The Blue Wizards (S.Ithryn Luin)[note 1] were the two Wizards (Istari) who were sent into the far East and South of Middle-earth to contest the will of Sauron, but never returned.
Other versions of the legendarium
Tolkien's conception of the two Blue Wizards changed dramatically between his earlier and later writings.
Earlier writings
The idea that there were two other Wizards in addition to Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast was first conceived when Saruman, in his wrath, revealed that there were five members of the Order of Wizards:
Later! Yes, when you [Gandalf] also have the Keys of Barad-dûr itself, I suppose; and the crowns of seven kings, and the rods of the Five Wizards...
Nothing more was said of these two Wizards in The Lord of the Rings as it was published. However, whilst preparing (in 1954) an index for The Return of the King, Tolkien wrote what his son later referred to as the 'essay on the Istari'. There it is said that of the chief Wizards who went to the North of Middle-earth there were five, and two of these were clad in sea-blue. Little was known about these two in the West of Middle-earth; even their individual names were unknown, but they were known collectively as Ithryn Luin, or "Blue Wizards". It is said they travelled into the East with Curunír (Saruman), but they did not return into the West. Their fate was unknown, but some held that they fell into evil and became servants of Sauron.[1]
Tolkien expanded upon this last point in a letter written in 1958:
I really do not know anything clearly about the other two [wizards] – since they do not concern the history of the N[orth].W[est]. I think they went as emissaries to distant regions, East and South, far out of Númenórean range: missionaries to 'enemy-occupied' lands, as it were. What success they had I do not know; but I fear that they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and 'magic' traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.
In a brief narrative about a council of the Valar, the origins of the other two Wizards are placed alongside those of the known three, Curumo (Saruman), Aiwendil (Radagast), and Olórin (Gandalf). Whilst in the essay on the Istari the Blue Wizards were given no names, here these two are called Alatar and Pallando. Oromë chose Alatar to send to Middle-earth (to contest the will of Sauron), and Alatar decided to bring along Pallando as his friend. Christopher Tolkien has speculated that their association with Oromë could be because he was the Vala who had the greatest knowledge of the furthest regions of Middle-earth, and hence that is where the two Wizards journeyed.[1]
Based on the above material, the history of the two "Blue Wizards" can be determined as the following:
Manwë summons a council of the Valar. They decide to send emissaries to Middle-earth. Oromë chooses to send Alatar, and Alatar brings along his friend Pallando.[1]
Notably, Pallando was originally affiliated with Mandos and Nienna, though this was emended to Oromë.[1]
The two Wizards arrive in Middle-earth at roughly the same time as the other wizards, c. T.A.1000[3]
The two, known as the "Blue Wizards", travel into the East of Middle-earth with Saruman. Saruman returns to the North-West, but the two do not.[1]
Together or independent of each other, the two fall from their appointed task. They may have founded "magic" cults amongst the peoples of the East and South, which existed beyond the downfall of Sauron.[2]
Towards the end of his life, Tolkien returned to the issue of the other two Wizards. In a brief outline he noted that the two Wizards were sent to Middle-earth in the Second Age and were destined to disrupt the work of Sauron in the East:
Their task was to circumvent Sauron: to bring help to the few tribes of Men that had rebelled from Melkor-worship, to stir up rebellion ... and after his first fall to search out his hiding (in which they failed) and to cause [?dissension and disarray] among the dark East ... They 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.
Therefore, Tolkien dramatically altered his conception of the two Wizards. They no longer arrived in Middle-earth along with Saruman, Gandalf, and Radagast in c. T.A.1000. Instead they arrived much earlier, at roughly the same time as Glorfindel in c. S.A.1600. Whilst Glorfindel was tasked with aiding Gil-galad and Elrond with the war in Eriador, the Wizards were destined to journey to the East. Instead of mentioning that they drifted from their mission, Tolkien points out that they played a decisive role in the downfall of Sauron at the end of both the Second Age and the Third Age. They were known as Morinehtar and Rómestámo, "Darkness-slayer" and "East-helper", and were successful in preventing the forces of the East from outnumbering those of the Free peoples in the West.[4]
Additionally, Tolkien stated that the interference of both Wizards, both in the East and South, was the reason that Sauron was not at sufficient strength to be able to resist the Númenor invasion:
Thus it was that though, as soon as [Sauron's] disguise was pierced and he was recognized as an enemy, he exerted all his time and strength to gathering and training armies, it took some ninety years before he felt ready to open war. And he misjudged this, as we see in his final defeat, when the great host of Minastir from Númenor landed in Middle-earth. His gathering of armies had not been unopposed, and his success had been much less than his hope. But this is a matter spoken of in notes on “The Five Wizards”. He had powerful enemies behind his back, the East, and in the Southern lands to which he had not yet given sufficient thought.
Based on these later writings, a history of the two Wizards can be summarised as the following:[4]
The two Wizards were known as Morinehtar and Rómestámo, "Darkness-slayer" and "East-helper".
The two Wizards were sent to Middle-earth at roughly the same time as Glorfindel in c. S.A.1600 (and similarly at the behest of the Valar), the Year of Dread, when Sauron forged The One Ring and completed the building of Barad-dûr.
The two Wizards journeyed into the East and South of Middle-earth, though it's uncertain whether they separated.
They were tasked with finding Sauron's hiding place in the East. They failed.
They brought "help to the few tribes of Men [in the East] that had rebelled from Melkor-worship," and they encouraged rebellion against Sauron.[4] They were able to hinder Sauron's gathering and training of armies in the East and South during the Second Age, aiding the defeat of Sauron in the War of the Elves and Sauron and beyond.[5]
They ensured that Sauron's forces in the East did not outnumber the West, thus ultimately helping secure victory for the Free peoples against Sauron in the War of the Ring.
Etymology
The Sindarin name Ithryn Luin consists of ithryn ("wizards"; plural of ithron) and luin ("blue").[6]
Νames and etymologies
Alatar and Pallando are Quenya names. The first is not clear, and possibly contains the Quenya elements for "radiance" (cf. Alatariel) and/or the ending -tar "lord" (cf. Annatar).[7]Pallando, according to Christopher Tolkien, possibly contains the element palan- "far"[1]:401
Morinehtar is described as meaning "Darkness-slayer",[8] likely based on the Quenya words mori- ("darkness") and nehtar ("slayer").[9]
Rómestámo or Róme(n)star is a Quenya name meaning "East-helper".[8]
If they were among the Maiar sent to Cuiviénen with the other Guardians to protect the first Elves, they would have been called Palacendo ("*Far sighted one") and Haimenar ("*Far-farer") at the time.[7][10]
Portrayal in adaptations
The Blue Wizards have not appeared physically in any adaptation of Middle-earth works so far, and they are mentioned and implied only in the following adaptations:
Alatar is the senior of the Blue Wizards. As the most physically skilled of the order, he favours the Elven long bow and is thus also known as the Old Hunter. He has become enamoured of power and has his own kingdom in the East. It is strongly implied that he may become a new threat after Sauron's fall.[11]
Pallando has split from Alatar and now lives among those who follow his words. He is known as the Soul-keeper, which can be taken quite literally given that he is described as possessing artefacts that let him store souls.[12]
The Two Wizards were to have been depicted in "an insertion of a shot or two of the wizards arriving, probably with no dialogue, as a quick flash-back." Alan Lee created sketches for hand-props for the Wizards, including their staffs. Props were made and costumes were "roughed out" before the idea was canned.[13]
The Khundolar tribe of the Easterlings had among them the "Blue Caste" of sorcerers. Their Master, "Yirokhsar the Blue", forbade his followers to march with the Dark Lord's forces, but many still joined their kings who had fallen under the sway of Sauron. Also, the Jangovar Easterlings viewed Sauron as a god, but were confused why their master, "Yetkeyin the Violet", refused to obey Sauron.
Gandalf mentions the Blue Wizards when he explains the number of Wizards, and says that he has forgotten their names.
Since the film production team did not have the rights to include material from sources other than The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the decision to include the line "Blue Wizards" (only appearing in Unfinished Tales[14]) has been regarded as legally controversial.[15]
An azurite figurine of the Blue Wizards in Middle-earth: Shadow of MordorIn the game, three artefacts describe the encounter of two Wizards whose names could not be remembered travelling side by side into Mordor. It is implied to be the Blue Wizards from the description of the artefact. Furthermore, a figurine depicting them has been carved out of azurite, a blue stone. More lore tells the player that the Black Hand could have been a king that brought Sauron the heads of two Istari. Whether or not this is true is unknown.
Notes
↑The term "Blue Wizards" is mentioned only in an "essay" and is the only source where they are assigned a colour; although Tolkien revisited the concept of the remaining two Wizards, giving them different names and backgrounds, their assigned colour (whether blue or other) or title, is never specified again. However the term "Blue Wizards" is used by the fans to refer to all concepts of these two Wizards.
↑Tolkien did not associate Alatar with Morinehtar (which means "Darkness-slayer") and they should not be considered synonymous.
