What title does Gandalf gain after defeating the Balrog in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings?

After defeating the Balrog, Gandalf returns as Gandalf the White in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Gandalf and the Balrog fall from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm into the depths beneath Moria. Gandalf defeats the creature but dies from the ordeal before being sent back to Middle-earth with greater authority.

His transformation changes his appearance and his position among the Istari, the order of supernatural emissaries sent to oppose Sauron. Gandalf the White replaces Saruman the White as the order’s chief representative after Saruman’s betrayal.

Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White are not separate characters. They are two stages of the same being, with the change marking a major turning point in the War of the Ring.