How did Gandalf's Resurrection Work? (Spirit Travel, Glamdring, Narya, White Robes) - ME Explained

[@orrointhewise87]

"And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide." The ultimate second chance The simple fact he was brought back tells u how important he was or at least how the Valar saw him His resurrection makes note of the importance of wisdom and guidance in our lives. As well as seeing close friends again 😊

[@BrianEthridge-wg6ko]

The reason he was brought back to life is because yes he was important but there was a two-fold reasons for that because he earned it!!!!! Gandalf is probably the most badass character in all of Lord of the rings and he's a good guy in every way shape or form of how I judge it

[@brt5273]

The quote from the book “Be merry! We meet again, at the turn of the tide. A great storm is coming, but the tide has turned.” clarifies that there has been some favorable change during his absence. He is important but keep in mind his mission was to aid Men in their achieving the birth of the Fourth Age. So it was important as per the original charge of their mission, that he nor the other Maiar Wizards take the lead in the conflict, but rather serve in a supporting role.

[@kaidorade1317]

Missed opportunity for an Easter video! He obviously had a scroll of reviving in his robes and defeating Durins Bane gave him enough XP to be boosted by several levels!

[@tslfrontman]

I like the interpretation that Gandalf was the only Maiar left still dedicated to his mission, so he was the only being to really have a foot still in that sacred magic, so to speak. His sacrifice was recognized as purely for the cause, and that selflessness earned him not just another chance, but the white magic itself. The Heroes Journey equivalent of "Unshaken faith faces certain doom".

[@catlord760]

I always felt that Gandalf's resurrection had alot to do with whom he died at the hands of. We like to say that Gandalf 'beat' the Balrog, but technically they tied- the Balrog died first but Gandalf succumbed to his wounds as well. But the significance of that battle, two Maiar dying at each others hands, was enough to get the Valar's attention. I feel they judged the situation and determined Gandalf's self-sacrifice and heroism deserved him another life. They were both Maia but the Balrog is specifically built for destruction while Gandalf is a utility infielder- diplomacy, endurance, intelligence, some magic. On paper he's not supposed be the Balrog's equal in pure martial skills, but proved otherwise. And could be that if Gandalf was killed in ME in a more mundane fashion or died at the hands of a mortal creature, he might not have been resurrected. just my $.02.

[@Comicnut64]

Thank you Yoystan this explains so much

[@random22026]

You are right, Yoystan: Gandalf's embodiment is not reincarnation, but a 'resurrection'. Note that even Jesus Christ--who initially appeared embodied in another form (= reincarnation)--found it necessary to appear to his friends in his OG form, in order to reassure them that 'this is me' (= resurrection). Something that Tolkien's character and the Great Teacher have in common! 😉😉

[@patrick_j_lee]

Jesus was incarnated, not reincarnated.

[@random22026]

@@patrick_j_lee Born; died; returned: reincarnation.

[@micklumsden3956]

⁠ that wouldn’t be how I understand reincarnation

[@random22026]

@@micklumsden3956 When one reincarnates, it is never in the same body. VIva la Difference! 😉😉

[@daniell1483]

I kind of prefer to think that Gandalf the White had a form of literal, in-universe plot armor. As in, from his resurrection, Gandalf was more or less invincible. Not omnipotent or anything, but divinely protected. It makes me wonder whether Saruman (the White) may have also once been physically invincible until he sullied himself and effectively surrendered his status as "the White".

[@upschutt4842]

YOu could have waited a few more weeks until Easter ;)

[@Pugggle]

Why??

[@FXGreggan.]

Hah, I was watching this "First time watching Two Towers reaction" video and JUST saw the bit when they meet Gandalf the white.. like 2min ago.. what more sign do I need that I should watch this :)

[@jorislemoine1488]

I think the only reason he was resurrected at all was because of his sacrifice in fighting the Balrog, who in his own right was almost as powerful a Maia as Sauron or Gandalf. If he had died fighting the Witch-King of Angmar, then maybe the same might apply, except that it would not have been a strategic strategic victory in the same way, after all Gandalf knew Glorfindel’s insight that “No Man can kill him.” Maybe that would not have applied to a Maia in a Man’s guise, but it would have been a terrible gamble. Similarly, if Gandalf had gone to have Sauron by himself, it would have been a waste of effort, an unwise decision, whereas it is exactly Gandalf’s wisdom and his compassion for and devotion to the mortals of Middle-Earth is what sets him apart.

[@marionbaggins]

Man Mellon, early Easter Present much...Seriously this was Lovely, but Easter is near Tolkien Reading Day this Year!!! Thanks Mellon for this Lovely Video, Tolkien's Catholic Faith feels strong with this Topic, Until did Sauron detect Bilbo with the Ring?...Marion Baggins Out!!!

[@shanenolan5625]

Thank you

[@loganw1232]

Think Gandalf came back like those who came back in the Name of Jesus or a Miracle by God. Eru Iluvatar gave Gandalf his life back to complete his task but it wasn’t permanent, but a foreshadowing of the future of Man’s destiny.

[@shadowofchaos8932]

So Gandalf the Grey was barely able to defeat the Barlog. Both Maiar. But Gandalf the White was considered as strong as the Witch-King in Gondor. I think with the new knowledge and upgrades, Gandalf would crush the Witch-King.

[@istari0]

When Ilúvatar restored much or all of Gandalf's native power to Gandalf, it was so that if the circumstances called for it, he would be able to take on and defeat any combination of Sauron's supernatural servants.

[@GetsugaTensho85]

I think Gandalf could easily take any of the foes, including Sauron, after his resurrection. But he chose to do exactly what he came to Middle-Earth to do in the first place. Guide humanity into victory against Sauron, and that is exactly what he did. I honestly think he was ascended beyond a Maiar and straight into a Valar after this. Probably he himself not realizing this until having Manwe greet him as a brother on his return. 😂

[@neilbakshi7365]

Agreed. The Witch-King was a human ghost. He was scary, but he wasn't one of the Ainur.

[@martinxvidxb]

GetsugaTensho85 All with the exception of Sauron. Gandalf himself says so. Also in a letter JRRT stated that power of Ganfalf the White while wearing Narya and the One ring would be in delicate balance against Sauron. Therefore without One ring Gandalf is less powerfull.

[@eliotreader8220]

I like how Gandalf was rescued on the 17th of Feb as that is my birthday

[@martinxvidxb]

A very nice birthday gift from Mr. Tolkien :)

[@fuzzy3440]

Radagast after being told he couldn't go back to Valinor: Dude, not cool!

[@kaidorade1317]

Would he not be allowed to return? Sure he didn’t do his job, but he really just became a zoologist right? He wasn’t tempted by evil and succumbed like Saruman

[@trikyy7238]

I like to think Radagast was a left-behind force, to care for the living things, knowing men's love of "the fires of industry." So he's still with us. Probably making all those cute cat videos.

[@gillianlovell9578]

He was not denied passage back to Valinor and did not fail in his primary mission. Yavanna was adamant that Aiwendil (Radagast's maia name) should be one of the Istari sent to Middle-Earth in order to do her work; his role still continues and he remains here as her emissary.

[@brucehunter8235]

I think we can safely surmise Gandalf would have ate second breakfast to get his strength up following second resurrection.

[@scorpiozx1]

“I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide”. “It is not despair, for despair is only for those who the end beyond any doubt. We do not”. All The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit movies are most favorite movies of all times and I have collected many memorabilia from the catalog. I hope that one day there will be more of these epic movies in the future.

[@jonhstonk7998]

this is interesting...i just finished reading the chapter on resurrection and reincarnation in the ¨Nature of Middle Earth¨ book it´s gonna be fun to watch this.

[@amasterofone]

It's hard to tell now but it looks like the two photographic looking images of Gandalf at 4:13 and 6:10 might be AI generated. I couldn't find links to any of those in your artists section. Do you use AI generated art in your videos or do you try to screen for it at all? Love your channel!

[@TarMody]

There is always a state of ósanwë (a kind of telepathy) between the owners of the rings of power. This communication situation may be the reason why Galadriel, who could not sense Narya and therefore Gandalf's mind through Nenya, became aware of this event. The sending of Gwahir is nothing but the opinion of Manwë, who always watches Middle-earth from the summit of Taniquetil. Gandalf's soul, oxidized by Eru (which may have been the metaphysical basis for his being "White", apart from being a symbolic status indicator among the Istari), was incarnated back into his dead body lying on the summit of Zirakzigil, and Gandalf was able to return to Lothlórien with Glamdring and Narya. Gandalf's reincarnation is one of the exceptional cases in Tolkien's mythology and is different from the generally accepted phenomenon of reincarnation. It is not in the nature of the Ainur to realize an incarnate existence. Each reincarnation of the Ainur strengthens their tendency to become more deeply attached to the material of Arda, and this opens the way to the corruption of the soul. Because this material from which they structure their bodies and interact is contaminated due to the spiritual power (will) of Melkor spread across Arda, and this makes the souls structured from it tainted. As in Sauron. This is the case in a normal type of reincarnation, but the difference in the reincarnation that takes place in Gandalf's return can bypass this situation.

[@saladinbob]

I think the lore over this is, more than any other, confused. For one, why does it take any time at all to resurrect Gandalf? Time does not exist in the Timeless Halls, I mean it's literally there in the name. Why not fix him up there and then send him back directly? Obviously it's for narrative effect but from a lore standpoint it makes no sense.

[@ariyune7007]

I would think it's something intentional by Eru; maybe he needed to come back at that time for the greatest impact/effect?

[@David.Bowman.]

In that time, a lot of things happen for the good that would otherwise have been negatively impacted by Gandalf’s presence. It was a requirement for him to NOT be there for that period.

[@istari0]

Just off the top of my head, perhaps the journey of Gandalf's spirit to and from the Timeless Halls still occurred in Eä itself and that's why it took time.

[@saladinbob]

@@ariyune7007 ​​ @David.Bowman. Perhaps but if that's the case, why send any of the Istari when they were sent? Why not send only Gandalf in the form of Gandalf the White at that precise moment.

[@saladinbob]

@@istari0 That presupposes that the Timeless Halls are a measurable distance from where he manifests, and therefore we can backtrack that distance to an approximation of its location. That's not how heaven works because the Halls are outside of time and space

[@EB01]

Though i don't think that a second resurrection would have been impossible, i think that it would not have happened. Presuming that the world if Middle Earth, etc, was constructed by Tolkien to tell a story (tgough wasn't it more a byproduct of Tolkien world building off his created languages?) and to reference the quote from an earlier video in eagles, resurrection is a very dangerous tool forctelling a story. Gandalf having unlimited livrs would reduce the sense of urgency within the story.

[@gillianlovell9578]

Yes, it was to be once and once only; Eru knew that one resurrection would suffice, knowing as he does, in His omnipotence, all the story of Arda as sung in the Music.

[@olorin3815]

I think Eru was just leveling the playing field for Men to prove themselves worthy or not, so Gandalf was brought back cuz of Sauron, Balrogs and other renmants of Morgoth to help men level the playing field but if Gandalf kept getting killed and ressurected at that point Gandalf is just fighting the war on his own, imo if men would have lost the war and proven themselves unworthy maybe we would just have arda destroyed by eru or some such to create a new world

[@BloodSoilandSoul]

Men of the west here we stand!

[@bethmarriott9292]

Gandalf just got sent back to his last save point with extra levels 👀

[@maramollysnow5111]

It was not a reincarnation. He took the shape of Gandalf again, but a little bit different. Because he went form a physical body as an old man, to his miar state, to a physical body again. When he was in his miar state, he remembered a lot that he was forgotten in his state as old man, but forgot some parts what it was like to be an old man and a wizard. So, when he returned to his physical body he was changed, as marry and pippin noticed. It is like souron, taking a physical body, but not being able anymore to become something beautiful anymore. His spirit didn't went to valat or the halls of mandos. He staied in middle earth and waited to become stronger again to take physical form. Gandalf didn't have to do it alone, he had the help of the elves who chose him to be the new head of the council (after saruman turned evil) and clothing him in white. Being gandalf the white didn't make him more powerful, remembering did. Things he was forgotten

[@MarleyFett]

I think nothing happens in middle earth without the will of Eru Ilúvatar. ❤

[@gillianlovell9578]

This :)

[@paulwagner688]

My belief is that Gandalf came back in his true form. Indeed he says "There is no weapon that can harm me now". Plus we learn that the Ainur were able to clothe themselves in form so as to look like the Children. The new body of Gandalf may only have been an ephemeral shell. When the bodies of the Istari were first crafted, while their personas occupied them in Middle Earth, they forgot much of who they were and were able to be influenced by all sorts of things that we as the Children of Iluvatar sometimes fall prey to.

[@integritymatters5114]

Agree, plus Gwaihir commented he was light as a feather, a shell is indeed a good description with all his Miar wisdom and powers at his disposal to be used at his discretion vs constrained by Manwe and his Istari form.

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

"Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell.. Naked I was sent back -- for a brief time, until my task is done. And naked I lay upon the mountain-top. ... There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was a long as a life-age of the earth." -- The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers. Book three, Chapter V: "The White Rider"

[@ethenallen1388]

The reason I do not believe that Gandalf would have been resurrected a second time is because there would have been no point: Middle Earth would have been lost to Sauron. One thing I noticed in the Peter Jackson Films is that when Gandalf tried to smoke some pipe-weed before the siege of Minus Tirith began in Return of the King, he began coughing. This tells me that he'd undergone changes that no longer allowed him some of his old pleasures. There had been a price for his coming back.

[@reneedailey1696]

That was actually unintentional- Ian McKellen just happened to hit the pipe wrong at that moment.

[@matthewanderson9754]

Can you do a deep dive on the lore of the great eagles? If there's enough to do content on them...

[@lynneglendenning947]

Death met with Gandalf in the Timeless Halls. I am Melor the Balrog. I taught him what I know from my perspective. Death asked him about it before he went to Eru Iluvatar and used his ring.

[@Blackferret66]

I think that Gandalf's resurrection was deemed necessary by Eru/the Valar. At the same time, I think it might have been an aspect, of or made possible by, Gandalf's faith. Being the one member of the Istari who held truest to the cause of defeating Sauron and freeing Middle Earth, his connection to the great chorus of creation was strong enough that he could be brought back. It's also possible that he was, essentially, bound to Middle Earth until his job was done, and this kind of return would have applied to any of the Istari had they died before Sauron's defeat. In the book, after all, Saruman wasn't killed until after that point, during the Scouring of the Shire.

[@gillianlovell9578]

As Eru knew all the Music of the Ainur, and what was, is, and is yet to be it is inevitable that Gandalf was resurrected; it was already written into the history of Arda.

[@jdblackshear9431]

I love your videos! What would have happened if Bilbo had not spared gollum when he could have killed him? Would Everything be the same except frodo and Sam would not have gotten into mordor?

[@Thimbrethil]

Not quite. Nor Sauron nor Gandalf would get to know that Bilbo’s ring is The Ring.

[@stephenandersen4625]

I don’t think it was Eru The One. When the Valar laid down their rule and asked for direct intervention when the Númenóreans invaded, the action was immediate and, literally, world changing. The Valar sent the wizards in the first place They could send Gandalf back The description he gave of “White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise”. sounds like a description of the undying lands

[@neilbakshi7365]

I agree with everything you said, although the "white shores" line was only spoken by Gandalf in the movies. In the books, it was a description of what Frodo saw. Still agree with you that he simply went back to Valinor.

[@Tar-Elenion]

"Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell." LotR, The White Rider As Gandalf left time, it could not be the Valar. Tolkien confirms this: "He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure. 'Naked I was sent back - for a brief time, until my task is done'. Sent back by whom, and whence? Not by the 'gods' whose business is only with this embodied world and its time; for he passed 'out of thought and time'." Letter 156 Authority here is Eru. The "far green country" line is Jackson's biggest screw-up. Gandalf does not say this. The line is first given narratively (in slightly different words) as a description of Frodo's dream in Tom Bombadil's house (Fog on the Barrow-downs), and then as Frodo and the White Ship pass into the West (The Grey Havens).

[@roderickfemm8799]

To recap, it seems like the necessary conditions for Gandalf's resurrection were (not in order): Saruman's defection to the dark side (oops, wrong legendarium, but a very similar idea); Gandalf actually defeating and killing the balrog, at the cost of his own life; and Eru being interested enough in the defeat and destruction of Sauron to interfere in actual Middle Earth events. The rest (eagle rescue, rehab in Lothlorien) is necessary for Gandalf to continue his work, but could have operated in exactly the same way if Gandalf had survived the battle with the balrog. I have an alternative theory: Gandalf did not actually die, but was "only mostly dead" when he was rescued by the eagles. What he thought he witnessed of his spirit wandering in strange places was just the effect of being unconscious; the ordeal with the balrog would have been enough to turn his hair white. The elves healed him to be stronger than before, believing his story about having been dead, and gave him white robes because they knew about Saruman. I am not sure that Gandalf used more of his power after his recovery, he only used it more openly. I like this theory because it does not require the deus ex machina of Eru's interference in Middle Earth affairs.

[@istari0]

There's no reason to think the Elves could do such a thing otherwise they would have been doing it all along.

[@ethics3]

If he was "only mostly dead" then wouldn't it have been Billy Crystal who had rescued him ? lol

[@roderickfemm8799]

@@istari0 I didn't mean that they increased his power, just that they improved the general health of his physical body, to better than it was before he fought the balrog (there were master healers among the elves). Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[@Tar-Elenion]

Tolkien states : "That I should say is what the Authority wished, as a set-off to Saruman. The 'wizards', as such, had failed; or if you like: the crisis had become too grave and needed an enhancement of power. So Gandalf sacrificed himself, was accepted, and enhanced, and returned." Letter 156 (The "Authority" is Eru).

[@roderickfemm8799]

@@Tar-Elenion The author speaks. And I still don't like it. It doesn't make sense. The wizards were not an enterprise originated by Eru, but by the Valar. And what choices did Gandalf have with the balrog? Fight and/or die. It doesn't seem like self-sacrifice to me. In any case, for my preference, Eru should butt out.

[@andrewchance8449]

There is no reason to believe tbat a second resurrection of Gandalf was beyond the capabilities of Eru Iluvatar. In fact, the very concept of a thing beyond the capabilities of Eru Iluvatar might be a contradiction in terms. As for the time requured for a resurrection, none is probably required, since Gandalf passed out of time. He was returned Middle Earth not when the resurrection was complete, but at a carefully orchestrated moment that got him to the exact place he needed to be at exact time he needed to be there.

[@animistchannel]

Have to remember that Illuvatar IS GOD in Tolkien's construct. He can do whatever he bloody well pleases, and in fact he foresaw all that he would end up doing throughout history even at the beginning when he first designed his music. In fact, from that trans-temporal perspective, he could indeed resurrect Gandalf again, but he wouldn't have to; because Eru had already decided how to make it work properly in the play of history in the first place. If it needed to be different, it already would have been! Middle earth lives in a predestination paradox. Once you have an omnicient, omnipotent, top-down ruling deity, there is literally no other way for it to be. Nothing you do really matters, except to demonstrate your obedience or defiance of divine law. Everyone are just puppets of a self-congratulatory external creator. It may be made into a great narrative if you have the skill, but it's lousy storytelling as a design. You've been shanghai'd into existence, and railroaded into a role. I detest Tolkien's theology as much as I adore his authoring skills. The two are not inseparable.

[@martinxvidxb]

Destiny and free will. Mysterious ways. Maybe there are some predestined events. And in between there is some space for improvisation. And if impro is "good", destiny can be altered. Or reality splits into branches with paralell universes. Does Eru as unlimited being run only one universe, the one with Middle-earth?

[@stanvalentine1839]

Us D&D players would say gandalf leveled up!

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Gandalf is the only character who died but got upgraded when revived...unlike my other characters who lost vast experience points and gold

[@micheleshave323]

Are there references that come from either J.R.R or Christopher that I can find in the books? I am a Luddite when it comes to online references. I would rather have something I can look up in bound paper. 🙏

[@mikemike87650]

This is maybe a noob question but I always woundering about who or how the different wizards staffs was made. Do Tolkien ever explain that? And what happens if a staff is broken? Can the wizard craft a new?

[@Thimbrethil]

It is an interesting question. I think not, such staff could not be replicated nor fixed. For my knowledge there is no info on what they were precisely made of. I assume they were crafted in the undying lands and as many other artifacts of Arda, there were only so many. It is possible that those wands were just one time thing as many other powerful items, silmarils, palantors, rings of power.

[@neilbakshi7365]

Not convinced that Iluvatar had anything to do with Gandalf's return. His spirit was bound to Arda. He was originally given a body and robes by the Valar. They "voluntold" him for the Istari job and sent him to Middle-Earth. When he was "sent back," I think we have to assume that he was sent the same way as before, given no information to the contrary. The idea that Iluvatar would need to be involved in "resurrecting" an immortal spirit doesn't add up. His death was the death of his body. To suggest that his immortal spirit somehow "died" is in my opinion a straight up misunderstanding.

[@Tar-Elenion]

"He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure. 'Naked I was sent back - for a brief time, until my task is done'. Sent back by whom, and whence? Not by the 'gods' whose business is only with this embodied world and its time; for he passed 'out of thought and time'." Letter 156

[@RoyCyberPunk]

Wasn't Gandalf a Maiar as in low caste angel in human form? That being the case that he was no ordinary mortal and in in a rank higher than even that of elves that it was only his human form that temporarily died? I think that Gandalf thought he would return to either the undying lands or Eru's domain itself being an angel after all not bound to Arda (Earth) as Elves where. And yes he was outside of time and space while his human form was temporarily deceased but Eru sent him to as Gandalf himself said the turning of the tide.

[@brenthenshaw3585]

I'm confused. You say Gandalf fought the balrog for 10 days. I've seen else it was eight days. I just read the chapter, and there is no reference made by Gandalf for how long they fought. So where does the 8 days or 10 days come from?

[@1ordTakeo]

Likely in the letters sent from Tolkien.

[@beatleblev]

There is a day-by-day calendar of the Ring Quest in the Appendices of Return of the King

[@brenthenshaw3585]

@@beatleblev Thank you.

[@Taltz911]

I don't think it's a literal resurrection: his fall was broken by an underground lake, he found and climbed the endless stair (guided by the balrog), smote the balrog on the mountain and was rescued by Gwahir the eagle.

[@venkelos6996]

So, two monsters did battle for over a week. In the chaos, the heroes fled, and the Orcs of Moria cowered. Am I really supposed to believe that, after Gandalf finally won, and then succumbed, that his body was allowed to sit in quiet for even more days, with no roving Goblins coming to see what became of the fighters, and then finding Glamdring, and a shiny Ring, and taking them? Sure, Cirith Ungol is their territory, so maybe it's not as odd that they immediately found a paralyzed Frodo, saved from Shelob, and yet helpless, but I just can't easily believe that the Moria forces didn't scout the devastation, and find the Wizard's corpse, if it just sat there, defenseless. It's nit-picking details, but that's what Tolkien fans do, these days.😊 We enjoy the stories, and pour over the rivets.

[@martinxvidxb]

I like the idea of looting orcs. :) They probably lost trail of the duel of Maiar from the get go. With the fall. They could notice them again running on Endless stairs. Imagining being an orc I'm not sure how early would I want to have a look who won. Or what happened.

[@AllGamingStarred]

Gandalf Results of the fight with the balrog TKO XP: level up to gandalf the white +500 HP + 500 defense 90% critical chance

[@IronDragon-2143]

What if Boromir claimed the Ring?

[@leedutch5155]

I think Gandalf the white was a replacement for Saruman the white and that was Erus reasoning for interfering. I don’t know think eru would have indefinitely resurrected Gandalfs but eru definitely wanted the free peoples to win without to much in your face interference

[@baystated]

Should Middle Earth or ME Fans mark Gandalf Easter? We just missed it!

[@JohnAmidon-c6r]

👍👍

[@greywolf850]

This actually Biblical…. The overcomers in revelation are reborn with a new name and clothed in white robes…. They of the first resurrection are called to prepare the way for the return of the king aka Jesus Christ …. I realize Tolkien said there is no allegory in his works so he either lied about that or Tolkien led by the subconscious and his Bible knowledge just reflected his journey Also Aragorn is a mix of elf and man or the eternal and mortal … truth

[@jamesoneill8901]

What if... Sauron wins, the West falls. Gandalf returns in the East the way the Necromancer did...

[@archlittle6067]

On one hand, you present Lore and then on the other hand you present your conjecture. No where is what you present even hinted at. We know that the Lord of the Nazgul was destroyed by the curse laid upon him and the magic of the blade that Merry had. We know that the other Nazgul could not be destroyed as long as their Rings existed. We know that Sauron was able to reform after his body was destroyed in the Fall of Numenor, because the OR was in his possession and he reformed a second time because the OR still existed. Gandalf was also able to reform because he possessed the Ring Narya. In Lothlorien, he became Gandalf the White because Saruman had abandoned that position when he joined with Sauron. That is what can be known.

[@Tar-Elenion]

"He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure. 'Naked I was sent back - for a brief time, until my task is done'. Sent back by whom, and whence? Not by the 'gods' whose business is only with this embodied world and its time; for he passed 'out of thought and time'." Letter 156

[@martinxvidxb]

Sauron made the One Ring and poured a big part of his soul in it. Thus his bond with it and reincarnations happened as described. Gandalf did not create Narya, nor was his soul imbued to it. Or anyhow other bound to it. He bore it. And his power was enhanced. I don't tnink Narya had anything to do with Gandalf's resurrection. And I don't think it was same principle as Sauron's reincarnations.

[@jimbobjones5972]

The resurrected model upon whom Gandalf isbas

[@whiteknightcat]

FIFTH!

[@FireLordJohn3191]

He’s an allegory for Jesus’ resurrection.

[@acrustykrab]

magic dood

[@esjope]

Resurrection is a bit too dramatic word for what happened. Gandalf told me that it was more like he's spirit was just so spent it wandered to west and back with a boost. But his body never fully died meanwhile.

[@morningstar577]

It can't be....you fell.

[@kareldgr]

Kind nudge to not use AI generated pictures in your videos. Tolkien would probably find the idea abhorrent.

[@Person-wz6iy]

1st!