Questions tagged [saruman]
Saruman is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkiens' middle-earth. He is a wizard, an Istari, and lived in Isengard in the Tower of Orthanc. He was the leader of the White Council until he was corrupted by his quest for power. Use this tag for questions about this character, not those that merely mention him. Always use in conjunction with the [tolkiens-legendarium] and [lord-of-the-rings] tags.
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What did Saruman's ring do? [duplicate]
Saruman was a loremaster who delved deep into the lore of the rings. He was of Aulë's maiar, so knew much of making. Eventually he crafted himself a Ring which he hoped would give him power, maybe not ...
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In the Scouring of the Shire, why doesn't Saruman make more of an effort to organize his troops? [closed]
After Frodo et al. return, there are two fights with Saruman's thugs, a skirmish and a battle. In neither case do the thugs have any effective leadership: the book remarks on the absence of anyone ...
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Did the Istari arrive in Middle Earth simultaneously? [duplicate]
From the wiki it is said that Saruman and one of the blue wizards came first, followed by Gandalf. Later Radagast and the other Blue wizard was sent.
Was this arrival practically simultaneous ("...
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Why didn't Gandalf have spies just like Saruman?
In The Fellowship of the Ring we see the Gap of Rohan being constantly watched by Dunland's Crebains (crows) which Saruman used as spies. So, when Gandalf was reborn as Gandalf the White, or even ...
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How powerful is Saruman's Ring ( which he made himself )? [duplicate]
In the books, Saruman forges a Ring and wears it along with a shimmering cloak. This is known when Saruman reveals it to Gandalf. As the title implies, how powerful is this Ring ?
It must be noted ...
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When did Saruman discover Isildur's remains?
Gandalf tipped Saruman off at the White Council in 2851, by encouraging an attack on Dol Guldur. Saruman overrules him and begins to search the Gladden Fields. In 2939 Sauron's servants are searching ...
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Why didn't Saruman break Gandalf's staff on Orthanc as Gandalf broke Saruman's?
In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers after becoming Gandalf the White, Gandalf cast Saruman from the Order and the Council. He also got the power to break Saruman's staff, which was very powerful. ...
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What would have happened to Saruman if Sauron acquired the One Ring?
This question is the opposite of another one. The other question asks "What would happen to Saruman if he got the One Ring?" and this one asks what would happen to Saruman if Sauron got the ...
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Does Saruman invade Rohan to please Sauron, or is it a desperate last-ditch attempt to recover the ring?
I don't really understand most of the politics of Sauron and Saruman during the time-period between the departure of the fellowship from Lórien and the moment where Aragorn shows himself in Orthanc's ...
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What version of the LoTR film shows Gandalf breaking Saruman's staff?
In the book version, Gandalf confronts Saruman and declares "Your staff is broken," at which point Saruman's staff shatters.
I just re-watched the movie version on DVD, and that scene isn't shown. ...
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How was Isengard run before Saruman's creation of Uruk-Hai?
How was Isengard run before Saruman's creation of Uruk-Hai?
This extract of the book got me curious:
Late one evening I came to the gate, like a great arch in the wall of rock; and it was strongly ...
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Did Saruman break the Istari's charge to 'inspire not fight'?
I've seen plenty of talk about Gandalf, but do any of the things Saruman did during the course of the books break the rules of direct interference?
Off the top of my head:
He imprisoned Gandalf
He ...
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Why is Saruman so reluctant to leave Orthanc?
Not for Saruman, apparently, ever to endure the hardships of the road or always be a guest in someone else's house. And he also needs to run a few experiments. So he sets up a home.
However, how can ...
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Why didn't the phantom of Saruman do anything when he saw the travellers on the borders of Fangorn?
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli see Saruman's phantom while camping outside Fangorn forest, just after the battle between Uglúk's company and the Riders of Rohan.
Who does he think he sees and why does he ...
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Why were Sauron and Saruman not considered Balrogs?
Balrogs are Maiar who were corrupted by Melkor to become evil. Sauron was also a Maia who was corrupted by Melkor and became evil, and Saruman was a Maia who was corrupted by Sauron to become evil. ...
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What were Saruman's most despicable deeds, and which is the worst?
"If that was so, it was a shameful deed; but not his (Saruman's) worst."
Unfinished Tales - Part III, The Third Age: The Disaster of the Gladden Fields
Saruman, in his 'fall from grace', ...
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Why did Saruman attack Helms Deep instead of capturing Edoras?
Saruman built an army breeding goblins with orcs to make Urukhai and started up forges and training at Isengard as well as improved its defenses. Then to counter Rohan the nearest threat, he built up ...
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How large were Saruman's and Sauron's armies?
I was pondering about Saruman's role as an opportunist ally of Sauron, when I realized that I had absolutely no idea how strong his army was compared to Sauron. We know Saruman fielded an impressive ...
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Did Saruman know about the Ents?
When Saruman began fortifying Isengard and cutting down all the trees in the vicinity to fuel his construction, was he totally unaware of the Ents?
When they attacked, they made pretty quick work of ...
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Why does Saruman explain the origin of the Orcs to the Uruk-hai chief?
In the Fellowship movie, Saruman gives a long speech to the (newly created) Uruk-hai chief about how the Orcs first came into being and then proceeds to ask him about his loyalty. Why does he do this?
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What were Saruman's original intentions, and how did they change over time?
The discussion sparked by this question led to a suggestion that I open a separate question on a related subject. Sauron started out good, became bad, briefly repented, the went full-on evil. ...
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Why didn't Gandalf know what the Palantir was?
In the book The Two Towers, Gandalf is puzzled as to how Saruman had been communicating with Sauron. Grima Wormtongue, rather conveniently, then throws Saruman's Palantir out the window of Orthanc, ...
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What information did Saruman have access to that helped him learn the arts of the Enemy?
Saruman is said to have long studied the arts of the enemy. Do these arts consist solely of Ring lore? Or do they consist of other evil technologies/sorceries that Sauron invented?
If he had ...
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Where is Saruman's many colored cloak referenced?
What are the specific references in Lord of the Rings to Saruman having a many colored cloak ?
I have only found the one instance of the description of Saruman when he appears on the balcony in Book ...
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Why did Saruman seem to believe that Sauron wouldn't return?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, when Gandalf is meeting with Saruman, Galadriel and Elrond in Rivendell, they are discussing the Necromancer. When Gandalf suggests that it is Sauron returning, ...
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How could Saruman lose the battle of Helm's Deep?
Saruman isn't stupid. In fact, he's called Saruman the Wise, so he must have known a thing or two about strategy. In the Battle of Helm's Deep/Battle of the Hornburg, according to this wiki, 10 000 ...
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Why did Saruman lose his power after he was banished from Orthanc?
Saruman was strong enough to defeat Gandalf the Grey, but upon banishment from Orthanc and his taking over of the Shire he seemed like nothing more than a normal old man. He apparently retained his ...
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What would have happened if Saruman had gotten the One Ring?
If the Uruk Army sent by Saruman had captured Frodo and had gotten the One Ring to Saruman, what would Saruman have done with it? Would he have given the Ring back to Sauron or would he have kept the ...
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Why does Saruman change his mind?
In Lord of the Rings, Saruman The White, the eldest of the Wizards and their chieftain, joins with Sauron instead of helping people fight against Sauron. What is the reason for him losing faith in ...
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Would Gandalf have been promoted to the White if he had not fought the Balrog?
Gandalf was promoted to a White wizard after his body was destroyed in the battle with the Balrog.
This was done mainly to replace Saruman as he had joined Sauron (or at least swayed significantly ...
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Did Saruman continue to exist as an ethereal Maiar after he was murdered?
Inspired by What was Saruman the White's purpose?
The Istari are Maiar in corporeal form - it seems evident that some aspect of the Istari continues after the death of their corporeal (and can ...
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What was Saruman the White's purpose?
Every wizard in The Lord of the Rings obviously had a purpose to be sent to Middle-earth, with Gandalf's being to help out in the defeat of Sauron and Morgoth's forces, etc. However, because Saruman ...
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What did Saruman mean by "Something festers in the heart of Middle-earth"?
In the extended version of the movie "The Return of the King", Saruman tells Gandalf from above Orthanc:
"Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth, something you have not yet seen. But the ...
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Why does Gandalf say he is Saruman when he comes back as 'Gandalf The White'?
I've tried looking up why Gandalf claims to be Saruman but I keep finding things saying 'Gandalf is trying to show that he is as Saruman should have been - how he shouldn't be corrupt' is this correct?...
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Dagor Dagorath - Is there any indication of who may return?
As you know, this is the apocolyptic event which occurs at the end of LOTR. I've been searching non-stop but simply cannot find if any from say, War of the Ring will return. People like Gandalf, The ...
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What will Saruman The White's role be in The Desolation of Smaug?
I was wondering if anyone has any insight on this? As far as I'm aware, The White Council did attack Dol Guldur, But will Saruman be leading this attack and do you think he'll have quite a big role in ...
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Did Saruman copy from Radagast?
We know that, although publicly he scorned Gandalf, Saruman copied him and also smoked, and imitated Sauron, as often said in The Lord of the Rings. But I just saw a quote about Radagast, saying that
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Was Wormtongue's betrayal due to his his desire for Éowyn or due to the Voice of Saruman?
Wormtongue was a traitor, and yet in the Lord of the Rings it is suggested that this was not always so. Furthermore, it is known that he desires Éowyn. When Gandalf says,
"How long is it since ...
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In 'The Hobbit: AUJ', why is Gandalf submissive in Saruman's presence?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie, Gandalf appears particularly subdued/submissive in Saruman's presence during their meeting at Rivendell. Why is this so? Is it simply because Saruman is of ...
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In Rivendell, did Saruman try to use his "Voice" on Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), when the company arrive to Rivendell, Gandalf is asked to attend a surprise reunion with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman the White. Saruman then opposes ...
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Was Saruman's secret plan settled when he meet Gandalf in Rivendell?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), when the company arrive to Rivendell, Gandalf is asked to attend a surprise reunion with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman the White. Saruman then opposes ...
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Why does Gandalf seek counsel from Saruman about the One Ring after leaving Frodo in the Shire?
We know that Saruman bore ill-will toward Gandalf for millennia before the events of The Lord of the Rings. It began with their arrival in Middle Earth when Cirdan gives Narya to Gandalf, or at least ...
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Saruman in the Shire: how long had he been planning it?
I am trying to understand the actions of Saruman in the Shire. I will refer to the chronology of Appendix B of the Return of the King. All dates are relative to the Third Age.
Frodo leaves Bag End on ...
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Why does Saruman travel to Fangorn forest?
When Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas find the dead bodies of the orcs that they had pursued to the edge of Fangorn, they see an old man robed in white:
Suddenly Gimli looked up, and there just on the ...
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How does a Wizard change his colour?
During the LOTR we see Gandalf change from 'Gandalf the Grey' to 'Gandalf the White' and we see 'Saruman the White' change to 'Saruman the Many-coloured'.
What does this mean and how and why does it ...
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Prior to having many colors, was Saruman always white?
Both Gandalf the Grey and Saruman the White changed colors in the LOTR series. Did any of Tolkien's works ever state that prior to having many colors Saruman was always white?
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Did Saruman or Wormtongue cast a spell on Theoden?
Did Wormtongue cast a spell on Theoden, or administer potions from Saruman, or was it just his (deliberately) bad counsel that caused Theoden to sink into dotage before Gandalf healed him?
In the ...
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Why didn't Saruman take Narya from Gandalf?
We know that Gandalf was given Narya, the Ring of Fire (one of the Elven three), by Círdan the Shipwright.
When Saruman imprisoned Gandalf, why did he not attempt to take the ring from him? It would ...
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Did Sauron give any care to Saruman or was he just a pawn?
Did Sauron make any sort of promise or guarantee to Saruman to gain his fealty? Did Saruman consider himself an equal to Sauron?
He seemed to control a reasonable Orc army, but were they actually ...
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What happened to Saruman's ring in the Fourth Age?
After Gandalf defeated Saruman, what happened to Saruman's Ring? Was it destroyed? Did it still have power, and was it wielded by him or others?
Was this a topic in one of Tolkien's work, or was it ...
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