Gandalf's beams of light

[Iarhen]

In the book The Return of the King, Gandalf uses some kind of piercing light that shoots up from his hands.

He uses such light against 3 objectives: the Nazgul, the Witch King and
the Mouth of Sauron. These 3 beings are afraid and, probably, hurt by
such light.

But what kind of light is this one? What effect does it have on the enemie's servants? Because the Nazgul flee from it... and when the Rohirrim arrived, something similar to a thunderbolt arose from Minas Tirith, when the Witch King was defeated by Gandalf. And the Mouth of
Sauron screamed and fled when Gandalf shot it to rescue Frodo's things from his hands.

Is it produced by Gandalf's maiarin nature? Or by Narya? A combination of them? Does it reveal their insides to themselves?

Was it holy? If it was, then maybe such holiness was the one thing that affected the nasties... the spells that knit "their unseen sinews" will..

[Legolas]

Not Narya, since that wasn't the power the Rings held. It was Gandalf on his own.

[Finwe]

It was Gandalf's power as one of the mightiest of the Maiar. It was also an extension of his will, showing that the strength of his will could overpower that of Sauron's servants, though not necessarily Sauron himself. Those age-old conflicts of light vs. dark showed that no matter how much Sauron tried to lay his traps in darkness and deceit, Gandalf's light would lay them bare.

[Knight of Gondor]

In answer to the question about why they shied away, Aragorn speaks of how the Nazgul do not like light, Fire not the least. Legolas, again I contend your answer...on what grounds do you say that Narya's powers were not for light? I believe it gave him the powers to do smoke ring tricks, and to light up the branch to scare off the wargs on Caradhras, and to battle the besieging Nazgul on Amon Sul. Aragorn saw something like many flashes of night in the distance.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 10:57 PM January 25, 2004: Message edited by: Knight of Gondor ]

[Firefoot]

I don't think it was Narya either... I am pretty sure that it doesn't have the power to make things light up.

"...but I deem in days ere long to come it should be in nobler hands than mine, that may wield it for the kindling of all hearts to courage."

I thought that this was the only power of Narya. Feel free to prove me wrong though. The white light is one way that Gandalf shows his power to the Nazgul and the Mouth of Sauron.

Also, Knight of Gondor, might I ask why you copied some of what you wrote in the movies topic "Legolas and the Table" at the end of your post?

[Knight of Gondor]

Since Nenya was used to protect the entire realm of Lorien (similar to the girdle of Melian) and Vilya was used to protect Rivendell, and to control the river, it makes sense that Narya would have more power than to kindle the hearts of Men.

Also, Knight of Gondor, might I ask why you copied some of what you wrote in the movies topic "Legolas and the Table" at the end of your post?

Sorry, Firefoot! I have no idea how that happened! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Oroaranion]

Narya was given to Gandalf by Cirdan to free the hearts of Middle Earth. But if the other two elvish rings had power to protect their relevant realms, maybe Narya could protect the Grey Havens.

I belive I read somewhere that the light came from within Gandalf.

[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

More importantly, one has to note that the Elven Rings did not have the power to destroy, only to create and preserve, and that fire, that Flame of Anor Gandalf wielded, Narya, could only be used in a defensive way to help preserve/defend. Plus, the light of fire is a red oppressive light, as opposed to the clear white shaft of light he blasted at the Nazgul; Tolkien never fell short on the imagery for a reason, to set the mood. If it was fire at work, we'd have seen a fireball.

As for use in helping with fireworks, blowing smoke rings, and lighting torches, why make an Elvish Ring of Fire, when fire's very nature is to destroy things. I think it was made for lesser burning, besides mirroring Gandalf's warmth and kindness, and his hot temper, it helped him heal cold hearts like Theoden's, and I don't doubt it helped his pyrotechnics; on Caradhras Gandalf had to chant words to light the wood in the snowstorm; at the Pelennor he said no such incantations. I would not be surprised if the magic of the rings had to be awakened by incantation; even the One Ring had for it's power to be awakened to have a Ringspell.

It also seems to me that the white light was meant to be associated not just with Gandalf "the White" but with the Phial of Galadriel in some way.

[Angry Hill Troll]

The meaning of Gandalf's statement to the Balrog

I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor.

is discussed
here. I personally don't think that either the light that Gandalf emits or the "flame of Anor" to which he refers is directly related to Narya. I think it is rather a manifestation of his Maia nature, and perhaps some of the light of the Trees. Anor (the Sun) is after all the last fruit of the Golden Tree. In this event, the light which Gandalf gives off in these instances would indeed be related to the light in the Phial of Galadriel, since that light was from the Silmaril borne by Eärendil, which preserved the light of the Trees.

Recall that Tolkien says that the Noldor won the Second Battle against Morgoth in part because "the light of Aman had not yet dimmed in their faces". It seems possible that Gandalf, as a Maia, might be able to preserve the Light indefinitely, to use when needed.