Read on TwitterVia poll you all requested a deep dive into the 5 wizards of Middle Earth (the Istari). Let’s get into it.
NEW LOTR THREADhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚨" title="Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht" aria-label="Emoji: Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht">Via poll you all requested a deep dive into the 5 wizards of Middle Earth (the Istari). Let’s get into it." title="https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚨" title="Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht" aria-label="Emoji: Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht">NEW LOTR THREADhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🚨" title="Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht" aria-label="Emoji: Polizeiautos mit drehendem Licht">Via poll you all requested a deep dive into the 5 wizards of Middle Earth (the Istari). Let’s get into it." class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>
For this thread I will be going over:
1. What the Istari are, and what their purpose in Middle Earth was.
2. Each individual,and their characteristics.
3. Did they fulfill their purpose?
I’m going to assume everybody is familiar with the events of the series as well.
1. What the Istari are, and what their purpose in Middle Earth was.
2. Each individual,and their characteristics.
3. Did they fulfill their purpose?
I’m going to assume everybody is familiar with the events of the series as well.
Circa before the year 1000 of the Third Age; the Valar (direct servants of Illuvatar) learn that the dark lord Sauron is once again active in Middle Earth after the War of the Last Alliance.
This prompts them to assemble their servants and discuss sending aid to the free peoples
This prompts them to assemble their servants and discuss sending aid to the free peoples
Of the servants gathered, the Valar chose 5 Maia to send to Middle Earth to help defeat Sauron. (Strap in this gets nerdy)
-Curumo
-Olorin
-Aiwendil
-Alatar
-Pallando
-Curumo
-Olorin
-Aiwendil
-Alatar
-Pallando
They are commanded to assist the peoples of Middle Earth in this task through council, persuasion, and encouragement.
Not brute force, fear, or displays of strength.
Their task was to encourage the Free Peoples to defeat Sauron through their own strength and will.
Not brute force, fear, or displays of strength.
Their task was to encourage the Free Peoples to defeat Sauron through their own strength and will.
Side note: People often pose the question, “Why doesnt Gandalf use more of his power throughout the series?” And the answer is here, he wasn’t supposed to. That was not the Istari’s purpose.
They came to Middle Earth around the year 1000 Third Age taking the non threatening forms of old men and commenced their mission to assist the Free Peoples in stopping a newly emerged Sauron.
Here’s the list and qualities of the Order
Here’s the list and qualities of the Order
Curumo; cloaked in White and established as head of the Order. He became known among men as Saruman meaning “Man of Skill.”
He was obsessed with order, metal work, and building. His desire to understand the rings of power and how Sauron used them drove his actions.
He was obsessed with order, metal work, and building. His desire to understand the rings of power and how Sauron used them drove his actions.
Aiwendil; cloaked in Brown and was established as the Istari who would pay particular attention to the protection of nature from Sauron due to Curumo’s lack of interest in(and later disdain for the natural world.)
He became known as Radagast.
He became known as Radagast.
Alatar and Pallando; cloaked in Blue travelled East to rally the Easterlings against Sauron. Not much is known of their journey or time in Middle Earth but they became known as the Blue Wizards
Olorin; cloaked in Grey. Kind hearted and wise, he cared greatly for the sufferings of Men and Elves and was secretly hated by Curumo(Saruman) for being the only Istari who did not volunteer for the mission, but was commanded to go.
He later became known by men as Gandalf.
He later became known by men as Gandalf.
Saruman:
After building a relationship with the powerful nations of Men; Saruman studied their weapons and sought to understand power, technology, the cultivation of strength through force, and the bending of the natural world. He believed this knowledge would defeat Sauron.
After building a relationship with the powerful nations of Men; Saruman studied their weapons and sought to understand power, technology, the cultivation of strength through force, and the bending of the natural world. He believed this knowledge would defeat Sauron.
He was gifted the tower at Isengard by the Men of Gondor, where he took up residence and came into contact with the Orthanc Stone.
Sauron was in possession of the Ithil Stone and used it to warp and whisper to Saruman until eventually the two began to communicate.
Sauron was in possession of the Ithil Stone and used it to warp and whisper to Saruman until eventually the two began to communicate.
Saruman’s lust for power and the rings blinded him to everything else, eventually pushing him to betray the Order thinking he could trick Sauron into believing he was an ally and take the one Ring for himself.
Betraying his mission and making war on the Free Peoples.
Betraying his mission and making war on the Free Peoples.
Radagast:
Although you can’t claim Radagast was evil or did anything overtly wrong his interest (obsession) with nature drove him into isolation.
He violated his purpose by not pursuing it. He cared only for nature and his uselessness to the Free Peoples was his betrayal.
Although you can’t claim Radagast was evil or did anything overtly wrong his interest (obsession) with nature drove him into isolation.
He violated his purpose by not pursuing it. He cared only for nature and his uselessness to the Free Peoples was his betrayal.
The Blue Wizards:
We’re not told what happened to them but since their mission was to the East we can only assume that they failed.
It’s not unreasonable that they likely went the way of Saruman and took up positions of power over Men as the Men of the East fought for Sauron.
We’re not told what happened to them but since their mission was to the East we can only assume that they failed.
It’s not unreasonable that they likely went the way of Saruman and took up positions of power over Men as the Men of the East fought for Sauron.
Gandalf:
Gandalf always had a heart for the Free Peoples. He traveled all over the world making friends and forming alliances never losing sight of his mission. It was his love and care for the struggles of the Free Peoples that he always possessed that helped keep him steady.
Gandalf always had a heart for the Free Peoples. He traveled all over the world making friends and forming alliances never losing sight of his mission. It was his love and care for the struggles of the Free Peoples that he always possessed that helped keep him steady.
Gandalf as we all know completes his mission in guiding the people of Middle Earth. In his death against the Balrog he was sent back by Illuvatar cloaked in White to signify his supplanting of Saruman as leader of the Istari.
Once again, Tolkien’s writings teach us a lesson about the consequences of betraying your purpose.
Gandalf is a purpose fulfilled, and a duty kept. He was humble from the beginning and never even wanted the task in the first place.
Gandalf is a purpose fulfilled, and a duty kept. He was humble from the beginning and never even wanted the task in the first place.
Saruman was purpose betrayed. Plagued at the onset by his desire to be in charge. His lust for power, lack of humility, and disobedience to the Valar made him lose his way.
Radagast is a great example of those who stay silent in the face of evil. Not wrong but definitely not right. Betraying his purpose by inactive. Radagast’s lack of vigilance leads directly to Gandalf’s trap in the Fellowship. The cost of those who choose ignorance.
Live with intent ladies and gentlemen. Let your mission be good and remain humble in your pursuit of it.
