Gandalf's staff
 

I was just wondering, does any one know how Gandalg got his staff back after he defeats the Balrog?? Or does he make a new one?? I've always wondered but it didn't say how he did it in the books.

I've always assumed that he was given a new staff after he came back to middle earth. After all Gandalf the White should rightly have a different staff then Gandalf the Grey.

I would guess he got a new staff...unless he spent some time carving his old one into his new one while falling after the Balrog...

I always wondered if, you know, maybe Gandalf's soul went back to Illuvatar, and Illuvatar sent Gandalf back to Middle-Earth or something. That could only explain the change from Grey to White, right? I'm not too UP on how that whole thing happened.

My guess would be that Galadriel made a new staff for him, but to be honest I don't have any real reason for it; it just seems to be part of her whole approach to caring for him - sending the Eagles to fetch Gandalf, giving him his new white clothing, getting him back into shape for the outside world, etc [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. And somehow I don't think that making a Wizard's staff would be beyond her talents (she would make it personally, of course, the way she wove the cloaks for the fellowship herself along with her ladies).

The Encyclopedia of Arda speculates that after Gandalf passed, Gwaihir recovered Glamdring, and at that same time, I would assume he retrieved Gandalf's staff too. Pure speculation, but since Gandalf had Glamdring when he came back, it must've been retrieved somehow, and it would seem strange for his sword to be retrieved while his staff was left.

Assuming that Gandalf's staff is wooden, wouldn't it possibly have burned during the fight with the Balrog?

Probably not on the basis that they came from Aman and were more than just a prop for old age.

See here for some thoughts on that matter (and Mhoram's first post... coming to the board with a post agreeing with me, way to go).

[ November 22, 2002: Message edited by: Sharkû ]

just on a tangent---

My guess would be that Galadriel made a new staff for him, but to be honest I don't have any real reason for it; it just seems to be part of her whole approach to caring for him - sending the Eagles to fetch Gandalf, giving him his new white clothing, getting him back into shape for the outside world, etc

off the top of my head kalimac, wasn't it radagast the brown who sent the eagles to gandalf? gandalf told radagast to send him word at orthanc when they met in the forest and radagast relayed saruman's summons. so i thought radagast sent the eagles to bring gandalf tidings, thereby acquitting himself of any treachery wrt saruman's.

not really related to the thread, of course [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]...

Speaking of Gandalf's body being fetched from Moria, not Orthanc.

I think that he made his own one, with a nice white jewel on the top, like a mock-up Silmiril. I don’t know why I think this, but question: Gandalf the white is always shinning, where does the shine come from?

Actually no that’s probably completely wrong. The glow could well have come from his cloths (if Galadriel can make cloths that are totally unnoticeable then I am sure she can make some very obvious one too). I agree Galadriel might have made it, but I don’t think that there is really much importance in the staff, the power came from Gandalf not his props.