lord of the rings - How does a Wizard change his colour? - Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange How does a Wizard change his colour? During the LOTR we see Gandalf change from 'Gandalf the Grey' to 'Gandalf the White' and we see 'Saruman the White' change to 'Saruman the Many-coloured'. What does this mean and how and why does it happen? 14 Saruman changed his name to "of many colors" because he went crazy, it wasn't an actual title. Gandalf became "white" to take Saruman's place after he defected. A post he originally declined. – Gorchestopher H Jul 9 '12 at 14:07 3 @GorchestopherH The answer box is down a bit further, this was in the comment box :P – NominSim Jul 9 '12 at 14:19 1 Thanks. Sometimes I'm not sure if my answer will be appreciated as an answer. – Gorchestopher H Jul 9 '12 at 14:30 4 @GorchestopherH it was fine as an answer.

I added to yours because you answered most of it, I just added some more detail. It was a fine answer though – The Fallen Jul 9 '12 at 15:05 3 From what I can tell, it takes bleach and a Balrog. – Jeff Jan 31 '13 at 15:00 Gandalf and Saruman discuss Saruman's change in the Fellowship of the Ring: "I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colours!" 'I looked then and saw that his robes, which had seemed white, were not so, but were woven of all colours. and if he moved they shimmered and changed hue so that the eye was bewildered. ' "I liked white better," I said. ' "White! " he sneered. "It serves as a beginning. White cloth may be dyed. The white page can be overwritten; and the white light can be broken." ' "In which case it is no longer white," said I.

"And he that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." Saruman views white, as a colour, to not be sufficiently demonstrative of his now-revealed power - he considers his Ring making, Uruk-hai creation and army raising to be the work of someone "more" than a mere servant of the Valar, as Saruman the White was once. Gandalf reflects on that in his last comment - "he that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom". Gandalf, on the other hand, embraced his change in colour to white: 'Yes, I am white now,' said Gandalf. 'Indeed I am Saruman, one might almost say, Saruman as he should have been. (The Two Towers) He has died and been sent back by Eru to finish his task. Since Saruman has passed off the path of the Istari, Gandalf is sent back with greater powers and a change in colour to reflect that. He now, in effect has similar powers to, if not greater than, Saruman: both his wisdom and power are much greater.

When he speaks he commands attention; the old Gandalf could not have dealt so with Theoden, nor with Saruman. (Letter 156) Gandalf's change of colour is essentially to signify his position as the Saruman that should have been, with Saruman's fall. So as to "how" a Wizard changes his colour, it could be self-declared as per Saruman, though doing so would tend to indicate deviation from their assignment. Alternatively it could be granted by a higher power, as per Gandalf. It obviously differs in the only two cases we see. up vote 21 down vote Saruman changed his name to "of many colors" because he went crazy, it wasn't an actual title. Gandalf became "white" to take Saruman's place after he defected. A post he originally declined. The colors do not seem to mean anything except for Saruman - as the head of the White Council, he wore White. Alternatively, it may have been called the White Council because he (its head), wore white. There is debate among fans as to which is correct. Gandalf was called the Grey because "he was clad in grey", even before coming to Middle-Earth.

Radagast was the Brown, because he wore brown, possibly because of his love of nature. But their colors seem to be tied to their preferred wardrobe color. Presumably they could change their color at will if they really wanted. The Maia spirits are sent of the Valar into the world. So when Gandalf "died" he was sent again of the Valar, with a new title, the one left empty by the defected Saruman.

Gandalf | The One Wiki to Rule Them All | Fandom powered by Wikia The Fellowship of the Ring , " A Long-expected Party " Gandalf (Norse; IPA : [gand:alf] - "Elf of the Wand" or "Wand-elf") the Grey, later known as Gandalf the White, also named originally Olórin ( Quenya ; IPA : [oˈloːrin] - "Dreamer" or "Of Dreams"), Tharkûn ( Khuzdul - "Gray-Man" or "Staff-Man"), and Mithrandir ( Sindarin IPA: [miˈθrandir] - "White Pilgrim" or "Gray Wanderer"), was a wizard , or Istar , sent by the West in the Third Age to combat the threat of Sauron . He joined Thorin and his company to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug , convoked the Fellowship of the Ring to destroy the One Ring , and led the Free Peoples in the final campaign of the War of the Ring .

Contents Origin Gandalf was a Maia named Olórin before leaving the Undying Lands Accounted the wisest of the Maiar , Gandalf was originally a Maia of Manwë the Wind-King, Varda the Star-Queen, Irmo the Dream-Master and Nienna the Weeper named Olórin. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Istari (also known as Wizards ) to Middle-earth, to counsel and assist all those in Middle-earth who opposed the Dark Lord Sauron , Manwë and Varda decided to include Olórin among the five who were sent. At first, Olórin was nervous and described himself as too weak and too afraid of Sauron. Manwë understood, and told him that that was one main reason why he should go, to overcome that fear. Thus, he insisted that Olórin should go as the third, but Varda convinced him not to include Olórin as the third, but as the second. Olórin agreed, and prepared for his departure from the Undying Lands with the other four wizards.

Arrival in Middle-Earth When he arrived to Middle Earth, he received Narya , the ring of fire, from Círdan the Shipwright . Olórin, renamed Gandalf (name "translated" from Westron to Norse by Tolkien), spent many centuries walking among the elves as a stranger, learning from them and teaching them. He later revealed himself as one of the Istari, and eventually became known as the wisest of and most powerful of that order. He joined the White Council , which was formed to investigate a dark power in Dol Guldur , of which Galadriel wanted him to become the leader, yet Saruman came to lead the Council instead of him. [1] Although Saruman was at first more powerful, was more knowledgeable about many matters regarding Sauron and the Rings of Power , and was head of the White Council before the War of the Ring, he later grew jealous and afraid of Gandalf, [2] which was the reason of his betrayal. Quest to Erebor Gandalf invites Bilbo on an adventure Gandalf wandered for many years amongst the Free People of Middle-earth, but spent most of that time amongst the Elves, where he learned much and taught much.

He also continued to gather such information about Sauron and his ilk as he could, and to that end, he began to suspect that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur was in fact Sauron taking shape once again. He entered Dol Guldur, but Sauron, still greatly weakened, fled from him and for a short time, the evil of Mirkwood was greatly reduced. However, Sauron quickly returned to Dol Guldur, and by 2850 of the Third Age, had rebuilt his forces there. In that year, Gandalf again entered the fortress and encountered Thráin II , father of Thorin Oakenshield, who was dying after having been horribly tormented. Before his death, the old Dwarf king entrusted Gandalf with a map and key to the Lonely Mountain . In the year 2941, Gandalf became troubled by his knowledge of Sauron's resurgent strength. He knew that Sauron was already plotting war from Dol Guldur, and that as soon as he felt strong enough, he would attack Rivendell.

Unfortunately, the only power left besides Rivendell to resist an attempt from Mirkwood to regain the lands of Angmar was the Dwarves of the Iron Hills. Even worse, Gandalf knew that Smaug to Golden resided still in the Lonely Mountain, and that Sauron could and would use the dragon to devastating effect once he became strong enough to influence Smaug. However, Saruman seemed reluctant to engage Sauron's forces, though none of the White Council realized that he was already a traitor. One night, while pondering the problem of the Free People's weakness in the North, Gandalf had a chance encounter in Bree with the Dwarf Thorin II Oakenshield , who was also searching, without direction or much hope, for a way to reclaim the Kingdom Under the Mountain. Gandalf and Thorin then concocted a plan (more Gandalf's than Thorin's) to potentially draw the dragon out of the mountain and reclaim the kingdom. To that end, Gandalf visited Bilbo Baggins , a Hobbit of the Shire , to convince him to go with Thorin and Company to Erebor and aid them.

At the time, Bilbo thought of him as little more than a vain, a fussy old conjurer who entertained children with fireworks during festivals and parties, but soon discovered his true nature. [3] It is on this quest that Gandalf finds his sword, Glamdring , and that Bilbo finds his sword, Sting , and the One Ring (though at the time it is mistaken for a lesser ring). Gandalf himself joined the quest both in order to see what he could do to destroy the dragon, and to try to convince the White Council (particularly Saruman) to oust Sauron from Dol Guldur. 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. Galadriel and Gandalf 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-dûr . 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. Thorin himself was slain during the battle, but Gandalf's primary aim was achieved; with the destruction of Smaug and the ousting of the goblin army, Dáin II Ironfoot became King under the Mountain and restored the Lonely Mountain to a powerful kingdom. This, along with the strengthening of the Kingdom of Dale, allowed the Free People of the Northern region of Middle-earth to have considerable preparation against Sauron's forces during the later War of the Ring , where before they had virtually none.

Following the battle, Gandalf accompanied Bilbo back to the Shire. [4] Return to the Shire Gandalf spent the years between TA 2941 - TA 3001 travelling Middle-earth in search of information on Sauron's resurgence and Bilbo's mysterious ring. He spent as much time as he could in the Shire, however, strengthening his friendship with Bilbo and befriending Bilbo's nephew, Frodo , while simultaneously becoming suspicious of Saruman and his allegiances. Returning to the Shire In TA 3001, around the time of Bilbo's "Eleventy-First" (111th) birthday party, Gandalf returned to the Shire, bringing along many fireworks for the occasion. After seeing Frodo and visiting Bilbo again, Gandalf attended the party. During Bilbo's speech, he put on a mysterious ring and disappeared, as a joke on his neighbours. Later as he was bidding farewell to Gandalf, who had known about his plans to leave, Bilbo began to change his mind about leaving his ring to Frodo, as he had earlier agreed.

When Gandalf tried to persuade him to leave it, Bilbo became hostile and accused Gandalf of trying to steal the ring for his own benefit, which he referred to as his "precious." Horrified by Bilbo's outburst, Gandalf stood to his full height and appeared menacing, frightening the hobbit. This brought Bilbo back to his senses; he apologised, admitted that the Ring had been troubling him lately, and left the ring behind. Bilbo and Gandalf bid each other goodbye, before Bilbo left the Shire for his journey. Gandalf mulling over Bilbo's erratic behaviour Troubled by this, Gandalf mulled over this. Before finally leaving the Shire, Gandalf gave the ring to Frodo, advising him to keep it safe. Over the next seventeen years, Gandalf traveled extensively, searching for answers. Having long sought for Gollum near Mordor , he met Aragorn , who had captured the creature in Mirkwood. Gandalf interrogated Gollum 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. Saruman's betrayal Gandalf telling Frodo about the Ring Upon returning to the Shire, Gandalf immediately went to Frodo and confirmed his suspicions by throwing the Ring into Frodo's hearth fire, which revealed, in Black Speech , the inscription upon the ring. Gandalf then told a dumbfounded Frodo about the One Ring and its history, and how Sauron would seek to regain it. Instructing Frodo to go to Rivendell with the ring, Gandalf told him to make arrangements to leave the Shire quietly. Riding near the Shire, Gandalf encountered Radagast the Brown , another Wizard, referred to as "his cousin", who asked him to seek out Saruman the White, as the Nazgûl had come forth and crossed the River Anduin . Gandalf imprisoned at Isengard Leaving a note for Frodo with Barliman Butterbur , an inn -keeper in Bree , Gandalf left for Isengard to speak with Saruman.

Once there, however, Gandalf discovered that Saruman wanted the One Ring to himself and declared himself Saruman of Many Colours. He tried to convince Gandalf to either join with him in service to Sauron, so that they could eventually control the Dark Lord and thus achieve good ends, though through evil means, or to help him find the One Ring so they could take power from Sauron. Gandalf refused, and was held prisoner at the top of the tower Orthanc . Journey to Rivendell Gandalf being rescued After spending a while as Saruman's prisoner, Gandalf was eventually rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle. The great Eagle set Gandalf down in Rohan , where he appealed to King Théoden for a horse. Grima Wormtongue , a spy of Saruman, allowed Gandalf to take any horse he desired, but only to do so quickly. There, Gandalf chose the horse Shadowfax . Riding for the Shire, Gandalf arrived too late for Frodo; he had already set out. Knowing that Frodo would be heading for Rivendell , Gandalf began to make his own way there.

Shortly after arriving in Bree, Gandalf learned that the Hobbits had already began travelling to Rivendell with his ally and old friend: Aragorn . Subsequently, Gandalf was confronted one night by Sauron's Nazgûl at Weathertop . After an all-night battle with the Ringwraiths, Gandalf was able to eventually escape, though four of the nine Nazgûl pursued him. Several days later, Frodo, Aragorn, and company stayed at Weathertop and were confronted by the remaining five Nazgûl. Despite their escape, Frodo was stabbed in the process by the Ringwraith leader , who used a Morgul-blade . Gandalf was able to evade the four Nazgûl and successfully reach Rivendell. However, several days later, an injured Frodo arrived at the Ford of Bruinen , though the Nazgûl pursued him all the way there. Gandalf, along with Elrond , saved Frodo from the Nazgûl by enchanting the water and sweeping them away.

Forming of the Fellowship At Rivendell, Gandalf, along with Frodo, Bilbo, and many others, attended the secret Council of Elrond . There Gandalf explained to the others how Saruman had imprisoned him and how the White Wizard was creating his own army of orcs to rival Sauron's. As everyone at the Council debated over the ring, Frodo offered to be the ring-bearer and take it to Mount Doom to be destroyed. Gandalf volunteered to help and protect Frodo on his quest, along with Aragorn, Boromir , Legolas , and Gimli . Sam snuck in and was allowed to go because of this. Gandalf leading the Fellowship. With this the Fellowship of the Ring was formed, with Gandalf as its leader. Gandalf later convinced Elrond to allow Frodo's cousins, Merry and Pippin, to join the Fellowship. Subsequently, after preparing for the journey, the Fellowship left Rivendell. Gandalf took leadership of the Fellowship, leading the group south after leaving Rivendell. He and Aragorn led the hobbits and their companions on an unsuccessful effort to cross Mount Caradhras .

War of the Ring Mines of Moria They then took the "dark and secret way" through the Mines of Moria , much to Aragorn's discomfort; though he had passed through the Mines once before, he had no desire to go through them again, and he feared for Gandalf if they did so. As they tried to leave the mines, at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm , Gandalf faced a Balrog , known commonly as Durin's Bane. This was one of the Maiar corrupted by Melkor in the early days of Arda . "You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn . Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass." — The Lord of the Rings , The Fellowship of the Ring , Book II, Chapter 5: "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm" Gandalf stopped on the Bridge , standing in the middle of the span, allowing the others to escape.

He leaned on the staff in his left hand and held the sword Glamdring , gleaming cold and white, in his right. The Balrog stepped onto the Bridge, facing Gandalf, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. It raised its whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils. But Gandalf stood firm and declared that the Balrog could not pass. They clashed, and the Balrog's sword was shattered. Then the Balrog leaped full upon the Bridge, and Gandalf lifted his staff and smote the span. His staff broke, but the Bridge cracked at the Balrog's feet. The stone beneath the Balrog broke and fell, taking the Balrog with it into the abyss, but the thongs of its whip snared Gandalf about his knees, and Wizard and Balrog plummeted together into the darkness below. Galdalf cried, "Fly, you fools!" and was gone. "Fly, you fools!" Gandalf and the Balrog fell for a long time, and Gandalf was burned by the Balrog's fire.

Then they plunged into a deep lake in the depths of the mountain, which Gandalf later said was cold as the tide of death and almost froze his heart. They fought in the water until finally the Balrog fled into dark tunnels, where the world is gnawed by nameless things, older even than Sauron. Gandalf pursued the creature until it led him to the spiraling Endless Stair, and they climbed it until they reached Durin's Tower in the living rock of Zirakzigil , the pinnacle of the Silvertine above the clouds. There they fought , until at last Gandalf threw down his enemy, and the Balrog broke the mountain-side as it fell. Then darkness took Gandalf, and he passed away. His body lay on the peak. The entire battle, from the confrontation on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm to the mutual demise of the Balrog and Gandalf, had taken ten days. "Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell." — Gandalf the White. Twenty days later Gandalf returned to life, and lay in a trance.

"Naked I was sent back – for a brief time, until my task is done. And naked I lay upon the mountain-top. … There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was as long as a life-age of the earth." — The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers , Book Three, Chapter V: "The White Rider" Gandalf the White returns reborn Three days later he was found by the windlord Gwaihir , the Lord of the Eagles , who had been sent by Galadriel to find him. Gandalf was carried to Caras Galadhon in Lothlórien, where he was healed, and clothed in white, and thus became Gandalf the White. In Fangorn forest he encountered Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas while they were tracking Pippin and Merry, who had been captured by orcs in Gandalf's absence. Rohan "Keep well the Lord of the Mark, till I return. Await me at Helm's Gate. Farewell!" — Gandalf to Aragorn and Éomer and the men of the king's household. Revealing himself to the three, he explained how he had survived and returned.

There, Gandalf tried to persuade Aragorn to go to Rohan instead, insisting there are other pressing matters, such as the War coming to Rohan and the impending attack on Edoras by Saruman. Gandalf confronting Théoden, controlled by Saruman Arriving in Rohan with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, Gandalf discovered King Théoden, weakened by Saruman's agent, Grima Wormtongue. However, Gandalf quickly broke Wormtongue and Saruman's hold over Théoden. While Théoden and the Rohirrim rode to Helm's Deep to do battle with the hordes of Isengard, Gandalf rode to Orthanc and asked Treebeard to encourage the Huorns to Assist him in defeating Saruman and his Uruk-hai. He also rode to find Erkenbrand and his men and persuaded them to ride to Helm's Deep. Siege of Gondor 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 Palantír of Orthanc that he recovered from Saruman and made contact with Sauron.

He then took Pippin with him to Gondor to aid in the defense of the city. Along the way, Gandalf gave Pippin a brief history of Palantír, mentioning Feanor , and how it was fortunate that Pippin made contact with Sauron instead of himself, since he was not yet ready for a meeting with Sauron. Arriving at Minas Tirith, he met with Denethor II and tried to give him counsel. After Faramir's charge, the Morgul host assaulted the city. Gandalf provided valuable 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, numerous trolls rushed through, attacking the defenders. However, Gandalf rode in and helped kill a few. 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 to deter Denethor from suicide. However, driven mad by his grief and Sauron's messages via the Palantír of Minas Tirith, Denethor set the pyre aflame while looking into said Palantír. In grief, Gandalf closed the doors of the chamber. Denethor later gave out a cry and said no more. Soon afterward, Gandalf 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.

On the precipice within, looking over the fires of Mount Doom, Frodo finally succumbed the power of the Ring, slipping it onto his finger. However, Gollum, unable to bear the thought that the Ring would be destroyed, lunged at Frodo, biting off his ring finger, and the Ring, in the process. Gollum and the Ring fell into the fire, and the Ring was finally destroyed. 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 spent some time with the "moss gatherer" Tom Bombadil, then, after having spent over 2,000 years in Middle-earth, departed with Frodo, Galadriel, Celeborn, Bilbo, Elrond , (and presumably Shadowfax) across the sea to the Undying Lands , and was never seen again in Middle-earth. Weapons Gandalf primarily used his staff, but also carried a sword in combat. Sometimes during combat, Gandalf would be seen wielding both weapons against his enemies. Staff Main article: Wizard Staff Gandalf utilised his staff for various spells and abilities.

He didn't use it just as a weapon; he also utilised a staff as if it were a walking stick. He initially had an old wooden staff which he lost in the Mines of Moria while fighting the Balrog . He used a new one upon becoming Gandalf the White. In the extended film adaptation, the Witch-king of Angmar seemed to know the 'activation word' for the staff - shattering it and leaving Gandalf exposed for a moment - during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, in Minas Tirith. Glamdring Main article: Glamdring This was the sword Gandalf found in a troll cave . From then, he used this as a weapon to complement his staff, wielding them with equal skill. In many cases, he fought with both weapons at once. Gandalf's second staff Add a photo to this gallery Names Olórin, his name in Valinor and in very ancient times. "Olórin was my name in my youth in the West that is forgotten". It was 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 by the elves, meaning White Pilgrim or Grey Wanderer. Old Greybeard, by the Mouth of Sauron when they meet at the Morannon . 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 ", pg. 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. Character Development "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment.

For even the very wise cannot see all ends." — The Lord of the Rings , The Fellowship of the Ring , Book I, Chapter 2: "The Shadow of the Past" 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," or "wand-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 . [5] Gandalf is also similar to Väinämöinen, a Bard in Finnish mythology. Der Berggeist 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. Humphrey 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. [6] The original painting was auctioned at Sotheby's in London on July 12, 2005 for 84,000. 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. Appearance Gandalf is described as an old man with a pointed grey hat, a long grey cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of the hat. After he is resurrected, the change of his signature colour from grey to white is significant, for he was sent back to replace the corrupted head of the Order of Wizards and leader of the White Council Saruman as the Chief of the Order of 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. Appearances in the Books and Films In the books Portrayal in adaptations Hobbit and Lord of the Rings film trilogies "I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly, but you have elected the way of pain!" — Saruman to Gandalf. 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. Christopher Lee, a lifelong fan of the books, had hoped to be cast as Gandalf, but due to his advancing age, he instead opted for the role of Saruman, as Gandalf required more horse riding and more sword work.

Ian McKellen reprised his role of Gandalf the Grey for the three-part adaptation of The Hobbit , noting in early interviews that he preferred portraying Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White, as Gandalf the Grey required a more nuanced performance. He maintains, however, that he enjoyed playing both Gandalf's, but felt Gandalf the Grey was easier and calmer to portray. Voice Dubbing actors According to The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Gameboy Advance Manual it says the following: "The game is organized into three episodes that corresponds to events from each of the three The Lord of the Rings movies. Each episode contains up to eight missions. By claiming victory in battle you unlock further missions in the storyline. After selecting NEW GAME from the Main Menu, the Commander screen appears. Choose between playing the forces of good and evil by selecting one of six commanders: Aragorn, Gandalf the White or Elrond on the side of the good, and Saruman the White, The Witch-King of Angmar or The Mouth of Sauron on the side of evil (page 7)." Each of the Main Hero's or villains have special abilities that a player uses to there advantage in the game.

Gandalf has the following abilities each ability increases per level and are earned with EXP earned in battle: Evasion - allows Hero +1 move through enemy units with no penalty Stealth - Takes 33% less damage from missile attacks Inspire - adds +1 command point per level to given command points the with the maximum of +2 command points +1 command point to each flank Blinding Light- all enemies on Gandalf's flank may flee based on morale with higher likelihood per level There is a Good Skill Set and a Evil Skill Set of Abilities for Good and Evil found in the pause menu during a mission they can be found in the Glossary. For example Unit Talents which are as follows: Elf Archery, Magic Attack, Double Move, Shrarpshooter, Regeneration, Shock, Trample, Inaccurate and Shieldmaiden.

There are also Events that take place for example all of the following are events in the game that can take place at any time in a game: Free Move, Onslaught, Rally, Recovery, Disorder and Willpower and last but most importantly Items and are as follows: Kingsfoil, Lembas Bread, Elven Phial, Galadrim Lock, Entwater, Troll Meat, Hand of Saruman, Shelob Poison, Berkserker Root and Spoils of War. The player enters a mission with a randomly given amount of command points (CP) to each flank, for example the side of Good has 1 CP on the left flank, 1 CP on the right flank and 5 CP in the middle once these numbers reach zero then Good ends its turn and Evil takes its turn and visa versa. With each turn each side is also given a free move which costs zero CP points to start and the CP number is green when a free move is available. Usually in the game on one side are the good units and on the other is evil with The One Ring's inscription as the boundary line between flanks. The terrain is indicated with an X which restricts a units movement, with shields indicating its protective value.

As the player excels in the game at times certain missions will not require companions instead only the main hero or villain is required or in some cases a mission automatically already has a non-specfic Good or Evil commander provided. However, other missions in order to be successful companions are required to command flanks of units. The Companions for Good are as follows: Legolas, Gimli, Eoywn, Eomer, King Theoden, Boromir, Faramir and Haldir for the side of Good, and Shagrat, Sharku, Lurtz, Gothmog, Gorbag, Grishnakh , Ugluk and Grima Wormtonuge for Evil. The objective of the whole game is simple save or destroy Middle Earth. The Hobbit Console and Handheld Games Consoles: Windows, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, and Gameboy Advance Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkien's book also makes in appearance in The Hobbit video game based on the book in 2003 by Sierria Entertainment released on Windows, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, and Gameboy Advance.

Handheld Game Appearances Consoles: Windows, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3, Playstation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS Gandalf is also a very important character in The Battle for Middle-earth series. Making an appearance in both The Battle for Middle-earth (Only for PC/Windows) and The Battle for Middle-earth II (Only for Windows & Xbox 360) and is one of the most used heroes in the good campaign of The Battle for Middle-Earth. In The Battle for Middle-earth II, he is in none of the campaigns and is only used for skirmish and War of the Ring modes. Another appearance Gandalf makes is in The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (For PS3, Xbox 360, Windows and Nintendo DS) as a mage type hero. Gandalf is used in the good campaign in Isengard to defeat and kill Saruman, the purification of Moria to kill the Balrog (this time with more power), the Siege of Minas Tirith to defend the city's higher gates from the forces of Mordor, and as one of the main heroes at the Battle of the Black Gate.

In the Evil Campaign, the player kills Gandalf as Sauron and the last defense of the Shire thus Middle-Earth falls and is covered in second darkness. Gandalf's latest appearance is in LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game (For Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Playstation Vita, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3) as a playable minifigure. Players will first be able to play as Gandalf in the level titled The Black Rider where he will fight Saruman in the throne room of Orthanc at Isengard. Gandalf's staff has similar abilities to Saruman's staff. It can lift and/or build LEGO objects, give off light in dark places, shoot out bolts of energy in battle, and make a shield that repels orcs and protects from most projectiles. Gandalf can also be unlocked as Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White. He has the same abilities either way. Magic and Abilities 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 safely. 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. In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug he is shown to push back Azog with his staff, when he is ambushed by them. Calling Gwaihir When times grew desperate, Gandalf contacted Gwaihir , Lord of the Eagles, by means of a small, grey 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 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 visited with Saruman in the books; in the movie, Gandalf is seen speaking with the moth. In the Hobbit film adaption, Gandalf is seen talking to a red-orange butterfly instead of a grey moth to call Gwaihir. 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 develops 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 develops a bond with Gandalf which meant that nobody else could ride or even touch Shadowfax, besides 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. Counter-Spell As seen in the first movie, Gandalf can counter any magical spell. As Gandalf the Grey, this ability is much weaker. When the Fellowship passes through the mountains, Saruman tries to bring it down. There Gandalf attempts to counter the spell, but fails. 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. In the Two Towers film adaptation, Gandalf slew the Balrog with lightning strikes repeatedly through Glamdring.

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 once in the movies against the Fell Beasts of the Nazgûl so that Faramir's company could retreat to Minas Tirith safely. Gandalf did not use this Skill during the Battle of Helm's Deep, as is erroneously claimed, as the blinding light was caused by the rising Sun rising in the East ("On the morning of the fifth day, look to the East"). 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 being killed and getting Good one-step closer to victory. In The Hobbit trilogy, Gandalf uses this ability to blind the Goblins so the Dwarves can grab their weapons and fight for freedom, as well as well as blind Azog during his investigation in Dol Guldur. 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. In The Hobbit Trilogy he used it once again against Sauron while fleeing from Azog and his orc army. A different version is used by him that expands and dissapates to remove a spell of concealment in Dol Goldur as well.

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. However, his ability with fire may be enhanced due to his possession of Narya (the Ring of Fire). 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 of it 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 Hobbit film, he used it to blasted away goblins and stun them long enough for the dwarves to rally themselves. In the 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 could use Shadow powers as well as Light powers, though this is unconfirmed and at any case highly unlikely.

In The Lord of the Rings: The 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. Trivia It is unclear whether Gandalf, being a Maia, did or did not participate in the War of Wrath in the First Age since he knew about Ancalagon the Black . Translations around the World The Lord of the Rings "Gandalf is sent back by the powers that be to complete the job he has not yet finished." It is a much different Gandalf who rejoins the fight against Sauron in The Two Towers. Leaner, cleaner and somehow younger, the revitalized wizard wields staff and sword with equal skill and fresh determination. Fortunately for audiences, it's the same Ian McKellen underneath Gandalf's new white robes. Now the legendary British actor, who snared an Oscar� nomination for his performance as Gandalf in The Fellowship of the Ring, discusses changes in his character for The Two Towers, the power of Tolkien's tale and making movies that connect with viewers. How does Gandalf the White differ from the Gandalf we saw in The Fellowship of the Ring? Well, Gandalf is not human.

He's sort of immortal, and he's been around for 7,000 years, so when the Balrog pulls him off the bridge at Khazad-Dum to what seems like a certain death, Gandalf doesn't die. He's sent back by the powers that be to complete the job he has not yet finished. And what does he consider that job to be? When he goes back in The Two Towers, it's clear what has to be done. And what's needed is not the old academic--the Hobbit expert who is keeping an eye on things. What's needed now is a commander, a military point of view, a man of action, and that is Gandalf's position. He's going to be in the thick of it, helping lead the troops to victory in a series of mighty battles. How does Gandalf change to fill that role? The refurbished Gandalf has gone up one notch in the order of things. He comes back rather younger than before, trimmer, more organized, with clothes that won't get in the way when he's on horseback, with a sword and a staff in his hand, with hair that's not getting in his eyes. It's all shorter, it's all trimmer.

In what ways do we see a "younger" Gandalf? The hair may be white, but Tolkien makes it quite clear that Gandalf is younger in spirit and physique than he has been before. He's no longer complaining about how old he feels, because he isn't as old as he was. He looks a bit different, he behaves a bit differently, he speaks differently, but it's the same spirit. But they're both Gandalf. So, did you approach Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White as two different roles? Well, two different aspects. I thought, this is Gandalf as he used to be before he got a bit decrepit. He's a man of action, he's a samurai, he's a warrior, he's a commander, and he's in control. Gandalf the Grey is more subservient than that. He may tell people what to do, but he's not really in control of what's going on. In the second two films, he's much more focused. And about that new costume� It's trimmer. It fits his body better. It's padded. It could repel a weapon or two. It's clean. He's just more on the ball.

You mentioned returning to New Zealand this summer for some additional work. What was it like stepping back into the Gandalf role? It's funny, once you've done a part--even if there's been a bit of a break--you can slip back into it. On a number of occasions in the theater, I've played a part for some months and then dropped it for as long as a year and then come back to it. And you slip back into it almost without thinking. If they wanted me to do a little bit of Gandalf this afternoon, I could. Is there a secret to reconnecting so easily with a role? I'm aided enormously by the look, the makeup, the wig, the mustache, the nose, the costume. Once you put all that on and look in the mirror, you see not yourself, but Gandalf. When you stand up, you find yourself standing up as the wizard rather than yourself. As is the case with many things in acting, it's not as difficult as you might think. Which part did you prefer playing: Gandalf the Grey or Gandalf the White? To act, I preferred Gandalf the Grey. He's more complicated than Gandalf the White.

He had enormous strength, resilience, intelligence and determination, passion and generosity. He was also very human, very frail, in the sense that he liked to drink, he liked to smoke, he liked to laugh, he liked to play. He also was human in the sense that he was worried he wasn't doing the job properly--that he'd somehow let Middle-earth down by not anticipating Sauron's revival. He had to really organize himself. That was a fascinating character to play. And Gandalf the White is more straightforward? When he comes back, there's no question he knows what he has to do. It's just getting on and doing it. I wouldn't like to suggest that Gandalf the White isn't an interesting person. He is. But for the actor, he's not quite as complicated or difficult a part. But you do own both action figures, don't you? Well, I think if they were fighting each other, there would be no doubt who would win. Gandalf the Grey wouldn't stand a chance. How has the role of Gandalf affected you personally? The odd thing for me has been that it seems wherever I go, people recognize me. How they recognize Gandalf, I'm not quite certain.

But that's been the big change in my life. I'm suddenly a bit famous. I just went out for lunch today and met a guy in his late twenties who'd seen the film 10 times. It must be very gratifying to generate that kind of reaction from people. I think the film now belongs not so much to the actors and filmmakers as the audience. And that's why one makes them. This is one of those wonderful times when the work that you've done also finds favor with the public overwhelmingly. Now that you have a bit of time and perspective on the project, how do you see The Lord of the Rings? It's a wonderful film--I think of it as one film--and the shooting was immensely pleasurable. There was lots to enjoy in New Zealand, apart from the actual filming. I look back on it all with enormous pleasure, and I'm very pleased I was involved.

Question: Who changes colour during The Two Towers, from Grey to White?
Answer: Gandalf