When did Gandalf come to Middle-earth?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power just made its Prime Video debut and the series is bringing fans back to Middle-earth. Despite the large time difference between the events of the show and the original trilogy, they are also reunited with some familiar faces. Given some of the extraordinary lifespans in Middle-earth, that’s probably no surprise. And some fans are wondering if Gandalf might appear in it Lord of the Rings Show. So when exactly did Gandalf come to Middle-earth?
How old is Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings?
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Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power set thousands of years ago The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogies take place. However, some of the beings inhabiting Middle-earth during Frodo’s (Elijah Wood) journey are alive during the events of the show. Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) features prominently in the Prime Video series, and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo) also makes an appearance.
Gandalf, played by Sir Ian McKellen in the films, would also have existed when The Rings of Power occur. As Screen Rant notes, the source material places the character around 24,000 years old. However, much of this time is spent in his spirit form. Gandalf was first created as a Maiar (spirit) named Olórin. He only appeared physically in Middle-earth for around 2,000 to 3,000 years, assuming the identity of Gandalf the Wizard.
As such, Gandalf’s exact age is difficult to determine. He would certainly have existed in some form during that time The Rings of Power. However, he would not have been present at the events that took place.
When did Gandalf come to Middle-earth?
Although Gandalf would have existed, when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power takes place had he not been in Middle-earth at the time. According to JRR Tolkien Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Wizards did not come to the continent until the Third Age, beginning with Sauron’s first fall.
During the Third Age, the Valar – the higher beings who created the Maiar – sent five of them to Middle-earth to deal with the threat of Darkness. Gandalf was among the istari (wizards) who were asked for help. and Lord of the Rings Fans know where his story leads: straight into the events of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
But while the character appears in both of these stories, his absence from Middle-earth during the Second Age likely means we won’t see him The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Wizard probably won’t appear in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Since Gandalf does not arrive in Middle-earth until the Third Age, it is unlikely that he will appear during that time The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The series will cover prominent events from the Second Age – events where the wizard was not present and in which he had no part. It will likely end with Sauron’s first fall, marking the transition from the Second to the Third Age.
Of course, Amazon could take liberties with JRR Tolkien’s backstory — but that would likely provoke a backlash from longtime fans. And with the show shifting its focus to Galadriel – and a host of new characters – there’s really no need to bring in Gandalf. The only purpose it would serve would be as a nod to fans of the original trilogy.
New episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Stream every Friday on Prime Video.
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