Pallando
Pallando was one of two Blue Wizards. He was originally a Maia - or High Servant of the Valar. Pallando lived as a Maia in the Undying Lands in the far west. Pallando served the Vala Orome, and Orome chose Pallando's friend Alatar to sail east across the Sea to Middle-Earth to help the peoples there oppose Sauron. Alatar was originally going to go alone, but he brought Pallando along as a friend. Pallando and Alatar wore long robes that were colored sea blue.
Pallando and Alatar came to Middle-Earth with the other wizards in circa 1000 of the Third Age. Their mission was to encourage the peoples of Middle-Earth to oppose Sauron. At some unknown point, Saruman, the head of the Order of Wizards, traveled east and Pallando and Alatar went with him. Their mission was to encourage the peoples of Rhun, the Easterlings, not to fight for Sauron but rather to stand against him. But Sauron's hold over the Easterlings was very strong, and he recruited many of them to fight for him and provoked many of them to attack his enemies in Gondor. It is possible that Pallando and Alatar succeeded in convincing some of the people of Rhun to stop fighting for Sauron, for it is said in one source, The History of Middle-earth: Volume XII, that the number of Sauron's legions from Rhun decreased after 1000 of the Third Age. However, this source also states that the Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-Earth sometime in the Second Age before the other three wizards, which contradicts all other sources, so this is probably not accurate.
While Saruman eventually returned to northwestern Middle-Earth, Pallando and Alatar did not. They may have been killed because of Sauron's strong hold over the east, or perhaps they strayed from their original purpose. They may have even fell under the sway of Sauron themselves and perhaps they fought for him or helped him recruit armies from the east. Tolkien stated in Letter # 211 that the Blue Wizards may have founded "magic" cults and traditions in the east that continued after the downfall of Sauron and into the Fourth Age. Whatever be the fate of the Blue Wizards, they were ultimately unsuccessful in achieving their original goal, for only Gandalf was allowed to return to the Undying Lands in the west after the War of the Ring.
Notice: All sources but one say that the Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-Earth with the other three wizards, as stated in this entry. However, one source, The History of Middle-earth: Volume XII, states that the Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-Earth in the Second Age, nearly a full age before the arrival of the other three wizards. This source also states that the wizards were successful in convincing many men of the east not to fight for Sauron, and it says that the number of Sauron's allies from Rhun was greatly reduced because of the Blue Wizards. Additionally, rather than falling out of knowledge, the wizards continued to carry out their original purpose during the War of the Ring. However, it appears that if the Blue Wizards had indeed carried out their original task successfully, they should be allowed to return to the Undying Lands with Gandalf, which they were not. Because all other sources state that the Blue Wizards arrived with the other three wizards, and because eventually the Blue Wizards did not return to the Undying Lands, it can be assumed that this source is not accurate.
Pallando and Alatar came to Middle-Earth with the other wizards in circa 1000 of the Third Age. Their mission was to encourage the peoples of Middle-Earth to oppose Sauron. At some unknown point, Saruman, the head of the Order of Wizards, traveled east and Pallando and Alatar went with him. Their mission was to encourage the peoples of Rhun, the Easterlings, not to fight for Sauron but rather to stand against him. But Sauron's hold over the Easterlings was very strong, and he recruited many of them to fight for him and provoked many of them to attack his enemies in Gondor. It is possible that Pallando and Alatar succeeded in convincing some of the people of Rhun to stop fighting for Sauron, for it is said in one source, The History of Middle-earth: Volume XII, that the number of Sauron's legions from Rhun decreased after 1000 of the Third Age. However, this source also states that the Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-Earth sometime in the Second Age before the other three wizards, which contradicts all other sources, so this is probably not accurate.
While Saruman eventually returned to northwestern Middle-Earth, Pallando and Alatar did not. They may have been killed because of Sauron's strong hold over the east, or perhaps they strayed from their original purpose. They may have even fell under the sway of Sauron themselves and perhaps they fought for him or helped him recruit armies from the east. Tolkien stated in Letter # 211 that the Blue Wizards may have founded "magic" cults and traditions in the east that continued after the downfall of Sauron and into the Fourth Age. Whatever be the fate of the Blue Wizards, they were ultimately unsuccessful in achieving their original goal, for only Gandalf was allowed to return to the Undying Lands in the west after the War of the Ring.
Notice: All sources but one say that the Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-Earth with the other three wizards, as stated in this entry. However, one source, The History of Middle-earth: Volume XII, states that the Blue Wizards arrived in Middle-Earth in the Second Age, nearly a full age before the arrival of the other three wizards. This source also states that the wizards were successful in convincing many men of the east not to fight for Sauron, and it says that the number of Sauron's allies from Rhun was greatly reduced because of the Blue Wizards. Additionally, rather than falling out of knowledge, the wizards continued to carry out their original purpose during the War of the Ring. However, it appears that if the Blue Wizards had indeed carried out their original task successfully, they should be allowed to return to the Undying Lands with Gandalf, which they were not. Because all other sources state that the Blue Wizards arrived with the other three wizards, and because eventually the Blue Wizards did not return to the Undying Lands, it can be assumed that this source is not accurate.
Names & Meanings
In The History of Middle-earth: Volume XII, Alatar and Pallando's names are given as Morinehtar and Rómestámo, meaning "Darkness slayer" and "East helper." The meaning of the names Alatar and Pallando are not known. In Sindarin, the Blue Wizards were called Ithryn Luin, literally translating as "Blue Wizards" from ithryn meaning "wise ones" and luin meaning "blue." The Sindarin word ithryn is the equivalent of the Quenya word istari.
References
The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers: "The Voice of Saruman," page 188
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," page 365
The Unfinished Tales: "The Istari," pages 388-395, 401
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - The Five Wizards," pages 384-385
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #211
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B: "The Tale of Years," page 365
The Unfinished Tales: "The Istari," pages 388-395, 401
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - The Five Wizards," pages 384-385
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Letter #211
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