Thorwyn
FH is my second home
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2003
- Messages
- 4,752
Found this in another forum and find it mildly funny, so decided to copy/paste it here...
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I've been a fan of Tolkien for almost 20 years now. And while I've often enjoyed the books for what they are, I've recently began to wonder, whether all is as it seems. Let's have a look at Gandalf.
So what do we know about him?? Well, Gandalf was a Maia, who came to Middle-Earth along with 4 other Maiar. We know that he's the only being ever to go down into Sauron's dungeons freely, and leave them without harm (see: The Hobbit). But is that really the way things went down??
What is the source of all this information?? Gandalf himself. He tells us that he descended into the dungeons secretly and then managed to find his way back. Or did he?? What if the real Gandalf is still in those dungeons, a prisoner now, not a tourist?? But then, who left in his stead?? The answer to that is elementary, my dear Watson: Sauron.
Before I'm branded a heretic and burned at the stake, let me explain. Sauron has an excellent reason for such action: Valinor. You see, when Gandalf completes his mission of aiding Middle-earth in the war with Sauron, he gets to go back to the Undying Lands, to which the road is sealed for all, but the chosen few. No one in their right mind can expect Sauron to be allowed in, but there will be a ship waiting to take Gandalf home. So the simplest way of getting to Valinor would be to assume Gandalf's identity.
I can already see all the questions "Yes, but what about the War of the Ring and all that Gandalf has done??" My reply to that is "So what exactly has he done??" He led the Fellowship to the brink of disaster several times (strangely enough, the Ringwraiths knew exactly where to look for Frodo after Gandalf "suggested" the road he should take, then there was Caradhras, where the Fellowship almost freezes to death or Moria, where they are almost slaughtered by goblins and then by the Balrog). Then, for a huge part of the story (between Moria and the fall of Isengard) he seems to be "unavailable". Some help he is...
Some people might say "but the Ring was destroyed". Yep, the Ring was destroyed. Or should I perhaps say a Ring was destroyed?? After all, we have only Gandalf's words to support the theory that the Ring in Frodo's possession is indeed the One Ring. Please note, that when the question "how do we know this is the One" arises during the Council of Elrond, it is Gandalf who gives the answer. How very convenient.
Perhaps there really was the One Ring in B ilbo's possession. I'm not denying that. But notice that when B ilbo leaves after his birthday party, he leaves the Ring in an envelope on the mantlepiece. IN GANDALF'S PRESENCE!! What would stop Gandalf from taking the real Ring, substituting it with a gold ring imbued with just enough magic to make the wearer invisible and carrying a "transmitter" broadcasting a homing signal. Frodo has rarely seen the Ring up close, so he probably wouldn't know the difference. He takes it, carries it to Mount Doom (with the road dangerous enough to avoid suspicions that this is too easy, but never too dangerous), destroys it, Middle-earth is saved, "Gandalf" gets to go to Valinor wearing the REAL Ring, and conquers it. After that, conquering ME would be a walk in the park.
But let's have a look at some other situations casting a shadow of doubt on Gandalf, shall we?? Aragorn and Frodo see lightning at Weathertop, and later, when they are told that it was Gandalf fighting the Ringwraiths, they do not question it. OK, I will. How come he never uses the lightning again?? If he is so powerful, why doesn't he use his power during the siege of Minas Tirith?? Why doesn't he use it in Moria?? What if the whole thing at Weathertop wasn't a fight for life, but one hell of a party??
Or Moria... The Fellowship leaves the burial chamber, Gandalf runs out last, telling them he will block the door with a spell. A spell which the Balrog counters and dispels with surprising ease. Odd, ain't it?? Maybe Gandalf didn't really want to fight the Balrog?? Maybe he doesn't fall after the Balrog, but jumps?? Maybe he doesn't fight the Balrog in the deeps, but plans their future campaign??
There are plenty of such ambiguous situations in the book (and the film). Circumstancial evidence, I know, but it's enough to leave one wondering WHO IS GANDALF REALLY??
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I've been a fan of Tolkien for almost 20 years now. And while I've often enjoyed the books for what they are, I've recently began to wonder, whether all is as it seems. Let's have a look at Gandalf.
So what do we know about him?? Well, Gandalf was a Maia, who came to Middle-Earth along with 4 other Maiar. We know that he's the only being ever to go down into Sauron's dungeons freely, and leave them without harm (see: The Hobbit). But is that really the way things went down??
What is the source of all this information?? Gandalf himself. He tells us that he descended into the dungeons secretly and then managed to find his way back. Or did he?? What if the real Gandalf is still in those dungeons, a prisoner now, not a tourist?? But then, who left in his stead?? The answer to that is elementary, my dear Watson: Sauron.
Before I'm branded a heretic and burned at the stake, let me explain. Sauron has an excellent reason for such action: Valinor. You see, when Gandalf completes his mission of aiding Middle-earth in the war with Sauron, he gets to go back to the Undying Lands, to which the road is sealed for all, but the chosen few. No one in their right mind can expect Sauron to be allowed in, but there will be a ship waiting to take Gandalf home. So the simplest way of getting to Valinor would be to assume Gandalf's identity.
I can already see all the questions "Yes, but what about the War of the Ring and all that Gandalf has done??" My reply to that is "So what exactly has he done??" He led the Fellowship to the brink of disaster several times (strangely enough, the Ringwraiths knew exactly where to look for Frodo after Gandalf "suggested" the road he should take, then there was Caradhras, where the Fellowship almost freezes to death or Moria, where they are almost slaughtered by goblins and then by the Balrog). Then, for a huge part of the story (between Moria and the fall of Isengard) he seems to be "unavailable". Some help he is...
Some people might say "but the Ring was destroyed". Yep, the Ring was destroyed. Or should I perhaps say a Ring was destroyed?? After all, we have only Gandalf's words to support the theory that the Ring in Frodo's possession is indeed the One Ring. Please note, that when the question "how do we know this is the One" arises during the Council of Elrond, it is Gandalf who gives the answer. How very convenient.
Perhaps there really was the One Ring in B ilbo's possession. I'm not denying that. But notice that when B ilbo leaves after his birthday party, he leaves the Ring in an envelope on the mantlepiece. IN GANDALF'S PRESENCE!! What would stop Gandalf from taking the real Ring, substituting it with a gold ring imbued with just enough magic to make the wearer invisible and carrying a "transmitter" broadcasting a homing signal. Frodo has rarely seen the Ring up close, so he probably wouldn't know the difference. He takes it, carries it to Mount Doom (with the road dangerous enough to avoid suspicions that this is too easy, but never too dangerous), destroys it, Middle-earth is saved, "Gandalf" gets to go to Valinor wearing the REAL Ring, and conquers it. After that, conquering ME would be a walk in the park.
But let's have a look at some other situations casting a shadow of doubt on Gandalf, shall we?? Aragorn and Frodo see lightning at Weathertop, and later, when they are told that it was Gandalf fighting the Ringwraiths, they do not question it. OK, I will. How come he never uses the lightning again?? If he is so powerful, why doesn't he use his power during the siege of Minas Tirith?? Why doesn't he use it in Moria?? What if the whole thing at Weathertop wasn't a fight for life, but one hell of a party??
Or Moria... The Fellowship leaves the burial chamber, Gandalf runs out last, telling them he will block the door with a spell. A spell which the Balrog counters and dispels with surprising ease. Odd, ain't it?? Maybe Gandalf didn't really want to fight the Balrog?? Maybe he doesn't fall after the Balrog, but jumps?? Maybe he doesn't fight the Balrog in the deeps, but plans their future campaign??
There are plenty of such ambiguous situations in the book (and the film). Circumstancial evidence, I know, but it's enough to leave one wondering WHO IS GANDALF REALLY??
