# LOTR: Are the Istari (wizards) fundamentally different than any other of the Maiar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2020, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869 "2020-03-20T04:42:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/21 "2020-03-24T19:25:48Z")
Aretha Franklin as Galadriel. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/22 "2020-03-24T21:19:59Z")
Alatar: There’s 106 miles to Rivendell, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark out, and we’re wearing sunglasses. Pallando: Hit it! ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/23 "2020-03-24T21:40:33Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Aretha Franklin as Galadriel. James Brown as Elrond ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/24 "2020-03-24T22:10:34Z")
I was so hoping that there were nine people in the Blues Brothers Band. But, no, there’s only eight in the film (or ten, if you count Jake and Elwood). ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/25 "2020-03-24T22:19:26Z")
So, Carrie Fisher as Gollum then? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/26 "2020-03-24T23:47:43Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > So, Carrie Fisher as Gollum then? My preciousssss Jake. John Candy as Saruman? “Orc whip? Orc whip? Three orc whips!” ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/27 "2020-03-25T04:59:28Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I was so hoping that there were nine people in the Blues Brothers Band. But, no, there’s only eight in the film (or ten, if you count Jake and Elwood). It’s 9 if you lump in Paul Shafer (or cheat and include Cab Calloway due to the final concert scenes.) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869/28 "2020-03-25T05:45:38Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > It’s 9 if you lump in Paul Shafer (or cheat and include Cab Calloway due to the final concert scenes.) I will accept that as Blues Wizards canon. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-are-the-istari-wizards-fundamentally-different-than-any-other-of-the-maiar/849869.md?page=1)