A Wizard's Errand

[Gurthang]

I was glancing through the description of Gandalf on the home page of the Downs, and I noticed this at the bottom:

Gandalf was the only one of the five wizards who remained true to his mission.

I don't agree with this statement. Or at least there is not sufficient evidence to say it is true or not.

Here's what we know about the Istari's choices:

• Gandalf--Stayed with his task, through betrayal and death, and saw it to completion.
  
  
• Saruman--Obviously, denied his assignment and set out on a path to gain power.
  
  
• Radagast--Befriended the birds and the beasts of Middle-Earth. He seemed to neither give up nor further his purpose.
  
  
• Morinehtar and Romestamo--Not much is known about the Blue Wizards, but here is a quote from HoME XII that Legolas originally posted:
  
  

  But the other two Istari were sent for a different purpose. Morinehtar and Romestamo. Darkness-slayer and East-helper. Their task was to circumvent Sauron: to bring help to the few tribes of Men that had rebelled from Melkor-worship, to stir up rebellion ... and after his first fall to search out his hiding (in which they failed) and to cause [? dissension and disarray] among the dark East ... 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.

So Gandalf and Saruman made definite decisions. But did the others really forsake the reason they were sent?

I, for one, don't really think so.

[Legolas]

The difference is the manner in which they failed. Saruman not only abandoned the mission, he turned against it - i.e. taking an active part for the opposite side. The other three simply ignored their mission (unless the Blue Wizards turned evil also).

Tolkien is actually the one who said that:

Indeed, of all the Istari, one only remained faithful.

Hard to argue with him

[Gurthang]

Ah..... Very true. Thank you.

[Boromir88]

Maybe this belongs in the thread about Fate, but you can argue each Istari also had it's own personal quest, or maybe not "personal" maybe, it was just "fate" that it happened the way it did.

For example, Saruman represented Aule, and of course, he got greedy, and it's only natural he would lust for power, or money...etc. I mean Dwarves and Noldor both also from Aule, would greed for power or money, then we have Sauron, most like Aule, greedy. So if you get the point, I think "fate" is definately playing a role with the Istari.

Then we have Radagast, representing Yavanna, so it's only natural that Radagast would fall in love with the birds and nature. Again, is this fate? Or did Yavanna tell Radagast to tend the birds/nature of Middle-Earth.

Lastly, Gandalf, not really representing any Valar, but most closely represents Manwe, so it's only natural that he would succeed in the Istari's "task."

[Gothbogg the Ripper]

Did Radagast not fufil his mission because he sent Gandalf to Saruman? Does this count as an act of treachery?

[Boromir88]

I wouldn't say so, Radagast did not know that Saruman had turned evil, all he knew is that Saruman wanted to see Gandalf, Saruman is a persuasive talker after all. Gandalf said if he had sensed something wrong with Radagast he wouldn't have gone, or would have went to Orthanc more warily, so Radagast was just relaying a message, wasn't trying to get Gandalf killed.