I always thought when Gandalf says "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor." he meant his staff was part of the tree of Laurelin, since Anor is the name for the sun and thats what the fruit of laurelin became (secret flame being the Flame Imperishable), and his second staff was made of wood from Telperion, since that was the elder tree and source of light, which fit his new white motif. since he wasnt allowed to use his power natural power it made me think he had to rely on equipment like Narya, at least until dealing with Saruman, with whom I presumed he gotten updated orders during his death and promotion. but thats just my take
While I enjoyed most of the video, I do take issue with one part of the video. Calling the Valar and Maiar gods is a misunderstanding of the Middle Earth cosmology. The only entity in the Middle Earth legendarium that could be considered a god is Eru Illuvatar, the creator of the universe, as mentioned in the Silmarillion. The Valar and Maiar are more akin to archangels and angels, respectively, as they were all created by Eru Illuvatar prior to the creation of the world.
I seem to remember reading somewhere in the LOTR that Gandalf's staff was made from Ash. It was not fancy looking being rough hewn from a branch or young stem. A bit like they represented it in the films but when Gandalf used it magically he didn't have to insert anything in the top and blow on it, it did what his power intended - gave light or kindled fire etc etc. The ower came from him. The staff was just a channel for it
In the movies Gandalf has at least 4 different staffs First is his original staff, later destroyed by Sauron in Dol Goldur His second staff is the staff of Radagast, he used it until LOTR where it was confiscated by Saruman at Orthanc tower (it's positive Radagast obtained a new staff after giving his staff to Gandalf) His third staff is given by Lord Elrond at Rivedell after Gandalf escaped Orthanc,it was lost in the bridge of khazad dum when he fought the balrog His fourth staff (as Gandalf the white) was given by Galadriel, we saw it destroyed during his encounter with the witch king In the ending scene we saw Gandalf hold a new staff before departing to the west,.most likely given again by Galadriel. So the staffs aren't only created by the Gods, the elves seem capable to create one. Gandalf has at least four staffs, plus the staffs of the other four wizards... So there's at least eight staffs in middle earth
Subscribed. I hope it's not too rude of me, but I noticed that there are a few corrections to be made in regards to the video: - the Istari, who are Maiar, are not Gods. If you were to use a Greco-Roman, Celtic, Nordic mythology as a reference, then the best terminology would be "demigod" or "angel". There is only one God in the world of Arda, and that is Eru Iluvatar, wielder of the Secret Fire, the power or creation. That is what Gandalf is referring to when fighting the Balrog, also a Maia, but twisted and evil, like Sauron and Gothmog. Below Iluvatar there are the Lords of the Valar, who are his most powerful and trusted emissaries, which very much act like the Gods we know like Neptune or Athena. The term used to refer both Valar (Manwe, Nienna, Melkor) and Maiar (Sauron, Gandalf) is Ainur. - the colors of the Istari are not a ranking. It's a common misconception. Yes, it is true that they came to Middle-Earth in Blue, Brown, Grey and White, but we can speculate that their color had to do with the relationship that they had with the Valar they "trained" with. Gandalf was a student of Nienna, the Valar of Sorrow and Grief, which is said to have worn a grey cloak, thus we may theorize that is why he chose that color. Gandalf took the White only because he became what Saruman was meant to be, as leader of the Istari and to be the one leading the charge against Sauron. When he returns, Gandalf's personality changes due to this, he is more serious and on the job. Radagast didn't simply turn Grey with Gandy's resurrection, as there is no hierarchy. Saruman's name means "cunning", he failed at his job because he was envious and greedy and he desired power, thus lost his status as his thoughts turned evil, and thus explaining why he became Saruman of "many colors".
In the movies Gandalf has at least 4 different staffs First is his original staff, later destroyed by Sauron in Dol Goldur His second staff is the staff of Radagast, he used it until LOTR where it was confiscated by Saruman at Orthanc tower (it's positive Radagast obtained a new staff after giving his staff to Gandalf) His third staff is given by Lord Elrond at Rivedell after Gandalf escaped Orthanc,it was lost in the bridge of khazad dum when he fought the balrog His fourth staff (as Gandalf the white) was given by Galadriel, we saw it destroyed during his encounter with the witch king In the ending scene we saw Gandalf hold a new staff before departing to the west,.most likely given again by Galadriel. So the staffs aren't only created by the Gods, the elves seem capable to create one. Gandalf has at least four staffs, plus the staffs of the other four wizards... So there's at least eight staffs in middle earth
4:26 The explanation is simple, as Tolkien himself said in one of his letters(131), the magic of the deities (ainur) is to exercise delegated authority in their spheres. Saruman's staff symbolizes his membership in the Istari order. But now Gandalf the white is the leader of the order (by direct will of Illuvatar), and therefore has the power to expel the other members from the Istari order. Since Saruman's staff represents Saruman's membership in the Istari order, Gandalf destroys his staff and in doing so expels him from the order.
Wizard staves are upside down little trees. The roots are connected to the upper realm and the wizard brings the power and wisdom down to the rest of us. The fancy stave's in the movies are obviously designed to look more magical instead of based on real mystical tools. Shamans use them to guide themselves into higher worlds.
No offense I know sir Ian McKellen is too old for stuff like this now but it was a missed opportunity to make a god of war movie with sir Ian as Zeus I can just imagine him saying in his magnificent voice "the cycle ends here" and "every thing you have ever known kratos will now suffer because of your sacrilege"
I know it's a movie thing, but in Rohan, when Grima Wormtongue said, "I told you to get the wizard's staff". Why does he heavily emphasized on that one, even without his staff, Gandalf can "exorcise" Theoden right?
Gandalf had a staff before radaghast gave him his own, along with Gandalf losing this staff by sauruman and only gaining his second after becoming reborn from the fight with the balrog. So 8 staffs altogether?
In the movies Gandalf has at least 4 different staffs First is his original staff, later destroyed by Sauron in Dol Goldur His second staff is the staff of Radagast, he used it until LOTR where it was confiscated by Saruman at Orthanc tower (it's positive Radagast obtained a new staff after giving his staff to Gandalf) His third staff is given by Lord Elrond at Rivedell after Gandalf escaped Orthanc,it was lost in the bridge of khazad dum when he fought the balrog His fourth staff (as Gandalf the white) was given by Galadriel, we saw it destroyed during his encounter with the witch king In the ending scene we saw Gandalf hold a new staff before departing to the west,.most likely given again by Galadriel. So the staffs aren't only created by the Gods, the elves seem capable to create one. Gandalf has at least four staffs, plus the staffs of the other four wizards... So there's at least eight staffs in middle earth It's possible Radagast obtained a new staff..we also dont know how many times saruman and the blue wizards changed their staffs after living for thousands of years in middle earth
Ash, you say... Hmm... An interesting choice, and unlikely to be entirely incidental. Tolkien had a fondness for Norse mythology. It is known that Middle Earth is a literal translation of the Norse 'Midgard,' the 'middle world' that comprised our mortal realm; it was but one of nine (at least) linked by the roots and branches of Yggdrasil, a vast ash tree that sustained the worlds within it. Perhaps this sole description of an ash-staff was an allusion to the Greater Power Gandalf serves by the time he is resurrected as 'the White'. In Norse mythology, the All-Father, Odin, sacrificed himself to himself, hanging nine days and nights from the World-Tree before returning in greater power and wisdom than before. (JRRT was also a devout Catholic; if Gandalf's original staff was described as 'thorny', there are stories told and written of another magical figure that bore thorns before His death and resurrection...) In some European (certainly in Scottish) folklore the ash, more particularly the mountain ash, or rowan, is regarded in folklore as protecting against witches, fairies, and evil magic.
If the wizards were gods then in my opinion the staffs could serve as a limit capacitor. if they were not allowed to use their full power then the staffs have limits to what they could do upon the user. As for the ending quote “and remember “all we have to decide is what to do with it”” - Gandalf
Okay good vid, just one thing, The Istari or wizards if you will, were NOT gods, there is only one god and it's Eru Ilúvatar the Istari/Wizards are more like angels or as stated in the books higher spirits
I always imagined that wizards made their own staffs, and the act of creating them bonded them to the user. In the fantasy series "Lord Darcy" by Randall Garrett, making their own magical tools was among the first things wizards and witches learned to do.
In the movies Gandalf has at least 4 different staffs First is his original staff, later destroyed by Sauron in Dol Goldur His second staff is the staff of Radagast, he used it until LOTR where it was confiscated by Saruman at Orthanc tower (it's positive Radagast obtained a new staff after giving his staff to Gandalf) His third staff is given by Lord Elrond at Rivedell after Gandalf escaped Orthanc,it was lost in the bridge of khazad dum when he fought the balrog His fourth staff (as Gandalf the white) was given by Galadriel, we saw it destroyed during his encounter with the witch king In the ending scene we saw Gandalf hold a new staff before departing to the west,.most likely given again by Galadriel. So the staffs aren't only created by the Gods, the elves seem capable to create one. Gandalf has at least four staffs, plus the staffs of the other four wizards... So there's at least eight staffs in middle earth
I feel like the staff may be more than just a walking stick since Gandalf seemed to need it when he went into Edoras to speak king Theoden, seems to me like his staff maybe something like the ring, where only someone with power, like angels or gods, can wield such power, only much less powerful, as in the staffs are not like rings, but the point is that no mortal can use the staff, only wizards and other powerful people can. Your outro should be "Until the next video, remember, A theorist is never late, nor early, he arrives precisely when he needs to"
My head cannon suggests the staves are actually powerful weapons made from the Five Istari but only because the Istari are using them. The Staves should be useless to an ordinary person.
In truth, the fact the staff of each Wizard was with them when they left their ships upon landing in Middle Earth, makes me think they aren't such simple woods. Think of the Land of the Gods, would you say such simple trees grow there, rather than far more impressive species than what one might find in the land of Mortals? Or at least, their ancestor trees that have qualities bestowed from the First Age. Further, while the staffs may not be artifacts of power themselves, they WOULD need to be a BIT impressive, to work as a channel for power from Gods themselves. As for Gandalf the White's, perhaps it WAS an Ash staff. But one fashioned by the Wise Wizard of White, I imagine it was rather special if only that Gandalf picked it, and made it so himself. That's just my take anyway, that a conduit would need to have SOME respectable Quality, and as for your outro. For all that love these tales, all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. What do you think? Good video btw, and thanks again for the content!
