I love the idea of option 3: * The wearer of the master ring can control the thoughts of those wearing other rings * and Gandalf wears the ring of fire * and Bilbo desperately wanted to keep his ring a secret So could Bilbo have unknowingly used the One Ring to blur Gandalf's mind and hide it from him? 🤔
2 years ago | 106
I like the idea that Gandalf legitimately trusted Saruman enough to believe that it was impossible. It makes his betrayal seem all the more impactful to Gandalf because he probably felt like such a fool for being deceived but even more so hurt that someone he seemed to look up to could deceive him like that. I mean he constantly called the saruman the greatest and to have that pillar of goodness for him fall had to have affected him so much. Furthermore in become Gandalf the White, he sees this chance to become this person he so idolized, and to become what he thought saruman was. it’s a really compelling way to see Gandalf acccepting his own calling.
2 years ago | 28
The idea that Bilbo would happen to come across the One Ring which was missing for thousands of years is highly improbable. Also, the Ring was known to corrupt people. So the fact that Bilbo wasn’t corrupted and didn’t to become some sort of dictator probably convinced Gandalf that Bilbo only had a lesser ring. Nobody knew much about the nature of hobbits at the time. Gandalf thought it was impossible for anyone to resist the power of the Ring.
2 years ago | 152
Love the results. “Your love of the halfling’s leaf has clearly slowed your mind”
2 years ago
| 60
Just finished reading the Fellowship again last month. Seems pretty clear to me that it's because of Saruman's council that Gandalf didn't pursue it. And even when he knew beyond doubt that it was the one, he didn't act too quickly because he didn't know the right choice of action. Hence, telling Frodo to keep it secret.
2 years ago
| 8
Remember this line from Galadriel in Fellowship's prologue. "For two and a half thousand years, the Ring passed out of all knowledge." That means that for 2,500 years, no one knew or even suspected that there was a Ring. Gandalf may not have even been in Middle-earth for all that time. He might have only been there for 1,500 years, and he spent most of that time filling up his head with other knowledge. We know that if we count his age the same way we would a Man (Aragorn was 87 going on 88), Gandalf is about 2,000 years old.
2 years ago
| 10
He did consider it was the one ring. He spent many years investigating it, traveling to Gondor researching. There are several lesser rings that would resemble the one bilbo had, so there was no reason for him to panic and assume, out of all odds, Bilbo had the one. Also, answer one is technically true, but not so much to this scenario. Sauroman didn’t want anyone else looking for the ring, because he was looking for it so, he, being a master of ring lore, convinced Gandalf and I believe the white council that it was swept out to the Anduin and was lost years ago. Lastly, not anyone wearing the ring could use it’s true effects. Bilbo could not have influenced anyone’s mind using the ring. The only people who could have possibly wielded the ring to the effect of sauroman would be other Miair like Gandalf and Sauroman, or really powerful elves like the Lady Galadriel. If any of them were to put on the one ring, they would not go invisible like bilbo or Frodo, because they already possess great power.
2 years ago
| 49
He was aware of the possibility but thought it was more likely to be one of Celebrimbor’s lesser rings that were kind of like practice rings or rough sketches to what he’d later make.
2 years ago
| 8
That theory about the ring effecting his thoughts is fire 🔥! But I gotta go with #1. Saruman the Stinky ruined it for everyone!!
2 years ago
| 15
I think deep down he knew all along, but was just afraid to accept it.
2 years ago
| 3
Gandalf answers this exact question in the book, he listened to the counsel of Saruman that the ring had been carried down river, into the sea and lost forever.
2 years ago
| 1
He did strongly suspect it for many years, but as there were no clear and good options what to do with the Ring, other than to let it remain relatively hidden in Bilbo's keeping, that's what he chose. If it hadn't been for Gollum giving up "Baggins" and "The Shire" to Sauron, after endless torture, and news that The Nine had been sent out to find the Ring, Gandalf would probably have let it stay in Bilbo's (and eventually Frodo's) keeping indefinitely. Out of so many bad and risky options to consider, this was the least bad and risky in Gandalf's mind as long as the enemy was unaware that the Ring had been found.
2 years ago | 2
Book says he trusted Saruman when he said the one was at the bottom of the ocean by now and thought it was a lesser ring. It’s why he was praying that writing didn’t show up when it was chucked in a fire
2 years ago | 0
I thought perhaps Gandalf did think it was or at least could be the one ring, but given what he knew about it and that Sauron and his agents would be looking for it, he kept the secret to himself as a precaution against it being found by the bad guys.
2 years ago | 1
There are many rings of various levels of importance, not just the three, seven, nine, and one. It’s way more likely that Bilbo found some lesser ring than the one ring. Assuming Bilbo had the one ring would be like learning my friend has a plane and assuming it’s the original Wright Flyer. It’s a very remote possibility.
2 years ago | 1
It was stated in the books that Gandalf didn’t want to go to middle earth because of his fear of Sauron. So not believing it was the one ring out of fear is the much accurate answer!
2 years ago | 0
He did consider it. Gandalf had been researching the ring since the Hobbit when he wasn't performing his mission.
2 years ago | 0
The Grey Havens
Question: As Gandalf knew about Bilbo's magic ring for 60+ years, why do you think he didn't suspect it was likely the One Ring? 🤔
2 years ago | [YT] | 514