January 14, 2004

The Blue Wizards
Elendur

In answer to -, you probably already know about everything I'm going to say here because I'm guessing that you found the names of the Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallando, in the chapter "The Istari" in the Unfinished Tales, and most of this is from that chapter.

For those of you who don't know: The Istari, or Wizards, are Maiar who were sent by the Valar to answer the threat of Sauron. They had to take human bodies, which greatly diminished their power. The were sent to guide, not to rule. A lot can be said about the Istari, especially Olorin(Gandalf) and Curumo*(Saruman) ,but we know very little about the Blue Wizards.

Their names are Alatar and Pallando**. They are Maiar of Orome. Their rank is not known, except that they are part of the 5*** chief Istari that came to the North of Middle-Earth, and they are below "the White". Alatar was one of the first two Maiar to volunteer to come to Middle-Earth. He took Pallando with him as a friend. After their arrival in Middle-Earth, nothing is known for sure about them except this:

"... they passed into the East with Curinar, but they never returned, and whether they remained in the East, pursuing there the purposes for which they were sent; or perished; or as some hold were insnared by Sauron and became his servants, is not now known."

But Tolkien had a guess:

"I think they went as emissaries to distant regions, East and South, far out of Numenorean range: Missionaries to enemy-occupied lands, as it were. What success they had I do not know; but I fear that they failed, as Sarumon did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and "magic" traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron."

*This is not a misspelling of Curinar, Sarumans Elvish name. Curumo is his Maia name.

**The first part of Pallando's name may come from "palan", afar.

***Their probably are only 5 Istari.

-Elendur

PS: Anyone who knows or guesses anymore about the Blue Wizards, please post!

PPS: Thankyou anyone who read all the way through this post.