Why didn't Gandalf discover the One Ring of Power earlier?! (+ Saruman's Ring, and Radagast's fate!)

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Unanswered questions on Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast.
It takes Gandalf 76 years to discover that Bilbo's Ring is the One Ring (from when Bilbo tells him the story of how he found it in Gollum's cave, to his reading the Scroll of Isildur). Why doesn't he figure this out sooner, when it seems like there are very limited possibilities?
Saruman hints to Gandalf during their initial confrontation at Isengard that he has successfully crafted his own Ring of Power. Is he just bluffing, or did he really create one? How powerful was it, and what did it do? I speculate a little on Saruman's hidden power.
And finally, what happens to Radagast? After his mention at the Council of Elrond, we never hear about him again. Did he also eventually return into the West, to Valinor, and the embrace of the Valar?
This was a bonus video, supplementing my two-part video essay on the Wizards. You can find the previous instalments here:
Part 1: • Gandalf and the Wizard...
Part 2: • What were the WIZARDS ...
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[@pelekson]

Because his love of the halfling leaf had slowed his mind

[@jamesgravil9162]

Damn, beat me to it.

[@greendragonreprised6885]

I'm not so sure about Radagast's 'failure'. He was sent by Yavanna, against the wishes of Saruman, and may well have had a role to protect the non speaking flora and fauna that Yavanna created, and this indeed is what he did. No one else needed to know about this secret agenda. I think he remained in Middle Earth, and is now remembered as The Green Man or Jack In The Green who restores nature after the death of Winter.

[@shanenolan8252]

Agreed.

[@PleaseNThankYou]

Thank you Dan, for ironing out the rough spots and filling in gaps. Sometimes my pea brain immediately pulls up movie lore instead of book lore and I have to shake it off. Without you and the others, I would know nothing about any of it.

[@jamesgravil9162]

His love of the Halflings' leaf had clearly slowed his mind.

[@Gaming4Justice]

Wait, between when Bilbo left from his 111th birthday to when Frodo sets out there is 17 years? watt

[@allisonkreutzberg6079]

Great video! I’ve read the LOTR many times and am kicking myself for not noticing Saruman’s ring 🤦🏼‍♀️. I love that insight!

[@oliveremmettknox7776]

I still believe Radagast is still alive in Middle Earth still attending to affairs of animals and plants, but he chooses to distant himself from the race of Men and from the rest of Middle Earth.

[@Crafty_Spirit]

6:50 I love your take on this very interesting question, but I think the statement here may not be correct. Gandalf tells Frodo that in the year of the White Council's attack on Dol Guldur and the quest for Erebor, he "often wondered how Gollum came by a great Ring, as plainly it was - that at least was clear from the first". So this implies that Gandalf recognised Bilbo's loot as a Ring of Power very early on - Bilbo's longevity was not needed to confirm this, Gandalf arrived at this conclusion by other information. Perhaps intuition, perhaps a subtle resonance with his ring Narya, perhaps the fact that (from what he could guess from Bilbo's account) Gollum was very evil and perhaps more so because of a corrupting Ring (lesser rings probably don't corrupt), perhaps the invisibility feat made it clear, or pheraps he somehow surmised that Gollum seemed to be unnaturally old. It is strange how he remembered Saruman's statement on the whereabouts of the One by the year of the quest for Erebor, but not the information regarding the adornment.

[@reflectiverambling1148]

You don't have to--but you SHOULD. That is a very good point about the location it was found being a slight deterrent.And at the same time while Gandalf may not feel time as much and while this is a pretty big thing, the guy had a lot of world to take in. With calm seeming to be about, I can see him slipping a little in his diligence. So it's Sauron's own curiosity that began his downfall? And if he put himself into it would that make him more addicted to the potential power, feeling the weakness left behind in these failed attempts? Oh Radagast

[@otaku-sempai2197]

Saruman's Ring of Power (if it was such) did not seem to be of much aid to him after Gandalf broke his staff. Or was it? He did later persuade Treebeard to release both himself and Grima Wormtongue, so maybe his Ring did possess some power.

[@shanenolan8252]

Thanks dan

[@redheadsilver8041]

Perhaps Radagast, after knowing from Gwaihir of this "blunder" in aiding Saruman, decided to hide out of cowardice, along with your view of distancing from a war he never really cared about? Or would this behavior not fit into his more honest nature?

[@oliveremmettknox7776]

Why were Galadriel and Elrond not as suspicious or distrustful towards Saruman as they were towards Annatar/Sauron?

[@istari0]

Saruman was loyal to his mission for a long time before beginning to turn traitor. Even if they weren't completely sure of any of the Istari at first, centuries of good works makes a difference.

[@davidking7716]

Here is a potential plot hole i have thought of. Why did gollum never try to bring the ring to sauron? You would think in the decades he had with it he would have become something like a ring wraith not just a creepy goblin creature.

[@istari0]

I would think Saruman would be know well enough of how Sauron sought to ensnare others with the original Rings of Power to alter the techniques he learned to make one not subject to or influenced by the One, which of course Sauron didn't even have at this point. I don't see how Saruman's ring would have made him more vulnerable during his confrontation with Gandalf at Orthanc when Gandalf broke Saruman's staff. Saruman would still have his ring at that time, wouldn't he? Other than that, another excellent video!

[@Enerdhil]

I wonder if the One Ring itself did not "hide" from Gandalf. The Ring is like an actual character. Maybe it can turn off its seductive powers and appear like a normal ring if it so chooses. I would think it could feel Gandalf's power and maybe try to subdue its power if it could.

[@thomasferraro479]

I did always think about this, I thought Gandalf should of at least suspected it sooner. But I never let it bother me too much lol.

[@shanenolan8252]

Question for anyone the morequendi ( apologies if i spelt it wrong) elves, means dark elves correct ? Its not an insult and isn't a physical description, just that they never saw the light of the trees. Correct ?

[@plixypl0x]

That's correct. Though I'm not sure if it only applies to Elves born before the destruction of the Two Trees.

[@shanenolan8252]

@@plixypl0x thanks, im having an argument with someone over it . Well im debating he is arguing. ( very rude accused me of spreading misinformation) ( as if its a war or propaganda) cheers

[@montienoortje685]

Loved this video! Thank you for making it :)

[@oliveremmettknox7776]

What did Sauron intend do with the three dwarven rings of power that he reclaimed?

[@istari0]

Well, he tried to use them to bribe the dwarves of Erebor for where the Shire and a certain Mr. Baggins might be found.

[@Crafty_Spirit]

10:51 Hilarious :D