When the battle began everyone was shrieking and screaming, soldiers looked scared, but when Gandalf rallied them they followed and fought against the Orc armies.
Gandalf seemed so confident and not scared or shaken at all. Why is this?
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1An interesting question. It's one thing, to display personal bravery; it's quite another, to lead an army of soldiers to battle against an apparently much stronger enemy. Gandalf seemed to have done both.– anemoneCommented Nov 9, 2015 at 10:33
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1Um, because he is immortal? What is there to be afraid of?– Mark AdlerCommented Nov 9, 2015 at 21:43
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1A lot of things Mark Adler– FingolfinCommented Nov 10, 2015 at 1:18
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@Mark Adler He might not have to fear old age, but I'm fairly certain an orc scimitar in his guts would kill him just as easily as any of the Minas Tirith defenders.– Nu'DaqCommented Nov 10, 2015 at 2:18
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1@MarkAdler: More than fearing for his own personal safety, Gandalf is likely to fear failure. If Gandalf's plans fail, Sauron enslaves everybody, forever. Gandalf is notable for his compassion, so this would worry him.– Royal Canadian BanditCommented Nov 10, 2015 at 9:39
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2 Answers
For a Combination of Reasons
There are many reasons why Gandalf appears so brave during the battle, some obvious, others less so.
Gandalf is a hero
In almost every adventure story ever written, the hero is brave and steadfast in the face of mortal danger (or at least appears to be). That's what heroes do.
The story contrasts Gandalf's bravery with the despair felt by Denethor, who gives up hope, abandons his responsibilities, and prepares to commit suicide (and take his injured son Faramir with him). That's why Gandalf is a hero, and Denethor is (at best) a tragic victim.
He is a brave individual
Throughout his earlier appearances in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf's outstanding characteristics include courage and resourcefulness. Even for a hero, he is not easy to frighten.
An example is Gandalf's stand against the Balrog in Moria -- he knows it is extremely dangerous and may kill him, but he still stays behind and fights to give his companions a chance to escape.
He possesses one of the Three Rings
Gandalf is the keeper of Narya, the Ring of Fire, which is one of the three Elf-Rings, and said to give strength and courage to those who possess it.
He has already died once
He (effectively) died fighting the Balrog in Moria, but was sent back to complete his task. This might give one a different perspective on personal danger.
He is an angel
Tolkien's notes in The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales make it clear that Gandalf is one of the immortal race of beings known as the Maiar (singular Maia), sent to Middle Earth to oppose Sauron. Gandalf is not human, and has much greater wisdom and power than any human being.
He may have been scared, but not shown it
In the film Return of the King, Gandalf tells Pippin before the battle that he has "not yet been tested" against the Witch-King of Angmar (the chief Ringwraith). At this time, Gandalf definitely sounds worried.
In a scene during the battle (which appears in the extended DVD editions), Gandalf confronts the Witch-King, who breaks Gandalf's staff and looks as though he may be able to defeat him. At this point, Gandalf does look afraid. Fortunately for him, the Riders of Rohan arrive at this moment and the Witch-King flies off to deal with them.
Conclusion
Of all people in Middle-Earth at that time, Gandalf was one of the most capable of displaying courage and leadership to oppose Sauron's attack on Minas Tirith. Through a combination of good luck, good planning, and fate/destiny, he was in the right place at the right time to lead the defence and save the city.
answered Nov 9, 2015 at 9:47
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I knew everything but the elvenring part. Thanks a lot. Moreover, in which content may I find these details ? Commented Nov 9, 2015 at 11:45
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Gandalf's elven ring is mentioned in the book of Return of the King. Commented Nov 9, 2015 at 12:13
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@LudovicZenohateLagouardette en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Rings#Narya too Commented Nov 9, 2015 at 23:09
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Let's not forget he's also thousands of years old. After that kind of while you've probably seen enough craziness to keep your cool most of the time.– Misha RCommented Nov 10, 2015 at 9:22
I speak of Tolkien, not New Line.
Yes to Royal Canadian Bandit's answer, and also Gandalf the White is not vulnerable to ordinary physical weapons. From The Two Towers, Book III, Chapter 5, "The White Rider":
He stepped down from the rock, and picking up his grey cloak wrapped it about him: it seemed as if the sun had been shining, but now was hid in cloud again. 'Yes, you may still call me Gandalf,' he said, and the voice was the voice of their old friend and guide. 'Get up, my good Gimli! No blame to you, and no harm done to me. Indeed my friends, none of you have any weapon that could hurt me. Be merry! We meet again. At the turn of the tide. The great storm is coming, but the tide has turned.'
Gandalf the White has nothing personally to fear from all the physical weapons being bandied about in the Pelennor Fields.
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