Gandalf: the Unilateral Coalition Builder

[Eruanna]

Thanks for the link to the other thread Boromir, an interesting discussion.

Originally posted by Davem:
Its almost as if the Istari had a tendency to take control - perhaps their sense of having a 'mission' from their superiors affected them more deeply & gave them a greater sense of driving urgency than we generally think?

I think you're spot on here. The Istari are powerful beings, but their mission is to guide and help others, not to control them. They are not allowed to reveal themselves or their powers to their full extent (almost like having one hand tied behind their backs) It must have been very frustrating!
However, Gandalf uses his powers to 'nudge' people in the right direction. He 'multi-tasks' throughout the tale, not only orchestrating Sauron's demise but helping all of the 'good' people to achieve their destinies. Although he occasionally gets exasperated with his companions he does not seek to force them to follow his advice. As a consequence he is much loved and respected as one of the wise.
Saruman, on the other hand does not use his power to advise or help, but uses it to dominate others. He is ruthless in achieving his own desires, in direct conflict with 'the mission'.