Formed [T 1][2] The name Saruman means "man of skill or cunning" in the Mercian dialect of Anglo-Saxon;[14] he serves as an example of technology and modernity being overthrown by forces more in tune with nature. All fragments from the Istari chapter of Unfinished Tales. They could, however, use magic without the aid of their staffs such as telekinesis and healing; however it is uncertain how far they could go magically without their staffs. The Blue Wizards journeying to the East. However, in The Peoples of Middle-earth, they are said to have arrived in the Second Age, around the year SA 1600, the time of the forging of the One Ring. However, there's a chance that they're not the only ones. They already appeared old when they entered Middle-earth. The note goes on to say that the two Blues (who have fantastically reimagined names in this version) are tasked with circumventing Sauron in the East. The Peoples of Middle-Earth, Last Writings. Tolkien expanded upon this last point in a letter written in 1958: I really do not know anything clearly about the other two [wizards] since they do not concern the history of the N[orth].W[est]. Whilst in the essay on the Istari the Blue Wizards were given no names, here these two are called Alatar and Pallando. The Blue Wizards (S. Ithryn Luin)[note 1] were the two Wizards who were sent into the far East and South of Middle-earth to contest the will of Sauron, but never returned. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Gandalf is asked by Bilbo Baggins about the names of the blue wizards and replies "I've quite forgotten their names." [T 4], The Tolkien scholar Marjorie Burns writes that while Saruman is an "imitative and lesser" double of Sauron, reinforcing the Dark Lord's character type, he is also a contrasting double of Gandalf, who becomes Saruman as he "should have been", after Saruman fails in his original purpose. August 31, 2022 The Wizards 'Lord of the Rings' is a fantasy masterpiece helmed by J.R.R Tolkien which was first released as a series of novels and later adapted into a movie franchise. Fortunately, Tolkien gives us a little hint of the answer in Unfinished Tales when he says, "Probably he wandered long (in various guises), engaged not in deeds and events but in exploring the hearts of Elves and Men who had been and might still be expected to be opposed to Sauron.". He proudly came dressed in white, which contrasted boldly with his hair, which was raven black at the time. How can we forget the most famous Lord of the Rings wizard, Gandalf. The Blue Wizards (or the Ithryn Luin) were two mysterious characters of Middle-earth, named as such because they bothwore sea-blue robes. [16] Unusually among Middle-earth names, Radagast is Slavic, the name of a god. Saruman was the servant and helper of Aul, and so learned much in the art of craftsmanship, mechanics, and metal-working, as was seen in the later Third Age. Palenehtar 22 days ago. That's our two Blue Wizards, right there. The five wizards in The Lord of the Rings are: Istari are fictional characters from J. R. R. Tolkiens fantastic trilogy The Lord of the Rings. They are the wizards who came from Valinor to prevent Sauron from his evil plans to subdue Middle-earth. As such, the Elves respected and revered the Wizards for their wisdom and power but only to an extent; they were usually disinclined to follow the Wizards' counsel, and still believed themselves superior overall to the Wizards. The Middle-earth author adds that while similar in name, his Istari are "distinct from the 'wizards' and 'magicians' of later legend.". Contents 1 History 2 Relationship with the Free Peoples 3 Appearance 4 Powers & abilities 5 Etymology Despite their outward appearance as old men and inability to challenge Sauron directly, the Wizards were in fact among the most powerful beings to walk Middle-Earth. They must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of East who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have outnumbered the West."Last Writings", The Peoples of Middle-earth[4], Therefore Tolkien dramatically altered his conception of the two Wizards. He starts making a plan, and the rest is Middle-earth history. Whilst Glorfindel was tasked with aiding Elrond with the war in Eriador, the Wizards were destined to journey to the East and South. They help the tribes of Men who rebel against the Dark Lord, stir up rebellion, and generally cause dissension and disarray throughout Sauron's eastern strongholds. When the Five Wizards arrive in Middle-earth, the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are still roughly 2,000 years in the future. The concept of a wizard from Middle-earth is about as unique in the fantasy world as Gandalf himself is in The Lord of the Rings. This restriction is a natural side effect of the nature of their existence in the first place. The Elves most of all strongly suspected that the Wizards were far more than they appeared, and were certainly not of the race of Men given their magic and their physical and mental gifts. However, it is unrecorded whether Melian and the Five Guardians assisted Orom in accompanying the Eldar on their Great Journey.[2]. Also called Curunr or "the Man of Skill," he was the first to arrive in Middle-earth. Privacy Policy. Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and Men all figure prominently on the printed page, the silver screen, and soon even our personal television sets. They were Wizards, true, both of 'em caked in dust, and when one's talk he'd stop to think and there'd be the other to finish right up, like they had one brain and two mouths. The Valar, made up of 14 Ainur including Nienna, are the kings and queens that rule over creation in the name of Ilvatar. In fact, the specific word used to explain his appearance is that he comes across as the "least" of the intrepid mortality-clad Maiar. The Wizards were sent to Middle Earth by ManwKing of the Valarwho had learned of Sauron's return to power. Tolkien incorporated a lot of. 1000. It was creepy for sure, but neither seemed to notice. Whichever way you slice it, though, there's no doubt that the wizard develops a pretty impressive collection of names over the course of his nomadic career. Namely, Narya had the power to light a fire in the hearts of people in difficult times. It is not clear whether these names were intended to replace the names Alatar and Pallando, or whether Morinehtar and Rmestmo were alternate names for the Blue Wizards, possibly those given to them by the peoples of Middle-earth.[5]. Blue Wizards | The Tolkien Forum Wiki Tolkien himself would talk about them as if they were a riddle that he didn't have time to solve. With that possibility hanging in the air, we decided to dig through the annals of Tolkienian lore to unearth the various scraps and mentions about the Blue Wizards and see just who these two guys are and it turns out that it's a much harder question to answer than one might expect from Tolkien's typically meticulous fantasy creation. Alatar asked his friend Pallando to join him on his mission.[2]. He decided both Glorfindel and the Blue Wizards came back in the Second Age. While Gandalf appears to lay low for most of his time in Middle-earth, that doesn't mean he does nothing at all. Despite their old appearance, they possessed physically strong bodies equal to those of Elves, and highly intelligent minds. During the War of the ring, Saruman was overthrown, banished from Istari Order by Gandalf, killed by a servant after a failed attempt to rule the Shire, and even his Maiar spirit was barred from ever returning to Aman due to his betrayal of Manw and the original purpose of the Wizards. The first on our list of Lord of the Rings wizards are Alatar and Pallando the Blue. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. [T 1], As a Wizard and the bearer of a Ring of Power, Gandalf has great power, but works mostly by encouraging and persuading. Are Wizards around during the Second Age? Has Gandalf been born? One final note about Gandalf's first appearance in Middle-earth has to do with a gift he's given when he arrives. But what happens next? [10][11][12][13][1], Saruman the White is leader of the Istari and of the White Council, in The Hobbit and at the outset in The Lord of the Rings. The words "first" and "later" do tend to strongly imply that they did not arrive at the same time. Maiar in Middle-earth - Wikipedia But as we hinted at before, the idea of a "wizard" is a bit of a misnomer when compared to the modern English definition of the word. In the memory of this artifact is said: "See, there were two of them, and they both came in from the road with a hard look in their eyes, as if they'd traveled too far and seen too much. As one of the Maiar he is an immortal spirit, but being in a physical body on Middle-earth, he can be killed in battle, as he is by the Balrog from Moria. He attacks Rohan and loses in the battle in Helms Deep, He retired to Isengard where he was captured by the Ents under the leadership of the Treebeard. [1] Radagast the Brown concerned himself mainly with plants and animals, living in Mirkwood for many years. Their fate was unknown, but some held that they fell into evil and became servants of Sauron.[1]. Saruman slowly came to betray the original purpose of the Wizards and sought power for himself. Sauron, for instance, is probably the most well-known Maiar. He also says that in the South he's called Incnus. "Unfinished Tales" says that the Wizards "belonged solely to the Third Age and then departed" (via Tolkien Gateway), adding later that "they first appeared in Middle-earth about the year 1000 of the Third Age" (via Laurelin Archives). The Blue Wizards In Middle-Earth Explained - Looper Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings juggles a lot of different characters. They are said to have founded secret sorcerer sects and cults of magical traditions that survived long centuries after Saurons downfall. He explains that "wizard" is a translation of the Elvish word "istar," representing an order that claims to have "eminent knowledge of the history and nature of the World." While he isn't as impressive on the surface, the Grey Wanderer's great claim to fame is the fact that in The Silmarillion he's referred to as "the wisest of the Maiar." This mysterious pair of missing angelic beings is commonly referred to as theBlue Wizards, and the two characters have a fascinating albeit uncertain role in Middle-earth history. This contrasts starkly with his fellow Istari teammates, as Radagast eventually settles down at his home of Rhosgobel on the edge of Mirkwood and Saruman famously sets up shop at Isengard. Istari ), The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese. [6], Morinehtar is described as meaning "Darkness-slayer",[7] likely based on the Quenya words mori- ("darkness") and nehtar ("slayer"). The end, right? Around TA 1000, when Sauron began to move again and the Valar realized the Free Peoples would need help this time. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Tolkien just didn't get around to fleshing out who these guys were, leaving an interesting asterisk on the subject of the Blue Wizards, particularly as it pertains to "The Rings of Power.". Interestingly, in the book "The Peoples of Middle-Earth," Tolkien changes this timeline, stating that while the three other Wizards still come later on, "the 'other two' came much earlier, at the same time probably as Glorfindel, when matters became very dangerous in the Second Age." [21], Three Wizards appear in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies: Saruman, portrayed by Christopher Lee;[22] Gandalf, portrayed by Ian McKellen;[24] and Radagast, portrayed by Sylvester McCoy.
