# A pretty useless question!



## elvish-queen (Jan 4, 2003)

Now, this is pretty stupid I know.... but I wanted to clear this up.

In TTT, The White Rider, when Gandalf explains what happened to him in Moria, he says


> ... Then darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell. Naked I was sent back - for a brief time until my task is done.



Ok, so his task was to destroy the ring, or help on its way to destruction. What I would like to know is, where did he go, did he die, and who sent him back??
Maybe I'm missing the point but hey, asking is the only way I'll learn!

Thanx.


----------



## Celebthôl (Jan 4, 2003)

his body died and his sprirt went to Valinor and the Valar namely Manwe sent him back as he was the last of the Istarí left to help men defeat Sauron!


----------



## Lantarion (Jan 4, 2003)

Well put Thôl!  
I'll put it in more detail  (I certainly hope you've read the Silmarillion):
"Gandalf" died, ie. Olórin's husk, the form that he took in Middle-earth as one of the Istari, upon Zirak-zigil; but as a Maia, his spirit cannot be utterly slain by any power in Arda, even when he was the Grey; only Ilúvatar, and perhaps the valar, can do that. So his spirit wandered in the Void, where either Ilúvatar or Manwë came to him and reinstated him in a more powerful body. His 'mission' was to ensure the downfall of Sauron; and that's exactly what he did.


----------



## JOHOVISHTA (Jan 4, 2003)

Um just to clear this up...
you say

"his body died and his sprirt went to Valinor and the Valar namely Manwe sent him back as he was the last of the Istarí left to help men defeat Sauron! "

Does he go to the Void or to Valinor?? I would have thought to the void ...or is my metaphysical understanding awry??

- Johovishta


----------



## elvish-queen (Jan 5, 2003)

Yeah, I thought so but I wasn't going to say in case I was wrong and looked like a fool!
But I have read the Sil, but found it confusing so I'm reading it again! I have more understanding now.
Thanks all!


----------



## Lantarion (Jan 5, 2003)

Johovista, I also asume that it is the Void, because gandalf says that he "strayed out of thought and time". But this could also refer to Aman. It was, after all, removed from the circles of the World, and there it is said that time stands still, or moves so slowly that mortals would not notice it. (Eg. one Year of the Valar was equal to ten Years of the Sun).
Good for you, Elvish-queen! That's exactly the kind of enthusiasm that should be incorporated with the Silmarillion! If you have any questions, you can always PM me if you can't find the answer from the books themselves.


----------

