Gandalf

Lore & Background

In his youth in the West, Olórin was the wisest of the Maiar, living in the gardens of Irmo and receiving tutelage from Nienna. Sent to Middle-earth as a humble old man, he hid Narya well, though Saruman resented the gift. Gandalf suspected early that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur was Sauron; he visited at great peril to confirm this truth. When the White Council formed, Gandalf urged driving Sauron out, but Saruman delayed, claiming the One Ring had washed into the Sea. Years later, Gandalf revealed to the Council of Elrond that Bilbo's ring was indeed the One Ring. He led the Fellowship south through the Misty Mountains until he fell fighting a Balrog in Moria. Sent back from death, he returned as Gandalf the White, reappearing to three members of the broken Fellowship to counter enemies in Rohan and Gondor.

In Their Own Story

Gandalf first met Thorin Oakenshield at the Prancing Pony inn in Bree, foreseeing that Smaug the dragon posed a threat to Rivendell if the North fell. He arranged a tea party for thirteen dwarves and Bilbo Baggins, providing the map and key to Erebor. During this quest, he acquired Glamdring from trolls' treasure and left the group to urge the White Council to expel Sauron from Dol Guldur. Later, leading the Fellowship of the Ring, he guided them through the snow-covered Misty Mountains before falling in battle against a Balrog in the underground realm of Moria. After his return as Gandalf the White, he helped counter the enemy in Rohan and Gondor, culminating at the Black Gate of Mordor. Upon victory, he crowned Aragorn as King before leaving Middle-earth forever.

Reader's Guide

Gandalf operates primarily by encouraging and persuading rather than using his great power directly. Associated with fire through Narya, he delights in fireworks to entertain hobbits but uses fire as a weapon in times of great need. His physical body can be killed, yet his spirit is immortal. He is known by many names: Mithrandir among Elves meaning 'Grey Pilgrim', Tharkûn to Dwarves, and Olórin from his youth. In the North, he was called Gandalf the Grey or Greyhame, and later the White Rider after his return. Characters sometimes insulted him with nicknames like Stormcrow or Láthspell ('Ill-news'). Scholars have likened him to the Norse god Odin in his 'Wanderer' guise, a guide-figure comparable to Virgil in Dante's Inferno, and described his return in white as analogous to the transfiguration of Christ.

Did You Know?

• The name Gandalf comes from a dwarf named Gandálfr in the Old Norse Völuspá's Dvergatal, meaning 'staff-elf'.
• Círdan the Shipwright gave Gandalf Narya, the Ring of Fire, because he recognized him as the greatest spirit despite his humble appearance.
• Gandalf was initially too weak to accept Manwë's proposal to go to Middle-earth until told that his fear was exactly why he should go.
• In an early draft of The Hobbit, the character Gandalf was named Bladorthin, while the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield was originally named Gandalf.
• Ian McKellen based his acclaimed film performance on J. R. R. Tolkien himself.