124278612a5986b6b2920bf when did the wizards arrive in middle earth 124278612a5986b6b2920bf when did the wizards arrive in middle earth

Thus, it can be said that the Blue Wizards arrived at the same time as other wizards in 1000 Third Age. He used to know how to walk among the Elves, unnoticed or as one of them, and shared the acquired wisdom with one another. 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. [1] Radagast the Brown concerned himself mainly with plants and animals, living in Mirkwood for many years. Suddenly, who should he run into but Thorin Oakenshield himself. Answer (1 of 12): Yes, if we are talking about the entity Olorin, who later came as Gandalf. The name "Alatar" probably means "after-comer" (as he was one of the original two Maiar to be chosen to become Wizards and follow Sauron to Middle-earth). The fact that he's heading east also jives with what little we know of the Blue Wizards' backstory. Istari At that time she was dwelling in Greenwood the Great, and seems had been too homesick. Tolkien. But the problem is that JRR Tolkien's writings suggest that he . In fact, the specific word used to explain his appearance is that he comes across as the "least" of the intrepid mortality-clad Maiar. Of the Five Wizards, Gandalf is clearly the most well known. [5], As the Istari were Maiar, each one served a Vala in some way. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Nor do they consist of various people from different races simply "practicing magic." Cookies help us deliver our Services. Istari was a Quenya word (singular: Istar). [6][T 1] Originally called Olrin, he was the wisest of the Maiar and lived in Lrien until the Third Age, when Manw tasked him to join the Istari and go to Middle-earth to protect its free peoples. The two begin to talk, and Gandalf decides to visit the dwarf's temporary home. On the flip side, he also gets a bit of a bad rap throughout their tranquil community for convincing many quiet Hobbit "lads and lasses" to run "off into the Blue for mad adventures." Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, the Blue Wizards Clad in earthen brown, Radagast was very interested in beasts and birds. Zip. Robert's love for all things fictional sta Who Are the 5 Wizards in The Lord of the Rings? But where does this pair of azure magic-wielding angels wrapped in old-man bodies come from? The supernatural Ainur are the highest order of beings within Middle-earth, and they are broken into two different groups. The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, https://tolkiengateway.net/w/index.php?title=Blue_Wizards&oldid=369315, Pages using duplicate arguments in template calls. [25] Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The Elves also call him Mithrandir, which means "the Grey Pilgrim." Gandalf is actually considered to lead the prestigious body at one point, but he doesn't want to be restrained from wandering and the position is awarded to his fellow wizard Saruman instead. It is said that he was associated with Orome as he had much knowledge of the farthest areas of Middle Earth. However, Tolkien himself seemed to be unsure about how to explain this last one. 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. [T 1][2], Saruman's character illustrates the corruption of power; his desire for knowledge and order leads to his fall, and he rejects the chance of redemption when it is offered. Instead of mentioning that they drifted from their mission, Tolkien points out that they played a decisive role in the downfall of Sauron at the end of both the Second Age and the Third Age. I think that they went as emissaries to distant regions, east and south Missionaries to enemy occupied lands as it were. One final note about Gandalf's first appearance in Middle-earth has to do with a gift he's given when he arrives. Yes, when you [Gandalf] also have the Keys of Barad-dr itself, I suppose; and the crowns of seven kings, and the rods of the Five WizardsSaruman in The Two Towers, "The Voice of Saruman", Nothing more was said of these two wizards in The Lord of the Rings as it was published. Each pack contains 2 basic land cards with a shining Traditional Foil treatment! Radagast's fate is quietly tragic, as the wizard slowly slips into a habit of overly prioritizing the birds and beasts rather than Elves and Men. [T 1], Tolkien once described Gandalf as an angel incarnate; later, both he and other scholars likened Gandalf to the Norse god Odin in his "Wanderer" guise. At one point, a bit later on, Gandalf also sets out in search of the missing Dwarven king Thrin II. Why Gandalf did not take Frodo and the One Ring to Rivendell immediately after he examined it? In "Unfinished Tales," Tolkien's son, Christopher, talks about a jumble of his father's notes that detail a special council of the Valar (the angelic guardians of Middle-earth). No, not the One Ring of power, but a heavy-hitting piece of enchanted jewelry nonetheless. My code is GPL licensed, can I issue a license to have my code be distributed in a specific MIT licensed project? Tolkien took the name "Gandalf" from the Old Norse "Catalogue of Dwarves" (Dvergatal) in the Vlusp; its meaning in that language is "staff-elf". They went to the farthest parts of Middle-earth, far to the east and south beyond Nmenr influence, as messengers to hostile lands. The Valar, made up of 14 Ainur including Nienna, are the kings and queens that rule over creation in the name of Ilvatar. The words "first" and "later" do tend to strongly imply that they did not arrive at the same time. During this period of "youth," he is named Olrin, and he lives in the lands to the west of Middle-earth. Beyond that, though, the Wandering Wizard also reveals in The Two Towers that "many are my names in many countries." In Senior's view, where Tolkien used myth and a medieval hierarchy of orders of being, with Wizards higher than Elves who are higher than Men, Donaldson's Lords are "wholly human" and "function democratically". There they became known as Morinehtar and Rmestmo, Darkness-slayer and East-helper. T 1] Originally called Olrin, he was the wisest of the Maiar and lived in Lrien until the Third Age, when Manw tasked him to join the Istari and go to Middle-earth to protect its free peoples. He is sent back to Middle-earth to complete his mission, now as Gandalf the White and leader of the Istari. The brief note ends with the statement, "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.". As in the novels, Gandalf is "an oddly ambivalent presence, extraordinarily powerful and authoritative , but also a stranger, the only one of the Istari who never settles down". In other words, he spends a lot of time wandering all over the Westlands of Middle-earth, generally laying low, making friends, and increasing his understanding of the lay of the land. @JK twins (triplets, etc) are said to be born at the same time - but obviously one usually comes out before the other (sometimes with quite a gap in between). All fragments from the Istari chapter of Unfinished Tales. The Blue Wizards went into the East and South and do not come into the tales of north-western Middle-earth. They too respected the Wizards and looked to them occasionally for counsel, but often misinterpreted it as command rather than guidance, and disliked the thought of Wizards taking charge and engendering mistrust. All three named Wizards appear in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Yet for all their power, the Wizards were expressly forbidden by the Valar from openly using their magic except in times of great need and as such they (with the exception of Saruman) more often relied on their wisdom, quick-thinking and reasoning skills to overcome challenges than through use of magic. The third envoy is a fellow named Alatar, who brings his friend Pallando (read: the Blue Wizards). 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. [24] On screen, Gandalf is necessarily "less remote, less liminal, more bodily present", less like an angelic spirit than in Tolkien, but in Walter's view this benefits the films' dramatic tension and helps to bring out many other characters. The Wizards, initially known as the Istari or Heren Istarion (Order of Wizards), were a group of five Maiar spirits sent to Middle-Earth during the Second and Third Ages, embodied as old Men to aid the Free Peoples against the threat of Sauron . Does Counterspell prevent from any further spells being cast on a given turn? The Blue Wizards have not appeared physically in any adaptation of Middle earth works so far, and they are mentioned and implied only in the following adaptations: The term "Blue Wizards" is mentioned only in an "essay" and is the only source where they are assigned a color; although Tolkien revisited the concept of the remaining two Wizards, giving them different names and backgrounds, their assigned color (wether blue or other) or title, is never specified again. So we get both fallen cult leaders and critical anti-Sauron agents and both are equally vague and legitimate. 4. The fact that there are "Five Wizards" instantly begs the question, where are the other two Wizards? This pair of Maiar, dressed in sea-blue clothing, were named Alatar and Pallando and it's said that they traveled to Middle-earth as friends. 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. Using indicator constraint with two variables, Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor, Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application. On the inside, so to speak, the Istari are technically angelic, supernatural beings from the glorious west. Gandalf was the servant of Manw or Varda, but was a lover of the Gardens of Lrien, and so knew much of the hopes and dreams of Men and Elves. This is generally the same period as the plot in the Rings. 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. In the game their names are not said, but the description of the artifact implies the two wizards are Alatar and Pallando. 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. 1000. And yet the Stranger doesn't have a Wizard friend, begging the question, will we meet one later in the story? The 'other two' [Blue Wizards] came much earlier, at the same time probably as Glorfindel, when matters became very dangerous in the Second Age, Glorfindel was sent to aid Elrond and was (though not yet said) preeminent in the war in Eriador. One other critical activity that Gandalf participates in during the centuries before The Lord of the Rings is befriending Hobbits. Gwaihir lord of eagles in Middle Earth rescues Gandalf. For that, we turn back to "Unfinished Tales.". [T 1], Gandalf the Grey is a protagonist in The Hobbit, where he assists Bilbo Baggins on his quest, and in The Lord of the Rings, where he is the leader of the Company of the Ring. It's said that the duo traveled far into the east with Saruman but never came back. In Unfinished Tales, Tolkien explains just what Middle-earth wizards are and why they're so different from their modern counterparts. In "Unfinished Tales," he says, "They never returned, and whether they remained in the East, or as some hold were ensnared by Sauron and became his servants, is not now known" (via Laurelin Archives). The two Wizards were able to hinder Sauron's operations in the East and South, aiding the defeat of, They ensured that the forces of the East and South did not outnumber the West, thus helping secure victory for the. His role is so slight that it has been described as a plot device. The Wizard order, or Heren Istarion, were Maiar spirits . The inclusion of the popular "Lord of the Rings" character would also be helpful for attracting new viewers who aren't familiar with deeper Tolkienian lore. The eternal accuracy and intelligence of the Gwaihir Eagles was probably the merit of Radagast. In fact, according to Tolkien, this is the first thing that starts to erode the friendship between the two wizards. But in another book, the wizards are mentioned to be in the second age. The Wizards were sent to Middle Earth by ManwKing of the Valarwho had learned of Sauron's return to power. These ranks are not all clearly specified, save for that Saruman was highest. [23], Kristin Thompson notes that the Wizards' staffs are more elaborate in the films; their tips are "more convoluted" and can hold a crystal, which can be used to produce light. But I guess those fellows can find trouble when they're looking for it.". Dissolved Gandalf was one of the older wizards who was sent to Middle Earth to resist Sauron. There were also hints that point to the possibility that he could be none other than our favorite Grey Wizard Gandalf, who became the most important Istar in the events of 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. Their task was to assist the inhabitants of Middle Earth in the battle against Sauron, but without seeking power and domination for themselves. It is not clear whether these names were intended to be replacements for Alatar and Pallando, or whether they had a second set of names (for instance, their names used in Middle-earth). He is associated with fire, his ring being Narya, the Ring of Fire, and he both delights in fireworks to entertain the hobbits of the Shire, and in great need uses fire as a weapon. Namely, Narya had the power to light a fire in the hearts of people in difficult times. If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? What do the Istari in The Lord of the Rings represent? It led to a desire to force others to do good, and from there to a simple desire for power. He could be Gandalf. The wizards were sent specifically because the Valar became aware that Sauron's power was returning. Of those who came to Middle-Earth, sent by the Valar, five are known, the Heren Istarion (Order of Wizards). While he's been around from the beginning of Time, it turns out that it isn't until well into the Third Age that Gandalf is asked to take on his wizard form. Before breaking down the Blue Wizards themselves, it's worth taking a minute to differentiate the author's wizarding order from the common wizards of fantasy and folklore. Alatar asked his friend Pallando to join him on his mission.[2]. Amongst all the wise, Gandalf is the only one that sees the value of the Halflings, making a distinct effort to cultivate a deep connection with the agricultural community of the Shire. It is not known what happened to Radagast after the end of the Third Age, but it is assumed that he was allowed to return to Valinor after the War of the Ring. Each Wizard carried and utilised a powerful staff, through which they channelled and performed most of their spells and magical actions. The Wizards, initially known as the Istari or Heren Istarion (Order of Wizards), were a group of five Maiar spirits sent to Middle-Earth during the Second and Third Ages, embodied as old Men to aid the Free Peoples against the threat of Sauron. [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. [19] Nelson notes that in a letter, Tolkien stated that "Myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth (or error), but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary 'real' world. Manw summoned Olrin (later named Gandalf), asking if he would go as the third messenger. Gandalf passed over the Sea with the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings. He spent most of his time in Lothlrien the gardens by which the Lothlrien Forest in Middle Earth was named. The fate of the Blue Wizards is unknown but it is assumed that they too eventually returned to the Timeless Halls. Privacy Policy. He proudly came dressed in white, which contrasted boldly with his hair, which was raven black at the time. He also keeps company with Nienna, a Valar or leader of the Ainur who is known for her association with grief and sorrow. In the game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, a Weathered Azurite Figurine can be found in the north-western part of the Sea of Nrnen. However, the name Olrin was most associated with Valar Manwe and Ward they were the ones who sent Olrin to Middle Earth around 1000 AD. Whilst Glorfindel was tasked with aiding Elrond with the war in Eriador, the Wizards were destined to journey to the East and South. Eventually, the five main wizards are chosen and they begin to arrive on the western coast of Middle-earth approximately one millennium into the Third Age. Palenehtar 22 days ago. Tolkien himself would talk about them as if they were a riddle that he didn't have time to solve. The Encyclopedia of Arda - Wizards Came to Middle-earth c. III 1000. One of these intermediaries is Saruman, who begrudgingly brings along Radagast. In this scheme, the Wizards represent the angels sent by God, or as Tolkien wrote "Emissaries (in the terms of this tale from the Far West beyond the Sea)". Saruman the White (originally Curumo, a Maia of the people of Aul the Maker) was the chief of the five Istars sent from Valinor to help the free people of the Middle Earth oppose the evil that remained after Morgoth. Earlier this year, we looked at the future of Universes Beyond and discussed, in part, the legality of cards that are part of Universes Beyond releases. What is the symbolism of the colors assigned to Istari wizards? [T 1][2], Radagast the Brown is mentioned in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings. The people of Middle-earth called them Ithryn Luin or Blue Wizards because their uniforms were navy blue. [6], Morinehtar is described as meaning "Darkness-slayer",[7] likely based on the Quenya words mori- ("darkness") and nehtar ("slayer"). [16], The critic Brian D. Walter writes that the films seek to make Gandalf a powerful character without having him take over the Fellowship's strategy and action. In the Undying Lands around TA 1000, Manw (leader of the Ainur, and King of the Valar and Arda) learned that the dark lord Morgoth's most loyal lieutenant, Sauron, was returning to power. It is not exactly known what happened to them, they probably failed, but certainly not in Sarumans way. Tolkien incorporated a lot of wizarding adventures into his stories. They must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of the East who both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have outnumbered the West.J.R.R. Saruman's failure is well documented. He's shorter than the others, already has grey hair, and leans on a staff. Extending this fantasy world even further, Prime Video is launching 'The Rings of Power', set in the Second Age of Middle Earth. Was this arrival practically simultaneous ("we will send five of them"), or was it over a longer time because of subsequent events or mission failure of the first Maia sent? This helps him learn much about patience and pity. Not long afterward he hears about the eccentric Hobbit bachelor Bilbo Baggins, whom he hasn't seen since Baggins was a child. His name rarely appears during the major geopolitical events of the age, and he seems to have practically fallen off the map for huge swaths of time. rev2023.3.3.43278. Okay, so we know that the Blue Wizards are sent by the Valar to resist Sauron. Tolkien's Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age it is told that aside from Saruman, Gandalf, and Radagast, there were "others of the Istari who went into the east of Middle-earth, and do not come into these tales. In the book Unfinished Tales which compiled many of Tolkien's unpublished and unfinished works the author refers to these creatures as an "angelic" order of beings. But that's not all she wrote (or in this case, all he wrote). Every other Ainur is part of the group called the Maiar. He starts making a plan, and the rest is Middle-earth history. Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. Throughout his existence, Gandalf is always drawn to the "Children of Ilvatar" that is, both Elves and Men and is always keen to help them. Only two Maiar came: Curumo (later named Saruman) sent by Aul, and Alatar (Morinehtar), sent by Orom. Nada. Why were the blue wizards sent much earlier than the other Istari? He dies in the Shire at the hands of a longtime helper Grma Wormtongue. Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines. They may have founded 'magic' cults amongst the peoples of the eastern and southern regions, which existed beyond the downfall of the, The two Wizards were sent to Middle-earth at roughly the same time as, The two Wizards journeyed into the East and South of Middle-earth, where they remained; they were not heard or seen west of. The Sindarin translation was Ithryn (singular: Ithron). and our 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. However, the adjustment Tolkien made of the Blues arriving in the Second Age makes them perfect candidates for the show. Alatar was a Maia of the Vala Orom who chose him to go to Middle-earth. As soon as they arrived, Alatar and Pallando (a Maia of Orom) head east. Tolkien's original idea was they did not all come on ship but came nearly at the same time. [T 3][7] Others have described Gandalf as a guide-figure who assists the protagonist, comparable to the Cumaean Sibyl who assisted Aeneas in Virgil's The Aeneid, or to Virgil himself in Dante's Inferno;[8][9] and as a Christ-figure, a prophet. It was said that Olrin learned from her compassion and patience. It is sometimes thought that the Blue Wizards also failed in their mission and fell to the temptations that had corrupted Saruman; it is said that their fall gave rise to magical cults in the East and South. This leads Crdan to give Gandalf a ring of power to help him throughout his adventures. [8], Rmestmo or Rme(n)star is a Quenya name meaning "East-helper". ), The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese. Once their tasks were completed, the Istari were to return to the Timeless Halls for good. Tolkien also suggests that only Gandalf returned to Valinor: Wilt thou learn the lore || that was long secretof the Five that came || from a far country?One only returned. Some aspects of his characterisation were invented for the films, but the core elements of his character, namely communing with animals, skill with herbs, and shamanistic ability to change his shape and colours, are as described by Tolkien. Around TA 1000, when Sauron began to move again and the Valar realized the Free Peoples would need help this time..They first appeared in Middle-Earth about the year 1000 of the Third Age. Once again turning to Unfinished Tales, we find Gandalf riding along one day on his way to the Shire for a sabbatical. 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. Gandalf ceaselessly assists the Company of the Ring in their quest to destroy the Ring and defeat Sauron. We're talking, of course, about Gandalf. A thousand years after his arrival, he visits the fortress of Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood where Sauron has been rebuilding his power in the form of the Necromancer. He resided in the former city/fort of Gondor, Isengard, where he captures Gandalf. Tolkien, The existence of five Wizards is only mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings. Based on the above material, the history of the two "Blue Wizards" can be determined as the following: Manw summons a council of the Valar.They decide to send emissaries to Middle-earth. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. However, he became prideful and jealous of the power and purity of Gandalf's spirit and reputation. They went to the eastern and southern parts of Middle-earth, while the rest of Istari went to the west. All we know is that he was the last of the wizards to arrive. Also called Curunr or "the Man of Skill," he was the first to arrive in Middle-earth. Gandalf (Olrin, a Maia of Manw and Varda) is a character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novels and their imaginary mythology. Saruman the White, and Gandalf the Grey spent their time with the Free Peoples: the Elves, Dwarves, and Men. However, while those two are forces for evil, there were many, many other Maiar that fought for good including Gandalf. || Others never againUnfinished Tales, "The Istari"[1], In a brief narrative about a council of the Valar, the origins of the other two Wizards are placed alongside those of the known three, Curumo (Saruman), Aiwendil (Radagast), and Olrin (Gandalf). Purpose Saruman is installed as the head of the White Council, but falls to the temptation of power. The text also adds that two of those five came over the sea to Middle-earth from the Blessed Realm in the West wearing sea-blue garb. The Wizards or Istari in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction were powerful angelic beings, Maiar, who took the form of Men to intervene in the affairs of Middle-earth in the Third Age, after catastrophically violent direct interventions by the Valar, and indeed by the one god Eru Ilvatar, in the earlier ages. The author emphasized this dark, unknown fate in a letter in 1958, in which he wrote, "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]. Tolkien did not associate Alatar with Morinehtar (which means "Darkness-slayer") and they should not be considered synonymous. What success they had I do not know; but I fear that they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and "magic" traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.J.R.R. For a long time, Tolkien had all five primary Wizards arrive a thousand years into the Third Age (about 2,000 years before "The Lord of the Rings"). They and their kind are believed to have appeared in the world sometime around. Gandalf was constantly working on plans to counter Sauron himself, and he himself launched a chain of events that eventually resulted in the fall of the Lord of Darkness. 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. In an unfinished tale about the Years of the Trees, it is told that after Orom found the Elves in Cuivinen, he and Tulkas dwelt there in order to protect them from Melkor. With so many centuries of wandering under his belt, it's natural that Gandalf would acquire a lengthy collection of names. The two Wizards arrive in Middle-earth at roughly the same time as the other wizards c. The two, known as the "Blue Wizards", travel into the East of Middle-earth with, Together or independent of each other, the two fall from their appointed task. In "The Peoples of Middle-earth," we get one final version of the Blue Wizards that Tolkien wrote later in life. Their bodies are the real deal. The season 1 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power finally revealed that the Stranger is one of the Istar and is actually a Wizard. The Wizards were known by various names and were arrayed in different colors. Zero. 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." At least, that's how Bilbo puts it when he bumps into the wizard while blowing smoke rings by his front door. Preorder Now. When it comes to the timing of their arrival in Middle-earth, there are two versions of the story. He forms the double of Saruman, as Saruman falls and is destroyed, while Gandalf rises and takes Saruman's place as the White Wizard. He also serves as a member of the Council of the Wise, also known as the White Council, which is composed of Saruman, Galadriel, Elrond, and Crdan, among others. 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. Radagast the Brown (Aiwendil, a Maia of Yavanna) also failed in his mission. They are said to have founded secret sorcerer sects and cults of magical traditions that survived long centuries after Saurons downfall. The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth for Dummies, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, LEGO The Lord of the Rings: The Video Game.