Concerning the spying missions of Gandalf.

[Turin Bane of Glaurung]

I read somewhere about Gandalf going on spying missions can anyone help me with this,give me a little information about it. I was just really interested and wanted to learn more.

Thnx in advance. Turin

[Lord of Angmar]

Are you referring to his entrance into Dol-Guldur? He went to "spy" and see if the Necromancer was in fact the Dark Lord Sauron come back to wage war once again upon Middle-earth. I cannot think of any other "spy missions," unless you mean tracking down Gollum.

[Turin Bane of Glaurung]

yes, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Turin

[Finwe]

The White Council probably sent him on "spying missions" because he was best suited to the job. The other members would stand out too much (Can you see Galadriel sneaking into a dungeon?), and Gandalf was already used to appearing much more ordinary than he really was.

[Oroaranion]

On Gandalf's 'spying missions' for Sméagol, he enlisted the help of Aragorn, and other Rangers. It was Aragorn who discovered Gollum, in the Dead Marshes after his 'escape' from Mordor.

[doug*platypus]

Well, he's been to the southern parts of Middle-Earth. When Faramir gives his names, he is called Incánus in the south, Tharkûn to the Dwarves... I figure that he travelled all over the show looking for people that he could stir up against Sauron.

My guess is that he didn't have any luck at all in the south, despite the fact that some at least of Near Harad was formerly at peace with Gondor. Must have been pretty dangerous missions, if you ask me. I wonder if Aragorn went with him, or he went on his own?

Dol Guldur and the finding of Thráin was definitely his most famous spy mission. Very James Bond.

[Joy]

My guess is that he didn't have any luck at all in the south, despite the fact that some at least of Near Harad was formerly at peace with Gondor. Must have been pretty dangerous missions, if you ask me. I wonder if Aragorn went with him, or he went on his own?

I don't know if he went with Gandalf or not, but Aragorn does say something in RotK about being where the "stars are strange." This indicates that he had at least been "south of the equator" at some point.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 12:30 AM January 05, 2004: Message edited by: Joy ]

[lindil]

Somewhere in the Letters, or perhaps in another source I have completelty forgotten, JRRT says that he wrote a 'Journeies of Gandalf' and a 'Journeys of Aragorn', but lost them!!!

Along with the unfinished Lay of Leithien, the also unfinished Of Tuor, the never written Earendil saga [we have only various synopsi and Bilbo's effort] these two lost writings certainly represent the saddest gaps in the Legendarium I can think of.

Of course what was lost may one day be found!

Anyone familiar with the source quote please post it!

[Finwe]

Everything lost is meant to be found. (Kudos to my hero, Lara Croft! smilies/wink.gif)

What would the purpose of Gandalf's spy missions have been? Could he be trying to undo what Sauron's emissaries started? That seems like a logical idea, but I don't quite think that the Free Peoples would readily welcome Easterling and Southron allies.

[lindil]

Perhaps to see what those Blue Wizards where up to!

Or to check on Saruman.

Doug, iIrc, Incanus is Quenya, and the South means Gondor, although it must have been an alternate to Mithrandir amongst the learned and noble.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 12:41 PM January 05, 2004: Message edited by: lindil ]