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Would someone please tell me (in spoiler tags, of course) if Gandolf really died, or is he in the next two? Of course, this is question is toward anyone who read the books.

EDITED!

ToMacco asked for the answer to be in spoiler tags.

Gandalf IS in the next two films. After a titanic battle with the Balrog, neither of them are exactly alive at the end of the fight.

However, the god-like people that sent Gandalf and his kind to the world (there are only five such wizards, of which only three are seen in the books and two in the films) decide that Gandalf should be sent back- both because Sauron must be fought and because the whole Saruman thing is an embarrassing cock-up for them (the five Wizards were meant to be there to FIGHT him, not join him!) Gandalf returns- for a time- more powerful than before, until the task is done.

A note to other book fans- keep answers like this very simple. I could start waffling on about Istari and Valar and so on to fully explain all that, but it would mean bog-all to To and is unnecessary. It's a good idea to keep answers simple.

Do you think we will be seeing the god-like creatures in the next movie?

Were they described in the books?

I am pretty sure we won't see them in the next movie. 90% sure.

Thank you, Ush.

When he comes back, doesn't he come back as Gandolf the White?

This is rather odd to treat this as a spoiler, but okay. I mean, all this info has been known since the sixties. Don't people read books anymore these days.

some people choose to not read the book, instead wait to see what happens in the film. so spoiler-tags should be used for two towers and return of the king.

RC:
yes, that's true.

who is Count Grishnak

grishnak is an orc

a lot like Varg Vikernes then

Where do I get the spoiler tags?

you write spoilers between two then end it with /spoilers between two

You know somebody should post a thread that just has the instructions for writing spoilers.....I know I've asked this ques before and obviously I'm not the only one.

guess your questions has been answered now

Well, there was a time that we wouldn't bother to put it in spoiler tags.... what happened?

we got a bit polite and....

That's what I meant. What happened?!

If Gandolf was so powerful, why didn't he fight Smaug (the dragon) in the Hobbit?

I thnk you should have asked J R T himself that question

Smaug probably would've made short work of Gandolf . . .

Remember, wizards aren't invincible. Smaug could of blown off his head with a few blasts of fires. Gandalf the White? Why Gandalf the White?

And it's JRRT, not JRT.

Heres an interesting theory to describe something that was never very well explained in the books....

When Gandalf fights the balrog in Moria I think there is a lot more going on than we see. I think that when G visited moria the first time he got a vibe from the bridge of khazud-dum and had a vision that he would face a great challenge in this place at some point in the future. So, he did something very wise....

He encased a large amount of his powers into the bridge so that he could call them back at a later date. This would explain why he looked so shabby and grey and was white and magnificent when re returned.

So, when he met the balrog and smashed his staff into the bridge he was actually calling his power back from the bridge to enable him to kill the balrog. This would explain the white flash we see. Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White.

What do you think?...

well.......I don't think so.
Because when he leaves Moria he is half dead.That eagle helps him to leave that mountain.He goes after that in Lorien and regaines his powers.So I think that the elfs help him....

I forgot to ask.....have you read the books ?

He was made Gandalf the White by the people who created the Istari. He was powered beyond what he was.

Yeah, I have read the books, palanfirith. Its just a theory. It could still work because he would still be half dead after the battle, he just needed the extra power to defeat the balrog. If he hadn't stored his power he may not have survived the battle.

This theory would also explain the sense of dread he had when he realised they had to go through moria.

he didn't want to go through Moria becase he knew what the dworfs discovered when they dug too far. He knew about the balrog, and Saruman knew it.
And G isn't human....his death is not like theirs. He returned more powerfull.

You have an interesting theory there Budgie, but I still belive in my theory
And like Ush sais he got grater powers than he had in the first place.

My theory is that the Valar required that the Maia (Wizards) always have a chief who wears white.

Gandalf, knowing of the treachery of Saruman, and having a sense of what was to come in Moria, knew that his ascent into the position of Head of his Order was only going to be accomplished with a "test of fire" (so to speak)and the need to replace a fallen "Head of Order". He knew that this would happen...he just was not thrilled about the timing...during the quest.

Just a theory

yea good one tho, don't think that dumbin' a load of energy un the bridge thingy is it, just doesn't seem very ... I dunno

Sorry folks the truth is out there(read the book)!
you see gandalf was killed(his mortal body) and his spirit was sent back(from the west) until his quest was completed.
The same happened to another person in silmarilion(glorfindel)!

He would have to have made the same mistake as souron if he did put his power in the bridge?seems unlikerly that he would

who do you like more (in the movies AND in the books): gandalf the white or gandalf the grey?

Gandalf the Grey looks cooler but Gandalf the white is more powerful

i think i like Gandalf the white more, but really underneath the power he is still Gandalf the grey at heart

hmm...i think i liked gandalf the grey better..don't know why

i prefer gandalf the(kick ass) white
but who realy cares?
can,t we think of something better to talk about than this?
it is a bit lame.
like maybe who was gandalf realy? answer that one!!

gandalf the grey was a much more human character and had more of a personality so i go with him. He did not have the skill of gandalf the white, but it had to take a lot more than sheer fighting skills to defeat the balrog. That takes moxie!!!!

I think, Gendalf the White has the same character as Gendalf the Grey He only is more powerful.

You're right, Gandalf the Grey was in a way more kind hearted. As for Gandalf the White, he's more concerned with the war going on in Middle Earth and so on.

well they are the same character, I like them both very much

i dont kno, i think i like gandalf the grey better. he seemed almost more comical (for lack of a better word) in the books, where as gandlaf the white is more um...mature? im having trouble finding the right words today...

I dont know?
but I do like it when he comes back as gandalf the white

Of course he is. The war begins and you want that he would be more hearted? "O, my little cutie, orc!"

LillySatine, don't be angry on me. It's just my opinion.

I think that Gandalf the White was and is just more powerful and more alike with Saruman

He IS a little different. "Saruman as he should have been," I believe he describes himself.

Why do you think that they are alike? Gendalf's powers is alike with Saruman's powers? Or himself is alike with Saruman?

Gandalf's powers ism't alike with Saruman's powers. I just wrote that Gandalf himself was alike with Saruman. But just sometimes.

When exactly?

gandalf seemed to turn in to a monotonous drone when he turned in to the white.

they r the same character, same personality, but the wikid white poer stuff is just better than the grey

GANDALF the wHITE rules, hell in the book he overtakes Saruman as the most powerful wizard
He's cool, calm, unassuming and really kickass
Gandalf the grey needed to die in order to make the transition into a more powerful being.

now i thought gandalf the greynever died, but came really close to it. perhaps im wrong?

I agree. I've wrote the same before. Gendalf the White has more powers and wisdom but his personality is the same as Gendalf the Grey

why do you keep saying "gendalf"

How should I say, huh?

I think its because you spelled his name wrong
because it is really spelled Gandalf

Hmm... I don't see any difference

Oh...Now I see, so stupid mistake. In Lithuanian we say "Gendalf(as)", as I see in English "Gandalf". I thought this name is the same. I didn't noticed that in thread title. Oh, sorry, so stupid mistake.

its because instead of spleelin gandalf with an A you spelled it with an E
this is how you spelled it "Gendalf"
this is how your supposed to spell it "Gandalf"

While you were posting a post I fixed my message, so wach above
I understood my mistake just now. Sorry.

oh ok

It's okay that you said, I don't do this mistake anymore

I think people saying things like "Gandalf dies differently" aren't realizing what they are saying.

Death is death, and all in lotr die...

It's not that they die differently but that they ARE DIFFERENT.

Humans are just humans, a soul...that's it...

Elves, they are not even from middle earth.

Same with the istari.

When Elves die they go to valinor(?) as Elrond's wife did when she was poisoned.

And Istari are beyond the elves...they don't go anywhere, they are on Middle Earth till their job is complete. Gandalf didn't "die" his form may have, but that means nothing, he is not a body...he is a different being all together, simply looks human.

yup

He recalls the powers of the Sun (Flame of Anor) with the help of his ring Narya on the bridge;

And Manwe sends him back to do what he was supposed to do

Is narya the correct ring, I thought that was the name of the ring of adamant.

Yes you have it correct, Narya is Gandalf's ring, Vilya-Elronds, and lastly Nenya (the ring of adamant) is Galadriels

Anyone know how old Gandalf is??? And just one other question, what happened with Haldir( didn't spell that right) brothers at Helms deep? Did they die or live? later ya'll.

Man I hate spiders.

Uh... i don't think haldirs brothers even came to helms deep, gandalf is like thousands of years old. He was made for the cause of fighting against the ring, so a long... time, ask exa, she'd know.

uh, older than the rest of the felowship...

i think hes around 7000 yrs old, though in the movies he gives a specific number of human generations as his age, which i calculatefd to be less than that.

lookitup in the enyclopedia of arda. they might have it:
http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/

Gandalf is actually around 2,050 years old. He came to Middle-Earth around 1000 of the Third Age, and he left Middle Earth in the late 3000 of the Third Age, so he's pretty old.

According to the LotR novels, Haldir and his brothers never went to Helm's Deep, they stayed at Lothlorien to defend their city because according to the books, Saruman sent armies to attack Imladris and Lorien too.

that was insightful, thanks i appreciate it

Is Gandalf immortal because he is one of the ring bearers?

how do you people know dis stuff

encyclopedia of arda

and no gandalf is not immortal, i suspect olorin is though

Um, pretty darn old?

I don't know...sorry!

he looks it to

Oh I was wrong about that Gandalf thing. I rechecked my book and well according to it, it seems that Gandalf and the 4 other Istari have been around for a VERY long time. My old theory had some truth to it because Gandalf did take the name of Gandalf when he came to Middle-Earth.

Before he was sent to Middle Earth by the Valar, he dwelled in the Undying Lands and then he took the name of Olorin to the Elves there. Just see Valar and the others from the Undying Lands as a Tolkien Greek Gods and Goddesses. Each God is in charge of one thing, as Valar is the 'god' of the Maiar.

No, he isn't immortal really, let me explain. When Gandalf was battling the Bolrog, he was Gandalf the White. When he "died" he was reborn becasue he had not exactly finished his task on Middle Earth, so he became Gandalf the White. After the war of the Ring was over, he would soon die, like anyone else. Correct me if I messed anything up.

"When Gandalf was battling the Bolrog, he was Gandalf the White." White? Do you mean Grey?

Gandalf is kinda of a immortal thing, really because he's been around for so long his spirit anyway, the spirit of the Maiar. Him physically being immortal, no.

whoopsies... yes, he was gandalf the white hen...

NO HE WAS GANDALF THE GREY WHEN HE FOUGHT THE BALROG!!!

cool, thanks all

I did!! I laughed sooo hard everytime he hit someone in the face with his staff!!!

lol
yeah that was funny... but a bit, erm, strange... well I liked him far more than in TT here.

Yeah....Gandalf reminds me of my grandpa. He's really nice, and funny, but if you're bad, he'll kick your ass!!!

-liv

mine too!!! very kind and wise, and a bit funny from time to time

Gandalf was funny in ROTK I was laughing when he smack that fool of Denethor

I dont think it was that funny, I was more concerned about his staff actually breaking due to the force he used it on

Sure it was funny that fool of Denethor was being too dramatic and Gandalf just smack him off!! lol!!

Gandalf was funny... and I agree, SilverFighter, about Denethor being too dramatic, LOL. That was priceless.

gandalf!

Gandalf definately got some up close ass whooping action. And when they're about to enter the top of Minas Tirith

"Now remember you must not say anything about the death of Boromir... (and some other stuff)....well it's best that you don't say anything at all..."

"Is this part of a ceremonial tradition? I mean....you don't suppose they expect me to do any fighting, do you?"
"You're under the service of the Steward now..."
"Is there any hope, Gandalf....for Frodo and Sam.."
"There was never much hope from the start...just a fool's hope."

LOL

now remember to bring him news of his son boromir would be unwise, and do not mention aragorn either, or of frodo and the ring, in fact perrigrin took, its best if you dont say anything at all

That's it Sauron! Thank you!

we are doomed, minas tirith will fall, abandon your posts, there is no hop...*thwack* *think* *schwackyshazam* "BACK TO YOUR POSTS"

LMAO that was sooooo hilarious!!

Gandalf was comical in the movie.

Another scene I thought it was funny, is when Gandalf is asleep with his eyes open and Pippin waves his hands in front of him to check if he is awake.

Yeah, and when Pippin offered his service to Denethor he hit Pippin in his back and he was like, "Get up". People at the cinema were cracking up.

hahahahaha that was funny!!!!!!

i loved it when he kept telling pippin that this was no place for a hobbit and he stabs that orc and he had that "oh my gawd" look on his face

it was priceless

i agree denethor was annoying and too dramatic, glad gandalf smacked him to his senses

gandalf f***king rules!!! i'd rather see him fighting mano a mano rather than casting spells... he rules in rotk... he's like a tall yoda... don't f*** with them both!!!

Gandalf is funny.

that part ROCKED when Gandalf hit Denethor w/ his staff... that was so great.

Gandalf was great! He was really funny all of ROTK! it was great Gandalf beating up everybody!

i love him . he is my FEV LOTR charecter. i love his gust & everything about him

Ian McKellen portrayed Gandalf excellently! I mean no one can do the Gandalf grunt like Sir Ian can!

"Everyday Frodo moves closer to Mordor."
"How do we know Frodo is still alive?"
"....What does your heart tell you?"
Then the Gandalf eye twinkle! God! I loved that moment!

He makes a pretty good villain too. In Xmen Ian does a pretty good Magneto villain. I like him as Richard III but I think he most likely will be rembenber as Gandalf.

ya Gandalf is one of my favourite characters....I like when he was telling pippin to not say anything at all!

my favorite funny gandalf part was when he was walking w/ Pippin and when he was hitting Denethor

i loved the scene in the secret council meeting when gandalf started speaking the black language... the the place just started rumbling... that's just power right there... f*@<!%& cool ...

Sir Ian McKellen rocks!!!

Sir Ian McKellen doesn't even need to act. He IS Gandalf. I love him and he was so perfect. The first time I saw him in FOTR when he told Frodo, "A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to." I just got shivers throughout. I just said, "Now this IS Gandalf".

Yeah! Sir Ian McKellen can really do the Gandalf eye twinkle!

Oh yeah! I was so pleased with Gandalf rockin' the staff! He can sure swing that thing!

That was EXCELLENT!!!

"Lord Denethor is Boromir's father. It would be very unwise to bring him news of his beloved sons death. Best not to speak of it. And be careful not to mention Frodo or the ring. Or Aragorn, say nothing of him. In fact, it's best you don't speak at all, Peregrin Took."

Anyone know when Gandalf dies or does he live forever in the Undying lands??

After the War of the Ring Gandalf sailed from the Grey Havens with Elrond, Bilbo, and Frodo. It is believed that he also took his beloved horse, Shadowfax.

i liked shadowfax! i wanted em!

*chuckles* I believe Gandalf lived forever in the Undying Lands until the Valar thought it was time for him to pass.

No dummies shadowfax died in the book of rotk. they didn't show it and also when you leave to the grey havens u die off at sea. so read the books!!!!

hey cgtuna21 but i tot that when you go to the grey havens you r i mortal? that is what i heard

Can't you write normal English?

for starters yes they should write in normal english, this isn't a mobile phone thing, you don have to shorten letters to save money or whatnot,

Anyhoo I was having a debating with a few friends about Gandalfs reasong on living, when he returned as Gandalf they white he claims that he has been "sent back until my task is complete" - mmm.. just a wild guess but I am guessing that is until the ring is destroyed. well once the ring was destroyed shouldn't gandalf gone back to the afterlife??

Gandalf was a Ring bearer, he was given the ring of Fire, the movie doesnt explain but the book does, This is why Gandalf goes West, Sam Goes west as well as hewas a ring bearer, Gimli and Legolas also go west hundreds of years later after Aragorn dies, They are alowed because they were a part of the Fellowship.

how old was gimli in the war of the ring? and how old was he when he left middle earth?

Hmm I don't remember Shadow fax dying in the book. Maybe I was reading too fast.
Also, in which book does Tolkien explain the Maia and Vala?

What books have you read? Not LOTR or other Tolkien's books for sure

Shadowfax didn't died. And even Tolkien didn't states what happenned to him in LOTR book, by his letters it is commonly accepted that he sailed with Gandalf.

I wish they would have mentioned in themovie how Gandalf got ShadowFax, he practically stole him from Theodin.

Shadowfax does not die in LotR. Ithink you are mistaking Sahdowfax for Theoden's horse Snowmane who gets killed by the Witchking's "fell beast". Snowmane is later buried on the Pelennor fields with a stone saying:
"faithful servant yet master's bane,
Lightfoot's foal, swift snowmane."

It seems like Gandalf lives forever in the undying lands.......That's what I understood.

I dont remeber Shadowfax death either. Someone thinks there Tolkien again and making up stuff

What??? Not in my books he doesn't!!!

Thank you! I try not to quote what I don't know for sure. If I am wrong I will admit it but it is good to know that after being told to read the books, by someone who sounds like they read Dr.Suess instead of LOTR(cgtuna). It is good to know that i was right.

You really don't realize how foolish you make yourself come off saying something like that do you?

How old are you, 12?


Shadowfax does not die.

And it was rather funny how Gandalf got him from Theodin. I wis he explained more about where he comes form. Lord of Horses.

Hahahahahha!!!! You die off at sea?! Hahahahah, oh so Bilbo and Frodo and Gandalf just volunteered to go off and die at sea. Wow I can't believe you're calling us dummies. And *cough* Shadowfax does NOT die. Why don't you um read the books again hmmm?

lol

wow i must say cgtuna has been raped and effeciently served up....hahah way to not have a superiority complex tuna, keep your mouth shut hahah

i love myself but i hate my life

well one, you dont die at sea, people only died at sea if they were the exiled elves trying to return, or some man who was lost. PLUS gandalf will inevitably have died, but the spirit which he is (olorin) will ive forever

So ha!

yes HA!

lol someone had better KNOW EVERYTHING bout tolkien work before they can open their trap and call us dummies.............thats a warning to you all out there

Yes Lady fini, we must not become cross with you.

lol the best was cowboyography, he called me a dumbass then got some backlash

but he apologised so i made peace