På roman spelade händelserna något annorlunda ut. Gandalf var redan på baksidan av förpackningen. Hobbiterna, Gimli och Legolas hade redan gjort det till bågen när Balrog uppträdde. De stannade inuti bågen (lydande Gandalf) medan människorna, Aragorn och Boromir bestämde sig för att stå med Gandalf.
'Over the bridge!' cried Gandalf, recalling his strength. 'Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you. I must hold the narrow way. Fly! ' Aragorn and Boromir did not heed the command, but still held their ground, side by side, behind Gandalf at the far end of the bridge. The others halted just within the doorway at the hall's end, and turned, unable to leave their leader to face the enemy alone.
Gandalf verkar ha tagit några steg framåt för att attackera Balrog och därigenom orsakade han bron att bryta. Hans följeslagare (som vid den tiden var omkring 10-15 fot bakom honom) tvingades att springa iväg, för att de inte skulle falla i kaoset.
När han faktiskt föll, var det över inom några sekunder.
With a bound the Balrog leaped full upon the bridge. Its whip whirled and hissed.
'He cannot stand alone! ' cried Aragorn suddenly and ran back along the bridge. ' Elendil! ' he shouted. 'I am with you, Gandalf!'
'Gondor! ' cried Boromir and leaped after him.
At that moment Gandalf lifted his staff, and crying aloud he smote the bridge before him. The staff broke asunder and fell from his hand. A blinding sheet of white flame sprang up. The bridge cracked. Right at the Balrog's feet it broke, and the stone upon which it stood crashed into the gulf, while the rest remained, poised, quivering like a tongue of rock thrust out into emptiness.With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward, and its shadow plunged down and vanished. But even as it fell it swung its whip, and the thongs lashed and curled about the wizard's knees, dragging him to the brink. He staggered and fell, grasped vainly at the stone, and slid into the abyss. 'Fly, you fools! ' he cried, and was gone.
The fires went out, and blank darkness fell. The Company stood rooted with horror staring into the pit. Even as Aragorn and Boromir came flying back, the rest of the bridge cracked and fell. With a cry Aragorn roused them.