5 reasons why Gandalf is a bad man

Gandalf is a good guy. Whether in the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit trilogy, the wizard played by Ian McKellen has won our hearts and if there were ever a “Mittelerde sucht den Superstar” competition for favorite characters in Peter Jackson’s films, only Aragorn would probably have one Chance to shake his winner’s podium. Or?

Even if we, as Lord of the Rings fans, are happy to forgive our favorite film characters for their mistakes, now it’s high time to be tough on Gandalf. Because the worthy gentleman is anything but flawless. Here you will find 5 gross gandalf transgressions, that paint him in a bad light. In truth, the cuddly grandpa is anything but a good person or magician.

1.) Lord of the Rings meanness: Gandalf sends Frodo to his downfall

What Mentor Dumbledore did with Harry Potter, Gandalf was much more likely to do with Frodo: despite the knowledge that there would be little chance of a return from Mordor, he sends his Protégé alone to his enemy without much chance of success.

For all the speculative talk about little hobbits, who might be overlooked by the enemy as inconspicuous creatures, he was in principle ready to sign Frodo’s death warrant, after the aggressive climate of Council of Elrond forced the helpful halfling to volunteer. It was not thanks to Gandalf that Frodo set off not alone after the companions were broken, but with Sam at his side. Even the magician was surprised by this.

2.) Clothes make the man: Gandalf and his fashion sins

Gandalf the Gray is the epitome of the wise, oddball wizard with a bushy beard that people in Middle-earth like to have on their side. However, after Gandalf’s apparent death in the Balrog battle in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, he returns in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers changed back.

On the one hand, he now believed that he had to emulate Saruman’s questionably clean fashion of clothing. On the other hand, even actor Ian McKellen denounces Gandalf the White as the biggest bore in Middle-earth at. After his resurrection, there was hardly any trace of the earlier mischievousness if he gave up fun from then on in order to pursue his mission against Sauron. The lesson here: don’t let anyone fool you into believing that white is the new grey.

3.) Lord of the Rings scam: Can Gandalf even do magic?

Gandalf is considered one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth. Everyone reveres him as a great wizard, but we get a lot of his in the three Lord of the Rings movies oh so strong magic, which perhaps even Sauron might not have seen. A case of classic overconfidence that shines through in “Flee, you fools” because he apparently doesn’t trust anyone else to do great things against the Balrog.

A little light here at the Moria fight, some moth whispering there on Saruman’s tower. He can shoo away a few clouds to deter the Nazgûl from their trajectory. But otherwise the supposed power of this aged blender shines more smoke and mirrors to be when he has to resort to fireworks or, in the end, prefers to let the sword do the talking.

4.) Middle-earth savior at the last minute: Gandalf, the stage pig

Selfless, full of knowledge and always helpful? All of these good qualities pale in comparison to the fact that Gandalf attaches great importance to a great performance: He only reveals himself to his old companions who mourn his death after his return, when Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas are already attacking him, mistaking him for Saruman.

In keeping with this tradition, he is generally fond of being a benevolent savior at the last second on the spot – for example, when he comes to Helm’s Deep with reinforcements to take the laurels of victory in the best light at first light. Mind you, after Aragorn and Co. have already lost numerous comrades-in-arms and fought bloody fingers.

5.) Lord of the Rings Intelligence Test: Is Gandalf arrogant or just screwed up?

For the fact that Gandalf has been in Middle-earth for quite a while (according to the Lord of the Rings series since the Second Age) and is considered to be extremely wise, he shows himself partially surprisingly obtuse: Even if others have forgotten Sauron’s mighty ring of lords by now, when Bilbo reveals the find to him, Gandalf should actually be the first to remember the mighty weapon. He had 60 years to realize what he was looking at! Did he end up smoking too much pipeweed? Let’s not even get started on the inability to solve Moria’s access puzzles, or the decision to go through the mines at all.

And why do long-bearded men always think they have to withhold information? With a little Palantír warning, Pippin might have stayed away from Sauron’s videocall artifact. And instead of temporarily warning Frodo about the evil, evil ring at the first suspicion (“Hey, that could be a really lousy piece of jewelry that turns you into a second Gollum.”), he rides away and lets himself be fooled by something like that capture the predictable Evil-Saruman, leaving the unsuspecting hobbits to fend for themselves on the road to Bree. Shame on you Gandalf!

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