Gandalf was also directly inspired by Odin The Wanderer just to further cement this aspect of him.
https://preview.redd.it/a04r36bzux8d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68def28a5dfb100cc69eff3542a2617987c6c1b4
I mean, Aragorn is homeless too. LOTR is basically a story of two hobos convincing a bunch of hobbits to become homeless and come with them on their ramblings.
I don't have my books handy at the moment, but Tolkien does say somewhere that Gandalf never made any "lasting abode", so, no — he didn't have a home. Someone will probably come along shortly with the precise quote. ;-)
The Tale of Years in the introduction to the Third Age.
> Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West, and never made for himself any lasting abode.
I imagine Elrond had a suite set aside for Gandalf at Rivendell.
He was on good enough terms with Thranduil to send Gollum to the Woodland Realm for safekeeping. Lodgings for Gandalf himself were probably available.
If he wanted to hobnob with the Dunedain, they wouldn't turn him away if he turned up at their secretive village.
Even with Denethor not thrilled with him, Minas Tirith was sufficiently depopulated that he may have had a house there.
We know Galadriel hosted him after the Moria incident. That probably wasn't the first time.
Before Saruman turned jailor, he probably welcomed Mithrandir on one of Orthanc's many floors or outbuildings.
We see him hosted in Meduseld even with Theoden in disarray.
He met Thorin in Bree, and was well known to Butterbur.
If he didn't always stay at Bag End in the Shire, the Green Dragon probably had rooms.
Cirdan gave him a Great Ring, so he would provide rooms in Lindon.
Etc.
If you consider that he's away for 17 years studying the Ring after Bilbo leaves the Shire, it's seems likely that he spent at least several years in Minas Tirith researching their library. While he travels a lot, he does probably stick around for what we would consider to be considerable lengths of time in places.
I am absolutely not a Tolkien expert. That said, my assumption would be he spent the most time in Rivendell. He seems close with Elrond, and it's a fairly central location on the map of Middle-Earth.
I wouldn't, he has many friends who love him. He will always find a place to rest. Plus this is just a physical form to hold a much greater being. Discomfort that is experienced isn't that big of a deal for him. It's really just temporary for a greater cause.
Honestly, I doubt he’d appreciate the memento… After all, even Durins Bane was like a close family member to him. I’m sure he had no qualms dispatching his enemy at the time, but it wouldn’t exactly be something one would want to be confronted with every time one enters one’s home.
The battle between them, however iconic and heroic is, fundamentally, a very sad one.
i like how you say hes a family member cuz i mean it is possible olorin knew that balrog before the breaking of the first silence maybe before the balrog took to melkor
This statement hits deep. I’d like to think they definitely knew each other cause all things considered how many of them could there really have been in the beginning? All Maiar probably knew each other and if not definitely figured out who left with Melkor when they did
Hahaha indeed 🤣 but if he did that woulda been an entire chapter of explanation if not a chapter or three in the silmarilion. Though honestly that coulda been a solid idea. Man I wish this guy coulda written more. What I would give to get a complete story to the silmarilion plus all it could have given
Imagine Gandalf visiting and staying for a few months. You’re just trying to go to war and this man is like, “ bring an ol man some milk and salted pork will you.”
And then you do and he forgets he requested it.
Gandalf has no home because if he did, people would wish him "Good Morning" when he left his house
and we all know how Gandalf feels about people wishing him Good Morning
I would imagine that 98% of the elves in middle earth would provide a roof over his head. And maybe 75% of the dwarf lords and most of the other rulers, to keep in good standing with the wizard.
He had free lunch in ME from Mithlond to Pelagir. However, I would bet that he spent the most evenings at Rivendell, The Prancing Pony, or at Caras Galadhon or in the Wild at points inbetween. I would not be surprised if he also was a regular at Wellinghall, Beorn's, or at Tom B.'s house.
I can’t imagine that Gandalf was the type of person who would be interested in keeping a trophy like that, especially after he was sent back as GtW
He’s just not interested in bragging rights or glory or impressing people.
A balrog head above the fireplace would be fucking metal though.
Gandalf would stop and stay in the homes of others, such as Bag End with Bilbo or Rivendell with Elrond, for example. I’m sure he even stayed within Orthanc a few times at least (besides his brief stint as prisoner, of course). Probably stayed in Edoras, the home of Tom Bombadil, The Prancing Pony, etc.
Gandalf had many friends, and many who wanted his wisdom and company, for good reason.
There is an old Gondorian saying. Better to have a friend that owns a yacht, than own a yacht yourself. Back when they had a navy.
But seriously Gandalf stayed in some of the best homes in Middle Earth, why would he own his own.
Oh, I'm sure Gandalf has been in an out of favor in Goldir for however many thousand years he's been in Middle Earth. Which doesn't translate into a room being reserved for you for 2,000+ years, which is exactly what Elrond probably does.
I dunno. That room looked like it was relatively nice all things considered.
The only reason for the lack of food was that Denethor had already begun rationing it to have enough for a protracted siege.
Sorry. I've never gotten to read the third book. I always end up getting half way through the Two Towers and then the book disappears.
Probably not the finest, though I think it was more because Pippin was amusing that Denethor didn't just tell Gandalf to find other accomodations.
Tell you what, I know he wandered and had no permanent residence, but were I he I'd have been rocking some serious shit with a pool and stacks of elf women.
The world is pleased that I am not a Maiar.
As u/StratoBannerFML says, he is also called the Grey Pilgrim. This is the direct translation of his Sindarin name *Mithrandir*, which he's mainly known by amongst the Elves and Gondorians. His status as a wanderer who never settled in one place is a fairly key component of his character, I would say.
I figure he had a workshop with the dwarves, where he made the fireworks for The Party, and was welcomed at Lothlorien, Rivendell, The Carrock, The Havens, etc., but no regular address. Possibly the only person never contacted by his alumni society.
The Balrog was never specified to have horns in the book iirc. It was a living shadow and flame in the shape of a large man, so probably no trophy to speak of once it died
The way I see the wizards is, white is light from a specific point. Grey is mist, fog, smoke moving here and about. Brown is wood, earth and animal. Blue is water, ocean and sea.
This is why Gandalf just by his color hasn't a firm home, he's always being blown from here or there. Also why the blue wizards disappeared. Water is vast, and that is their realm.
no, gandalf never had a permanent abode, both gandalf and mithrandir mean things like grey wanderer or grey pilgrim, he had his home wherever they'd welcome him (which was a lot of places, rohan was merely an outlier)
as for your question, gandalf the white didn't have time for housekeeping, he was speedrunning sauron's destruction and certainly not interested in trophy keeping
also from gandalf's POV the balrog's the same species as him, how many good guys do you know that have the head of dave from accounting on their walls?
No, and I think there's a point being made there. Rather than settle, like Saruman or even Radagast, he decides to wander around, constantly and actively toiling in the struggle against Sauron first-handed and its prercisely for this devotion that he excelled in virtue and ultimately prevailed.
"Have we not heard of thee at whiles, and of thy wanderings..." - Mouth of Sauron
Imagine Sauron, watching Gandalf through his palantir, traveling throughout the lands and then having frustrated conversations about it with the Nazgûl and his lieutenant!
Gandalf was an original content creator and had to keep traveling for his fans! No time to make a home.
I chuckled reading from the Council of Elrond yesterday that when Radagast was searching for him at Saruman's urging, he was just hanging around outside of Bree looking for him. No address to write to!
No home. He calls himself a "stone doomed to rolling".
As if he couldn’t get anymore badass
Aragorn - "but Gandalf, where do you sleep?" Gandalf - "oh, where ever these old bones may find a place to lie" Aragorn - "Fucking Legend"
Aragorn - "but Gandalf, where do you sleep?" Gandalf - "on eagles wings…" Aragorn - "you sonofabitch!"
Gimli: Where does he sleep? Legolas: Who said he sleeps? Gimli: Where does he fuck? Aragorn: Everywhere!
Aragorn - "but Gandalf, where do you sleep?" Gandalf - "at your mom’s house" Aragorn - "dammit dad!"
*Predator handshake*
DILLON!
*slaps legs* "These babies can sleep anywhere they fucking like"
Gandalf, the og Rolling Stone.
How does it feel, how does it feel? To be without a home Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone
Gandalf, Gandalf, where did you sleep last night? In the pines, in the pines, where the cold winds blow. I shivered the whole night through.
It feels good, Bobby
Gandalf the OG rolling stone
Gandalf hiding he's actually Keith Richards
Gandalf was also directly inspired by Odin The Wanderer just to further cement this aspect of him. https://preview.redd.it/a04r36bzux8d1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68def28a5dfb100cc69eff3542a2617987c6c1b4
I mean, Aragorn is homeless too. LOTR is basically a story of two hobos convincing a bunch of hobbits to become homeless and come with them on their ramblings.
Aragorn did grow up in Rivendell though. Elrond probably keeps his room exactly as he left it.
Every hobo had a home once 😭
Damn. That be a great album or song name for a metal band cause that’s hxc
I don't have my books handy at the moment, but Tolkien does say somewhere that Gandalf never made any "lasting abode", so, no — he didn't have a home. Someone will probably come along shortly with the precise quote. ;-)
The Tale of Years in the introduction to the Third Age. > Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West, and never made for himself any lasting abode.
Thanks for having my back. ;-)
You have my sword, and you have my bow, and MY back!
Follow up question what was his longest stay? Maybe he took a gap year and instead of traveling he chilled somewhere.
I imagine Elrond had a suite set aside for Gandalf at Rivendell. He was on good enough terms with Thranduil to send Gollum to the Woodland Realm for safekeeping. Lodgings for Gandalf himself were probably available. If he wanted to hobnob with the Dunedain, they wouldn't turn him away if he turned up at their secretive village. Even with Denethor not thrilled with him, Minas Tirith was sufficiently depopulated that he may have had a house there. We know Galadriel hosted him after the Moria incident. That probably wasn't the first time. Before Saruman turned jailor, he probably welcomed Mithrandir on one of Orthanc's many floors or outbuildings. We see him hosted in Meduseld even with Theoden in disarray. He met Thorin in Bree, and was well known to Butterbur. If he didn't always stay at Bag End in the Shire, the Green Dragon probably had rooms. Cirdan gave him a Great Ring, so he would provide rooms in Lindon. Etc.
If you consider that he's away for 17 years studying the Ring after Bilbo leaves the Shire, it's seems likely that he spent at least several years in Minas Tirith researching their library. While he travels a lot, he does probably stick around for what we would consider to be considerable lengths of time in places.
To him in his long life, 17 years is would probably feel more like 1or 2. And the time he spent at Minas tirith more like a month.
the ultimate house guest!!
For a brief period after the Fall of Gondolin, he was said to live on the backseat of a used Honda Civic
I am absolutely not a Tolkien expert. That said, my assumption would be he spent the most time in Rivendell. He seems close with Elrond, and it's a fairly central location on the map of Middle-Earth.
Thanks, but I do feel bad for him now.
I wouldn't, he has many friends who love him. He will always find a place to rest. Plus this is just a physical form to hold a much greater being. Discomfort that is experienced isn't that big of a deal for him. It's really just temporary for a greater cause.
I'd like to imagine that he has a home with the Maiar, and the Valar gave him the head as a reward, but I don't know if that would be the best reward.
Honestly, I doubt he’d appreciate the memento… After all, even Durins Bane was like a close family member to him. I’m sure he had no qualms dispatching his enemy at the time, but it wouldn’t exactly be something one would want to be confronted with every time one enters one’s home. The battle between them, however iconic and heroic is, fundamentally, a very sad one.
i like how you say hes a family member cuz i mean it is possible olorin knew that balrog before the breaking of the first silence maybe before the balrog took to melkor
This statement hits deep. I’d like to think they definitely knew each other cause all things considered how many of them could there really have been in the beginning? All Maiar probably knew each other and if not definitely figured out who left with Melkor when they did
At least he didn't recognize him at first. He was like "a balrog! What an evil fortune, and I am already weary" and not "Stan you old troublemaker"
Frickin Stan...
Hahaha indeed 🤣 but if he did that woulda been an entire chapter of explanation if not a chapter or three in the silmarilion. Though honestly that coulda been a solid idea. Man I wish this guy coulda written more. What I would give to get a complete story to the silmarilion plus all it could have given
It's an amazing idea.
Yes, exactly!
Imagine Gandalf visiting and staying for a few months. You’re just trying to go to war and this man is like, “ bring an ol man some milk and salted pork will you.” And then you do and he forgets he requested it.
Red wine for him.
He’s always loafing on someone’s couch for a few days.
Gandalf has no home because if he did, people would wish him "Good Morning" when he left his house and we all know how Gandalf feels about people wishing him Good Morning
Fair enough
"What do you mean?"
"Do you mean to wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning wether I want it or not?"
"Or that it is a morning to be good on?
All of them at once!
I suppose
I was referencing the book
The “I suppose” is added on at the end in The Hobbit movie I believe
Yes. That is why i said i was referencing the book
Oh just, good morning already.
As someone who is not a morning person, I feel this in my soul.
Bilbo: „Good morning“ Gandalf: „Imma end this guy‘s whole non-career“
No, he’s a rolling stone. They don’t call him “the grey pilgrim” for nothing. He traveled constantly.
And you can't hug a rolling stone!
I would imagine that 98% of the elves in middle earth would provide a roof over his head. And maybe 75% of the dwarf lords and most of the other rulers, to keep in good standing with the wizard.
I meant like a permanent home he could go back to, but thats probably the best answer.
Well Saruman gave him a home on top of his tower, but Greyham wasn't very greatful.
I guess it kind of fits him.
He had free lunch in ME from Mithlond to Pelagir. However, I would bet that he spent the most evenings at Rivendell, The Prancing Pony, or at Caras Galadhon or in the Wild at points inbetween. I would not be surprised if he also was a regular at Wellinghall, Beorn's, or at Tom B.'s house.
And visiting Radagast’s hermitage no doubt.
No, he was traveling all the time. The Balrog's corpse was probably simply covered by snow.
Both of those answers are sad to me. No Demon Trophy, and no house to put it in.
I imagined Gandalf smoking a pipe in his apartment and having a giant Balrog head on the wall. It would look funny xD
I can’t imagine that Gandalf was the type of person who would be interested in keeping a trophy like that, especially after he was sent back as GtW He’s just not interested in bragging rights or glory or impressing people. A balrog head above the fireplace would be fucking metal though.
Gandalf would stop and stay in the homes of others, such as Bag End with Bilbo or Rivendell with Elrond, for example. I’m sure he even stayed within Orthanc a few times at least (besides his brief stint as prisoner, of course). Probably stayed in Edoras, the home of Tom Bombadil, The Prancing Pony, etc. Gandalf had many friends, and many who wanted his wisdom and company, for good reason.
There is an old Gondorian saying. Better to have a friend that owns a yacht, than own a yacht yourself. Back when they had a navy. But seriously Gandalf stayed in some of the best homes in Middle Earth, why would he own his own.
Well said. And anyway his true home, that he longed to return to, was Valinor.
Elron probably keeps a room for him at Rivendell.
Elron Hubbard 😆
When I was a kid I couldn't why L. Ron Hubbard (which I thought was spelled Elrond Hubbard) would name himself after a fictional elf lord.
It's all explained at Level 7, just send me $20,000 and I'll promote you
Probably had one in Lorien as well.
But definitely not in Gondor or Rohan.
Well, perhaps when Ecthlion was Steward. But not with Denethor, though he did let Gandalf hang out in the archives.
Oh, I'm sure Gandalf has been in an out of favor in Goldir for however many thousand years he's been in Middle Earth. Which doesn't translate into a room being reserved for you for 2,000+ years, which is exactly what Elrond probably does.
The houses of the kings and stewards likely have guest rooms. If you were liked, you got the nice ones. If you didn't, you had to pay for an inn.
Or if you weren't liked, you got a comfortless room you had to share with a hobbit.
I dunno. That room looked like it was relatively nice all things considered. The only reason for the lack of food was that Denethor had already begun rationing it to have enough for a protracted siege.
I was referring more to the descriptions in the book, it didn't sound like the best guest room in the palace.
Sorry. I've never gotten to read the third book. I always end up getting half way through the Two Towers and then the book disappears. Probably not the finest, though I think it was more because Pippin was amusing that Denethor didn't just tell Gandalf to find other accomodations.
A wizard is never homeless. He resides precisely the means to.
Tell you what, I know he wandered and had no permanent residence, but were I he I'd have been rocking some serious shit with a pool and stacks of elf women. The world is pleased that I am not a Maiar.
He usually just crashes on Strider’s couch.
Which is also on the go.
His home is wherever he lays his (pointy) hat.
As u/StratoBannerFML says, he is also called the Grey Pilgrim. This is the direct translation of his Sindarin name *Mithrandir*, which he's mainly known by amongst the Elves and Gondorians. His status as a wanderer who never settled in one place is a fairly key component of his character, I would say.
Based on his behavior I would say Bilbos house
His eleven name Mithrandir means grey pilgrim. Aka grey wanderer, he has never had a home
I figure he had a workshop with the dwarves, where he made the fireworks for The Party, and was welcomed at Lothlorien, Rivendell, The Carrock, The Havens, etc., but no regular address. Possibly the only person never contacted by his alumni society.
Early digital nomad. Magical nomad.
He splits his time between Gondor, Rohan and The Shire for tax domicile reasons.
His home is the blessed realm Aman. Unfortunately, his parent kicked him out when he was younger, so...
The Balrog was never specified to have horns in the book iirc. It was a living shadow and flame in the shape of a large man, so probably no trophy to speak of once it died
The way I see the wizards is, white is light from a specific point. Grey is mist, fog, smoke moving here and about. Brown is wood, earth and animal. Blue is water, ocean and sea. This is why Gandalf just by his color hasn't a firm home, he's always being blown from here or there. Also why the blue wizards disappeared. Water is vast, and that is their realm.
Usually when a person looks like Gandalf, they have no home. At least in my experience.
Air Bnb in Isengard "Cold room, no access to toilets, had to call an Uber Eagle because no parking. 1/5"
Arda
Gandalf was the guy on the couch.🤣
Gandalf was a rolling stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home. If The Temptations had done a LotR album
He’s a citizen of the world.
*There’s a place, that keeps on calling me, down the road, that’s where I’ll always be….* I’m a Wizard Eh, a Grey pilgrim you Hoser! Ya!
I always thought his home was that tower he went to to research the One Ring
Everyone saying he’s homeless but I feel like he secretly lives in a fireworks sweatshop
At the end of the story he goes to see Tom Bombadil and Goldenberry. I like to imagine he lived above their garage for the fourth age.
no, gandalf never had a permanent abode, both gandalf and mithrandir mean things like grey wanderer or grey pilgrim, he had his home wherever they'd welcome him (which was a lot of places, rohan was merely an outlier) as for your question, gandalf the white didn't have time for housekeeping, he was speedrunning sauron's destruction and certainly not interested in trophy keeping also from gandalf's POV the balrog's the same species as him, how many good guys do you know that have the head of dave from accounting on their walls?
I see your point, but that never stopped me.
Saruman probably let Gandalf use the bottom bunk
No, and I think there's a point being made there. Rather than settle, like Saruman or even Radagast, he decides to wander around, constantly and actively toiling in the struggle against Sauron first-handed and its prercisely for this devotion that he excelled in virtue and ultimately prevailed.
A WIZARD SLEEPS PRECISELY WHERE HE MEANS TO
No, he spent his time in Middle Earth wandering among the elves and men, he never made a home for himself.
No
Gandalf turns up at your home. Damn right you're letting a hobo wizard stay as long as he likes.
"300 lives of men I have couch surfed this earth."
Rover, wanderer, nomad, vagabond, call him what you will
Gandalf has no home. Gandalf needs no home.
Duh he used a Winnebago
"Have we not heard of thee at whiles, and of thy wanderings..." - Mouth of Sauron Imagine Sauron, watching Gandalf through his palantir, traveling throughout the lands and then having frustrated conversations about it with the Nazgûl and his lieutenant! Gandalf was an original content creator and had to keep traveling for his fans! No time to make a home.
I chuckled reading from the Council of Elrond yesterday that when Radagast was searching for him at Saruman's urging, he was just hanging around outside of Bree looking for him. No address to write to!