The events ofThe Lord of the Ringstranspired quite a long time afterThe Hobbit, and Gandalf was busy between the two trilogies. However, fans don’t necessarily understand what he got up to.Peter Jackson’sHobbitandLord of the Ringsmovieswere both set in the Third Age, withThe Hobbitcentering on Martin Freeman’s Bilbo Baggins and his quest to reclaim Erebor with Thorin and his company. In encountering the ring, Bilbo set up his nephew, Frodo, for his own adventure about 60 years later. Gandalf bridged the gap between these two adventures.
Although most fans don’t know what the most famous member ofLord of the Rings’five Istarigot up to in the decades between the trilogies, theLotRappendices can clarify this somewhat. The time jump betweenThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Ringsis 59 years, so Gandalf had a whole lifetime to fill, by mortal standards. But Gandalf was, of course, no mortal. An ancient Maia of the Ainur species, this Wizard was of the first-created species, accountable to the Valar. According to the appendices, he served them well betweenThe HobbitandLotR.
Gandalf Reunited With The White Council
Gandalf Met With Other Powerful Wizards & Elves
While Bilbo Baggins returned to the Shire withLord of the Rings’One Ringin the year 2942 of the Third Age,Gandalf reconvened with the White Council in 2953. A fair bit of time passed between these events in human terms, but ten or so years would have been the blink of an eye for Gandalf. The White Council consisted of Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, Elrond, and Círdan, and they all met in 2953 for the last time. Crucially, the Council’s demise had been nearing its critical mass for a while.
Before time
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War of Wrath ended
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While Bilbo and Thorin were adventuring inThe Hobbitin 2941, Gandalf managed to get Saruman and the White Council to attack Dol Guldur. Although not an element ofThe Hobbitbook, this note was included inLotR’sappendices, so Peter Jackson wasn’t unfaithful to include it in hisHobbittrilogy. Regardless, Saruman had agreed to attack Dol Guldur as he sought to distract Sauron from searching the Gladden for the Ring, which is what he started doing in earnest after the last Council meeting in 2953.Saruman turned from the Councilfor good after this meeting.
Gandalf Met & Worked With Aragorn
Gandalf Helped Aragorn During His Time In Gondor
In T.A. 2951, Elrond told Aragorn about his true ancestry, and from then on Aragorn started becoming the Ranger known in the movies, including during his time spent with Gandalf.Aragorn proved that he was Gondor’s rightful king inLotRthrough his travels after his coming of age, and getting to know Gandalf guided him. Their friendship beginning in 2956, Aragorn undertook errands undercover, serving in Gondor under the name Thorongil. Together,Aragorn and Gandalf alienated a young Denethor, who saw them as a threat to his ruling stewardship. They were, but he had no reason to believe that yet.
Bilbo’s birthday party
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Gandalf started seeking news of Gollum and called on Aragorn’s help
Gandalf and Aragorn renewed their hunt for Gollum
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Sauron captured and tortured Gollum
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Gollum escaped
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Crucially, in 3001, many things happened - Bilbo and Frodo had their joint birthday and farewell party, for one. This marked the start of the events ofTheLord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringmovie, but also,Aragorn started hunting for Gollum with Gandalfthat year. The upcoming Warner Bros.Lord of the Ringsmovie is set to cover these events, which will involve Gandalf and Aragorn looking for Gollum throughout Anduin, Mirkwood, and Rhovanion. Trying to ascertain what Gollum knew about the ring and who he may have revealed it to was a large concern of Gandalf’s.
Gandalf Continued To Visit The Shire & Bilbo Baggins
Gandalf Traveled Middle-earth Before Lord Of The Rings
Gandalf traveled back and forth to the Shire in the time betweenThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Rings. Gandalf was known as the Grey Pilgrim for good reason - he continuously traveled Middle-earth in the hope of growing his knowledge, protecting the realm, and opposing Sauron. This was his duty, as per the guidance ofLord of the Rings'15 Valar. AfterGandalf ensured that Bilbo returned home to the Shire safelynear the end ofThe Hobbit, he continued to keep a close eye on one of his favorite places in Middle-earth.
Why Frodo Never Got Married After The Lord Of The Rings Even Though Sam Did
Frodo ended up a bachelor in The Lord of the Rings, but Sam didn’t, leaving some to question the circumstances of Frodo’s bachelorhood.
Frodo was born in T.A. 2968, creating the heir to Bilbo’s most precious legacy - the One Ring. While Bilbo got older and frailer, slowly but surely, despite the life-prolonging effects of the ring,Frodo gradually inherited his uncle’s adventurous spirit. When the time came for Bilbo to finally say his goodbyes, Frodo was more than ready to take his place in the storybooks as the next great Hobbit adventurer. Gandalf’s love of Hobbits was never destined to be focused on Bilbo alone, and Gandalf probably knew he would have his hands full with Frodo, so watched him closely.
Gandalf naturally stuck by the most important species of the Third Age inThe Lord of the Rings.
In T.A. 3004 onward, Gandalf visited Frodo in the Shire. He would have been 34, meaning Gandalf was getting to know Frodo from a very young age, in Hobbit terms. He would have been educating him from the get-go, and visited him over intervals across the next four years. In many ways, Gandalf had always been preparing Frodo for what lay ahead, even though he wasn’t aware of the future, despite the odd premonition. Shepherded by the Valar, Gandalf naturally stuck by the most important species of the Third Age inThe Lord of the Rings.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
