Saruman's ring

[Puddleglum]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

I really can't help shake the impression that this whole 'Wizard plan' on the part of the Lords of the West was not implemented as well as it could have been. I suppose that's why it took Eru's intervention to see it to any kind of fruition.

A view shared by Tolkien himself!

He wrote in one of his Letters (not with my books so don't have the exact ref or quote at the moment), discussing Gandalf's being "sent back until his task was completed", to the effect that

• The Istari were sent by the "mere prudent plan of the Valar".
• But the plan had failed, or the crisis had grown too great {i.e. Two had disappeared into the east; one had withdrawn (mostly) from affairs to focus on beasts & birds; one had rebelled; and the last had just been slain by a balrog}.
• And so the One took up the plan, at the very moment of its failure {i.e. and not a moment before}, and expanded it. Gandalf was restored to life and sent back, with enhanced power - no longer as "The Grey" but as "The White", to finish the job.