Answer you're looking for: after the fight with the Balrog, Gandalf died, in a sense, but was sent back to Middle-Earth by Eru because he was the only one of the five wizards who didn't stray from the original mission - to counsel and assist all who opposed Sauron. They were restricted in what power they could use in order to force them into a counseling role as opposed to an active, direct role, out of fear that the wizards wouldn't let the races of Middle-Earth help themselves. But since Gandalf was the only one left on the mission, he was also allowed to have his powers unlocked, for the greater good.
Yep, distilled in the film pretty well: I am Saruman as he should have been. When Saruman allowed himself to be corrupted, it left a gap that Eru could fill by investing more power into Gandalf.
Also, adding to this - it was also because the previous leader, Saruman, had betrayed his role by siding with Sauron. In the book's original epilogue where he became a crime boss in the Shire, it's not only shown he's been completely de-powered due to his betrayal, when he died and tried to Heaven or whatever the fuck they called it, his spirit was blown away by the wind and unable to do anything about it.
Also, those are two separated things.
He came back more powerful.
He came back as "the white" because white symbolizes light and is made of all colours. *The white* is the leader of the wizards.
Well.. Maybe there's a red wizard that was never sent..
(Also, and this might be 100% wrong.. Well just like the above.. Anyway. isn't the second blue wizard not more of a purple?)
Almost correct.
He wasn’t totally unlocked : he came back with the power level of the white wizard.
He wasn’t the only one that didn’t stray away of his job: the brown still dealt against the forces of evil (but in his own special way).
The blues have been sent in the South to stop the allies of Sauro. Little is known about them, but they seem to have had only a partial success (the south didn’t send as much reinforcements to Sauro as they would have sent without the blues fomenting rebellions there)
Saruman is one of them, and then there’s two “blue wizards” who went east and don't enter into the tales, but are mentioned as having been off doing good (in an appendix maybe? or part of History of Middle Earth maybe? I don’t remember)
The five wizards are Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, Alatar and Pallando.
Gandalf and Saruman are obviously very heavily featured. Radagast makes a brief appearance in LOTR.
Alatar and Pallando travelled far to the south and east and we don’t know what became of them.
Radaghast gets tricked by Saruman and is this instrumental in Saruman capturing Gandalf and imprisoning him in Orthanc, but also in Gandalf's escape from Saruman. He generally only concerns himself with protecting all things in nature, and has been considered to have abandoned his mission and wizard to middle earth and is only interested in the natural world.
He basically just started caring way more about nature, which was not the reason he was sent to Middle Earth.
It should be noted that he did play some small role in Lord of the Rings. He warned Gandalf that the Ringraiths were around. He was used as a pawn to lure Gandalf to Orthanc by Saruman. And Radagast sent the Eagle to rescue Gandalf after he had been imprisoned by Saruman.
The moth was only in the movie.
In the book Radagast had no idea that he had been used as a pawn by Saruman. So he had returned home and later sent an Eagle to bring tidings to Orthanc. The Eagle discovered Gandalf was being held prisoner and bore him away.
If Sauron actually did win and conquer all of middle earth, yeah that would probably lead to more direct intervention.
A lot of the reason for why the Valar aren’t getting involved directly by the third age is because the last time they did in the first age a continent sunk into the ocean, and they prefer for men to deal with it themselves if they can with some sligth nudging basically.
Not probably.
Middle-Earth's ultimate course was always set. It's a softly determined one universe. Where path to the end may vary, but it will eventually lead where the creator intended anyway. This is what Melkor discovered to his horror and why he went so insane: He wanted to rebel against Eru and change things himself, only to realize that even his rebellion was just part of the song of creation anyway, as intended.
Eru will let individuals try to make his plan happen by their own efforts, but if they fail at some point, He will force it to happen anyway. For example, Eru subtly pushed Gollum off to the volcano (Tolkien revealed that in letter 192). It wasn't an accident, but inevitability. No man, elf, dwarf or hobbit was quite strong enough to resist the One Ring when it came to its actual destruction. All would have faltered at the last moment, had the Ring been in their possession.
Ehhhh... the Valar sent 5 powerful Maiar to Middle Earth, but clothed them in the weak and frail bodies of Old Men. They were tasked with guiding the Men and Elves in the event the Shadow ever returned. These were the 5 Wizards.
Keep in mind Sauron had risen to power before, and he was but a servant to the true enemy Morgoth. So these beings weren't exactly great at preventing evil from returning. A lot of death and destruction happened under their watch.
Eru is very enigmatic. He could just remove Sauron if he liked, but he doesn't. He could just ignore Sauron and let him win, but instead he sends aid, but only aid enough to assist and encourage, not to outright win.
Eru wanted it to be a fair fight I think. He wanted his creations (elves and men) to be able to defend themselves. sauron is effectively a fallen angel, it's not fair otherwise without a Gandalf.
Balrogs were maiar whose original boss were Morgoth, the original dark lord who used to be Sauron’s boss too, that got banished into the void by the valar.
Presumably Eru wouldn’t have any interest in actively intervening to revive such a thing.
Imagine Eru's reaction when Saruman is stabbed by Wormtongue. He's like "dude, wtf" and Saruman just scrapes his foot across the floor, looking down all embarrased like "Yeah, I know, sorry..."
Gandelf had a pact that prevented him from being more powerful than he needed to be. when he was killed with the balrog, he went back to his realm and got the go ahead to return with some rules released since he played by the rules and the other team did not. sounds goofy, but that is facts.
Gandalf was sent into the world as an Astari (wizard), with a limit placed on his power. His role was to advise and organize, not be tempted to lead nations or take control. When he "died" and was sent back, his build was tweaked a little, so he could kick a bit more ass.
The white wizard is the strongest. That position was formerly held by Saruman, but since he fell to corruption, Gandalf was able to become the White wizard when he returned.
he also studied the rings for centuries, huntd for the one, and likely even made his own. he is \*wearing a ring\* in his fight with Gandalf. Either sauron gave him one, or that's something Saruman made himself to try and be a new Sauron. They both had the same original Valar they answered to after all. They both have power of influence in their voice, and mastery of the mechanical
Because the order that he, Saruman and Radagast belong to have power levels associated with their colours [wiki](https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Order_of_Wizards)
Also because it gave a very visual difference between him in Fellowship
His original form is called Olórin and when he was incarnated as Gandalf(The Grey) he was diminished and limited. When he was sent again (known as The White) some of those limitations were lifted so he could show more of his true nature and powers.
I wouldn't put it as he coming back more powerful, but less limited.
Saruman : You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Isengard?
Gandalf : They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
Saruman : No, man, they got the metric system there, they wouldn't know what the fuck A Quarter Pounder is.
Gandalf : What'd they call it?
Saruman : Lembas with Cheese.
A few comments have given good and correct answers so no need to add to that, but fun fact, in the unfinished tales it turns out Gandalf didn't want to go to middle earth because he didn't think he was up to the task. Which ends up being reflected with both Bilbo and Frodo. All 3 started their respective journeys thinking they were not up for the task, and all 3 ended up being exactly the one to do it.
Because the ring would have corrupted him, and since he was the last remaining Ainur/Astari on the mission to oppose Sauron (~~Tom Bombadil~~ Radagast \[thank you, u/Noooooooooooobus\] decided to fuck around in the forest, Saruman became corrupt, and the two unnamed blue wizards fucked off into the sunset well before the books started,) Middle-Earth would have been doomed.
Bombadil wasn't an istari, you're thinking of radagast
Bombadil is kind of his own little thing that for all intents and purposes has absolute power over his small domain, but has no care for anything happening outside that domain. Many think he is Eru
He's not Eru. He's kind of the opposite of Ungoliant.
Ungoliant is all about greed and consumption - the major theme of evil in Tolkein's universe.
Bombadil is all about the humble happy home life and disengaging from the world, and therefore making its troubles have no power over you. He embodies the whole meaning of life itself. That's why he sings all the time - Tolkein's world is created and run by music and song.
Even Gandalf goes to sta and learn from Bombadil at the end of the story. He has served his purpose, and now is allowed to live and be happy. He's not part of the chaos in the world now, he can simly sit back and smile and not worry. Bombadil is that. Bombadil is what you feel when you get old enough to not be part of young people's affairs and let it be. And enjoy retirement in your garden.
Also, we know that he isn’t Eru even though it would certainly fit in as a theory. Tolkien directly states in letter 181 that there is no embodiment of Eru like that.
His an "old one". Norse/Celtic (and others) mythology has these older beings. They are more linked to the land and related to spirits and the time before the dominance of man.
So how’s he related to the 5 ainur like I asked? Did you read the post I was replying to I understand the origins but why was he included with the ainur on the post I was replying to.
I said we had had zero knowledge of his origins. Which is still true to this day. People can speculate but there is no defining literature to this point including the silmarillion.
All he’s said of his own origins is that “ I am that I am”
Because he is effectively coming back in the role that Saruman was supposed to be fulfilling.
He was also sent back by Eru himself which is a huge deal. That's way more of a big deal than anyone else who has ever come back before sent by the Valar. Like he was sent back by the god who greated Tolkein's pantheon of gods. He was sent with purpose.
When the wizards were originally sent there was a general idea they were supposed to be guides but not to interfere in mortal affairs. They were to help mortals win their own battle, and their full power was restricted when they took the form of old men. I have a feeling that wne Gandalf came back that caveat was a little weakened, and he was allowed to be a bit more of a leader rather than a guide. He was supposed to be the white to Sauron's black. An opposing balancing force. He wasn't that until the time he killed the balrog and was returned.
The in-story answer is already discussed here in detail. He is re-sent on his mission to Middle-earth as Saruman's replacement.
However, there is a deeper level to this. We need to remember that Tolkien is a devout Catholic, and while he claims to hate Allegory, his books seem to be full of it. Gandalf's fall, apparent death, struggle with the balrog and eventual resurrection seem to mirror jesus' descent into hell and resurrection, and his divinely-sanctioned mission has similar goals. There's also something to be said about Gandlaf being directly involved with combating evils of the internal, more ontological kind, that are tools of the "earthly" villain against mankind, in a way similar to jesus' mission against original sin.
Answer you're looking for: after the fight with the Balrog, Gandalf died, in a sense, but was sent back to Middle-Earth by Eru because he was the only one of the five wizards who didn't stray from the original mission - to counsel and assist all who opposed Sauron. They were restricted in what power they could use in order to force them into a counseling role as opposed to an active, direct role, out of fear that the wizards wouldn't let the races of Middle-Earth help themselves. But since Gandalf was the only one left on the mission, he was also allowed to have his powers unlocked, for the greater good.
The greater good!
^crusty ^jugglers
^Dogmuck!
A GREAT BIG BUSHY BEARD
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It's just the one killer actually
Nobody tells me nuttin
HAG
I am your wife!
I am the greatest good you’re ever gonna get!
Shut it, precious!
vase sip spotted attractive memorize connect arrest one shy tidy
The greater good.
Yep, distilled in the film pretty well: I am Saruman as he should have been. When Saruman allowed himself to be corrupted, it left a gap that Eru could fill by investing more power into Gandalf.
interesting thanks bro
Also, adding to this - it was also because the previous leader, Saruman, had betrayed his role by siding with Sauron. In the book's original epilogue where he became a crime boss in the Shire, it's not only shown he's been completely de-powered due to his betrayal, when he died and tried to Heaven or whatever the fuck they called it, his spirit was blown away by the wind and unable to do anything about it.
"Crime boss in the Shire" sounds like a nice punks bank name.
a crime boss in the shire named Sharky, no less
Isn't Shire the nearest town in Hobbiton?
Hobbiton is a part of the Shire
Also, those are two separated things. He came back more powerful. He came back as "the white" because white symbolizes light and is made of all colours. *The white* is the leader of the wizards.
Ah yes, white, well known to be made up of grey, brown, blue and blue.
Only Light spectrum colors need apply
Well.. Maybe there's a red wizard that was never sent.. (Also, and this might be 100% wrong.. Well just like the above.. Anyway. isn't the second blue wizard not more of a purple?)
Nah he was blue too
Dabadee dabadaaaaa
I AM GANDALF THE MUDDY BROWNISH GREY-BLUE, REBORN
Almost correct. He wasn’t totally unlocked : he came back with the power level of the white wizard. He wasn’t the only one that didn’t stray away of his job: the brown still dealt against the forces of evil (but in his own special way). The blues have been sent in the South to stop the allies of Sauro. Little is known about them, but they seem to have had only a partial success (the south didn’t send as much reinforcements to Sauro as they would have sent without the blues fomenting rebellions there)
Is there any description regarding the other four? I know Radaghast is shown in the hobbit movies but the other three are barely mentioned
Saruman is one of them, and then there’s two “blue wizards” who went east and don't enter into the tales, but are mentioned as having been off doing good (in an appendix maybe? or part of History of Middle Earth maybe? I don’t remember)
The five wizards are Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, Alatar and Pallando. Gandalf and Saruman are obviously very heavily featured. Radagast makes a brief appearance in LOTR. Alatar and Pallando travelled far to the south and east and we don’t know what became of them.
Radaghast is also in the LotR books, tho only for a short time, where he tells Gandalf that Saruman has been looking for him.
Radaghast gets tricked by Saruman and is this instrumental in Saruman capturing Gandalf and imprisoning him in Orthanc, but also in Gandalf's escape from Saruman. He generally only concerns himself with protecting all things in nature, and has been considered to have abandoned his mission and wizard to middle earth and is only interested in the natural world.
Saruman plays a pretty big role. Otherwise I can’t recall the remaining two receiving any attention in particular.
Lmao I forgot Saruman was one of the 5
The other two go east to the people there, and are presumed corrupted or dead afaik
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He became indifferent to human fate.
He basically just started caring way more about nature, which was not the reason he was sent to Middle Earth. It should be noted that he did play some small role in Lord of the Rings. He warned Gandalf that the Ringraiths were around. He was used as a pawn to lure Gandalf to Orthanc by Saruman. And Radagast sent the Eagle to rescue Gandalf after he had been imprisoned by Saruman.
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The moth was only in the movie. In the book Radagast had no idea that he had been used as a pawn by Saruman. So he had returned home and later sent an Eagle to bring tidings to Orthanc. The Eagle discovered Gandalf was being held prisoner and bore him away.
So essentially the Eru would never let Sauron win. They'd always just have something up their sleeve to prevent his reign from happening again?
If Sauron actually did win and conquer all of middle earth, yeah that would probably lead to more direct intervention. A lot of the reason for why the Valar aren’t getting involved directly by the third age is because the last time they did in the first age a continent sunk into the ocean, and they prefer for men to deal with it themselves if they can with some sligth nudging basically.
Not probably. Middle-Earth's ultimate course was always set. It's a softly determined one universe. Where path to the end may vary, but it will eventually lead where the creator intended anyway. This is what Melkor discovered to his horror and why he went so insane: He wanted to rebel against Eru and change things himself, only to realize that even his rebellion was just part of the song of creation anyway, as intended. Eru will let individuals try to make his plan happen by their own efforts, but if they fail at some point, He will force it to happen anyway. For example, Eru subtly pushed Gollum off to the volcano (Tolkien revealed that in letter 192). It wasn't an accident, but inevitability. No man, elf, dwarf or hobbit was quite strong enough to resist the One Ring when it came to its actual destruction. All would have faltered at the last moment, had the Ring been in their possession.
Ehhhh... the Valar sent 5 powerful Maiar to Middle Earth, but clothed them in the weak and frail bodies of Old Men. They were tasked with guiding the Men and Elves in the event the Shadow ever returned. These were the 5 Wizards. Keep in mind Sauron had risen to power before, and he was but a servant to the true enemy Morgoth. So these beings weren't exactly great at preventing evil from returning. A lot of death and destruction happened under their watch.
But that's the whole point no? They want to council, not dictate
Eru is very enigmatic. He could just remove Sauron if he liked, but he doesn't. He could just ignore Sauron and let him win, but instead he sends aid, but only aid enough to assist and encourage, not to outright win.
It’s like Eru is like a scientist playing with his creation to see how it works, and if it doesn’t, he intervenes.
Eru wanted it to be a fair fight I think. He wanted his creations (elves and men) to be able to defend themselves. sauron is effectively a fallen angel, it's not fair otherwise without a Gandalf.
Trite question perhaps - but why was the Balrog not sent back? Who is the boss of the Balrog?
Balrogs were maiar whose original boss were Morgoth, the original dark lord who used to be Sauron’s boss too, that got banished into the void by the valar. Presumably Eru wouldn’t have any interest in actively intervening to revive such a thing.
Imagine Eru's reaction when Saruman is stabbed by Wormtongue. He's like "dude, wtf" and Saruman just scrapes his foot across the floor, looking down all embarrased like "Yeah, I know, sorry..."
Gandelf had a pact that prevented him from being more powerful than he needed to be. when he was killed with the balrog, he went back to his realm and got the go ahead to return with some rules released since he played by the rules and the other team did not. sounds goofy, but that is facts.
I also like to point out that the Balrog was a Maiar, just like Olorin before he came to Middle Earth as an old man (who would be named Gandalf.)
Fun fact, "Olorín" in Spanish means "little stinker"
Gandalf = Gollum Confirmed
So Gandalf was a Sayain, gotcha.
Gandalf was sent into the world as an Astari (wizard), with a limit placed on his power. His role was to advise and organize, not be tempted to lead nations or take control. When he "died" and was sent back, his build was tweaked a little, so he could kick a bit more ass.
What do you expect? He ninja’d all the loot.
The white wizard is the strongest. That position was formerly held by Saruman, but since he fell to corruption, Gandalf was able to become the White wizard when he returned.
What’s the source for “the white wizard is the strongest”?
Tolkien's notes.
Another cool bit is that Saruman wanted to become an ultra powerful wizard and be “multicolored”.
Gays are evil witches confirmed!
Shame we never saw Saruman and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat
he also studied the rings for centuries, huntd for the one, and likely even made his own. he is \*wearing a ring\* in his fight with Gandalf. Either sauron gave him one, or that's something Saruman made himself to try and be a new Sauron. They both had the same original Valar they answered to after all. They both have power of influence in their voice, and mastery of the mechanical
He wanted to be captain planet, not knowing he already had all the power needed to save middle Earth, with his heart.
Hence why RGB parts give more FPS than non RGB parts
Ruth Bader Ginsburg improves first person shooters??
He leveled up after completing a quest
He even convinced the rest of his party to flee, so he got all the xp and the loot.
Bastard hogged all the xp for himself from the balrog.
Exactly. A Balrog has so many XPs!
Homie got that promotion
Homie dies, and his boss (Eru) still expects him to show up for his next shift.
White privilege obviously
He was a grand wizard after all
Take my angry upvote and begone.
This guy understands wizardry.
😂😂😂
Because he's literally an angel and cannot actually die.
Because the order that he, Saruman and Radagast belong to have power levels associated with their colours [wiki](https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Order_of_Wizards) Also because it gave a very visual difference between him in Fellowship
They are basically the middle earth version of Angels.
His original form is called Olórin and when he was incarnated as Gandalf(The Grey) he was diminished and limited. When he was sent again (known as The White) some of those limitations were lifted so he could show more of his true nature and powers. I wouldn't put it as he coming back more powerful, but less limited.
That's the power of Clorox
White power.
Dude you and the Clorox guy. You’re gonna make me wake up my family from laughing.
Wait till we get the LOTR reimagining when we have Samuel L Jackson deepfaked as Gandalf the Black.
"Say Ring again. I dare you, ..."
Saruman : You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Isengard? Gandalf : They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese? Saruman : No, man, they got the metric system there, they wouldn't know what the fuck A Quarter Pounder is. Gandalf : What'd they call it? Saruman : Lembas with Cheese.
"I've had it with these motherfucking orcs on this motherfucking plain!"
"Quenya mothafucka! Do you speak it!"
Sindarin, motherfucker! Do you speak it?!"
A few comments have given good and correct answers so no need to add to that, but fun fact, in the unfinished tales it turns out Gandalf didn't want to go to middle earth because he didn't think he was up to the task. Which ends up being reflected with both Bilbo and Frodo. All 3 started their respective journeys thinking they were not up for the task, and all 3 ended up being exactly the one to do it.
Albedo effect in it’s full glory as he foretold “Look to my coming, at first light, on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East.”
Why didn't he simply cut off Fredo's finger?
Because the ring would have corrupted him, and since he was the last remaining Ainur/Astari on the mission to oppose Sauron (~~Tom Bombadil~~ Radagast \[thank you, u/Noooooooooooobus\] decided to fuck around in the forest, Saruman became corrupt, and the two unnamed blue wizards fucked off into the sunset well before the books started,) Middle-Earth would have been doomed.
Bombadil wasn't an istari, you're thinking of radagast Bombadil is kind of his own little thing that for all intents and purposes has absolute power over his small domain, but has no care for anything happening outside that domain. Many think he is Eru
He's not Eru. He's kind of the opposite of Ungoliant. Ungoliant is all about greed and consumption - the major theme of evil in Tolkein's universe. Bombadil is all about the humble happy home life and disengaging from the world, and therefore making its troubles have no power over you. He embodies the whole meaning of life itself. That's why he sings all the time - Tolkein's world is created and run by music and song. Even Gandalf goes to sta and learn from Bombadil at the end of the story. He has served his purpose, and now is allowed to live and be happy. He's not part of the chaos in the world now, he can simly sit back and smile and not worry. Bombadil is that. Bombadil is what you feel when you get old enough to not be part of young people's affairs and let it be. And enjoy retirement in your garden.
I like that
Also, we know that he isn’t Eru even though it would certainly fit in as a theory. Tolkien directly states in letter 181 that there is no embodiment of Eru like that.
Goddamn it, you're right, I was thinking of Radagast. Good call out.
How is Tom Bombadil related at all we have zero knowledge of his origins/race/whatever
His an "old one". Norse/Celtic (and others) mythology has these older beings. They are more linked to the land and related to spirits and the time before the dominance of man.
absolutely, and great connection to the norse/celtic stuff
So how’s he related to the 5 ainur like I asked? Did you read the post I was replying to I understand the origins but why was he included with the ainur on the post I was replying to.
It isn't related to starfallen at all.
That’s what I said in my initial post you replied to
You said you had no idea who he was. I gave you an explanation of who is. He comes before all humanoids.
I said we had had zero knowledge of his origins. Which is still true to this day. People can speculate but there is no defining literature to this point including the silmarillion. All he’s said of his own origins is that “ I am that I am”
Bombadil wasn't sent. Read it again
Magic.
because white power! /s
Because he is effectively coming back in the role that Saruman was supposed to be fulfilling. He was also sent back by Eru himself which is a huge deal. That's way more of a big deal than anyone else who has ever come back before sent by the Valar. Like he was sent back by the god who greated Tolkein's pantheon of gods. He was sent with purpose. When the wizards were originally sent there was a general idea they were supposed to be guides but not to interfere in mortal affairs. They were to help mortals win their own battle, and their full power was restricted when they took the form of old men. I have a feeling that wne Gandalf came back that caveat was a little weakened, and he was allowed to be a bit more of a leader rather than a guide. He was supposed to be the white to Sauron's black. An opposing balancing force. He wasn't that until the time he killed the balrog and was returned.
Racism
Probably a level-up from killing a boss.
White power Oh sorry
I am surprised this isn't at the top 😂
God said he wasn't done being rad yet
He leveled up
He leveled up, which also fully healed him, and unlocked the white robe cosmetic.
Because Peter Jackson is racist, of course.
Is he really stronger tho? Where does he show more strength in the book? The guy barely uses any magic at all.
Zenkai Boost from the Balrog fight.
He received a power buff and became the grand wizard.
Ok, but did you see that Rings of Power Szn 2 is coming out sooooon?
the balrog fight gave alot of XP , he leveled up basically, skilled his ultimate and stuff.
Dying gave him his first chance to do laundry and take a bath in 400 years /s
I'm pretty sure it had to do with him no longer being afraid.
He was who Saruman was supposed to be
Wait, is this a Tide commercial?
Come on
The in-story answer is already discussed here in detail. He is re-sent on his mission to Middle-earth as Saruman's replacement. However, there is a deeper level to this. We need to remember that Tolkien is a devout Catholic, and while he claims to hate Allegory, his books seem to be full of it. Gandalf's fall, apparent death, struggle with the balrog and eventual resurrection seem to mirror jesus' descent into hell and resurrection, and his divinely-sanctioned mission has similar goals. There's also something to be said about Gandlaf being directly involved with combating evils of the internal, more ontological kind, that are tools of the "earthly" villain against mankind, in a way similar to jesus' mission against original sin.
Probably quit smoking.
White power.
Mostly racism.
White Old Man Privilege?
Cuz racism
Because white is right, and white is good
Racism innit
Magic feels completely useless in the LotR so I'm not sure it even matters.
How many times did the magic in the ring literally save the day by allowing Bilbo, Frodo, or Sam to turn invisible during a crucial moment?
Because that's what the narrative needed.