Gandalf (Middle-earth)

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Do-Gooder
Full Name	Olórin
Alias(es)	Gandalf the Grey Gandalf the White Mithrandir Gandalf Greyhame The White Rider The Grey Pilgrim Gandalf Stormcrow
Origin	The Hobbit
Occupation	Wizard
Powers / Skills	Vast Magical Powers Power of the Maiar Swordsmanship The sword Glamdring Immortality Telekinesis Illumination Calling Gwaihir Pyrokinesis Counter-Spells Blinding Light Divine authority over the Istari
Hobby	Smoking. Using magic.
Goals	Help Bilbo and Thorin on the journey to reclaim Erebor (succeeded). Guide Frodo to Mordor to destroy the One Ring (succeeded). Protect Middle-earth from Sauron (succeeded).
Family	Eru Ilúvatar (creator)
Friends / Allies	Bilbo Baggins Thorin Oakenshield Dain II Ironfoot Beorn Elrond Lady Galadriel Legolas Saruman (formerly) Radagast Gwaihir Frodo Baggins Samwise Gamgee Meriadoc Brandybuck Peregrin Took Aragorn Boromir Gimli Eru Ilúvatar
Enemies	Morgoth (very heavily implied) Smaug Azog (in The Hobbit trilogy) Bolg The Great Goblin Tom, Bert, & William Saruman Sauron Durin's Bane
Type of Hero	Good Wizard

“	You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor! The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn! Go back to the Shadow! YOU SHALL NOT PASS!	„
	~ Gandalf's most famous quote.

Gandalf (originally a Maiar known as Olórin) is the main protagonist of the Arda universe of J.R.R. Tolkien, which is mainly focused on Middle-earth, and ultimately, the main protagonist of the Middle-Earth legendarium, appearing as a major protagonist in The Hobbit and the secondary protagonist in The Lord of the Rings. He also serves as the main protagonist of the animated film series, appearing as a major protagonist in The Hobbit movie made in 1977 and the secondary protagonist in The Lord of the Rings movie made in 1978 (which is also the name of the original novel) and in Return of the King (also the name of Part III of the novel The Lord of the Rings). He is also the main protagonist in Peter Jackson's live-action adaptations of the books respectively, serving as a major protagonist of The Hobbit film trilogy and the secondary protagonist of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

He is is a very old, very wise and very powerful wizard, and one of the Ainur who entered the world of Arda at the dawn of creation. Being thousands of years old, he is known far and wide by all: men, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and evil such as Sauron and orcs. Has many friends and known as Gandalf the Grey, Gandalf the White, Mithrandir, the White Rider, the Grey Pilgrim, etc. He is the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor, which is said where he is to be from. During the third age, he guides Frodo in destroying the One Ring, and participating several battles during the War of the Ring. Once a member of the High Order of wizards, he travels all around Middle-Earth visiting friends and embarking on journeys. In The Hobbit and the first volume of The Lord of the Rings, he was Gandalf the Grey, cloaked in all gray and wields a wooden staff. He offers to guide Frodo to Mordor to destroy the Ring and several comrades of all races join them.

While traveling through the mines of Moria, he duels with a monstrous demon of fire: the Balrog. He sacrifices himself and falls to his supposed death. He returns in the last two films reincarnated: Gandalf the White, having survived the fall. This time, his hair, beard, cloak and staff are all white, which some mistake him for Saruman.

In all the live action films, he is portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen who also portrayed Cogsworth in the 2017 adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, Older Magneto in the X-Men movies, and Iorek Byrnisson in the film adaptation of The Golden Compass.

Quotes

“	A Wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins… nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.	„
	~ Gandalf the Grey.

“	Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends	„
	~ Gandalf to Frodo, about that not always dealing out death to his enemies.

“	All we have to decide is what to do in the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this World, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case, you also were meant to have it and that is an encouraging thought.	„
	~ Gandalf to Frodo.

“	End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it. White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.	„
	~ Gandalf to Pippin, about death.

Trivia

• The Witch-king of Angmar does not break Gandalf's staff in the novel The Lord of the Rings, nor does he do it in the theatrical version of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He only does so in the latter's Special Extended Edition.
• It's important to note that, had Gandalf taken the One Ring from Frodo, he would have likely become far more evil than Sauron. Tolkien already said that in one of his letters.
  • It's also very likely he would've eventually become Pure Evil as well. However, Gandalf wouldn't take any chances, and refused to take the Ring from Frodo, thus remaining Pure Good for the rest of the story.
  • A link to this exact topic is right here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XmisXZmTtzo