Gandalf is the wizard who guides and leads the Fellowship of the Ring in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
The character first appears in The Hobbit as Gandalf the Grey, helping Bilbo Baggins and the Dwarves begin their journey to the Lonely Mountain. In The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf recognizes the danger of Bilbo’s ring and works with Frodo and the other Free Peoples against Sauron.
Gandalf is a Maia, a spiritual being who existed before the shaping of Middle-earth. He was sent to Middle-earth in the form of an old man and was known there as Mithrandir, Tharkûn, and other names. After confronting the Balrog in Moria, he returns as Gandalf the White.
He is sometimes confused with Saruman, another wizard who initially opposes Sauron but later becomes corrupted. Gandalf’s role is defined by guidance, resistance, and trust in the courage of ordinary people.