Where's 🧙Radagast? Anyone?

[Aredhel]

What do you think happened to Radagast the Brown?

What do you think happened to Radagast the Brown after the events of the Lord of the Rings?

 

[Mr. Underhill]

In Unfinished Tales it says ... "For Radagast ... became enamoured of the many beasts and birds that dwelt in Middle-Earth, and forsook Elves and Men, and spent his days among the wild creatures." Apparently he did not remain faithful to his task, although in a much different way than Saruman, and I doubt if he returned across the sea to Valinor. I see him remaining in Middle-Earth, not necessarily just in Rhosgobel, but "fading away" until his entity perhaps became a part of the forests and creatures he was so fond of.

 

[Aredhel]

I would have to agree with you on that point. As I was reading your reply, I seem to have remembered that about Radagast. Though it seems sad that he became an entity, among the birds and the beasts that he loved so much. I think there should be more written about Radagast. Is there?

 

[Mr. Underhill]

Other than "Unfinished Tales" I think he's discussed (along with the other Istari) in the "Silmarillion" and "The Treason of Isengard." But as far as I know not much more is really mentioned concerning his actions or fate. Maybe someone else knows more ... ?

 

[Grond]

I am anxiously awaiting Christmas in hopes that the Deluxe leather bound editions of The Histories of Middle Earth are under the tree. My wife promised she woudl try and get them but this special edition appears to only be available in Britain and cost about $150 each. So, I anxiously await next Tuesday.... so I'll be able to answer questions such as this one with more authoratative input. I'll get back to you on Wednesday.

 

[Cian]

There's an interesting spot of alliterative verse in UT (The Istari) which goes in part:

"Wilt thou learn the lore that was long secret
of the five that came from a far country?
Only one returned. Others never again ..."

This might (mythologically) bear on Radagasts' staying in Middle-earth.

 

[Lantarion]

Yes, it seems logical, as Gandalf was the only one of the Istari (that I know of, not counting the Blue) who returned to Valinor..
I've noticed, and I'm sure this is total coincidence because the LotR as a religious parable has been discussed, and Tolkien did not write in allegory. BUT: the three Wizards who were mentioned in the LotR are each to his own colour: White, Gray and Brown. In the Bible three wise men (ie. "Wise-ards" ) journey to find JC, and they too had their own colours; but they were different colours (Black, Brown and White). It just crossed my mind..

 

[Pinto Gamgee]

Hi folks I'm a newbie here and I wanted to pose this question to someone who may know: What ever happened to Radagast? Mentioned only briefly in the LoTR series he just seems to up and split after doing very little at all aside from inadvertadly sending Gandalf into Saruman's web.

So, did he just up and disappear? I looked over the boards hoping to find such a discussion but found none after a short parusing. Has anyone thought of the possibility that he actually plays a much bigger role in the story than told by Tolkien on the surface?

And, if indeed the Istari are at least 'similar' to the Maia, wouldn't Radagast have a great deal to say in the battles of ents, eagles, and other natural creatures featured in the War of the Ring in which much of the natural force of middle earth was pitted directly against the evil that wished to destroy it?

I dunno, I just find it somewhat mysterious that Radagast the Brown would do nothing but vanish from site in such a time in which the things he felt the closest to were under direct attack from the force he was put there to defeat in the first place as a member of the White Council.

I just refuse to believe that this character plain vanished from the action concerning these things. What do you think? Can ya help me here? Do you think maybe Radagast was busy in the background helping Gandalf to muster forces on a more natural level than the free peoples? Or maybe did Radagast, as a suspected part of the Maia, change his physical form to something else that Maia have the capability of doing?

Isn't it especially puzzling that at the same time of Gandalf's battle with the Balrog in the depths- the ents themselves became visibly aware of the troubles that faced their buds in Isengard as well as other places in the realm?

And what of Gandalf- when first encountering his fellow members of the original fellowship (POST Balrog) he seemed more puzzled
than anything at their faces- as if he had to re-evaluate who they actually were- after spending all that time with them in their own lives and along the original leg of the quest.

He seemed noticably guarded of his own appearance before these three as well- much more guarded than a scene of reunion would typically be expected- literally guarding his appearance and, in a way, measuring up all three (Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas) of his prior friends before allowing them to know who he was...?

I was just wondering if any of this has been debated before and since I obviously missed it if it had- what's the theory?

Is it at ALL possible that Radagast did NOT merely vanish from sight, but became more prominent in the story than many would originally conceive?

Did he go from being 'The Brown', to being simply: "The White"...?

Enquiring Hobbit-Reader wants to know!

Most Sincerely,

Pinto Gamgee

 

[Legolam]

Hey Pinto, that's some post!

Welcome to the board.

I don't actually know any answers, but I'm intrigued!!

 

[Lord Aragorn]

Well, the Istari are maia and I really don't have any ideas. Maybe he just took a nice vacation for a while, who knows.

 

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Lord Aragorn
Well, the Istari are maia and I really don't have any ideas. Maybe he just took a nice vacation for a while, who knows.

It is said in unfinshed tales that of the 5 istari to set out of aman only 1 returned cause of his vicotires against sauron. It is said that saruman gave into himself and radagast forsook the peoples and decided to live amoungst the birds and animals he was freinds with. So he didn't remain faithfull. Of the 2 blue wizards they don't know what happened.

 

[Tar-Palantir]

I can imagine Radagast was feeling a little sheepish after (inadvertently) sending Gandalf right into Saruman's trap. He probably said "To heck with this Good vs. Evil stuff! Too much back-stabbing and lying. Never had a squirrel (or a sheep, for that matter) pull the wool over my eyes." Last I heard, he changed his name to Doctor Doolittle.

 

[Mormegil]

It says in LOTR that Radagast lived somewhere near Mirkwood.
It might be possible that he was involved in the battle between Dol Goldur (sp) and Lothlorien. Or he might have been involved in the battle that happened at the Lonely Mountain.
These were both battles that happened during The War of The Ring. We don't get much info about those battles, so it might be possible that he was involved.

BUT IMO he chickened out and went off to live happily ever after with a goat or something like that.

 

[Harad]

He hung around for an Age or three, until the floating Isle came anchored off the Coast, went there, and started a school for magicicans, called...now what was that name. Something like "Pigspots."

 

[Mormegil]

Didn't he have a student called Larry Popper or something like that??

 

[Mula]

It is also mentioned in the Book of Lost Tales by Christopher Tolkien that it seems a bit strange that Radagast failed considering that he was/is a Maia of Yavanna. It would only be appropriate that he cared a lot about the animals and not the sentient races.

 

[Grond]

It is interesting that the of the five Istari were sent to aid the races of Middle-earth in their battles against Sauron, one was of Yavanna who had no real concern for any of the higher level creatures of the world. It is no wonder that Radagast took off. His job from his Boss, would have been to protect the forests and animals. This would have been an impossible task given that the Istari could take no direct action against Sauron. I suppose he could have rallied the Thrushes against the Crebain or maybe sent out a pack of dogs to fight the wolves but, he probably just got frustrated with the whole thing and headed for the mountains and a nice walk about.

 

[Anduril]

The forgotten Radagast...just for brain exercise...

Anybody can tell me about the whereabouts of Radagast?

What happened to him?

I think this is not one of the super-coolest topics, but I'm in doubt about this issue...

Regards.

 

[Eonwe]

After the war of the ring, he hooked up with Celeborn and opened a sub shop on the road through Mirkwood.

Seriously I guess he ended up being someone powerful in ME along with the blue wizards. Perhaps he was called back to the West, or remained in his "mortal" body forever.

 

[Bill the Pony]

He turned himself into a moth to help Gandalf, but then he forgot how to change back and got eaten by an evil voodoo peanut.

(look here for a serious answer)