How did gandalf get his staff back?

[Dead Mike]

Hello all, I am curious about how gandalf got his staff back after he escaped from orthanc. I'm assuming assuming saruman took it before imprisoning him so how did he get it back? Thanks to anyone who can help clear this up.

[Folwren]

In the book, when Saruman took Gandalf to the top of Orthanc, there is no specification made as to whether or not he took his staff. Because of the nature of the wizards' staffs, I tend to think Saruman did not take Gandalf's staff from him.

In the movie, when he escapes from Orthanc, he gets a new staff, not his old one back.

-- Folwren

[Inziladun]

Welcome, Dead Mike!

I would agree with Foley that Gandalf's staff was probably not taken in the book.

For one thing, I don't think Saruman needed to do that in order to overpower Gandalf; as the head of the Order I believe Gandalf was subject to his power.

Also, in Frodo's apparently retrocognitive dream in the house of Bombadil, Frodo saw:

...a vast tower but not made by hands. On its top stood the figure of a man....the figure lifted his arms and a light flashed from the staff that he wielded.

FOTR In the House of Tom Bombadil

That isn't definitive, but I think it doubtful the detail about the staff would have been written as seen by Frodo if it hadn't been true.

[Dead Mike]

Thanks, that makes sense. Good knowledge on Frodo's dream.

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Folwren

In the book, when Saruman took Gandalf to the top of Orthanc, there is no specification made as to whether or not he took his staff. Because of the nature of the wizards' staffs, I tend to think Saruman did not take Gandalf's staff from him.

I don't think his staff would have been much use to him anyway; it's mostly used for manipulating fire. Fat lot of good it would have done when he was imprisoned in an open-air tower

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Galadriel

I don't think his staff would have been much use to him anyway; it's mostly used for manipulating fire. Fat lot of good it would have done when he was imprisoned in an open-air tower

I have a vague feeling that Gandalf's staff had more power and importance than simply lighting fires on mountain tops in snow storms.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Folwren

I have a vague feeling that Gandalf's staff had more power and importance than simply lighting fires on mountain tops in snow storms.

True, it may have enhanced his cooking ability as well. I'll bet Gandalf made a mean zuppa toscana.

But, yeah. If my theory of the staff being mainly a focusing mechanism for the Wizards' power is correct, it wouldn't have aided him to escape from the tower alone.

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

True, it may have enhanced his cooking ability as well. I'll bet Gandalf made a mean zuppa toscana.

Haha. I wonder why Saruman never took it, then. Perhaps his own staff wasn't as cool?