Gandalf guides Frodo’s quest in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. He recognizes the danger of Bilbo’s ring and helps set the story’s central journey in motion.
Gandalf is one of the Istari, a group of divine emissaries sent to Middle-earth to oppose Sauron. In the narrative he first appears as Gandalf the Grey, a wandering wizard who visits the Shire and maintains friendships with Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
After confronting the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, Gandalf falls into the depths of Moria. He returns later as Gandalf the White, symbolizing a renewal of authority and purpose. The change is not simply a new costume: Tolkien presents it as a transformation in status and power.
Saruman is also an Istar, but he becomes corrupted by ambition and serves his own designs. Radagast is another member of the order. Gandalf’s distinctive role is that of a counselor who encourages others to resist domination rather than seeking power for himself.