Olórin is a Maia and a student of Nienna, learning pity, patience, and generosity from her. He travels to Middle-earth in the third age as a wizard and takes the names Gandalf and Mithrandir. His role there is to spread hope and wisdom among the Children of Ilúvatar and to help them overcome Sauron. He sits on the White Council and monitors Sauron while he’s in Mirkwood, urging the Council to drive him out before he becomes too powerful. Though Galadriel wants him to lead the Council rather than Saruman, Gandalf refuses, unwilling to have allegiance to anyone but the Valar. He’s the bearer of the elven ring Narya—given to him by Círdan—and the first to discover the whereabouts of the One Ring among the Halflings. It’s primarily due to his planning that the One Ring is destroyed and Sauron is defeated.
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Gandalf/Mithrandir/Olórin Character Timeline in The Silmarillion
The timeline below shows where the character Gandalf/Mithrandir/Olórin appears in The Silmarillion. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Valaquenta
...Maiar are Melian, who serves both Vána and Estë and tends to Lórien’s trees, and Olórin who “learned pity and patience” from Nienna. Though Melian later walks among the elves as...
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Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
...hand.” The first to arrive is Saruman, who speaks mostly to men. The next is Gandalf, a close counselor of Elrond and the elves. The next is Radagast, a friend of...
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At that time the White Council—made of Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, Elrond, Círdan, and the other elven lords—is founded, with Saruman as its leader....
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Sauron’s power grows in Dol Guldur and Gandalf again urges the White Council to act, since Sauron will have hope and amass power...
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...in western Eriador, whom the elves and men hadn’t considered important until then. By chance, Gandalf learns of the Ring’s whereabouts before Sauron does, but he doesn’t know what to do...
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At that time, Gandalf is proven right, and help comes “from the hands of the weak when the Wise...
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The west achieves victory primarily due to Gandalf’s planning, and he’s revealed to be the bearer of Narya, the elven ring of fire....
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