Gandalf is a central wizard character in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
Gandalf is one of the Istari, a group of supernatural beings sent to Middle-earth to oppose Sauron. In The Hobbit he helps organize the expedition to the Lonely Mountain, and in The Lord of the Rings he becomes one of the chief leaders of the resistance to the Dark Lord.
The character appears in different forms during the story. After confronting the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, Gandalf returns as Gandalf the White. This change is not merely a new costume or title: it marks his renewed authority and his replacement of Saruman as the principal opposing power among the wizards.
Readers sometimes confuse Gandalf with Saruman because both are members of the Istari and both are associated with the color white. Tolkien’s narrative distinguishes them sharply, however. Gandalf remains committed to resisting Sauron, while Saruman is corrupted by the desire for power.