What's in a Staff?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Well, as it is that point is moot since Saruman's rant prove beyond reasonable doubt all five Istari carried staffs, wouldn't you say? If not, Saruman's metaphor would make little sense.

I was mainly addressing the question of whether they all had the staffs upon arrival, with them being made of some 'enchanted' Valinorean wood, as posited here.

[skip spence]

Aha, I see.

Haven't read the whole thread and don't know if this has been brought up but one thing to consider in connection to this is Gandalf's second staff, the one he held as G the White after his previous one was broken in Moria.

Now as I understand it, Gandalf *died* and was sent back again. A question to ponder is whether this coming and going only concerns his soul, ie that his soul left the body which remained on the mountainside and then was sent back, or if he was actually reincarnated or healed bodily in Valinor (or elsewhere) and then physically brought back. If the former is true, which is what I would favour, his new Gandalf the White staff would presumably have been fashioned by wood from the realm of Lorien and not out of the Undying Land.

Hm. As I'm writing I seem to remember that he was sent back naked though, wasn't he? That would indicate that his physical body made the mystical journey, unless his last act before collapsing in a heap on the ground was uncloaking Then he could have had a new magical staff with him too I suppose as a staff can't possibly be considered a piece of clothing.