Gandalf

"A wizard is never cums late, nor early; he ejaculates precisely when he means to."

- Gandalf

Gandalf the Grey later known as Gandalf the White, also known as Olórin (Quenya Tengwar: full spelling or vowel-abbreviated spelling ; IPA: ), Tharkun, and Mithrandir (Sindarin IPA: ), was an Istar. Istari were Maiar that were specially chosen by the Valar to help aid the people of Middle-earth in the fight against evil. The Istari (Men called them wizards) took the form of Men but possessed much greater physical and mental power. For over 2000 years, Gandalf worked most faithfully against the rising powers of evil in Middle-earth.

Mythical roots
The Old Norse name "Gandalfr" appears in the list of dwarves in the Völuspá of the Elder Edda; the name means "cane-elf." Tolkien took the name along with the dwarves' names when he wrote The Hobbit in the 1930s. He came to regret the creation of this "rabble of eddaic-named dwarves, [...] invented in an idle hour" (The Return of the Shadow:452), since it forced him to come up with an explanation of why Old Norse names should be used in Third Age of Middle-earth. He solved the dilemma in 1942 by the explanation that Old Norse was a translation of the language of Dale. The figure of Gandalf has other influences from Germanic mythology, particularly Odin in his incarnation as "the Wanderer", an old man with one eye, a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat, and a staff. Tolkien states that he thinks of Gandalf as an "Odinic wanderer" in a letter of 1946 (Letters no. 107). Gandalf is also similar to Väinämöinen, a Bard in Finnish mythology.

Der Berggeist
Tolkien had a postcard labelled Der Berggeist ("the mountain spirit"), and on the paper cover in which he kept it, he wrote "origin of Gandalf" at some point. The postcard reproduces a painting of a bearded figure, sitting on a rock under a pine tree in a mountainous setting. He wears a wide-brimmed round hat and a long cloak and a white fawn is nuzzling his upturned hands. Humphrey Carpenter in his 1977 biography said that Tolkien had bought the postcard during his 1911 holiday in Switzerland. However, Manfred Zimmerman (1983) discovered that the painting was by German artist Josef Madlener and dates to the late 1920s. Carpenter concluded that Tolkien was probably mistaken about the origin of the postcard himself. Tolkien must have acquired the card at some time in the early 1930s, at a time when The Hobbit had already begun to take shape. The original painting was auctioned at Sotheby's in London on July 12, 2005 for 84,000 GBP. The previous owner had been given the painting by Madlener in the 1940s and recalled that he had stated the mountains in the background of the painting were the Dolomites.

First appearance
The first description of Gandalf is preserved in the first pages of The Hobbit in the Shire, dating to the early 1930s. Gandalf's fame is alluded to even before his physical description ("Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion"), directed by the author to the reader, while Bilbo's impression is that of: "''an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which a white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots".

Origin
Gandalf is the wisest of the Maiar. He was known as Olórin, who sometimes dwelt in the gardens of Irmo and was the pupil of Nienna, who taught him wisdom and pity, and of Manwë and Varda. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Wizards (also known as the Istari) to Middle-earth, Olórin was proposed by Manwë and Varda, in order to counsel and assist all those in Middle-earth who opposed the Dark Lord Sauron. Upon entrance in Middle-Earth, Gandalf (Olorin) spent a good thousand or two years walking among the elves as a stranger and learning from them and teaching them. He later revealed himself as Istari, and has come to be known as the wisest of that order. He is the wisest and most powerful of the Five Wizards: although some think Saruman was more powerful(which is not true), Tolkien wrote that Saruman hated Gandalf and knew he possessed the greater power and wisdom (Appendix B: The Tale of Years, The Third Age, Year 2953).

Pre-War of the Ring
In The Hobbit, Gandalf appears to the hobbits of the the Shire (where he spent a great deal of time) as little more than a vain, fussy old conjurer who entertained children with fireworks during festivals and parties in the eyes of many hobbits. He (partially) reveals his true nature and power to Bilbo Baggins when he arranges and partially accompanies a band of thirteen dwarves on a quest to regain the Dwarvish treasure of the Lonely Mountain, which was stolen many years before by the Dragon Smaug. It is on this quest that Gandalf finds his sword, Glamdring, and that Bilbo finds the One Ring (though at the time it is mistaken for a lesser ring).

In 2850 Third Age, he encountered Thráin II, father of Thorin Oakenshield, dying in Dol Guldur. The Dwarf king entrusted Gandalf with a map to Erebor. As Dol Guldur had once been one of Sauron's strongholds, Gandalf feared that Sauron's agents were at large again.

Gandalf met Thorin years later and agreed to go on the quest as a way to investigate further. He insisted, however, on bringing Bilbo along as a "burglar", someone who could sneak into places Dwarves couldn't access and gather information.

Gandalf joined the quest in order to investigate what he suspected to be the resurgence of Sauron (or the "Necromancer", as he is referred to in The Hobbit) in Mirkwood. During the Dwarves' quest, Gandalf vanished twice — once to scout their path, the second time to "attend to other pressing business", the nature of which he refused to discuss. He was actually attending a meeting of the White Council. When Bilbo found the One Ring, Gandalf was immediately suspicious of the hobbit's story of how he acquired it. He privately confronted Bilbo and forced the truth out of him, and is deeply troubled by his story of the Ring's powers as they seem eerily familiar. Perhaps even more troubling to him is that Bilbo, a proper, honorable hobbit, would uncharacteristically lie about his story.

Gandalf abandoned Thorin's company when they reached Mirkwood to participate in the White Council's assault on Dol Guldur. The attack appeared to drive out The Necromancer (Sauron), though he immediately retreated to his long-prepared stronghold of Barad-Dur. Gandalf rejoined Thorin's company at the very moment the Battle of Five Armies breaks out, bearing news of the arrival of a goblin and warg army. Gandalf fought in the battle, and helped destroy the goblin threat. Following the battle, Gandalf accompanied Bilbo back to the Shire.

Gandalf spends the years between TA 2941-TA 3001 travelling Middle-earth in search of information on Sauron's resurgence and Bilbo's mysterious ring. He spends as much time as he can in the Shire, however, strengthening his friendship with Bilbo and befriending Bilbo's heir, Frodo. It is also at about this time that he first begins to be suspicious of Saruman.

In TA 3001, he attended Bilbo's "Eleventy-First" (111th) birthday party. He brought many fireworks and a giant flying firework 'dragon', indicating his knowledge of chemistry as well as magic. At the end of the party, Bilbo put on the ring and disappeared at the end of his speech as a prank on his neighbors. Troubled by this, Gandalf confronted his old friend and tried to persuade him to leave the ring to Frodo. Bilbo became hostile and accused Gandalf of trying to steal the ring, which he calls "my precious," much as Gollum (the creature Bilbo had taken the ring from) had. Horrified, Gandalf stood to his full height and almost ordered Bilbo to leave it behind. Bilbo returned to his senses and admitted that the Ring had been troubling him lately. He then left, the first bearer of the One Ring to have relinquished it voluntarily, and would only be followed by Sam during the quest to destroy the ring.

Over the next seventeen years, Gandalf traveled extensively, searching for answers. Having long sought for Gollum near Mordor, he met with Aragorn, who had captured the creature in Mirkwood. Gandalf interrogated the wretched creature and learned that Sauron had forced Gollum to tell what he knew about the ring under torture. Gandalf left Mirkwood soon after, and left Gollum with the Wood Elves of Northern Mirkwood.

War of the Ring
(WARNING: Some of the below lore may come from the movies and not the books)

"War is upon us" - Gandalf during a conversation with Aragorn

Upon returning to the Shire (in Chapter 2 of The Fellowship of the Ring), Gandalf confirmed his suspicions by throwing the Ring into Frodo's hearth fire and reading the writing that results from it ("One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them", though it is inscribed in old elvish). He told Frodo the full history of the Ring, and urged him to leave with it and make for Rivendell, the home of the Elves, knowing he is in grave danger if he stays at home.

Riding near the Shire, Gandalf encountered Radagast the Brown, who asks him to seek out Saruman because the Nazgûl have come forth and crossed the River Anduin. Gandalf leaves a note for Frodo with Butterbur, an inn-keeper in Bree and heads towards Isengard. Once there, he is betrayed and held captive by Saruman, who had already come under the influence of Sauron due to his use of a Palantír. Eventually rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle, Gandalf only reaches the Shire after Frodo has set out and does not meet up with him until Frodo reaches Rivendell on October 20. At the Secret Council with Elrond Half-Elven, master of The Last Homely House East of the Sea (Rivendell), Gandalf learned from Legolas, son of Thranduil, King of the Elves of the Northern Mirkwood, that Gollum has escaped from the elves during an orc attack, that his trail had been lost among those of many orcs, and was at large in Middle-Earth.

Gandalf took the leadership of the Fellowship (nine representatives of the free peoples of Middle-earth "set against the Nine Riders"), he and Aragorn led the hobbits and their companions on an unsuccessful effort to cross Mount Caradhras in winter. They then took the "dark and secret way" through the Mines of Moria, much to Gandalf's discomfort. Though he had passed through the Mines once before, he had no desire to go through them again, and knew that he was endangering the rest of the Fellowship by doing so. They discovered that Balin, Gandalf's former dwarf ally in the quest to the Lonely Mountain, had died in battle against the orcs of Mordor during a siege of Moria. In the chamber where the dwarf's tomb resided, the Fellowship fought a cave-troll to protect Frodo and a Balrog, known commonly as Durin's Bane. This was one of the Maiar corrupted by Morgoth in the First Age.

As the Balrog began to break the bridge of Khazad-dum, Gandalf told the Fellowship to flee, because only he, being of equal status to the fiery demon, was able to face it. As wizard and Balrog faced each other, Gandalf thrust his staff into the bridge in front of him, breaking it under the Balrog's feet. As the Balrog fell, however, it wrapped its whip around Gandalf's ankle, dragging him into the abyss. As the rest of the Fellowship looked in horror, Gandalf cried, "Fly, you fools!" and was gone. Neither he nor the Balrog was killed by the fall, and Gandalf pursued the creature for eight days until they climbed to the peak of Zirakzigil. Here they fought for two days and nights. In the end, the Balrog was cast down and it broke the mountain-side as it fell. Gandalf himself died following this ordeal and his body lay on the peak while his spirit travelled outside of Time.

Resurrection
"I've been sent back, until my task is done."

- Gandalf the White

Gandalf was "sent back", resurrected by Eru, returning as a more imposing figure, Gandalf the White. After being found by Gwaihir, he was healed of his injuries and reclothed in white robes by Galadriel in Lorien. In Fangorn forest he encountered the Three Hunters (Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas) who were tracking Fellowship members (and Frodo's cousins) Merry and Pippin. He persuades Aragorn to go to Rohan instead. Arriving in Rohan, Gandalf finds that its king, Théoden, has been weakened by Saruman's agent, Grima Wormtongue. He breaks Wormtongue's hold over Theoden, and convinces the king to join them in fighting Sauron. They then went on to prosecute the war against Orthanc and Barad-dûr. Whilst Théoden and the Rohirrim rode to Helm's Deep so as to battle with the hordes of Isengard, Gandalf rode to Orthanc, asking Treebeard to encourage the Huorns to assist him in defeating Saruman.

Siege of Gondor
"Send these foul beasts into the ABYSS!"

- Gandalf during the Siege

After overthrowing Saruman, Gandalf broke his rival's staff and banished him from the Order of Wizards. Then, against his counsel, Pippin glanced into the Palantir of Orthanc that he recovered from Saruman. Pippin made contact with Sauron (the movies offer some non-canon scenes). He then took Pippin with him to Gondor to aid in the defense of the city. Along the way, Gandalf gives Pippin a brief history of Palantir, mentioning Feanor, and how it was fortunate that Pippin made contact with Sauron instead of himself. Gandalf claims that he's not yet ready for a meeting with Sauron. Arriving at Minas Tirith, he meets with Denethor II and tries to give him counsel.

After Faramir's charge, the Morgul host assaulted the city. Gandalf provided invaluable aid to the White City and bought precious time allowing the Rohirrim to save Gondor during The Battle of the Pelennor Fields. When the battering ram Grond, breached the gates of the city, although freezing at the appearance of numerous trolls after the breaking of the gate. Gandalf alone stood in defiance of the Witch-King, however Gandalf's power was never tested, with the timely arrival of Rohan the Witch-king left to deal with the new threat. With the arrival of Rohan, and the pleas of Pippin concerning Denethor's intention to kill Faramir and himself, Gandalf rushed to Faramir's aid. Gandalf took Faramir from the pyre and tried counseling Denethor to not commit suicide. However, driven mad by his grief and Sauron's messages via the Palantir of Minas Tirith, Denethor set the pyre aflame while looking into said Palantir. In grief, Gandalf closed the doors of the chamber. Denethor later gave out a cry and said no more.

Gandalf, soon afterwards, delegated the control of the city to the Prince of Dol Amroth.

The fall of Sauron
Gandalf, alongside Aragorn, led the final battle against Sauron's forces at the Black Gate, waging an all-out battle to distract the Dark Lord's attention away from Frodo and Sam, who were at the very same moment scaling Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Though the forces of good were heavily outnumbered, they were able to hold back the enemy until the hobbits reached the peak of Mount Doom, and the ring was destroyed by Gollum when he fell into the fiery volcano. Without Gandalf's efforts, Sauron might have learned where the two hobbits were and killed them before they could have completed their task.

Departure
Four years after the ring was destroyed, Gandalf (now having spent over 2,000 years in Middle-earth) departed with Frodo, Galadriel, Bilbo, and Elrond across the sea to the Undying Lands, and was not seen again in Middle-Earth. He was the only Maiar to have successfully completed the task of saving Middle Earth from Sauron. It is also believed that he brought his horse, Shadowfax, with him.

Weaker Magical Abilities
The following information comes from the book, movie, and video games.

Illumination
As Gandalf the Grey, Gandalf was not capable of very powerful spells, though he still had potency up to an extent. One of his simpler spells was illumination. In Moria, Gandalf was obliged to light his staff so that the Fellowship could find their way out of Moria. Because of the light provided by Gandalf's staff, the Fellowship was able to pass over many dangers and eventually find their way out of Moria. It also was used to scare away the monster that attacked them after Pippin dropped a large amount of debris down a small hole.

Magical Kinesis
Gandalf the Grey was also capable of pushing his foes back with his staff, as shown in the movie when he battles Saruman in Orthanc. He tried to defeat Saruman as best as he could, but the White Wizard's power was too great for him to withstand. Eventually, Saruman stole Gandalf's staff and transported him to the top of Orthanc.

Call Gwaihir
When times got desperate, Gandalf contacted Gwaihir, Lord of the Eagles, by means of a small moth. Gandalf had saved the great Eagle from a poisoned arrow long ago, and as a result, Gwaihir was eager and ready to help out his own friend whenever he needed to. Gandalf called Gwaihir multiple times, in places ranging from Orthanc to Moria to the Black Gate of Mordor. Though not so much a magical ability as an extra lifeline, Gandalf knew exactly when he needed help and when he should call Gwaihir to get it.

It was Radagast the brown who told the eagles that Gandalf had visted with Saruman in the books; in the movie, Gandalf is seen speaking with the moth.

Sword of Power
In the film adaptation of The Two Towers, while Gandalf was facing the Balrog, he charged his sword Glamdring with lightning. He then struck his foe and killed him. It is unknown whether Gandalf actually summoned the lightning or simply attracted it toward Glamdring, but either way, his sword had extra power, enough to slay the Balrog of Morgoth.

Call Shadowfax
Although not magical as such, Gandalf developes a friendship with the "Lord of horses", Shadowfax in both the books and the films. After Gandalf takes Shadowfax from King Theoden's stables in Edoras, the horse developes a bond with Gandalf which meant that nobody else could ride or even touch Shadowfax, save him. In the second film, Gandalf calls to Shadowfax by whistling just outside of Fangorn. Such is the bond between them that Gandalf rides Shadowfax without any harnesses and can direct him with his mind.

Stronger Magical Abilities
As Gandalf the White, Gandalf had amazing new powers and learned several skills and spells to defeat his foes. The skills listed below are those that are either completely new to Gandalf or have been significantly enhanced since his transformation from the Grey Wizard to the White Wizard.

Lightning Strike
This power is clearly described in the book The Hobbit in the misty mountains while escaping from an orc horde (obviously as Gandalf the Grey). He kills a few orcs and temporarily hides. The cartoon version of The Hobbit also boasts him using it during the battle of five armies.

Blinding Light
Gandalf's second skill was Blinding Light, with which he would strike his foes blind with a blast of light resembling a magnified sunbeam. Though this particular attack did not deal much damage to foes in itself, it allowed any soldiers or cavalry to cut their enemies down with little to no resistance. Gandalf uses this spell twice in the movies: one was at the Battle of Helm's Deep when he charged upon the Uruk-hai with Rohirrim reinforcements; the other was against the Fell Beasts of the Nazgul so that Faramir's company could retreat to Minas Tirith safely. Blinding Light is quite possibly a much stronger version of Illumination.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age (GBA) game, one of Gandalf's four skills is Blinding Light. All Evil Units on Gandalf's flank (except Fearless ones) would have a chance of going into morale failure depending on their morale, becoming useless the next turn. The higher the level of the spell, the more likely the morale failure. Some players choose Gandalf mainly because the morale failures would either play strategically into their hands or force the enemy heroes to join the fray, which would increase their chances of getting killed and getting Good one step closer to victory.

Shield of the Istari
Gandalf can also conjure up a magical shield to protect himself from enemy attacks. It is shown in the movies only once, when Gandalf stands against the Balrog's flaming sword. However, on the extended version of The Return of the King, Gandalf uses the shield of Istari to protect himself from a spell cast by Saruman.

Fire
Gandalf uses the power of fire in the Hobbit, to light pinecones in multi-colored fire and to throw them at wolves, he also uses fire in the Fellowship of the Ring to cast ablaze a bundle of wood, and a large cluster of trees to stay warm, and to combat more wolves.

Destructive Blast
By far Gandalf's most devastating power is the destructive blast. Gandalf initiates this by raising his staff into the air and slamming it down on the ground. The weaker version is enough to break the Bridge of Khazad-dum, but at full power it can send surrounding legions flying into the air, instantly destroying them.

In the Return of the King video game, the spell (from weak to full power) is known as Fog of War, Wrath of Anor, and Flame of Udun. This would imply that Gandalf can use Shadow powers as well as Light powers, though this is unconfirmed and at any case highly unlikely.

In Battle for Middle-earth II, this spell is known as Word of Power. It can destroy all weak units (even upgraded ones), and significantly damage stronger ones.

Appearance
"I am Saruman, or rather Saruman as he should have been"

- Gandalf Gandalf initially appears as an old man with a white beard, a grey cloak and a large, pointed blue hat. Although some of the wise know his true nature, others mistake him for a simple conjurer. After he is resurrected, the change of his signature colour from grey to white is significant, for he has been sent back to replace the corrupt Saruman as the chief of the Wizards. In the book, he says that he has himself become what Saruman should have been.

Círdan the Shipwright seemed to have foreseen this, for he entrusted the care of Narya, the Ring of Fire (one of the Three Rings of the Elves) to Gandalf rather than Saruman.

Quotations
"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

- Gandalf

"So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

- Gandalf

"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be to eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends."

- Gandalf (Book One: Chapter II)

"There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. Against some I have not yet been measured. But my time is coming."

- Gandalf

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor! The Dark Fire will not avail you, Flame of Udûn! Go back to the Shadow! You shall not pass."

- Gandalf (Book Two: Chapter V)

"The battle of Helm's Deep is over; the battle for Middle Earth is about to begin."

- Gandalf

"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now - at the turn of the tide."

- Gandalf

"End? No, it doesn't end here. Death is just a new path, a path everyone has to take."

- Gandalf

"There never was much hope. Just a fool's hope."

- Gandalf

Different Titles

 * Olórin, his name in Valinor and in very ancient times. "Olórin was my name in my youth in the West that is forgotten". It is Quenya, and its meaning is associated with dreams (perhaps "dreamer" or "of dreams"), from the root ÓLOS-.
 * Mithrandir, his Sindarin name, used in Gondor and meaning White Pilgrim or Grey Wanderer.
 * The White Rider (when mounted on the great horse Shadowfax)
 * Stormcrow (a reference to his arrival being associated with times of trouble), often used by his detractors to mean he is a troublesome meddler in the affairs of others.
 * Incánus (in the south), of unclear language and meaning. Tolkien several times changed his mind about it, varying between the Latin word Incanus (meaning Grey and a possible Westron invention meaning "Greymantle"), a word Ind-cano (meaning Cruel Ruler), or even a form of Southron meaning "Spy of the North".
 * Lathspell, by Grima Wormtongue who said "Lathspell I name you, Ill-news; and ill news is an ill guest they say." (in The Two Towers, "The King of the Golden Hall", p. 117.)
 * Tharkûn (to the Dwarves), probably meaning Staff-man.
 * Gandalf Greyhame
 * Gandalf the Grey, and later Gandalf the White after he was reborn as the successor to Saruman.

Within the Tolkien legendarium, "Gandalf" translates an unknown name of the meaning "Wand-Elf" (alternatively cane/staff) in old northern Mannish. Most denizens of Middle-earth incorrectly assumed Gandalf was a Man (human), although he was really a Maia spirit (approximately equivalent to an angel). However, a less common misconception that occurred during the beginning of his career in Middle-earth was that for someone to be immortal and use as much magic as he did, he must have been an elf, although it soon became apparent to all that he couldn't be an elf, as he was old and elves don't generally age. Even because of this, the nickname stuck with him. He later gave it as his name to others he met who didn't know its original meaning.



In the books

 * The Hobbit
 * The Fellowship of the Ring
 * The Two Towers
 * The Return of the King
 * The Silmarillion
 * Unfinished Tales

In the movies

 * The Fellowship of the Ring
 * The Two Towers
 * The Return of the King

Portrayal in adaptations
John Huston provided the voice of Gandalf in two animated television features by Rankin/Bass (The Hobbit and The Return of the King).



In the 1978 animated film of The Lord of the Rings by Ralph Bakshi, Gandalf was voiced by William Squire. (It's not known whether Squire played him in the live-action recordings used for rotoscoping.)



In the BBC radio dramatisations, Heron Carvic played him in The Hobbit (1968) and Sir Michael Hordern played him in The Lord of the Rings (1981).

Sir Ian McKellen was Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Sean Connery was originally considered for the role of Gandalf, but turned it down because he didn't want to spend so long in New Zealand, where the film was shot. McKellen's interpretation of the role was widely praised. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, making him the only individual cast member to be nominated for his performance. In interviews McKellen has said that if The Hobbit is ever filmed, he would be delighted to return as Gandalf. McKellen noted that personally he preferred portraying Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White, as Gandalf the Grey required a more nuanced performance.

Video game appearances
Gandalf appeared in the action adventure games The Two Towers and The Return of the King (besides being a character his Actor Sir Ian Mckellen is the narrator for the game) but is only playable in the second one. He is also a very important character in both The Battle for Middle Earth and The Battle for Middle Earth II and is one of the most used heroes in the good campaign of the first game. In the second one he is in none of the campaigns and is only used for skirmish and War of the Ring modes. He also appears in The Lord of the Rings: the Third Age as an important ally in Berethor's quest; he is used twice in the game. The first is in theEastern Moria level as Gandalf the Grey, where the party will help him vanquish the Durin's Bane (The Balrog of Moria). You fight with him again in the Minas Tirith level, where, as Gandalf the White the party aids him in fighting the Witch-King of Angmar. His latest appearance is in Lord of the Rings: Conquest as a mage type hero and is used a lot in the good campaign and skirmish modes.

External link

 * Gandalf at Tolkien Gateway

Гандалф