All of the Wizards were Maiar. And there were originally five, not three. The two Blue Wizards disappeared into the eastern lands beyond Mordor.
must have cookies. brb
I read the books long before seeing the movies (so I haven’t answered your poll), but, so far as I can recall, even the LOTR books never really make it clear what Sauron is (or, come to that, Gandalf and Saruman, or the balrog). I don’t think you learn about Maiar and Eru, and all that unless you read the Silmarillion. (IIRC, the Valar are mentioned in LOTR - certainly some of the individual ones are - but I don’t think it is ever made very clear what they are.)
Do it often and send for covered bees?
OK, Skald you’re going on my list!
Oh, wait, you’re already on it.
dammit.
And quit stealing my shtick!
Not comparing, just using Voldy as a point of reference. And I thought he was a human.
You thought Sauron was a mouse?! :eek:
Don’t have the books on hand right now, and didn’t vote in the poll, but I think somewhere in the Lord of the Rings someone describes Sauron as a Balrog. Legolas?
I couldn’t figure out from the LOTR what a balrog was, let alone who/what Saruon was. It was the reason I decided to read the Silmarillion a second time, after giving up on the first try.
He got better.
I did not participate in the poll, for I read the books long before the films were made.
I believed Sauron to be a human wizard until I read the Simarrilion, however you spell it, and noticed Skald’s long, bori…(eyes throwing axe)…informative and fascinating posts.
Like Gandalf but badder.
“Sauron is people!”
:: glances sidesways at Monkey Chews while loading shotgun ::
I’m sorry, did you say something?
I’ve read the book, so I answered on behalf of my wife - evil Human Sorcerer, apparently. This would be because she knows the trope from e.g. Star Wars and the like.
I think it’s deliberate that the book doesn’t reveal what Sauron, Gandalf, Saruman, and the Balrog were. Part of its basic conceit is that it was written mostly by Bilbo (Book I was his composition, based on his interviews with the four younger hobbits and Aragon in Imladris); Frodo (all of Books II-IV, and most of Book Vi) and Sam (the end of VI), with some interpolations by Gondorian scholars and by Merry. I don’t think any of those knew the true natures of Gandalf et al. The Elves probably did, and Aragorn may have, but they weren’t involved in the composition.
It should be noted that one or two of the appendixes hint at the identity of the wizards, if not Sauron, saying clearly that they are not men. I’m not sure if the word ‘Maiar’ appears.
As for when I first read the book, it seemed that the wizards were more than human in some indefinable way, and certainly Sauron seemed more-than-wizard. Like a super wizard.
[quote=“Regallag_The_Axe, post:37, topic:603059”]
It should be noted that one or two of the appendixes hint at the identity of the wizards, if not Sauron, saying clearly that they are not men. I’m not sure if the word ‘Maiar’ appears.
[quote]
I’m almost sure it doesn’t, but I haven’t the book at hand. Anyway, the Appendices were not composed by hobbits (even in the false document conceit). The Tale of Aragorn & Arwen (or is it Arwen & Aragorn) is clearly the work of a 4th Age Gondorian scholar, and the brief bit about the Dwarves’ war with the Orcs over Moria may well be Gimli’s work. I should’ve mentioned that above, but I was distracted by
:: takes moment to think up lie ::
Welshmen.
I hate it when that happens.
If you change that quick to “Welsh women…specifically Catherine Zeta-Jones”, they’ll probably buy it.