Who Were the 5 Wizards (Istari) of Middle-earth? 🧙‍♂️🧙‍♂️

[@odycmboden3580]

“Accidentally butt dialed Sauron” 😂😂😂

[@thegreyhavens167]

Look, we've all been there ..... Butt dials happen.

[@viix3815]

Radaghast actually had another, secret task that he was to do over the others: Protect Nature.

[@thegreyhavens167]

True, though I never quite understood it. We are told that was the reason why he was sent, and it seems to me he did a pretty good job of it too. But he ultimately failed I guess because the Valar did not let him return home. Seems kinda unfair, right?

[@Ark_3311]

​@thegreyhavens167 Perhaps that's just his eternal task now.

[@viix3815]

@@thegreyhavens167 Usually how upper management works.

[@GabrielAngelfire]

Then oh boy he messed up badly at his job 😂. Saruman and the orcs just plundering, ravaging the forests while he was high on shrooms. Merry and Pipping did a better job just by convincing the Ents to go to war. It would've made much more sense if he was the wizard at Fanghorn forest trying to deal with Saruman and the orcs.

[@paulbranson1407]

😂​@@viix3815

[@slightysmooshedsandwich3684]

I think it’s interesting the stories of the blue wizards aren’t necessarily contradictory. Perhaps the secret cults and magical traditions mentioned in the letter were the Blue Wizard’s means of rebellion against Sauron.

[@thegreyhavens167]

@slightysmooshedsandwich3684, whoah... 🤯🤯🤯 That's a super interesting thought! TBH we don't know anything about what they really did or how they did it... and your totally right that they don't necessarily HAVE to be different. Maybe the two ideas were from two different story tellers? Same story but different points of view / perspectives? What do you think?

[@slightysmooshedsandwich3684]

@@thegreyhavens167 It’s definitely hard to say since we have so little input Tolkien about them, but that’s in turn made them my favorite Lord of the Rings mystery. I like the idea that different storytellers interpreted them different for sure.

[@amazinganduin3207]

In which book or letter are the practices of the Blue Wizards and Saruman's visit to them mentioned?

[@slightysmooshedsandwich3684]

@@amazinganduin3207 From my (limited) research, letter 211 stated that “I suspect that they were founders or beginners of secret cults and 'magic' traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron” while I believe the second relevant quote, being: “They must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of East ... who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have ... outnumbered the West.” was found in the 12th volume of History of Middle Earth. I’m unsure about Saruman’s visit however.

[@thegreyhavens167]

Yep, @slightysmooshedsandwich3684 knows his stuff! For the part on Saruman's visit, it's in the Essay on the Istari (in the book called Unfinished Tales). It says of the Blue Wizards "they went into the east with Saruman, but they never returned" when Saruman did. There is no real indication of foul play on Saruman's part... I'm just having fun with it...

[@JJ_-fp9sj]

You need more recognition dude, your editing stylenis amazing.

[@thegreyhavens167]

I appreciate that! Thanks for the positive vibes 😅

[@finnie4394]

"Hello, is this Smeagol? Someone told me this was this number" "No this is Sauron" "... Oh... Fuck..."

[@thegreyhavens167]

🤣🤣🤣 Why does this comment make it sound like a great sitcom episode 🤣🤣🤣

[@finnie4394]

@@thegreyhavens167 Sauron and Friends

[@xpellidagoat]

How are you so underrated I frcking love this channel so much

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thanks... this is the nicest comment I have had all day. I really appreciate that. Yeah I haven't figured out how to get many views on KZbin yet 😥 But I'm having a lot of fun making these and talking with fans in the comments 🙂

[@FieldMarshalTalionOswaldC]

Even that I know all these things and have spent far too much time of my life just reading and learning about LOTR I still enjoy your videos far better than I did those I found when I was doing my own research back in the day. I wish you would have been doing videos back when I was still learning. The biggest thing I enjoy about your videos is the fact that you go straight to the point and drop some humour in between stuff but still keeping it so that it can be understood and doesn't get too messy

[@thegreyhavens167]

@TalionOswaldCostanza, thanks for the positive vibes! Glad you like the vids. Yeah I'm definitely trying a different take on LOTR here. Not sure if I know what I'm doing or not, but having a ton of fun 🤣🤣🤣

[@FieldMarshalTalionOswaldC]

@thegreyhavens167 having fun is one of the main things after all

[@Mavnels10]

Saruman is looking to join an Acapella group! 🤣

[@thegreyhavens167]

Awww yeah!!!!!! Glad you liked the video!

[@lainie5590]

I love your videos. Like I said before, I like to take a lot of screenshots of funny things that I see, and your visual (and audio) effects in there are quite funny

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thanks for the positive vibes! I'm a new channel and dont really know what I'm doing... and definitely appreciate you taking the time. Glad you liked it!!!

[@ilker_ergan]

Perfection in editing and narration. Immediately subbed.

[@alanguages]

Saruman visited the blue wizards, but not likely he did anything against them directly. Just like he would not attack Radagast directly. Saruman was planning and scheming. I would think he told the blue wizards to stay where they are and he would eventually send for them when the time was right, which never happened. Meanwhile I would guess the blue wizards continued to do what they were tasked for, at the time by sowing dissent and discord among Sauron's allies.

[@jonseibert1857]

Just came across your shorts. Love hearing some of the background lore of lotr explained in a way that isn't as long-winded as most. :) (Can we have a link to the 8-bit music you're using at the end? It's great.)

[@thegreyhavens167]

Aw yeah!!!! Glad you like it. Here is the link to the song. But prepare yourself.... it's AMAZING!!!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/onfPY36Eppund8Usi=RWa9GiXKvyti2xG8

[@thesopranosltp_]

This channel has become my favorite for all things Middle Earth. Excellent content here bro ⚔️🥃

[@thegreyhavens167]

@thesopranosltp_ thanks! I appreciate the positive vibes your sending my way ＼（〇◡ｏ）／. Thx!

[@thesopranosltp_]

@@thegreyhavens167 I’ve spent most of time on this channel the last week. Time well spent ⚔️

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thanks! Question for you... I'm experimenting with moving from shorts to longer (3-4 min) videos but not sure if that's the right move. Do you enjoy the shorts better? Or the widescreen videos? Thx in advance!

[@thesopranosltp_]

@@thegreyhavens167 the mix is good. I like to toggle between the 2. We use the same formula with our channel. Keeps it varied

[@lutzeichmeyer9338]

Wait, so because he prefered to save the environment than kill the dark lord, Radagast wasn't allowed to return to vallinor?

[@thegreyhavens167]

"Wilt thou learn the lore that was long secret of the five that came from a far country? Only one returned. Others never again..." I mean, never sure whether to take these poems at face value or not, but says only G was allowed to return home to Valinor. (Bilbo translated it, from Elrond's books in Rivendell, which were brought over from Numenore. Who knows how they got it?) Poor Raddy is always getting done wrong, honestly. I mean it was his whole meaning for coming over here to protect the earth, right? Seems to me he understood the assignment pretty well!! 🤨

[@shaihijikc9935]

Well, I'm not sure he really even *wanted* to return to valinor... he was sent by Yavanna (the nature stuff goddess of whom he was an assistant of sorts) to protect her part of the creation, and well... even after sauron died, trees and animals still were there, so maybe he loved em so much he decided to stay in middle earth

[@thegreyhavens167]

@shaihijikc9935, well said! I don't think I've ever heard that theory before and I kinda like it! He stayed back to be the protector of nature and animals.... Well if that's true and he is still here he is doing a TERRIBLE JOB of it!!!! Less shrooms and more protecting the environment please Sir Raddy!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@davidroeder5548]

So glad someone asked this question and this thread exists because I had the same though. I love the theory he chose to stay for nature! I think Tolkien’s love of nature, even from an early age, is well documented and could even support this idea. When he was bouncing around homes growing up, he preferred the one in the countryside the most.

[@mattx3020]

i mean technically would only have to stay until arda was remade

[@handlesarestupid1234]

Amazing video!!

[@thegreyhavens167]

Awww yeah! (⁠ノ⁠^⁠_⁠^⁠)⁠ノ. Thanks for the nice comment. Glad you liked it! 😅

[@NorBarGaming]

I really love this animation

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thx. I appreciate that!

[@dinosaurfan329]

This video is amazing I love it

[@thegreyhavens167]

Hey.... Thanks for the positive vibes! I appreciate it. Hope your day is awesome 😎.

[@galatisefta609]

Your Chanel is pretty cool

[@indomitabletr1834]

What are one Ring's powers, i never seen besides vanishing 😂 5:22

[@lok5]

If they were forbidden to show their true power, why did Saruman keep these restrictions even when he decided to betray the Valar and take Sauron's side?

[@Kwolf101]

Amazing videos! If you have the time, was Gandalf able resurrect because Saruman was no longer consider "the white" and therefore the role was open for Gandalf?

[@thegreyhavens167]

@Kwolf101, thanks for the positive vibes! I appreciate that. Glad you liked it!! Ok, here's how I personally read the story: * the "gods" of middle earth (think the greek gods) sent the 5 wizards to help out. * only G stayed true to the mission, with the others probably causing more harm than good * when G died, the one God of middle earth (think the christian God) broke the normal rules and sent him back * so nothing specific to do with Saruman really There is a lot of mystery surrounding the "colors" of the wizards. Some thing it's really important, and others think it's just their job title. The White is the leader of the resistance against Sauron. So G got his title when he came back, and was allowed to use more of his true power. Got a promotion and a power-up at the same time... nice! 🤔🤣😎

[@Kwolf101]

@@thegreyhavens167 ah very cool, thank you for clarifying!

[@EricFlippo]

Those pixel dudes are great! 😂

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thx!

[@mistraluss.5177]

I really enjoy your videos, but why did you choose got music in a video about middle earth?

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thanks I appreciate that! Really glad you liked the vid ＼（〇◡ｏ）／ 🤣🤣 I love this comment so much!! This video has stuff from Star Wars, Scott Pilgrim, Zelda, Mario Bros, Skyrim, Spongebob, Elden Ring.... but GoT is the thing that's out of place?? I love it!!! 🤣🤣 Honestly I am just trying to make videos that make me smile, and using Boromir's theme song from GoT is super funny to me for some reason! (yeah, my sense of humor is probably weird... I know... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) What do you think? Am I crazy for using Boromir's song?

[@richardmercer2337]

Spongebob was a nice touch!

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thx. SpongeBob is never not a nice touch. He is like a striped sweater.... the best time is all the time.

[@kvonkirk2340]

I like to believe the two blues headed east after, but we don't know. Just the theory i subscribe to.

[@Lucifer-ik9pt]

Can you please explain saurman of many colours please

[@thegreyhavens167]

LOVE the character of Saruman. I think he has maybe the best arc of anyone! But unfortunately, there just isn't any info on his clothes of many colours... or his ring. It's a shame, because I also and SUPER curious about his ring. But we really just dont know anything about it. As far as I know it's not mentioned in any stories, letters, or books except the bits we learn from Gandalf in the main story. 🫤

[@resathe6760]

There is a lot of inaccuracy in the beginning of this video. Saruman didn't decide who the other Istari would be. Yavanna chose Radagast and begged Saruman to take him with him, Alatar was chosen by Orome and he took along Pallando. Gandalf was chosen by Manwe. And it was never said anywhere that the other three were Saruman's team and Gandalf would be independant. Saruman was the head of their order and that included Gandalf.

[@Alex-qj8si]

Game of thrones music 😂

[@thegreyhavens167]

GoT? Are you sure? I think your confused... that's Boromir's theme song. :)

[@juanfernando4686]

What's the story of Tom bombadil?

[@primal1233]

Why did you say the Elves were sailing back to Valinor to avoid mortality taxes 😂

[@thegreyhavens167]

Just having fun with it 🤣 Basically, they were "fading" away in Middle Earth. Sooner or later they would have to return home to Valinor. Their spirits live forever of course, but thier bodies are slowly corrupted by ME and eventually have to go back to timeless Valinor or their bodies will fade away.

[@dinosaurfan329]

Question: what happened to radagst the brown after LOTR?

[@thegreyhavens167]

Great question. Answer: no one knows. Can say this though, G was the only one that was allowed back to Valinor. So Raddy failed. 😢

[@Crystal95Ghdrtihffgh]

I have a question?? Is galadriel powerful as sauron???

[@thegreyhavens167]

@Crystal95Ghdrtihffgh, great question. In the movies: seems like she is close to power with him. In the Hobbit especially! But in the books: not even close. Were they to confront each other Sauron would completely dominate her almost immediately. We are told Sauron is stronger than Galadriel, Elrond, Gandalf, Saruman, the Balrog, and even Smaug the Dragon. (Though if I am being honest, I have no idea what Sauron can actually do... ) What do you think?

[@solinhogm]

​@@thegreyhavens167"the Balrog, and even Smaug" does that imply that Smaug is actually more powerful than the/a Balrog ? I would've thought it was the other way around

[@thegreyhavens167]

@solinho7267, whoah... that's super interesting. I always thought of the Dragons as Morgoth's ultimate weapons and more deadly than Balrogs... but now that you say it I'm not really sure why I think that? Maybe because Dragons in the Hobbit was what I was introduced to first as a kid? I mean one arrow killed Smaug, but no way an arrow is hurting ol Bane. I think your right! Balrogs are Maiar... and who knows what the cheese a dragon really is. I think your right! ＼（〇_ｏ）／

[@NorBarGaming]

What was Radagast even meant to do? Besides bird man

[@thegreyhavens167]

It's a fair question. I have no idea either. I mean the bird thing is pretty cool I guess.... ＼（〇_ｏ）／ I did think in the Hobbit movie they made him look pretty useful, but it's really hard to find anything in the books that he really does.

[@NorBarGaming]

@@thegreyhavens167 in the books he was tricked and spoke to birds, nothing else... (i think it was somewhere said that Radagast sent the eagle to save Gandalf but i cant remember if it was just a theory) like he clearly failed his task, he became a crazy bird man. But i wonder what he was meant to do, i remember Saruman was forced to take him along like a older brother taking his younger brother to the mall.

[@BiggestSniff]

great video, but why use GoT music?

[@thegreyhavens167]

🤣. Wasn't Boromir in GoT? Think so ...

[@danielkelly5697]

Worm tounge killed saruman too, saruman must have had good in him🙈👩‍🔧

[@necdetacar4152]

Why glorfindel didnt join the ring fellowship.

[@thegreyhavens167]

Great question. There is no great answer, not I will give you two: 1) he planned on sending his sons out Glorfindel or something, but Gandalf talked him into replacing their spirits with Merry and Pippin. 2) Glorfindel was like a nuclear bomb! Everyone within a 10 mile radius would have seen him coming. What do you think?

[@necdetacar4152]

@@thegreyhavens167 I think if glorfindel had joined the fellowship of the ring, the fellowship could easily have passed most of the difficulties, in this case, the fun of the book would decrease, so tolkien didn't add anything like that to the book.

[@tyrannexo998]

"Dwarves werent tall enough" Xd

[@JJ_-fp9sj]

Im really curious as to why Tolkien decided to write in two blue wizards that came into the story did absolutely nothing and then immediately got taken out of the narrative. It's always a choice that's badfles me from such an amazing writer as he was.

[@thegreyhavens167]

I hear you... your not wrong! My personal view: his unique writing style has super huge advantages (world building, etc) and with it some disadvantages (timelines making sense). Seems to me he only writes bits of stories, all told from unreliable narrators, and they only looses fit together... just like real mythology!

[@richardhicks5031]

​@thegreyhavens167 there's also hints in some of Tolkien's manuscripts that imply he has intended to write side stories for the blues

[@SanjayShelat]

I’d have read that!

[@HighPriestFuneral]

@@richardhicks5031 I am wondering if maybe the mention of the Blue Wizards beginning dark cults and magic societies may have been associated with the cancelled Lord of the Rings sequel, which seemed to be taking a darker turn into those sorts of events, in those scenarios I could see the Blue Wizards playing some role, especially as we know Gandalf and Saruman are long gone.

[@easya5663]

Great job man You deserve more honestly But you also need improvements You threw jokes on there and editing magic and they were funny but not used to its max potency I would urge you to study up on tension and release I suggest watching bill wurtzh the history of the world i guess Anyways Keep it up ur doing good

[@professorsassafras]

Why not send more wizards then five?

[@thegreyhavens167]

Great question. There isn't a direct answer, but here is my guess: there were only 5 of them that had the proper job experience 🤔😅 Ok, long ago in the first age the very first elves awoke by the lake of Cunivien. The Valar (the gods) were afraid for their safety, so they sent 6 Maiar spirits to look out for the elves and protect them. Their leader was Melian, the greatest if the Maiar. With her went Saruman, Gandalf, Radi, and the two blue wizards. Day forward to the third age: Melian was out of action. But the Valar seemed to have sent the same team again What do you think?

[@professorsassafras]

@@thegreyhavens167 probably. Had gandalf ever been to middle earth before? And what did Dragons do after the first age and the fall of melkor?

[@thegreyhavens167]

Yep - G had DEFINITELY been to ME before. Here are the times we know of, but there could be more: * 2 great battles against Morgoth in the first age in ME. The text doesnt mention G, but says pretty much everyone fought - and G was one of the top 5 or 6 Maiar so probably fought then. * When they elves first awoke, G and 5 other Maiar went to ME to protect them. * At least one other time. The gods say he had traveled to ME and knew the hearts of both elves and men. Men were around, so it had to be later than the first 2. * War of Wraith - when Morgoth was finally defeated. Same as first, it's almost certain he went to war with the others though no names are mentioned exactly. So there you go. For certain 2 times before, but almost certainly 3 other times in battles. So 5 times before the 3rd age. What do you think?

[@professorsassafras]

@@thegreyhavens167 i wanna see gandalf the young now.

[@IceBen4444]

I think Gandalf would run this channel better. (jk, you are amazing)

[@thegreyhavens167]

@IceBen4444 - Fool of a Took! A wizard runs a channel PRECISELY as he means to!!!! 🤣 Yeah, I'm a new channel and have no idea what I'm doing... but having a lot of fun. Thanks for the positive vibes!

[@noambrooks6387]

Where trolls came from?

[@thegreyhavens167]

@noambrooks6387, great question! (‾◡◝) Unfortunately, I dont have a great answer（〇_ｏ) The quick answer is no one knows. Origins of dragons, trolls, and orcs are really problematic in Tolkien's universe: * Sauron and/or Morgoth, the two bad guys, made these things. * We are told many, many times that they can't make new life... only corrupt and distort life that is already there. * So that would mean Trolls must really be something else (men? elves? dwarves?) that they took and corrupted into these things. That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, does it? One note: Treebeard said he thinks Morgoth made them in mockery of Ents. Who knows? Sry for the lousy answer. It's a mystery!

[@shawn6860]

@@thegreyhavens167 I have two guesses: 1) There were giants and giant like creatures in Middle earth at one time. Perhaps trolls came from there. 2) the trolls could well have been made or birthed by 'nameless creatures' in the earth. like the ones in Moria.

[@PleaseNThankYou]

I like the animation and characterizations. I'm just an old lady that likes cartoons.

[@thegreyhavens167]

Thanks for the positive vibes. I appreciate that! And lets face it... never too old for cartoons!

[@PleaseNThankYou]

@@thegreyhavens167 Never.

[@rursus8354]

Mini-me was definitely a maiar.

[@stltrekmodels.4157]

They should have sent Klingons instead.

[@rileythatcher1956]

Ahh yes, game of thrones opening

[@thegreyhavens167]

@rileythatcher1956, whaaattt??? GoT music in LOTR.... Never! I think that was some music from the extended edition.... 🤣 (I gotta say that is an amazing tune!)