![lord of the rings mystery box lord of the rings mystery box](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c9/a5/81/c9a581adaf7b72440b22a729dfdb8fb7.jpg)
This shines at least a little light on Radagast's final fate - even if it's not quite a definitive answer. He also once wrote that, " differed from Radagast and Saruman in that he never turned aside from his appointed mission," speculating that Radagast became "neglectful and easygoing," as he preferred the company of animals to that of Elves or Men. Tolkien suggested at various points that Gandalf was the only member of the Istari to remain faithful and that only Gandalf returned to Valinor after Sauron's fall. Surprise, surprise: it's a matter of some debate. So what happened? Was he destroyed by Saruman or the evil that lurked in Mirkwood, near which he lived? Did he give up on the War of the Ring and travel east, preferring to live among the birds and the beasts of Middle-earth? Did he succeed in his appointed task, or fail? The Elves search for him after the Council of Elrond, but when they arrive at his home, Rhosgobel, they find that he's gone missing. Like much that happens beyond the edges of Middle-earth's map, however, it's impossible to say for sure.Īfter that, Radagast is never heard from again. Tolkien's later writings, so perhaps that version is closer to the truth. The more optimistic reading - that the Blue Wizards successfully opposed Sauron for thousands of years and indirectly helped secure victory in the War of the Ring - is based on J.R.R. Or maybe it's some combination of the two. Or they succeeded in their task, rousing the tribes of Men into rebellion against Sauron and playing a significant role in the greater struggle for freedom. They acted as emissaries to the southern and eastern regions of the world, but soon became corrupted and established "secret cults" and "magic traditions" that endured far beyond the Dark Lord's fall.
![lord of the rings mystery box lord of the rings mystery box](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71pnzHf9i8S._AC_SL1050_.jpg)
Or they turned up much earlier, during the Second Age. Named as either Alatar and Pallando, Morinehtar and Rómestámo, or Palacendo and Haimenar, the two Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-earth alongside the other Istari during the Third Age. All we can know for sure is that the peoples of Middle-earth - and especially the dwarves - should be glad that it appears to have vanished sometime after the attack on the Fellowship. The only comparable creatures are the "sea-serpents" briefly mentioned in the legendarium's ancillary works it's possible, too, that the Watcher may have been created by Morgoth during or prior to the First Age and simply migrated to the Sirannon river after his defeat. Gandalf notes after their encounter that it had targeted Frodo specifically, suggesting it may have at least been aware of the One Ring, but little else can be said about it. It's hard to say what the Watcher may have been. Later, it's revealed that the Watcher had previously killed the dwarf Óin and prevented Balin's doomed expedition from escaping the darkness of Khazad-dûm. It is a horrific, almost Lovecraftian beast, wielding a terrible strength and many tentacles, and it's only with considerable effort that the heroes escape unscathed. The Watcher in the Water appears in "The Fellowship of the Ring," when it attacks the Fellowship as they attempt to enter Moria.