Post #15: My top 5 Gandalf quotes

Welcome back to Elliott's Quarantine Quintet. We've made it five weeks, folks!

In recognition of that accomplishment, today's post is about The Lord of the Rings, the same as my first post on this blog (https://quarantinequintet.blogspot.com/2020/05/post-1-my-top-5-non-fellowship-lotr.html).

Who doesn't love the wise wizard Gandalf? Plus, Sir Ian McKellen's portrayal is incredible.

These quotes are based on the movies rather than the books because all three movies in The Lord of the Rings trilogy are in my top ten favorite movies of all-time and also because I have never read any of the books (yes, there are some differences. Some quotes are completely made up for the movies).

    1. "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us."

This is Gandalf's response to Frodo's stating, "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." in The Fellowship of the Ring. This is quote epitomizes Gandalf's wisdom (and I think it definitely belongs on a motivational poster). It also seems appropriate given that we are currently living through a pandemic.

    2. "A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

This line from one of the opening scene of The Fellowship of the Ring, is Gandalf's response to Frodo's accusation of him arriving late to the Shire for Bilbo's birthday party. It also happens to be my go-to line whenever somebody points out that I have arrived early or late (though it is frustrating how often the person to whom I am delivering the line has no clue about the reference). 

    3. "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see al ends."

This is Gandalf's response to Frodo's claim in The Fellowship of the Ring that it is a pity that Bilbo did not kill Gollum when he had the chance. The whole idea of not passing judgement is an extremely powerful and important idea. Plus, Gollum ended up showing Frodo and Sam the secret staircase into Mordor, which proved invaluable in their quest to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom.

    4. "End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silver glass...then you see it."

This is Gandalf's reply to Pippin Took's statement "I didn't think it would end this way" in The Return of the King as the orcs are about to overrun Minas Tirith and all hope seems to be lost. By far the best part of this quote is the way that Sir Ian McKellen delivers that first questioning word with such surprised fashion. There really is no substance to this response of Gandalf, but it's nice that he is trying to comfort Pippin in this time of despair in typical Gandalfian fashion. 

    5. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and ride us of your stupidity."

Even the great Gandalf gets frustrated sometimes. When that happened while the Fellowship was trying to quietly travel through the Mines of Moria in The Fellowship of the Ring and Pippin Took accidentally knocked a skeleton with armor into a long shaft, causing a series of extremely loud noises, we got perhaps the sassiest line from Gandalf of the entire trilogy.


What are your favorite Gandalf quotes or scenes from The Lord of the Rings trilogy?

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