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Summary
When Gandalf returned from the dead inThe Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers , he claimed that he was Saruman — but why ? Gandalf the Gray had fallen in Moria while fighting the Balrog but had been resurrected as Gandalf the White . When he was reunite with Aragorn , Gimli , and Legolas , he seemed not to remember , for a time , that his name was Gandalf and submit or else that he was Saruman " as he should have been . " Since Gandalf ’s death and resurrection were only subtly explained inThe Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers , the star ’s identicalness has become a theme of confusion .
In The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring , Saruman the White , the head of the parliamentary procedure of Wizards ( to which Gandalf belonged ) , turn from his path to fall in the Dark Lord Sauron . In truth , the maven hop to claim the One Ring for himself and overthrow the villain , think that his wisdom would allow him to predominate Middle - world for the better . As the White Wizard , this contradicted Sauron ’s office . He was ultimately " fired , " in a sense , from the position , andGandalf the Gray arrest a advancement to Gandalf the White . Gandalf was mistaken for Saruman when reunited with his friend , and when they asked , he said that ’s precisely who he was .
Gandalf is one of the strongest character in Lord of the Rings but in the first movie , his skill were seen as light compared to the cunning Saruman .
Why Does Gandalf Say He Is Saruman In The Two Towers? The White Wizard Explained
To empathize Gandalf ’s wordsinThe Lord of the Rings : The Two Towers , it ’s crucial to understand what and who the Order of Wizards was . Long before the start of Frodo ’s ( or Bilbo ’s ) journey , the demi - deity of mediate - world , the Valar , determine that Sauron was again gaining power . To help the Elves and Men in their fight against him , they decided to send a group of angel - alike beings , Maiar , to in-between - earth as guides . The Maiar were form - shifters who had helped in the creation of the universe and were , therefore , extremely knock-down . However , in Middle - earth , they were required to take the course of sure-enough wizards of modified ability .
The Maia Curumo was the first to offer , and he was therefore made the leader , and , once in Middle - earth , he make headway the name Saruman the White . Curumo would have been happy to take this task on himself , but he was forced to take others . The Queen of the Valar evoke Aiwendil ( Radagast ) , and the King of the Valar order Olórin ( Gandalf ) to go as well , though the Maia said he was too weak and afraid to join . By nonremittal , the superstar ( who then became known asthe Istari ofThe Lord of the Rings ) were ranked by the fiat they had been chosen . Since Gandalf lacked self-assurance , he was hunky-dory to step back and let Saruman take the lead — until he no longer had a choice .
Maiar Names
Istari Names & Original Order
Role While In Middle - earth
Curumo
Saruman the White
The primary orchestrator of the Elves and Men ’s fight against Sauron . Saruman abandon this function , leave the position of White Wizard vacant .
Aiwendil
Radagast the Brown
To put up the head of the Order of Wizards and provide direction to the organism of Middle - earth in the fight against Sauron . Radagast desolate this role to care for works and beast rather .
Olórin
Gandalf the Gray
To sustain the top dog of the guild of Wizards and supply guidance to the beings of Middle - earth in the combat against Sauron . After Gandalf the Gray ’s death , Olórin ’s essence was reincarnated to fill Saruman ’s part as White Wizard .
Ultimately , Saruman the White , Radagast the Brown , and Gandalf the Gray were n’t the Maiar ’s honest forms . or else , the wizards were more like role - specific avatar or incarnation that Curumo , Aiwendil , and Olórin utilize in Middle - earth . So , when Saruman the White cast away his purpose , he became something different entirely . Similarly , when Gandalf the Gray died , this personification was no more . When resurrect , he became the loss leader — the White Wizard avatar — by nonremittal ( since both other Istari had ignore their roles).Gandalf was now " Saruman as he should have been , " Olórin ’s essence in the role and manakin of the White Wizard .
How Gandalf Became The White Wizard In The Lord Of The Rings
While Saruman was plan his rise to powerfulness rather than manoeuver the beings of Middle - earth , Gandalf was working tirelessly to fulfil the Book of Job the Valar had given him . During the events ofThe Hobbit , Gandalf assure that the dragon Smaug could n’t bestow his alliance to Sauron . Then , comeThe Lord of the Rings , the adept organize a plan to secretly get the One Ring to the ardour of Mordor and repay the rightful King of Gondor to his pot . He worked so hard toward this mission that it ultimately cost the Gray Wizard his life . This was all the test copy need that Olórin merit to be uprise as the White Wizard .
As an immortal Maiar , Gandalf ’s soul traveled to the Timeless Halls after his death , wherethe god ofThe Lord of the Ringsdwelled , Eru Ilúvatar . Recognizing that mediate - earthly concern still needed the White Wizard and that Saruman had abandon the role , Eru transmigrate Olórin ’s soul into the body of Gandalf the White . As Gandalf recite Aragorn , he had been send back until his line of work in Middle - earthly concern was complete . It was a job Gandalf had never wanted , but , like Frodo , this was just what qualified him to do it . Once Sauron was overcome at the end ofThe Lord of the Rings , the White Wizard could finally return to Valinor in peacefulness , having succeeded in his commission .