Radagast a slacker? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Morsul the Dark · 08-09-2004, 12:23 AM

Searched and found not the answer

If Radagast cared so much for birds and beasts and forests why was he not in fangorn fighting with the ents?

Was he so simple not to know Saruman cutting down the forest or was he so remarkably busy that he didn't bother showinfg up or is he as I am beginning to believe a slacker?

I doubt Tolkien wrote him in just to send Gandalf a message from Saruman that would do very little for the story but make another wizard to be pondered

dancing spawn of ungoliant · 08-09-2004, 07:04 AM

Hooom, let us not be hasty. Radagast dwelt in Rhosgobel near Mirkwood. The center of the coming war was going to be Gondor but times were hard in the north too. The inhabitants of Lake Town and Mirkwood had to deal with orcs and it wasn't safe to wander in the wilderness by oneself.

There may have been many reasons, why Radagast didn't go. The Ents' decision to go to war came quite suddenly. He couldn't have travelled such a long distance in time to charge with the Ents. One reason could indeed have been that he didn't know, what Saruman was busying himself with. Or maybe he was scared and didn't want to stick his nose into Saruman's business. And after all, what he could have done? A humble child of nature against the head of the White Council. That doesn't seem very convincing to me.

Morsul the Dark · 08-09-2004, 08:08 AM

I do stilll however Lack an understandig of why put Radagast in for one part this is one of the few times I prefer the movie version to the book afterall all Radagast did was send Gwaihir to Isengard then was gone forever we could have skipped this odd charactor and did a strange moth scene which confused me less than a random charactor appearence

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 08-09-2004, 09:55 AM

Radagast shows that even Maiar aren't perfect. Though I, for one, quite enjoy his little cameo appearance.

Morsul the Dark · 08-09-2004, 09:59 AM

I do as well and I like Radagast which is one of he reasons it saddens me he doesnt appear again

Boromir88 · 08-09-2004, 10:08 AM

Maybe Radagast didn't know what Saruman was up to. When Radagast reported to Gandalf that Saruman wanted to see him, Radagast had no clue what Saruman was going to do. Gandalf even said if he noticed something wrong with Radagast he wouldn't have gone, or would have gone more cautiously. So, Radagast was clueless to what Saruman was up to. Spawn of Ungoliant brings up a nice point, how would Radagast be able to get to Fangorn in such a short time. The only possibility I see is use Haldir's elves transporter beam the used in the movie, TTT, to get to Helm's deep in a few hours. "Beam me up Haldir!" Also, who knows, maybe Radagast was helping Thranduil fight his wars.

Not much was said on Alatar and Pallando, only that they went into the East and stirred up cults. Who knows what they did beside that? They could have unintentionally helped fight against Sauron, by stirring up cults they could have dragged people away from joining his army. This is only speculation on my part.

Beserker_Warrior · 09-10-2004, 09:22 PM

It says in Book 1 of the trilogy that Radagast was simple( at least I think so, correct me if I'm wrong) and that he was content to be with the animals and had no knowledge of Saruman's doings.

08-09-2004, 12:23 AM	#1
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	Radagast a slacker? Searched and found not the answer If Radagast cared so much for birds and beasts and forests why was he not in fangorn fighting with the ents? Was he so simple not to know Saruman cutting down the forest or was he so remarkably busy that he didn't bother showinfg up or is he as I am beginning to believe a slacker? I doubt Tolkien wrote him in just to send Gandalf a message from Saruman that would do very little for the story but make another wizard to be pondered __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

08-09-2004, 07:04 AM	#2
dancing spawn of ungoliant Mischievous Candle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: So near to Russia, so far from Japan, quite a long way from Cairo, lots of miles from Vietnam. Posts: 1,234	Hooom, let us not be hasty. Radagast dwelt in Rhosgobel near Mirkwood. The center of the coming war was going to be Gondor but times were hard in the north too. The inhabitants of Lake Town and Mirkwood had to deal with orcs and it wasn't safe to wander in the wilderness by oneself. There may have been many reasons, why Radagast didn't go. The Ents' decision to go to war came quite suddenly. He couldn't have travelled such a long distance in time to charge with the Ents. One reason could indeed have been that he didn't know, what Saruman was busying himself with. Or maybe he was scared and didn't want to stick his nose into Saruman's business. And after all, what he could have done? A humble child of nature against the head of the White Council. That doesn't seem very convincing to me. __________________ Fenris Wolf

08-09-2004, 08:08 AM	#3
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	I do stilll however Lack an understandig of why put Radagast in for one part this is one of the few times I prefer the movie version to the book afterall all Radagast did was send Gwaihir to Isengard then was gone forever we could have skipped this odd charactor and did a strange moth scene which confused me less than a random charactor appearence __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

08-09-2004, 09:55 AM	#4
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	Radagast shows that even Maiar aren't perfect. Though I, for one, quite enjoy his little cameo appearance. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

08-09-2004, 09:59 AM	#5
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	I do as well and I like Radagast which is one of he reasons it saddens me he doesnt appear again __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

08-09-2004, 10:08 AM	#6
Boromir88 Laconic Loreman Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: USA Posts: 7,507	Maybe, he didn't know Maybe Radagast didn't know what Saruman was up to. When Radagast reported to Gandalf that Saruman wanted to see him, Radagast had no clue what Saruman was going to do. Gandalf even said if he noticed something wrong with Radagast he wouldn't have gone, or would have gone more cautiously. So, Radagast was clueless to what Saruman was up to. Spawn of Ungoliant brings up a nice point, how would Radagast be able to get to Fangorn in such a short time. The only possibility I see is use Haldir's elves transporter beam the used in the movie, TTT, to get to Helm's deep in a few hours. "Beam me up Haldir!" Also, who knows, maybe Radagast was helping Thranduil fight his wars. Not much was said on Alatar and Pallando, only that they went into the East and stirred up cults. Who knows what they did beside that? They could have unintentionally helped fight against Sauron, by stirring up cults they could have dragged people away from joining his army. This is only speculation on my part.

09-10-2004, 09:22 PM	#7
Beserker_Warrior Pile O'Bones Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: a hidden fastness of mirkwood elves Posts: 12	I think that Radagast wasn't a slacker It says in Book 1 of the trilogy that Radagast was simple( at least I think so, correct me if I'm wrong) and that he was content to be with the animals and had no knowledge of Saruman's doings. __________________ Beserker