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Originally Posted by Nerwen
Hey, children are people too, you know!  |
I ought to know that really, hadn't I?
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Originally Posted by Selmo
Gandalf always seemed to be careful about claiming any sort of authority over anyone. For example, when he confronted Wormtongue he wasn't very nice to him but he didn't hand out any punishment; that authority belonged to King Theoden.
The only time we see Gandalf punish anyone directly is the occasion when he dismissed Saruman from the Order of Wizards, broke his staff and made him crawl away, humilliated. As Gandalf the White, he had the authority to do that. He had no authority over anyone else.
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Very good point! Plus as you point out, Gandalf's level of Authority changes as the story moves on, but it never includes belting Hobbits! I don't think the Valar would have looked kindly on him doing that either. He's only supposed to advise, not to force.