain came down. The Balrog was destroyed, and the tower crumbled and stones blocked the door of the secret way. Gandalf was left on the mountain-top. The eagle Gwaihir rescued him. He went then to Lothlorien. Galadriel arrayed him in white garments before he left. While Gandalf was on mountain top he saw many things - a vision of Mordor etc.
History of Middle-earth VII The Treason of Isengard Chapter XXIV: "The White Rider"
Det finns inget omnämnande när Gandalfs död kom in i berättelsen, men det var sannolikt inte förrän närmare ett slutgiltigt utkast, någon gång efter ovanstående anteckningar.