Saruman's death

[Findegil]

The paralle to Saurons final deembodyment is stricing, but I think it is missleading.

The fea of Sauron we see grasping for the western parts of Middle-Earth, while Saruman is praying to the outermost west (Valinor), I would say.

The death of Gandalf at Celebdil is a better parallel. After his return Gandalf confirmes, that he was outside space and time. This can in the context of Middle-Earth only mean that he was with Eru. Thus his death was very similar to the death of mortal men, which is fitting since we are told that the Istari came to Middel-Earth in the form of mortal men.

If that is true for Gandalf, I don't see why it should be otherwise for Saruman. The difference is probably that Saruman was very reluctant and tried to aviod this fate by a prayer to Manwe to let him return to Valinor, while Gandalf seemed to except it.

By the way: Sauron was not pushed outside the world into the void. He was reduced to a spirt unable to effect the physical world but oblidge to stay in Eä until the end. There were only 6 cases in which Ainur were premitted to leave Eä before it final end and in all 6 cases Eru himself was involved: Morgoth after the defeat at the end of the First Age and the Istari.

Respectfully
Findegil