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01
The story of Morgoth:
via mistersteelIn the beginning, Eru Ilúvatar (Eru means One that is Alone, Ilúvatar means father of all), created the Ainur, a group of immortal spirits that aided him in the creation of the world. Among these spirits was one named Melkor. Melkor desired the Creation power of Ilúvatar and entered the Timeless Void in search for the Flame Imperishable, the source of Creation's power.
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02
via mistersteelDuring his wandering, he grew rebellious against Ilúvatar, and failed to find Creation's power. The Ainur created music under the direction of Ilúvatar, and Melkor rebelled against it, weaving dissonance among the melodies. Those near him matched their music to his own, but despite his attempts, Ilúvatar used the music of the Ainur to create Arda, also known as Middle-Earth.
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03 via mistersteel
In Arda, Melkor continued to rebel against Ilúvatar and the other Ainur, even convincing some of the Maiar, lesser spirits of Ilúvatar, to follow him. Of these was a Maiar named Mairon, later known as Sauron.
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04 via mistersteel
While the Maiar cultivated Middle-Earth, Melkor was creating his fortress called Utumno, far to the North. While the spirits of Ilúvatar tried to find Utumno, Melkor attacked, destroying the two lamps of Arda, which were the sources of light for all the world. Their destruction broke the continents, and in the process the spirits of Ilúvatar fled to Valinor (the undying lands).
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05 via mistersteel
At this point, Elves had already been created, but they had not been awoken by gift of fëa yet. Melkor captured many of them and tortured them, transforming them into Orcs. For hundreds of years, many wars erupted between Melkor and the Valar, but one of the more famous was when Melkor killed Fëanor's father, stole the Silmarils, and fled.
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06 via mistersteel
Learning of his treachery, Fëanor named Melkor Morgoth, and demanded the Valar make him pay for his treachery. When it became clear that they would not help Fëanor, he convinced a group of Elves to follow him to Middle-Earth, becoming known as the Rebellion of the Noldor.
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07 via mistersteel
For hundreds of years, the Noldor and other people's of Middle-Earth battled Morgoth and his allies. Dagor Bragollach (the Battle of Sudden Flame), was a famous battle in which Morgoth sent an army of Orcs with Balrogs at the front, led by Glaurung, the father of all Dragons.
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08 via mistersteel
The casualties of this battle was so great among the Noldor that Fingolfin, the King of the Noldor, challenged Morgoth face to face. He fought valiantly, wounding Morgoth, but was crushed by Morgoth's hammer: Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld.
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09 via mistersteel
After the Battle of the Sudden Flame, he had dealings in the story of Beren and Luthien, the fall of Hurin, and the Fall of Gondolin, I have, or am planning on doing posts on those events so I won't go into detail here.
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10 via mistersteel
There was one final battle in which the Valar and the hosts of Valinor joined with the people of Middle-Earth to destroy Morgoth. In spite of his armies of Orcs, Balrogs, and even Dragons, the hosts of the Valar pressed forward until they found him deep in the caverns of his pits. He was hewn down, his crown made into a collar, and he was taken to the Door of Night at the edge of Arda, and cast into the Timeless Void. It is prophesied that at the end of days, Morgoth will break from the Timeless Void, enter our world and initiate the Dagor Dagorath, which means the Battle of Battles.
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11
The story of Gandalf:
via mistersteelGandalf was one of the lesser Ainur who entered Middle-Earth in the beginning of time. They were known as the Maiar, and were basically lesser spirits than the Valar who ruled the Earth, but existed before the creation. They were known to take on many forms or "veils" as they appeared in Middle-Earth. These veils or bodies could be destroyed, but their spirits could not.
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12 via mistersteel
Before he was known as Gandalf, he was called Olórin. A pupil under the Valar, he was recommended by Manwë to be one of the Five Istari (or Wizards), that were sent to Middle-Earth to help combat the rule of Sauron. Olórin was at first reluctant, as he feared Sauron, but would eventually follow the will of the Valar. He joined four other Maiar to make up the Istari. They were Saruman the White, Gandalf the Grey, Radaghast the Brown and the two Blue Wizards.
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13 via mistersteel, john howe
The Five Istari sailed from Valinor to Middle-Earth and were greeted by Círdan, who was a guardian of sorts for the Grey Havens. Though all of the Istari took upon themselves veil forms of old men to represent their humility, Gandalf in particular was short and bent, walking with a staff for aid. Círdan was a discerning Elf and saw in Gandalf the most potential for strength and wisdom, though at that time Saruman was the greatest of them.
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14 via mistersteel
Círdan in secret gave Gandalf Narya, the third of the Elven rings known as the Ring of Fire. This ring, coupled with being a servant of Creation (which is known as the "Secret Fire" or "Flame of Anor"), gave Gandalf a particular affinity for power in flame. Which extended to his fireworks he made for parties in the Shire.
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15 via mistersteel
This is actually really cool symbolism for Gandalf, because fire is metaphorically attributed to Sauron's power as well, but his fire is a destructive, consuming fire. Gandalf served the fire of creation and was a representative of light. Thus he was more resistant to the dark flame of the Balrog, and used the fire of his power to bring warmth back into Middle-Earth, "a world that grows chill." To quote Círdan's own words.
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16 via mistersteel
Saruman grew jealous of Gandalf's growing strength and wisdom. He saw how the people's of Middle-Earth deferred to Gandalf for council, and all but ignored the White Wizard who sequestered himself from the people, studying foul crafts and Sauron's power in the name of understanding it, but in reality he was enticed by it. After Gandalf refused to lead the White Council, Saruman volunteered, and although he relished the calling, he hated that it was something Gandalf had no interest in.
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17 via mistersteel
Before the events of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, Gandalf was ever travelling Middle-Earth and assessing the growing darkness. He suspected the Necromancer was Sauron before others did, and worried greatly of the destruction Smaug could cause if he was to join darker powers. Sending Thorin on his quest, and trying to unite the people's of Middle Earth were just small steps in Gandalf's preparation for destroying the evil of Sauron all together.
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18 via mistersteel
What Gandalf did not account for was the treachery of Saruman. Sauruman had convinced the White Council that the One Ring was the key to Sauron's power, and that Sauron could never regain his full strength since the Ring must have been swept out to sea by the river Anduin years before. But even as he said that, he had servants searching the area around the river for the ring. The fact that Deagol and Smeagol had found it before he did was fortuitous for the free peoples of Middle-Earth.
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19 via mistersteel
In the end, Gandalf was a wizard with the express purpose of helping the people of Middle-Earth overthrow the evil of Sauron. He carried with him the wisdom of the Valar, the trust and love of nearly every person he ever came in contact with, and cared deeply for Middle-Earth and its people (especially the Hobbits and the Shire).
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20 via mistersteel
A few years after the destruction of the ring, and after hanging out with Tom Bombadil for a time, he accompanied the other two bearers of the Elven rings (Elrond and Galadriel), along with the last living bearers of the One Ring (Bilbo and Frodo, But not Sam. Sam left later) back the way he came. Leaving the shores of Middle-Earth and returning to Valinor.
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