Why was gandalf resurrected

Gandalf not remembering his name in The Two Towers creates a distance between he and the other Fellowship members, enhancing the character's mysterious origins and signifying how much wiser and more powerful the wizard has become during his time dead. Gandalf's detachment from his former identity also ensures that dying carries a cost in The Lord of the Rings - even for a Maia.

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in , several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig's interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own. Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer. By Craig Elvy Published Sep 12, Share Share Tweet Email 0. Related Topics SR Originals lord of the rings.

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. White cloth may be dyed. The white page can be overwritten; and the white light can be broken.

Even for an Englishman and an English professor, Tolkien dressed to be forgotten, partly as a conscious rejection of the academic philosophy of aestheticism. Tolkien genuinely felt that boring colors were more noble than flashy ones. One of the biggest things that the Valar did for Middle-earth was to bring light to it, through the stars, sun, and moon and, at one point, some special glowing trees.

Protecting, fighting over, or maintaining the light of the Valar is a big recurring theme in The Silmarillion. Everybody who smokes in The Lord of the Rings smokes pipeweed. Technically, they were retconned in, comic book style. We think of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as a single coherent narrative these days, but Tolkien never imagined continuing the story of Bilbo Baggins when he wrote The Hobbit as a fairy tale for his children.

The true creative work of his life would be The Silmarillion , the mythological epic of world-building and romance that he had begun before his children were even born. That weird stuff included but was not limited to: Hobbits, trolls, giant talking eagles, whatever Gollum was, and, of course, old men with magic powers. In a very literal sense, the author would spend the rest of his life in pursuit of this goal. In some cases, what we have is really just a note Tolkien wrote in the margins of a student paper as he read it, and we have no way of knowing if it was an idea he later discarded.

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Filed under: Year of the Ring. Image: New Line Cinema. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. So each Wednesday throughout the year, we'll go there and back again, examining how and why the films have endured as modern classics. Gandalf escaped Dol Guldur and returned to the White Council. But Saruman said that it was better to watch and wait; that the One Ring had long ago rolled from Anduin to the Sea.

The majority of the council agreed with Saruman. Elrond later privately told Gandalf he had a foreboding that the Ring would be found, and that the war to end the Age was coming. Indeed, Elrond added, he feared that it would end in darkness and despair. Gandalf encouraged him, saying there were many "strange chances," and that, "help oft shall come from the hands of the weak". Gandalf did not yet realise that Saruman now wanted the Ring for himself and was secretly searching for it along the banks of river Anduin.

As time went on, the wizard became increasingly 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 were the isolated Dwarves of the Iron Hills.

Over the years, Gandalf became concerned about the weak state of the North. Smaug the Dragon had destroyed both the Kingdom under the Mountain and the town of Dale , and the wizard feared that Sauron might use the desolation around Erebor to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar.

The same was intrigued, for he had thought to seek Thorin as well. They found they were taking the same road for a while Thorin passing through the Shire on his way to the Ered Luin , and they agreed to travel together.

Thorin wanted advice, and Gandalf in turn wanted to discuss the Dragon Smaug with Thorin. Ultimately, Gandalf concocted a plan wherein Thorin could destroy Smaug and recover his family fortune, albeit with a "burglar" of Gandalf's own choosing.

Feeling that a Hobbit should be involved, Gandalf remembered Bilbo Baggins. At first he found only Holman Cotton as Bilbo had left on the occasion of the Elven new year, something that persuaded Gandalf that Bilbo was the right person for the job. Gandalf then accompanied Thorin and Company to Rivendell.

During the journey Gandalf was instrumental in saving the travellers' lives from several calamities. He saved them from a trio of Stone-trolls , and later obtained the legendary sword Glamdring from their Troll -hoard; Gandalf bore it thenceforth.

He also helped Thorin and Company through the Misty Mountains ; when unknowingly they camped in the Front Porch of the Goblin-town , the same captured the whole company except Gandalf, who surprised them much later, killing the Great Goblin and then leading the Dwarves to the exit. On their escape out, the Company was saved by the Eagles of the Misty Mountains; Gandalf once had healed the Great Eagle from a poisoned wound, and thenceforth they became friends.

The Eagles picked them up to their eyrie , and the next day they dropped them off on the Carrock. Gandalf then sought the hospitality of Beorn , persuading him to welcome and host the whole Company in his hall.

But then he left the quest prior to its completion; after leading the Company to the outskirts of the Forest Gate , he gave them some final advice but little did he know that the lands had changed by then before they'd enter Mirkwood , and went to attend other obligations.

Gandalf at last convinced the Council to attack Dol Guldur , to which even Saruman agreed as by now he feared Sauron as a rival, and wished to delay his search for the Ring. He was anxious to get back to them as soon as possible. Meanwhile Thorin's quest was successful: Erebor was retaken and Smaug was killed, [21] but when Gandalf finally arrived to the area, he found the Dwarves of Erebor and the Iron Hills preparing for an attack by the Lake-men and the Elves of Mirkwood.

He was with Bard and Thranduil and thus revealed his presence, trying to reason with Thorin. When the attack was beginning, Gandalf halted them, to warn that the Orcs and Wargs were coming to claim the treasure. Gandalf had accomplished his immediate goal, which was to destroy Smaug, since he could have been used to disastrous effect by Sauron. As Gandalf and Bilbo passed by the site of their former encounter with the stone-trolls, they made sure to recover the gold of the troll-hoard they had buried before the Wizard left to perform other duties and Bilbo returned to the Shire.

For the rest of his sojourn in Middle-earth, Gandalf took a special interest in Hobbits, and particularly in the Baggins family.

The White Council's last meeting, as illustrated by Alan Lee. Despite the Council's hopes, Sauron was not weakened by this attack. He had foreseen the move that drove him from Mirkwood, and his retreat was but a feint. The White Council met for one last time in to debate about the Rings of Power.

Saruman quieted his peers claiming to have the knowledge that the One Ring was lost in the Belegaer. After their meeting, Saruman, jealous and afraid of Gandalf, set spies to watch all his movements; this would affect the peaceful Hobbits, as Saruman thus discovered the existence and noted Gandalf's interest in the Shire, and started sending agents to Bree and the Southfarthing.

In , Gandalf met Aragorn , the hidden Heir of Isildur , and soon became friends with him. From that point on Aragorn and Gandalf often worked together towards a common end - the defeat of Sauron.

During this period Gandalf visited the Shire frequently, especially his friend Bilbo Baggins, and his younger nephew, Frodo. He noted Bilbo's unusual youthfulness, despite his advancing age; the suspicious "magic ring " that Bilbo had acquired during his adventure began to weigh on his mind. Gandalf recalled the deceit Bilbo used in originally claiming it for his own -- Bilbo had later admitted to stealing it from Gollum.

Gandalf could see that Bilbo was now very preoccupied with the ring and had begun to suspect that the same was indeed a ring of power.

Such un-hobbitlike behaviour aroused his suspicions. In , Bilbo planned what would become known as his Farewell Birthday Party , and at the culmination of the hobbit's speech, Bilbo put on the 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. This brought Bilbo back to his senses; he apologised, admitted that the Ring had been troubling him lately, and left it behind.

Bilbo and Gandalf bid each other goodbye before Bilbo left the Shire for his journey. Keen now to find out more about Gollum , he sought Aragorn's help to capture him. Studying the records in Minas Tirith , he found the Scroll of Isildur and pieced together the missing history of the One Ring. In TA on his way back to the Shire he got word from the Galadhrim that Aragorn had finally captured Gollum and he went to Mirkwood to meet him.

For days he interrogated him in order to verify what he already suspected. Sauron had tortured Gollum and learned not only of the "magic ring", but also the names "Shire" and "Baggins". 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.

While in the Shire, he had a sense of foreboding; in the aftermath of Sauron's assault on Osgiliath , Gandalf heard disturbing news about war in Gondor and a Black Shadow.

He started wandering around Eriador , hearing news from the refugees who had a fear they could not speak about, until he met Radagast the Brown who brought a message from Saruman that he must seek him at once; and a warning that the Ringwraiths were looking for the Shire.

Believing that he would not be able to return to Frodo in time, he wrote a letter, urging him to move as soon as possible for Rivendell, and seek a "Strider" whose real name was Aragorn, along with a riddle to identify him; Gandalf would then try to catch up with them when available.

He also instructed Barliman Butterbur to send the letter to Hobbiton and to expect a Mr. Baggins that would come under the name of "Mr. He left the inn, but Barliman would forget to send the letter. Soon thereafter Gandalf arrived at Isengard. At their meeting, Saruman at last revealed his desire for the One Ring. He offered to his "old friend and helper" that they take the Ring for themselves and seize power from Sauron.

Gandalf rejected this with horror, and was imprisoned by Saruman on the pinnacle of Orthanc. Gwaihir , chief of the Eagles, soon arrived and helped Gandalf escape.

This lord of horses and Gandalf forged a special bond, and Gandalf made quick use of Shadowfax's incredible strength and endurance. Gandalf sped to the Shire. Fortunately, Frodo had already left the Shire without waiting for Gandalf, and was seeking the refuge of Rivendell. Dismayed, he set out for Bree; Barliman apologised to Gandalf for forgetting to send the letter, worried that the hobbits had left with Strider, the suspicious Ranger.

But for Gandalf this was a hope which far exceeded his expectations. After congratulating a puzzled Barliman, and blessing his beer, Gandalf then made for Weathertop , a high point in the region, to observe the surrounding area.

These phenomena were seen by Aragorn and the hobbits from afar, without knowing it was Gandalf. Before leaving, he marked some stones with the certh G for them to find.

Elrond called a council after Frodo was healed to consider the momentous decision regarding the ring. 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.

Elrond and Gandalf advised that the Ring should be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom , where it was made. Others dissented or objected, but eventually submitted to Gandalf's plan. The relatively small number reflected the realisation by Elrond and the other council members that the Quest of Mount Doom would not rely upon strength of arms, but on stealth and good fortune. Several obstacles stood in the company's way.

The vast Misty Mountains had to be crossed, for Gandalf was determined not to lead the company near Isengard. Gandalf decided to take a southern route to the Redhorn Pass and there to cross the Misty Mountains near Caradhras, thereby traversing the mountain range and avoiding Isengard. Others in the company were loathe enter the maze, as it was now the lair of Orcs and something known only as " Durin's Bane ". At the Doors of Durin on the west side of the mountains, Gandalf, after some delay, spoke the password and led the company into the dark.

Having been in Moria on an earlier perilous errand, he was somewhat familiar with the underground passages. Eventually the party came to the Chamber of Mazarbul , where Gandalf read the Book of Records , which revealed the fate of Balin , the leader of an ill-fated attempt to re-colonise Moria.

Soon after, the party was attacked by Orcs, and forced to flee the chamber. By then Gandalf was well aware of their location, and he led the party quickly towards the eastern exit.

You cannot pass," he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. You cannot pass. Go back to the Shadow! Gandalf and Legolas immediately realised what it was: a Balrog of Morgoth , a servant of the first Dark Lord.

In a spectacular display of bravery Gandalf faced the demon and broke the bridge both stood upon, leaving the beast to fall into a seemingly bottomless chasm. But the Balrog's whip lashed out, and grasped Gandalf by the knees, causing him to fall into the pit. While falling, Gandalf shouted "Fly, you fools" and vanished into the abyss. Yet Gandalf did not die; he and the Balrog fell for a long time, and the wizard 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 was gnawed by nameless things, older even than Sauron. Gandalf pursued the creature until it led him to the spiralling 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. Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell Naked I was sent back — for a brief time, until my task is done.

And naked I lay upon the mountain-top. But Gandalf's spirit did not depart Middle-earth forever at this time. Yet, as he was now the sole emissary of the Valar to Middle-earth, he was granted the power to "reveal" more of his inner Maiar strength.

This naked power that lay within him was seldom used during the remainder of his time in Middle-earth, as his mission was essentially the same: to support and succor those who opposed Sauron. Nevertheless, when Gandalf's wrath was kindled his "unveiled" strength was such that few of Sauron's servants could withstand him.

Three days later he was found by the windlord Gwaihir, Lord of the Eagles , who had been sent by Galadriel to find him. He soon learned that Frodo and Sam had left the Fellowship and were attempting the quest of Mount Doom alone. As Frodo was beyond his assistance now, Gandalf promptly went south to Fangorn Forest , where he met the Three Hunters, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, and gave them messages from Galadriel. Then he called forth Shadowfax, and rode with them to Edoras.

Gandalf by now was keenly aware that the great war to end the age was beginning; if Saruman conquered Rohan then Gondor would be alone with enemies on all sides. Keep well the Lord of the Mark, till I return. Await me at Helm's Gate. Meanwhile, the Ents along with the Hobbits Merry and Pippin moved against Saruman and sent Huorns against the Orcs, resulting in the utter ruin of the outer walls of Isengard and the complete annihilation of Saruman's Orcs.

There Saruman rejected Gandalf's offer of forgiveness with contempt. The wizard's mind had already turned to Gondor and the coming climactic battle in the east.

Soon after arriving, Gandalf confronted Denethor II , the Ruling Steward , and learned that he was near despair over the death of his eldest son, Boromir. Pippin entered the Steward's service in payment of the debt that he and Merry owed, the death of Boromir. Ostensibly they were allies, but the Steward treated Gandalf with disrespect and suspicion.