Gandalf's forgotten first mission to Middle Earth
215,499
Published 2024-04-22
Co-Writing credit for this video: Matthew Theriault
For more Lord of the Rings content: • Video
Join me on Patreon - patreon.com/indeepgeek
My channel for live content, including interviews and weekly livestreams – / @idglive
My audiobook channel: The Well Told Tale - youtube.com/thewelltoldtale
Follow me on:
Twitter - @indeepgeek
Instagram – indeepgeekofficial
Facebook - facebook.com/indeepgeek
TikTok - @indeepgeek
For merch, audiobooks, and all things In Deep Geek, explore my website - www.indeepgeek.com
Thank you to the talented artists who allowed their work to be featured in this video. You can find them and buy your own prints by following the links below:
Brandi York - brandiyorkart.com
Helena Nikulina - www.artstation.com/laurelin
Bohemian Weasel - www.redbubble.com/people/BohemianWeasel
Heraldo Mussolini - instagram.com/heraldo.mussolini/
Miriam Ellis - www.miriamellis.com/
Kip Rasmussen - fineartamerica.com/profiles/kip-rasmussen
Jerry Vanderstelt - store.vandersteltstudio.com/main.sc
Matthew Stewart - www.matthew-stewart.com/
Anna Kulisz - www.kuliszu.art/
emyart15 - www.redbubble.com/de/people/EmyArt/shop
Dan Pilla - www.instagram.com/danpillam/
Aegeri (aka Gnomé, Lida Holubova) - www.instagram.com/gnome_z_lesa/
Alystraea - www.artstation.com/alystraea
Thumbnail art by: Ralph Damiani - www.artstation.com/ralphdamiani
This video was brought to you with support from my amazing Patreon community - special thanks to
Stephanie Frederick, Joshua Clark, Maura Lee, Rabbi Rob Thomas, Amelia Scales Brooke Geer Person, Josh Bielemeier, Jane, Vance, Amy Southerland, Ivie Hilburn, Jimmy, Vercingetorix, John-Paul DeLuca, Filbert, Frank Glad, lemmy101, The Lady Gordon, Edward Ryan, Stephanie B, Coleen, Ben Androvich, Nana L, Brennan Barnes, Ivanka Hainzl, Howland’s Little Sister, Charis Messalina de Valence, Donna Daley, Cade Norman, Murray D, NOscar, Rick Hoppe, Leathery Wings, James Pisano, Bridget Boyle, TheStarkInWinterfell, Ellemcee, Alannah Prestayn of Braavos, Raymond Joy, Jonathan Harrison, Petyr Pebble, Jason Mauleon Rosario, Milton Christopher Appling, Edward Ennett, Katy Smith, 26Artgirl, Karen Thomas, Rickon, Cathrine Furseth, James Fitzpatrick, Doug Hughes, lawnduck20, Perseffanie, Emily Mole, Lady Dane, The Late Escapist, Natalie Donald, J. Gregory Henderson, whalawitsa, Luna Cascade, Dan MacKay, Johnny Targs, Kevin Warner, Julie Bernard, Bear, Susan Lonergan, Bo Riley, Lyle Hammac, Alex Butter, Pam Peterson, Bettina Charlotte Nielsen, T boz, Angela Marie Young, Sarah Awesomesauce, Stephanie Erickson, KaliKo_Jack, SeaGreenMango, GeorgeRRTolkien, Antihero Association, Richard Woodard, Caiden Timmons, ThatVBGuy, Tyler Barnhart, John H. Austin, Jr, NikFromNJ, Ty Farnsworth, Beesman, EJ, Willow Button, Julia Kendall, Jonny Ceriani, Mary Frances Angelini, Emma Sheiman, Joseph Jones, Christine Denny, Julien Dubois, Leland, Max Kingdom, Tricia Brady, LiK, Simen Dalstein, Scott Maraldo, Shelley J, Karen Wennerlind, Nathan Drumm, Martin Sjöstrand, Kristen H, King of Imps, Minerva Gale, Eric Nelson, Michiel Venema, Kate, Brandie Roberts, Kendra Summers, reed m, Commander Ray, Mayra Lawson, Lola Roebuck, Mark P, Nicole Stewart, Norse Sultan, Rasler, Steven Spauldingt, Patrick Ward, Amy vh Hines, Slippery1989, Una Haller, Almo71, Ravi Kakarala, Jacob Culp, Janet Lyn, NikFromNJ, Magepie, Ms. Fox, Jon Greenwood, Jahan, Justice, Courtney, Biscuit Jones, Biscuit Jones, Cookie Tywyn, Ranabir Mitra, CRChesnutt, Kip Ingram, Savannah Smith, Tadeo D'Oria, Mario Murray, Leland, AaronM127, Denis Warner, Callie Summers, Gena Z, Joseph Barresi, Karen, KGO, Martin Maleček, Karamy CG and Alvino V
Affiliate Links - (buying books from our Bookshop.org shop supports this channel and local bookshops at no extra cost to you.)
Books for fans of Lord of the Rings:
uk.bookshop.org/lists/lord-of-the-rings
Other books we love:
uk.bookshop.org/shop/indeepgeek
Thanks for watching!
(All pictures used are in the public domain, or used under fair use copyright laws or with the express permission of the artist).
All Comments (21)
-
In deep geek has been on a crazy run of great content lately especially LOTR stuff
-
i like the idea of Cirdan seeing Gandalf arrive in middle Earth and thinking to himself "Olorin my old friend, i will honour you as you have honoured us in the past" and then giving his ring of power to Gandalf. No great foresight just an elf remembering his friensd.
-
This is the obscure lore im here for
-
I think this also leans into the idea that Gandalf was initially hesitant and afraid of returning. Perhaps he didn't want to project a show of force as they had before. It could also be that, without that direct power, he felt like he would be weaker than Sauron. Interesting stuff!
-
It’s interesting, you see glimpses of immense power from Gandalf, but he seldom really does anything more than talk to the right people at the right time. And seeing the potential for dominance with Saruman when he got off the leash. Placing the emissaries under strict rules of engagement makes a lot of sense.
-
Robert, you can't upload a video with such a compelling title and not expect me to drop everything to click it
-
I like the idea I've seen elsewhere that the Istari returned to Valinor after their first task but it went so unbelievably awfully that they were like, "Just wipe our memories, Manwë, that absolutely sucked"
-
Saruman's compulsion to leave is so strong and is true form that it lasted through generations.
-
Dude this blew my mind. I mean I read the nature of middle earth, but I never connected the dots like this.
-
11:49 this line with Sir Ians/Gandalfs face beaming from the screen gave me serious warm fuzzies.
-
If I see your tag line, I always watch and listen. Thank you so much for being true to Tolkien.
-
I always interpreted that line about past mistakes being about how they destroyed the continent by getting involved in the 1st Age.
-
Beautiful take on Círdan remembering Gandalf. Fantastic video, thank you!
-
Oh thank you, Robert—I appreciate your elucidation of The Guardians, and I too like the idea that Melian already knew Thingol before enchanting him, and that Cirdan knew Gandalf from before. It is a lovely thought.
-
Great story. Like you said, it fills in a lot of gaps. I always feel sorry for Radagst the Brown though. He did help Gandalf in his mission, but is seldom labeled a "success" when it comes to the mission of the Istari. Whatever happened to him after the fall of Sauron? I suspect he stayed in Middle Earth with his beloved animals. Maybe that can be one of your next episodes. 🤔
-
The two Blue Wizards were sent to Middle Earth in the Second Age, to the East to stir up rebellion against Sauron. Saruman, Gandalf & Rhadagast came to Middle Earth in the Third Age! The two Blue Wizards also went again to Middle Earth, the East again, but earlier again than the other 3! During the War of the Valar against Morgoth to protect the Elves, yes, those Maia who became the Istari went as part of the host of the Valar. In their full splendor!
-
Woah, this blew my mind! Melian was the 6th member of the Istari and possibly their original leader? Amazing!
-
Wow. For me this answers every lingering question I've had about LOTR since I was a kid, some 30 years ago. Crazy we can still learn more. Thanks for that IDG.
-
Amazing for it to be over a century since Tolkien started writing this stuff down and we are still getting new lore!
-
These videos have been an absolute godsend since I started listening to the Silmarillion. Helping me make sense of what has to be one of the deepest rabbit holes I’ve ever stumbled into. Thank you!
