"Would Sauron Win If Gandalf Stayed Dead?" How Lord Of The Rings’ Ending Changes

Many factors contribute to Sauron’s defeat in The Lord of the Rings movies, but Gandalf’s return from the dead may decide the villain’s fate. Gandalf leads Frodo and his companions in The Fellowship of the Ring, but the wizard is separated from the group in the Mines of Moria. A battle with a Balrog takes Gandalf the Grey to death’s door, forcing the others to continue their journey without him. Things go wrong from the moment the wizard departs, with the Fellowship breaking at the end of the first Lord of the Rings film.