When Gandalf died, his divine being left his set physical form, and about 20 days later, he was returned to life. Sauron is also a Maiar, just corrupted. At one point, a bit later on, Gandalf also sets out in search of the missing Dwarven king Thráin II. Gods granted him a new body and soul and his memories where lost but he gained stronger powers. Does Gandalf come back to life to complete his task in the world in The Fellowship of the Ring in the book? He was associated with light and fire, much like his peer Varda. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. He was associated with light and fire, much like his peer Varda.? With so many centuries of wandering under his belt, it's natural that Gandalf would acquire a lengthy collection of names. Tolkien, yet again, obliges us through multiple sources, especially Unfinished Tales, by providing several of them, often along with their origins and meanings. At least, not in the way we would expect. Last, and certainly least as far as the story goes, were the Blue Wizards. Jesus comes to … Which is your favorite of the following young man/old man relationships that are not father and son? In other words, he spends a lot of time wandering all over the Westlands of Middle-earth, generally laying low, making friends, and increasing his understanding of the lay of the land. Along with the Valar, many lesser Ainur went with them to aid in their efforts, the lesser Ainur are called the Maiar. Gandalf never lost his staff in the book. This thread is archived. Gandalf doesn’t always show up. Gandalf is actually considered to lead the prestigious body at one point, but he doesn't want to be restrained from wandering and the position is awarded to his fellow wizard Saruman instead. The wizard drives the Dark Lord out (although he doesn't realize who he is yet), leading to the centuries-long period of the Watchful Peace. As a Maia, Gandalf is immortal. When Gandalf came back as the white wizard, he probably could have wiped the floor with Sauron all by himself, but that wasn't his job. Still invisible, he hears Gandalf and the dwarves arguing; Gandalf is saying that they must go back and rescue Bilbo. The first physical one is Gandalf the Grey, the second one again is Gandalf the Grey, but without a hat and cape, the third one is Gandalf the White, and the fourth one is a Gandalf the Grey microfigure. The wisest of the Maiar, Gandalf was created by Ilúvatar before the Music of the Ainur. Top Answer. As some may have already noticed, we've started to spill into the events of The Hobbit at this point, and the "backstory" of Gandalf is drawing to a close. In the book Unfinished Tales — which compiled many of Tolkien's unpublished and unfinished works — the author refers to these creatures as an "angelic" order of beings. The Council eventually attacks and defeats Sauron, at which point he withdraws to Mordor. Bilbo slips into their midst and takes off the ring so that they see him. Eventually, the five main wizards are chosen and they begin to arrive on the western coast of Middle-earth approximately one millennium into the Third Age. These are 15 of the best The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings quotes from author J.R.R. Here, he finds the Dwarf — who gives him a map and a key for the Lonely Mountain — in prison and finally discovers that the Necromancer has returned and is, indeed, Sauron. He is perhaps stronger and wiser and more skilled than most of the others, but he is not perfect, and has the same weaknesses as the others, the same potential for failure. He's shorter than the others, already has grey hair, and leans on a staff. This pair of Maiar,  dressed in sea-blue clothing, were named Alatar and Pallando and it's said that they traveled to Middle-earth as friends. See what? In The Lord of the Rings , Gandalf’s life takes place on a different scale than the other creatures of Middle Earth, allowing him to bear witness to the changing tides of the ages. It's made clear in Unknown Tales that the physical forms that the wizards take restrict their abilities and even have the effect of "dimming their wisdom and knowledge and confusing them with fears, cares, and wearinesses coming from the flesh.". Hence, he is not bound by the rules that govern mort Melkor corrupted some these Maiar (such as Sauron and the Balrog Gandalf died fighting). Perhaps the best spot to tie things in with the mainstream story is with a chance meeting near the Prancing Pony. He was also closely associated with two other Valar: Irmo, in whose gardens he lived, and Nienna, the patron of mercy, who gave him tutelage. At least, that's how Bilbo puts it when he bumps into the wizard while blowing smoke rings by his front door. How does Gandalf come back to life? However, the important distinction that makes a Maiar a wizard is the fact that they've voluntarily been wrapped in the frail mortality of a worldly body. Olórin initially begg… “Gandalf moved his chair to the bedside, and took a good look at Frodo. However, Gandalf's initial reaction is to resist the nomination, as he is afraid of Sauron's power. He's a being that was directly created by that world's equivalent of gods in order to aid and guide other life, so when he died, he was revived to fulfill his duty as well as replace Saruman, who fell into Sauron's influence, as the "White Wizard". And yet, other times, Gandalf does appear. Gandalf the Grey Gandalf the White The Gandalf the White minifigure appears in 79007 Battle at the Bl… Once the world was created 15 of the most powerful Ainur called the Valar were sent into the world to give it shape and basically created all the plants animals, etc in Middle-Earth. He was smiling, and there seemed to be little wrong with him. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 6 comments. In his \"youth\", he became one of the Maiar who served Manwë, Varda, Irmo and Nienna named. Close. In the Third Age, he and a few others like him were sent on a mission to help the peoples of Middle-earth against Sauron. After further discussion, the wizard heads to the Shire as he mulls the situation over. When he first meets the shipwright Círdan at the Grey Havens (that's the port where Frodo leaves at the end of The Return of the King) the Elven lord immediately sees right through the wizard's lowly appearance and recognizes the important role that Gandalf is going to play in the war against Sauron. One other critical activity that Gandalf participates in during the centuries before The Lord of the Rings is befriending Hobbits. While Gandalf appears to lay low for most of his time in Middle-earth, that doesn't mean he does nothing at all. However, in later notes, he claimed it was just a common name for the Grey Pilgrim in Gondor, which was relatively "south" compared to his general stomping grounds. ― J.R.R. He decides he must go back and look for his friends. Gandalf is not set above the Hobbits or other characters in the work; he does not float over the plot like an otherworldly angel. Melkor, rather than create, just perverted the creations of the other Valar. He also keeps company with Nienna, a Valar or leader of the Ainur who is known for her association with grief and sorrow. Tolkien, which are sure to leave you feeling more hopeful.. When Gandalf arrived in Valinor he was sent back since his task was not complete. At the top of Mt. share. Because of this, it says in The Silmarillion that they were forbidden to simply overpower the Dark Lord with their own latent power, nor were they allowed to dominate Men or Elves in order to do so. So to elaborate upon my question: Galadriel was born in Valinor and thus was aware of the existence of the Valar, the Maiar i.e. While he isn't as impressive on the surface, the Grey Wanderer's great claim to fame is the fact that in The Silmarillion he's referred to as "the wisest of the Maiar." The Gods, however, granted him a new body and even a … Now to explain what a Maiar is. It's not known how many Maiar there were, but several of them show up throughout Middle-earth history and are very powerful. Their bodies are the real deal. While Gandalf accepts the gift, he attempts to keep it very secret. Needless to say, when the great events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings roll around, Gandalf is firmly established as a local legend within the Hobbit communities. My opponent can cause massive snowstorms, create a new life form, and transport me to a prison tower, but I can make the talky talky with the pretty Mariposa. In Valinor, Gandalf was called Olórin. The colour had come back to his face, and his eyes were clear, and fully awake and aware. He was one of the Maiar of Valinor, specifically, of the people of the Vala Manwë; and was said to be the wisest of the Maiar. He explains that "wizard" is a translation of the Elvish word "istar," representing an order that claims to have "eminent knowledge of the history and nature of the World." He was 19 days away earth time so using an average lifespan of 70-75 years, Gandalf himself was gone for … During this period of "youth," he is named Olórin, and he lives in the lands to the west of Middle-earth. This leads Círdan to give Gandalf a ring of power to help him throughout his adventures. One version of the story in Unfinished Tales also explains that Radagast was paired up with Saruman as a favor to the Valar, Yavanna, much to Saruman's dismay and disdain. He loved the Elves but he walked unseen among them, or wore a fana that appeare… This contrasts starkly with his fellow Istari teammates, as Radagast eventually settles down at his home of Rhosgobel on the edge of Mirkwood and Saruman famously sets up shop at Isengard. The two begin to talk, and Gandalf decides to visit the dwarf's temporary home. He existed before the world was even created, and helped create both the world and Middle-Earth itself. So orcs are perversions of men and elves, that kind of thing, and soon they went to war. He helps them when they're in need and is specifically remembered in the appendix of The Return of the King for aiding them during the desperate Long Winter of 2758. He tells his tale and gains their respect, but he does not reveal the existence of the ring. Every other Ainur is part of the group called the Maiar. Of the Five Wizards, Gandalf is clearly the most well known. Otherwise, he would not have died and come back- I remember reading that maia and Istar could only be slain by a Vala, and a Vala could never be slain. Where did he come from and why is he meddling in everyone's affairs in the first place? If Gandalf doesn’t come back then you have to have someone else enter the story, someone with the power and authority to intervene at just the right moments to keep everything from falling apart. The Dwarven hero is also deep in thought as he travels in exile thanks to Smaug the dragon, who has taken up residence in his mountain home half a world away. Beyond that, though, the Wandering Wizard also reveals in The Two Towers that "many are my names in many countries." So what, exactly, are Tolkien's wizards, then? In the movie, when Gandalf realizes he has been betrayed and trapped by Saruman, the two wizards fight each other and Saruman takes Gandalf’s staff away from him before sending Gandalf up to the top of Orthanc. The Blue Wizards have long remained a fascination to Tolkien fans if only because of their utter and complete mystery. What is the difference between a horror, thriller and mystery movie. Radagast's fate is quietly tragic, as the wizard slowly slips into a habit of overly prioritizing the birds and beasts rather than Elves and Men. Throughout his existence, Gandalf is always drawn to the "Children of Ilúvatar" — that is, both Elves and Men — and is always keen to help them. Will you get vaccine by May 1? In other words, wizards are Maiar wrapped in physical, restricting bodies that were sent to Middle-earth in order to help (not dominate) the peoples resist the growing power of Sauron. The Wizard becomes corrupt with power and goes against the Istari's commission by dominating the wills of others and setting himself up as a contender against Sauron. But as we hinted at before, the idea of a "wizard" is a bit of a misnomer when compared to the modern English definition of the word. Gandalf is a Maiar. As he nears the inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree, he's busily pondering on the impending evil threats scattered throughout Middle-earth. There are five main wizards in Tolkien's writings, literally referred to in The Two Towers as the "Five Wizards," but the Unfinished Tales also explains that their total number is actually unknown and some very well may have visited different areas besides the northwestern portion of Middle-earth. This helps him learn much about patience and pity. Wizards in Tolkien's world aren't trained at Hogwarts. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it. - Quora. His name rarely appears during the major geopolitical events of the age, and he seems to have practically fallen off the map for huge swaths of time. Eventually, Gandalf beat the beast from the cavern, but was so worn out that he actually did die. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Wizards (Istari) across the Great Sea to Middle-earth in order to counsel and assist all those who opposed Sauron, Olórin was proposed by Manwë. He starts making a plan, and the rest is Middle-earth history. Yet his ways often took him to Nienna, fro… Let's dive into the Grey Pilgrim's backstory and see what it is that sets Gandalf up for the critical role that he ends up playing throughout The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Up front, the most impressive of the Five Wizards is Saruman. See Answer. He was created by Ilúvatar before the Music of the Ainur, and was at the beginning of Time amongst the Ainur who entered into Eä. It's said that the duo traveled far into the east with Saruman but never came back.