The Istari in their 'Mortal Guises'

[BornOutOfTheWest]

Just something I've been wondering about recently...

I was thinking about how the Istari are really Maia and how they took on 'mortal bodies' when they came to Middle earth. Now, we know their purpose was to aid the free peoples against the rise of Sauron, without directly taking control and leading them. However, what I have wondered was whether they were allowed or even able to cast aside these bodies and show their true angelic nature. Now I know that this would have gone against their directive in coming to middle earth but were they even able to show their true power.

A couple of things that made me wonder this were ( if they were able to 'shed' their bodies):

• Why didn't Saruman reveal his true power by casting off his fleshly body after his betrayal? Surely, he would have been able to manifest more power in his Maia form or was it simply that he would be able to control his servants more effectively as a 'man'.

• Why doesn't Gandalf cast off his fleshly body in his battle against the Balrog? Surely he may have been in a stronger position if he had?

I may just be completely wrong about this and sorry if I'm barking up the wrong end of the tree. Any suggestions?

 

[Elizabeth]

In his essay, "The Istari" (Unfinished Tales), Tolkien writes, "For with the consent of Eru [the Valar] sent members of their own high order, but clad in the bodies of Men, real, not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain; though because of their noble spirits they did not die, and aged only by the cares and labours of many long years." (emphasis mine)

To me, the italicized phrases above make it clear that their incarnation was for the duration of their mission, and in no way optional. Indeed, after Gandalf died, he was "sent back". Your point is well taken, that if Gandalf could have asserted more power against the Balrog, he would have. He clearly gave the fight everything he had, far more than a real Man could have, and ultimately even his life.

As for Saruman, once Gandalf "decommissioned" him, his power was very limited, remaining mostly in his Voice and persuasive power.

 

[ElendilTheShort]

as it is the separation of the hroa and fea (body and spirit) this would have weakened them and rebuilding a new body would have taken time. This is not the same as Sauron changing shapes during his fight with Huan. They have no true from, they existed prior to the world and had no physical shape, so that is the true nature of their being.

 

[dreamflower]

As others have mentioned, the bodies the Istari wore in M-e were not the same as the ones they wore in Valinor, or before they became Istari. They did not just look like old men, for all intents and purposes, they basically were old men, except that they did not grow older but stayed always at the age that they gave the appearance of being. But they could get hurt, or be miserably hot or cold, they perhaps could even get sick--although we have no canon evidence for that last. And clearly they could be killed in battle.

And it seems clear that both their powers and their memories of those powers were somewhat clouded while they were on "this side" of the Sea. Gandalf often mentions things that he feels, but doesn't know, and I think that's because he can't clearly remember much of what he did know.

My personal opinion is that they were not supposed to draw upon their latent power unless they were being opposed by one who was also drawing on power that no mortal could match. Or they could use "small magic" at their discretion--such as Gandalf making fire, or enhancing his fireworks or his smoke rings. So he could use as much power as he was able to call up on the Balrog or the Nazgul but he could not have used such power against mortals.

 

[grammaboodawg]

And what we see is angelic to them(?)

hmmmmmm.....