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- Updated 4 April 2009
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A name for the order of the Maiar more properly called Istari, who came to Middle-earth after the first millennium of the Third Age to aid the Free Peoples against the return and rise of Sauron.
Alatar1
the Blue |
One of the two little-known Blue Wizards, who travelled into the far East of Middle-earth with Saruman and Pallando. While Saruman later returned to the Westlands, Alatar and Pallando both remained in the East. Their fates remain a mystery. |
Gandalf
the Grey |
When he arrived in Middle-earth, Círdan immediately recognised Gandalf's great wisdom, and granted him the Ring Narya to aid him in his work. Throughout the centuries that followed, Gandalf travelled widely through Middle-earth (his Elvish name was Mithrandir, 'Grey Wanderer'). At the close of the Third Age, he took the leading role in the defence against Sauron, and his plans were instrumental in bringing about the defeat of Mordor. He appears to be the only one of the Five Wizards to have returned across the Great Sea into the West.2 |
Pallando
the Blue |
Said to be the last of the Five Wizards selected by the Valar, Pallando had been a friend of Alatar in Valinor, and accompanied him across the Sea to Middle-earth. Once there, the two remained together, and even shared the same colour, becoming known as the Blue Wizards. They journeyed into unknown eastern lands with Saruman, but while Saruman eventually returned, the two friends never came back to the western lands of Middle-earth. |
Radagast
the Brown |
Radagast was a friend of all living things, especially the birds. Though he was in principle an ally of Gandalf in the fight against Sauron, in practice he preferred to avoid involvement with Elves or Men. He settled on the southern fringes of Mirkwood at a place named Rhosgobel, though he appears to have abandoned this dwelling by the time of the War of the Ring. He took little direct part in that War; most notably he was indirectly responsible for the rescue of Gandalf from the Pinnacle of Orthanc. |
Saruman
the White |
The first of the Five Wizards to appear in Middle-earth, and acknowledged as the leader of their Order. After his arrival he explored the lands of Middle-earth and voyaged into the distant East with the Blue Wizards, but he finally settled in the Tower of Orthanc (originally an outpost of Gondor, granted to him by Steward Beren). Saruman was fascinated by lore and arcane knowledge, and especially the secrets behind the Rings of Power. His hunger for control over others eventually caused him to betray the White Council, and he was ultimately destroyed by his own servant, Gríma Wormtongue. |
Notes
1 |
The names Alatar and Pallando come from brief notes reproduced in Unfinished Tales, and are uncertain. Other sources give alternative names for the Blue Wizards, such as Rómestámo and Morinehtar. For more on these alternatives, see their entries in the Excyclopedia.
Based on their identity as Blue Wizards, these two mysterious characters are both styled 'the Blue' in the list above. This is for consistency with the three better known Wizards, but it should be noted that Tolkien himself never gave their titles in this form. |
2 |
As we never learn the fate of Radagast, it's impossible to say for sure that he remained in Middle-earth. Conceivably, he may have found his own independent way back to Aman, but there is no direct evidence that he did so. |
See also...
Aiwendil, Alatar, Aman, An Unexpected Party, Aragorn Elessar, Balin, Balrogs, Basso Boffin, Battle of the Hornburg, Beleg, Bird-tamer, Birthday Party, Bladorthin, Blue Wizards, Captain of the King’s Household, [See the full list...]Chamber of Records, Chieftain of the Dúnedain, Circle of Isengard, Círdan the Shipwright, Companions of the Ring, Council of the Wise, Curunír, Dark Lord, Days of Dearth, Dead Tree, Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain, Eagles of the North, Elf of the Wand, Elves of Lindon, Enemy of Sauron, Ernil i Pheriannath, Fangorn Forest, First Marshal of the Riddermark, Five Wizards, Folk under the Mountain, Fornost Erain, Fréaláf Hildeson, Galadriel, Gamgee Family, Gandalf, Gate of Gondor, Gollum, Great Rings, Grey Fool, Grey Messenger, Grey Wanderer, Greymantle, Guardian of the Third Ring, Half-orcs, Heren Istarion, Holman Greenhand, Horsebreeders, Horsemaster, Horsemen of Rohan, Incánus, Isengard, Isildur, Istar, Istari, Ithryn, Ithryn Luin, Khamûl, Kíli, King of Arthedain, King of Rohan, King under the Mountain, ’Lân, Legolas Greenleaf, Longbeards, Lord of Isengard, Lord of the Black Land, Lord of the Havens, Lord of the Nazgûl, Lotho Sackville-Baggins, Mad Baggins, Maiar, Mallor, Man of Craft, Man of Skill, Many Colours, Master, Master-ring, Meduseld, Men of the North (in the Third Age), Misty Mountains, Mount Fang, Mountain Kingdom, Mr. Lucky Number, Muster of Westfold, Nan Curunír, Narya, Olórin, Orc-draughts, Order of Wizards, Pallando, Pimple, Powers of the World, Radagast, Rhûn, Rhymes of Lore, Ring-maker, River Baranduin, Robbers of the North, Ruler, Rulers of Arda, Saruman, Sharkû, Shire-reckoning, Spy-birds, Staff-man, Star of the North, Stone of Orthanc, Stones of Gondor, Stormcrow, Straight Way, Tharkûn, The Boss, The Brown, The Courts, The East, The Eyrie, The Five, The Fool, The Guardians, The Ring, The Seen, The Simple, The White, The Wise, The Wise, Third Age, Third Ring, Third Tower of Gondor, Three Keepers, Three Rings, Tower of Orthanc, Towers of Gondor, Valley of Saruman, Valmar, West-shores, White Council, White Crown, White Messenger, White Tree of the Eldar, Wizard’s Vale
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About this entry:
- Updated 4 April 2009
- Updates planned: 1
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