Wizards (Middle-earth)

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Wizards is a title that features in Middle-earth.

Contents

History

Wizards was the term given to the powerful angelic Maiar when they took the form of Men in order to intervene in the affairs of Middle-earth during the Third Age.

The Heren Istarion had been created in Valinor. A council of the Valar was called by Manwë which resolved to send three emissaries. Initially only Curumo (Saruman), chosen by Aulë, and Alatar, chosen by Oromë, stepped forward. Manwë then asked for Olórin (Gandalf) and commanded him to go. Curumo took Aiwendil (Radagast) with him because Yavanna begged him to do so and Alatar took along his friend Pallando.

Círdan witnessed the arrival of the Order in Middle-earth around the year c. T.A. 1000. Their 'mission' was to advise and persuade Men and Elves to resist Sauron. Each wizard was assigned a colour for his clothes. The wizard in white was Saruman, regarded by all as leader of the order, with white being indicative of the chief. The two in sea-blue robes that travelled to the East and South were Alatar and Pallando. Together, the two of them were known as the Blue Wizards. The one in brown was Radagast and the one in grey was Gandalf, seemingly the oldest and the least of the Order.

Saruman was originally gifted with the greatest power of the five Istari and was named the head of the White Council, a group of the Wise in opposition to Sauron. In T.A. 2759, he was invited by the rulers of Gondor and Rohan to settle in Isengard and the impenetrable tower of Orthanc. Saruman was learned in the lore of the Rings of Power, gradually becoming corrupted by the desire for the Rings and by Sauron's direct influence on him through the palantír of Orthanc. Eventually he became ensnared in Sauron's power, and assisted him in the War of the Ring until he was defeated by the Ents and Gandalf, who broke his staff and cast him out of the White Council. Saruman's death came at the hands of his servant Wormtongue in The Shire, after the destruction of the One Ring. His spirit was then dispersed by a wind from the West, becoming similar to Sauron in his destruction.

When Saruman fell to the temptation of the Ring, and after the defeat of the Balrog of Moria, Gandalf was reborn and given the title of Gandalf the White. Gandalf, who had originally been nominated for leadership of the White Council by the Elf-Lady Galadriel, assumed leadership both of the White Council and the Order of the Istari. He then cast Saruman from the order and led the West to victory over Sauron, advising the Ringbearer Frodo and the new king of Gondor Aragorn Elessar. After the defeat of Sauron and Saruman, Gandalf traveled west across the Sea with the Ringbearers, revealing that he himself was the bearer of Narya, one of the Elven Rings of Power.

Radagast stayed true to his mission for a while, even serving as a messenger to Gandalf from Saruman, convincing Gandalf to meet with Saruman. He also instructed the birds in his service to assist Saruman and Gandalf. Radagast dwelt at Rhosgobel near the borders of Mirkwood. Eventually, Radagast is said to have become enamoured of the beasts and birds and to have ultimately failed to complete his mission. Later writings are less critical of Radagast, arguing that he did not fail at his mission as much as simply choose a tactic - working with the animal world - that ultimately proved less directly effective than working with Men and Elves.

Overview

They were clothed in the bodies of old men, restricting their powers so that they would only assist the peoples of Middle-earth and not seek domination like Sauron had, who was also a Maia. They were charged by the Valar to assist the people of Middle-earth through persuasion and encouragement, not force or fear. By inhabiting the bodies of Men they also became susceptible to all of the weaknesses of a physical body: they felt hunger, pain, greed, sorrow, joy, and all other emotions and pains of Men

They were immortal, and they aged only very slowly. However, their bodies were capable of being killed.

Very few of Middle-earth's inhabitants knew who the Wizards really were; the Istari did not share this information. Most believed they were Elves or wise Men. They attracted few questions due to their gentle nature and dislike of direct interference with other people's affairs. In spite of their specific and unambiguous goal, the Wizards were nevertheless capable of mortal feelings.

Members

  • Saruman :
  • Gandalf :
  • Radagast :

Notes

  • Wizards were created by J. R. R. Tolkien where they featured in the setting of the Middle-earth universe.

In other media

Television

Films

Video games

Appearances

  • The Lord of the Rings:

External Links

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