Gandalfs Staff

[Gothmog]

Lant. While I agree that it is only speculation, (That is what we have most fun with here ) you are incorrect to say that I have "zero evidence to prove it!" I have "Slight" evidence to prove it. There is in fact more evidence to show that Gandalf's staff was not/could not be taken than there is to support the view that it was.

At no point in the book is it stated or even hinted that the staffs could be "taken" against the will of the Istari. Indeed the only hint given about this question is the dream of Frodo in Bombadil's house and the fact that in the council of Elrond, Gandalf admitted to that dream being true. How accurate it was is left to the reader.

Niniel. If Gandalf could so easily "Take" Saruman's staff, Why did he not do so? The point is that he "Asked" for the staff and when Saruman refused to give it up, Broke it.

One more point about Gandalf being able to remove himself from the top of Orthanc if he had his staff with him. Have a check on Gandalf stuck in a tree in the Hobbit and ready to jump to his death to destroy the Orcs burning the tree.

 

[Maeglin]

Well I think I have found the answer to this mystery now, and I believe, after all, that Gandalf did indeed have his staff on top of Orthanc, according to this:

In the dead night, Frodo lay in a dream without light. Then he saw the young moon rising; under its thin light there loomed before him a black wall of rock, pierced by a dark arch like a great gate. It seemed to Frodo that he was lifted up, and passing over he saw that the rock-wall was a circle of hills, and that within it was a plain, and in the midst of the plain stood a pinnacle of stone, like a vast tower but not made by hands. On its top stood the figure of a man. The moon as it rose seemed to hang for a moment above his head and glistened in his white hair as the wind stirred it. Up from the dark plain below came the crying of fell voices, and the howling of many wolves. Suddenly a shadow, like the shape of great wings, passed across the moon. The figure lifted his arms and a light flashed from the staff that he wielded. A mighty eagle swept down and bore him away.

That is a part of Frodo's dream from "in the house of Tom Bombadil", now its only a dream, so I guess we can't be sure, but Frodo's dream, I believe, was exactly what happened to Gandalf as he described it, though I don't remember if he ever mentioned his staff. Anyway, its proof enough for me.

 

[BlackCaptain]

Staffs serve as amplifiers for Wizard's magic. They would be very powerul without staffs, but it's a staff that channels it. So gandalf could have structured another staff.
As for the thing in Moria? He puts it on his staff. It's not there in the first place. It could easily be in one of his pockets.

 

[Calimehtar]

At Rohan, Gandalf was very uumm.... persistent? on making sure he was able to have his staff when he entered the Golden Hall, It think thats what its called, to speak with Theoden. Then Wormtounge (in the movie, but I think it might have happened in the book too) was like "I told you to take his staff!" Or something like that.

So anyways, that is just trying to say that Wizard Staffs aren't just symbolic.

 

[Spartan117]

I was told somewere else on the forum, that Gandalf's staff is taken away at Isengard, but he gets a new one (or makes a new one) or something like that after. Also, in the film, people say that his staff actually looks different after Isengard. (I've never actually taken the time to check).

 

[Maeglin]

Well... in the film the Two Towers he gets a new staff, but thats because he becomes Gandalf the White instead of the Grey.

 

[Kahmûl]

When Gandalf was imprisoned by Saruman, if he got his staff taken from him when he escaped how did he get it back?

 

[BlackCaptain]

Try a search... There have been many threads about this i think... I believe however, he was given a new staff at Rivendell, or he just got to keep his staff...

 

[olorin the maia]

The movie shows Saruman taking Gandalf's staff, a bit of Hollywood license. No one knows for sure what Saruman did to Gandalf when he was imprisoned. Gandalf never revealed it. Gandalf, however, breaks Saruman's staff when the two meet after Saruman's defeat and the drowning of Isengard.

 

[pgt]

Of all the posts I like Goths - it brings up a thin but real reference from the book afterall! Thanks!

Judging from this thread, I think it's pretty clear to me that the staffs impart or amplifiy power and wizards neither give up their staffs nor fabricate replacements. The one illogical part of it that I see is this:

1) FACT: Saruman (then the ranking leader of the order) has the power to imprison Gandalf.

2) FACT: Gandalf upon being promoted to white status (whith what I always presume to be a new staff provided from Valinor or wherever he went) now essentially 'outranks' Saruman. He has the power to break Suruman's staff (who is fast becoming a shadow of his former self).

This leads me to the following conundrum: Why didn't Saruman simply 'break' Gandalfs staff when he was still cearly El Jefe? For that matter, how can Saruman have sufficient power to imprison but not remove personal armaments like his staff. And nobody mentioned Glamdring (or was it Orcrist?)...?

And finally, at the end does Sharkey have a replacement 'staff' (or simply an oversized walking stick)? And if so, does it convey or amplify any 'power' to him?

A lot of clues here...

 

[Jesse]

My guess is he made another staff. It would be impossible to get his old one back. Gandalf the Grey probably put his magic into another staff....