"Lord of the Rings" sequel!

[Galin]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

(...) However, CT points out that his father didn't seem to remember that he had already given the BW names. Moreover, this is the only time Tolkien says the BW were successful. There are many other references to the fact that only Gandalf succeeded. Perhaps Tolkien had it in mind to eventually change this, but for myself, I would tend to go with his "majority opinion," so to speak.

Also, even though this version is late (as you note in your full post), in my opinion one cannot tell if it's the latest version. A look at some of the texts, in the best chronological order I can figure out here...


'... others of the Istari who went into the east of Middle-earth, and do not come into these tales' Of the Rings of Power

1954 Istari essay (Unfinished Tales): number of order unknown -- two wizards came clad in Sea-blue, little known of them -- no names in the West save Ithryn Luin 'the Blue Wizards' -- passed into East with Saurman but never returned -- whether remained in the East pursuing their purpose, or perished, or as some hold were ensnared by Sauron and became his servants, is not known.

In a hard to date, brief and hasty sketch: Quenya names appear, Alatar and Pallando -- this dates from sometime after the completion of The Lord of the Rings. An alliterative verse mentions: of the five that that came from a far country, only one retuned.

1958 (letter 211): Tolkien doesn't know colours (doubts they had distinctive colours) -- doesn't know anything clearly about the 'other two' -- thinks they went to distant land, fears they failed, and suspects they were founders or beginners or secret cults and magic traditions outlasting Sauron's fall.

In The Lord of the Rings the Istari were said to have appeared in Middle-earth when maybe a thousand years of the Third Age had passed. They need not have arrived all together, on the same exact ship of course; but a late text on the success of the Wizards reads...

'The 'other two' came much earlier, at the same time probably as Glorfindel, when matters became very dangerous in the Second Age' [and it was said that the reincarnated Glorfindel probably came to Middle-earth in SA 1600]. And '... must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of East ... who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have ... outnumbered the West.' (citation from The Peoples of Middle-Earth).

According to this late note their names are Morinehtar and Romestamo (or Rome(n)star). But compare that with yet another passage, similarly dated very late (probably 1972)...

'Saruman is said (e.g. by Gandalf himself) to have been the chief of the Istari -- that is, higher in Valinórean stature than the others. Gandalf was evidently the next in order. Radagast is presented as a person of much less power and wisdom. Of the other two nothing is said in published work save the reference to the five wizards in the altercation between Gandalf and Saruman. Now these Maiar were sent by the Valar at a crucial moment in the history of Middle-earth to enhance the resistance of the Elves of the West, waning in power, and of the uncorrupted Men of the West, greatly outnumbered by those of the East and South.' Unfinished Tales

It is difficult to know if this note came before, or after, the one above it (in this post), but I note this one seems (to me) to state that all the Istari in question came at generally the same time (at a crucial moment), rather than (the other late text) the Blue Wizards coming in SA 1600 -- well before Gandalf! Again, keeping in mind, in any case, what was published in The Lord of the Rings. For me, the late text published in Unfinished Tales is more in accord with The Lord of the Rings than the late text published in The Peoples of Middle-Earth

I am also wondering if Tolkien ever mentioned these wizards as blue (or any colour) after 1958. If not (emphasis on if) the famous 'Blue Wizards' notion itself may have been abandoned.