A “social media” post had a poll going about who would win between “Professor Albus Dumbledore” (from the “Harry Potter” books) and Gandalf the grey/white (from The Lord of the Rings – LotR).
Well, I didn’t bother voting in the poll – I think Dumbledore was winning – but that isn’t the point.
Polls
The “winner” of ANY poll is going to based on the survey/poll group. This particular poll is fun because it allows “fans” to be “fans” – i.e. fans of the Harry Potter books are obviously going to choose Dumbledore, and fans of LotR are obviously going to choose Gandalf.
Short answer: my bias is for Gandalf. BUT there are assumptions to be explained.
Movies vs Books
The Harry Potter MOVIES had the luxury of the author still being around. Ms Rowling didn’t write the screenplays – but she provided “assistance”/input to make sure the movies basically kept to the plots of the novels. The point being that “Dumbledore in the books” is pretty much the same as “Dumbledore in the movies.”
J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973. Professor Tolkien sold the “film, stage and merchandising rights” to United Artists in 1969. The “internet version” of the story is that he sold the rights because of inheritance tax issues. I have no idea what the deal was – but is sounds like he made a good decision – he got £104,000 (adjusted for inflation around £1.2 million) AND secured royalties for any future productions.
The “book to movie” translation always comes with “storytelling issues.” What works in “book” can be hard to bring to the screen. Which means there are major differences between “Gandalf in the books” and “Gandalf in the movies.”
Of course Peter Jackson’s LotR is great – and the “core story” is intact. Both the movies and the books tell an epic story of a battle between good and evil.
The BIG difference between LotR book and movie is “character arcs.” Professor Tolkien was writing an “epic” with “epic heroes” – you know, big, bold, and confident. While Peter Jackson tried to make the characters a little less “big, bold, and confident” – which of course also allows the actors to “act” …
SO Gandalf in the movies is not as “powerful” as Gandalf in the books. Ok, Gandalf is obviously not “weak” in the movies – however the character is thousands of years old, he is NOT human. “Wizards” in the LotR are “created beings”/”agents of the divine.”
Think of the end of The Fellowship of the Ring where Gandalf fights the Balrog. In both movie and book Gandalf emerges victorious, In the movies he dies and is reborn as “Gandalf the White” BUT in the books he doesn’t die. The implication in the books is closer to “leveling up” – he gets promoted not “reborn.”
Man vs the Divine
For what it is worth: I’m not sure that wizards in LotR can “die.” They have a physical form that can be destroyed e.g. Saruman at the end of The Return of the King (book) – but is that a “permanent death” or just a temporary inconvenience.
The Iliad (another epic) comes to mind. Hector (the hero of Troy) vs Achilles ( Greek hero) isn’t a fair fight in the original version – i.e. Achilles is part human and part “divine.” SO “mortal vs divine being” is never going to end well for the mortal.
The “movie” version of the Iliad (Troy – 2004) includes a great fight scene between Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector (Eric Bana) – but when Hector meets Achilles in the original text, Hector runs, and Achilles chases …
What made he ancient Greek “gods” divine was their long life. Which brings up another point – IF “being” is eternal and they get into a disagreement with “mortal” – then all the “eternal” needs to do is wait for the mortal to shuffle off the mortal coil. That is kind of a theme running through the Iliad – but I’m wandering off on a tangent …
It’s Time!
Dumbledore vs Gandalf as a contest between skilled professionals (or chess/checkers/pick a game) might be a toss up. Neither is “all powerful”, Dumbledore is a human with “magic powers” – and Gandalf IS a “magic being”.
Which is probably why the poll caught my attention in the first place.
Of course Dumbledore can and does die – so in a contrived “battle to the death” then Dumbledore doesn’t have a chance. e.g. Gandalf could go away for 500 years, come back to visit Dumbledore’s grave and say “I win!”
Voldemort vs Sauron is also a no-contest for the same reasons. What would happen if Voldemort managed to get hold on the One Ring? Sauron feared someone using THE ring against him, but would even an exceptionally powerful mortal have been able to control the ring, or would he simply become a more powerful Gollum?
The Ring of power might extend life but The Odyssey comes to mind. Odysseus (the man who gave us the Trojan Horse) had the opportunity to stay with Calypso (a nymph/minor goddess) – she even promised him eternal life. Odysseus desperately wanted to get back to his (mortal) wife – but also implied is that he was wise enough to see that unintended consequences are inevitable. i.e. “eternity” in a mortal body that continues to age wouldn’t be any fun (e.g. Tithonus)
Anyway, if Dumbledore and Gandalf actually met they would probably play chess, drink wine, and swap stories about little folk – not have a fight to the death …
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