Connexion
Gandalf
Si vous aimez ce personnage, faites-le savoir !
Vrai nom le Pèlerin gris,, le Cavalier blanc,, Olórin,, Mithrandir,, Tharkûn,, Incánus
Gandalf est un personnage imaginaire appartenant au légendaire (legendarium) de l'écrivain britannique J. R. R. Tolkien, apparaissant dans Le Hobbit, puis dans Le Seigneur des anneaux.
Ce mystérieux vieillard, décrit comme étant un magicien (en fait, un membre des Istari), joue un rôle crucial dans les deux romans : il met en branle les événements du premier et joue un rôle de sage conseiller tout au long du second, par contraste avec son supérieur Saruman.
Gandalf porte de nombreux noms et surnoms. Décrit comme le « Pèlerin Gris » ou le « Cavalier Blanc », il est l'un des principaux antagonistes de Sauron, le Seigneur Ténébreux ; c'est d’ailleurs à cause de ce dernier que Gandalf a été envoyé en Terre du Milieu pour assister ses habitants contre lui.
Les textes de Tolkien publiés après sa mort expliquent les origines et la nature de Gandalf : il est l'un des Maiar.
Biographie
ValinorIn Valinor, Gandalf was known as Olórin. As recounted in the "Valaquenta" in The Silmarillion, he was one of the Maiar of Valinor, specifically, of the people of the Vala Manwë; and was said to be the wisest of the Maiar. He lived in the gardens of Irmo under the tutelage of Nienna, the patron of mercy. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Wizards to Middle-earth in order to counsel and assist all those who opposed Sauron, Olórin was proposed by Manwë. Olórin initially begged to be excused as he feared Sauron and lacked the strength to face him, but Manwë replied that that was all the more reason for him to go.
As one of the Maiar, Gandalf was not a mortal Man but an angelic being who had descended into human form. As one of the angelic Maiar spirits, Olórin was in service to the Creator (Eru Ilúvatar) and the Creator's 'secret fire'. Along with the other Maiar who entered into the world as the five Wizards, he took on the specific form of an aged old man as a sign of his humility. The role of the wizards was to advise and counsel but never to attempt to match Sauron's strength with his own, and hopefully the kings and lords of Middle-earth would be more receptive to the advice of a humble old man than a more glorious form giving them direct commands.
Middle-earth
Gandalf the Grey was the last of the Istari landing in Mithlond. He seemed the oldest and least in stature of them, but Círdan the Shipwright felt that he had the highest inner greatness on their first meeting in the Havens, and gave him Narya, the Ring of Fire. Saruman later learned of the gift and resented it. Gandalf hid the ring well, and it was not widely known until he left with the other ring-bearers at the end of the Third Age that he, and not Círdan, was the holder of the third of the Elven-rings.
Gandalf's relationship with Saruman, the head of the Order, was strained. The Wizards were commanded to aid Men, Elves, and Dwarves, but only through counsel; it was forbidden to use force to dominate them — an injunction that Saruman disregarded.
The White Council
In "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" (in The Silmarillion) and "The Istari" (in Unfinished Tales), Tolkien fleshes out the background and the history briefly tabulated by date in Appendix B of The Lord of the Rings. Gandalf suspected early on that the Necromancer of Dol Guldur was not a Nazgûl but Sauron himself. He went to Dol Guldur (in T.A. 2063) to discover the truth, but the Necromancer withdrew before him. The Necromancer returned to Dol Guldur with greater force in T.A. 2460, and the White Council was formed in response (T.A. 2463). Galadriel had hoped Gandalf would lead the Council, but Gandalf refused, declining to be bound by any but the Valar who sent him. Saruman was chosen instead, as being most knowledgeable about Sauron's work in the Second Age.
Gandalf returned to Dol Guldur in T.A. 2850 "at great peril" and learned that the Necromancer was indeed Sauron returned. (This is when Gandalf found Thráin II imprisoned in Dol Guldur and recovered Thror's map and the key to Erebor before Thráin died.) The following year the White Council was summoned, and Gandalf urged that Sauron be driven out. Saruman, however, reassured the Council that Sauron's evident effort to find the One Ring (a necessary component of his resurgence) would fail, as the Ring would long since have been carried by the river Anduin to the Sea; and the matter was allowed to rest. But at this time Saruman himself began actively seeking the Ring near the Gladden Fields where Isildur had been killed, not far from Dol Guldur.
The Quest of Erebor
"The Quest of Erebor" in Unfinished Tales elaborates upon the story behind The Hobbit. It tells of a chance meeting between Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield, a Dwarf-king in exile, in the inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree. Gandalf had for some time foreseen the coming war with Sauron, and knew that the North was especially vulnerable. If Rivendell were to be attacked, the dragon Smaug could cause great devastation. He persuaded Thorin that he could help him regain his lost territory of Erebor from Smaug, and so the quest was born.
In T.A. 2941, Gandalf arranged (and frequently accompanied) a band of 13 dwarves and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins to reclaim from Smaug the Dwarves' lost treasure in Erebor. To the quest, Gandalf contributed a map and key to Erebor. It was on this Quest of Erebor that Gandalf found his sword, Glamdring, in a troll's treasure hoard.
After escaping from the Misty Mountains pursued by Goblins and Wargs, the party was carried to safety by the Great Eagles. Gandalf then persuaded Beorn—who did not like uninvited guests or dwarves—to house and provision the company for the trip through Mirkwood.
Gandalf left the company before they entered Mirkwood, saying that he had pressing business to attend to. He turned up again, however, before the walls of Erebor disguised as an old man, revealing himself when it seemed the Men of Esgaroth and the Mirkwood Elves would fight Thorin and the Dwarves over Smaug's treasure. The Battle of the Five Armies ensued when hosts of Goblins and Wargs attacked all three parties. After the battle, Gandalf accompanied Bilbo back to the Shire, revealing at Rivendell what his pressing business had been: Gandalf had once again urged the Council to evict Sauron, since quite evidently Sauron did not require the One Ring to continue to attract evil to Mirkwood. Then, in an event only briefly described (in The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings), the Council "put forth its power" and drove Sauron from Dol Guldur. Sauron, however, had anticipated this and withdrew as a feint, only to reappear in Mordor.
Prelude to the War of the Ring
As explained in The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf spent the years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings travelling Middle-earth in search of information on Sauron's resurgence and Bilbo's mysterious ring, spurred particularly by Bilbo's initial misleading story of how he had obtained it as a "present" from Gollum. During this period he befriended Aragorn and first became suspicious of Saruman. He spent as much time as he could in the Shire, strengthening his friendship with Bilbo and Frodo, Bilbo's heir.
He returned to the Shire for Bilbo's "eleventy-first" (111th) birthday party in T.A. 3001, bringing many fireworks for the occasion. After Bilbo, as a prank on his guests, put on the Ring and disappeared, Gandalf strongly encouraged his old friend to leave the Ring to Frodo, as they had planned. Bilbo became hostile and accused Gandalf of trying to steal the Ring—which he called "my precious", much as Gollum had done. (Isildur, who earlier possessed the ring and was destroyed by it, had written that "it is precious to me"). Alarmed, Gandalf impressed on Bilbo the foolishness of this accusation. Coming to his senses, Bilbo admitted that the Ring had been troubling him, and leaving it behind for Frodo, he departed for Rivendell. Though Bilbo would never be entirely free of the desire for the Ring, he was the first of its bearers to give it up willingly.
Over the next 17 years, Gandalf travelled extensively, searching for answers. With Aragorn he sought to find Gollum. Aragorn eventually succeeded, and Gandalf questioned Gollum, threatening him with fire when he proved unwilling to speak. Gandalf learned finally that Sauron had forced Gollum under torture in Barad-dûr to tell what he knew of the Ring. This reinforced Gandalf's growing suspicion that Bilbo's ring was the One Ring.
The Fellowship of the Ring
Returning to the Shire, in T.A. 3018, Gandalf confirmed his suspicions by throwing the Ring into Frodo's hearth fire and reading the writing that appeared on the Ring's surface. He told Frodo the full history of the Ring, and urged him to take the Ring to Rivendell; for he would be in grave danger if he stayed in the Shire. Gandalf said he would attempt to return for Frodo's 50th birthday party, in order to accompany him on the road thereafter; and that meanwhile Frodo should arrange to leave quietly, as the servants of Sauron would be searching for him.
Outside the Shire, Gandalf encountered Radagast the Brown, another of the Istari, who brought the news that the Nazgûl had ridden forth and crossed the River Anduin—and a request from Saruman that Gandalf come to Isengard. Gandalf left a letter to Frodo (urging his immediate departure) with Barliman Butterbur at the inn in Bree, and headed towards Isengard. There Saruman revealed his true colours, urging Gandalf to help him obtain the Ring for his own use. Gandalf refused, and Saruman imprisoned him at the top of the tower of Orthanc. Eventually Gandalf was rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle.
Gwaihir set Gandalf down in Rohan, where Gandalf appealed to King Théoden for a horse. Théoden, under the malign influence of Gríma Wormtongue, Saruman's spy, told Gandalf to take any horse he pleased, but to leave quickly. It was then that Gandalf met the great horse Shadowfax, one of the mearas, who would be his mount and companion for most of the rest of the war. Gandalf pursued the horse for two days before Shadowfax permitted Gandalf to ride him. Gandalf then rode hard for the Shire, but did not reach it until Frodo had already set out. Knowing that Frodo and his companions would be heading for Rivendell, Gandalf began to make his own way there. He learned at Bree that the Hobbits had fallen in with Aragorn. He faced the Nazgûl at Weathertop but escaped after an all-night battle, drawing four of them northward. Frodo, Aragorn and company faced the remaining five on Weathertop a few nights later. Gandalf reached Rivendell just before Frodo's arrival.
In Rivendell, Gandalf helped Elrond drive off the Nazgûl pursuing Frodo and played a great part in the following council as the only person who knew the full history of the Ring. He also revealed that Saruman had betrayed them and was in league with Sauron. When it was decided that the Ring had to be destroyed, Gandalf volunteered to accompany Frodo—now the Ring-bearer—in his quest. He also persuaded Elrond to let Frodo's cousins Merry and Pippin join the Fellowship.
Taking charge of the Fellowship (comprising nine representatives of the free peoples of Middle-earth, "set against the Nine Riders"), Gandalf and Aragorn led the Hobbits and their companions south. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross Mount Caradhras in winter, they crossed under the mountains through the Mines of Moria, though only Gimli the Dwarf was enthusiastic about that route. In Moria, they discovered that the Dwarf colony established there earlier had been overrun by Orcs. The Fellowship fought with the Orcs and Trolls of Moria, but were no match for "Durin's Bane," a Balrog from ancient times. At the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, Gandalf faced the Balrog to enable the others to escape.
After a short exchange of blows, Gandalf broke the bridge beneath the Balrog with his staff. As the Balrog fell, it wrapped its whip around Gandalf's knees, dragging him into the abyss. As his friends looked on in horror, Gandalf fell into the pit, crying "Fly, you fools!" as he went.
Gandalf and the Balrog fell into the deep subterranean lake under Moria. Gandalf pursued the Balrog for eight days until they climbed to the peak of Zirakzigil. Here they fought for two days and nights. In the end, the Balrog was cast down and broke the mountainside with its fall. Gandalf himself died during this ordeal, and his body lay on the peak while his spirit travelled "out of thought and time".
Gandalf the White
Gandalf was "sent back" as Gandalf the White, and returned to life on the mountain. Gwaihir, lord of eagles, carried him to Lórien, where he was healed of his injuries and re-clothed in white robes by Galadriel. He travelled to Fangorn Forest, where he encountered Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas (who were tracking Merry and Pippin). They mistook him for Saruman, but he stopped their attacks and revealed himself.
They travelled to Rohan, where Gandalf found that Théoden had been further weakened by Wormtongue's influence. He broke Wormtongue's hold over Théoden, and convinced the king to join in the fight against Sauron. Gandalf then set off to gather Erkenbrand of the Westfold and his warriors to assist Théoden in the coming battle with Saruman. Gandalf arrived just in time to shatter Saruman's attack on Helm's Deep. After the ensuing battle, Gandalf and the king rode to Isengard, which in the interim had itself been attacked and conquered by Treebeard and the Ents, along with Merry and Pippin. Gandalf broke Saruman's staff and expelled him from the White Council and the Order of Wizards, and assumed Saruman's place as head of both. Wormtongue made an indecisive attempt to kill Gandalf or Saruman with the palantír of Orthanc, but missed both. Pippin retrieved the palantír, but Gandalf quickly appropriated it. After the group left Isengard, Pippin took the palantír from a sleeping Gandalf, looked into it, and came face to face with Sauron himself. Gandalf then took the chastened Pippin with him to Minas Tirith to keep the young hobbit out of further trouble.
Gandalf arrived in time to help order the defences of Minas Tirith. His presence was resented by Denethor, the Steward of Gondor; but after Denethor's son Faramir was gravely wounded in battle, Denethor sank into despair and madness. Together with Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth, Gandalf led the defenders during the siege of the city. When the forces of Mordor finally broke the main gate, Gandalf alone on Shadowfax confronted the Witch-king of Angmar, Lord of the Nazgûl. But at that moment the Rohirrim arrived, compelling the Witch-king to withdraw and engage them. Gandalf would have ridden to their aid, but he too was suddenly required elsewhere—to save Faramir from Denethor, who sought in desperation to burn himself and his son on a funeral pyre in Rath Dínen.
Aragorn and Gandalf then led the final campaign against Sauron's forces at the Black Gate, in an effort to distract the Dark Lord's attention from Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee, who were at the same moment scaling Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. In a parley before the battle, Gandalf and the other leaders of the West met the Mouth of Sauron, who showed them Frodo's mithril shirt and other items from the Hobbits' equipment. But Gandalf rejected Mordor's terms of surrender, and the forces of the West faced the full might of Sauron's armies, until the Ring was destroyed in Orodruin. Gandalf led the Eagles to rescue Frodo and Sam from the erupting Orodruin.
After the war, Gandalf crowned Aragorn as King Elessar, and helped him find a sapling of the White Tree of Gondor. He accompanied the Hobbits back to the borders of the Shire, before leaving to visit Tom Bombadil. Two years later, Gandalf—who by now had spent about 2,000 years in Middle-earth—departed with Frodo, Bilbo, Galadriel, and Elrond across the sea to the Undying Lands. It was only then that his possession of Narya, one of the Three Elven Rings, became generally known.
Ses meilleurs films
(2003)
(2012)
(2013)
(2014)
(2002)
(2001)Joué par les acteurs
Filmographie de Gandalf (9 films)
Ajouter à une liste de films, 2h24Réalisé par Andy Serkis, Peter Jackson
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Fantasy, Action, Aventure
Thèmes Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu, Mise en scène d'un dragon, Films pour enfants
Acteurs Dean O'Gorman, Lee Pace, Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Orlando Bloom
Note73%
À la suite de la tentative ratée des Nains pour tuer le dragon Smaug, ce dernier se dirige vers Lacville dans l'intention de se venger des hommes ayant aidé la compagnie de Thorin à reconquérir la montagne Solitaire. Sur place, il commence à incendier les bâtiments et à tuer tous ceux qu'il croise. Le maître de la ville et son serviteur Alfrid prennent lâchement la fuite, mais ils sont bientôt stoppés par les flammes. De son côté, Bard arrive à s'échapper de sa cellule et se dirige ensuite vers la plus haute tour de la ville, armé de simples flèches. Arrivé au sommet, il commence à riposter. Smaug ne prête pas attention à l'archer et continue son massacre. C'est alors que le fils de Bard, en fuite avec ses sœurs, ainsi que Kili, Fili, Oin, Bofur et Tauriel, sur un bateau, se souvient de la flèche noire qu'il avait cachée. Voyant son père au sommet de la tour, il décide de lui venir en aide et la lui apporte. Le dragon remarque alors l'archer et son fils et se fait menaçant. Bard, lui, repère le point faible sur le corps de Smaug, ce dernier s'approche d'eux pour les tuer mais Bard se concentre et tire dans la faille située sur le poitrail de la bête. La flèche touche au but et Smaug s'écroule sur la ville, tuant le maître de Lacville dans sa chute.
La Grande Aventure LEGO (2014)
, 1h40Réalisé par Chris Miller, Chris Miller, Phil Lord
Origine Danemark
Genres Comédie, Fantasy, Action, Aventure, Animation
Thèmes L'enfance, Jeu, Sport, Comédie de science-fiction, Arts martiaux, Batman, Superman, Extra-terrestres, Super-héros, Jouet, Politique, Dystopique, Super-héros inspiré de comics, Space opera, Films pour enfants, Extraterrestre
Acteurs Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie
Note76%
Emmet, une personne ordinaire vivant à Bricksburg, est pris par erreur pour le « Spécial » (ou l'« Élu »), c'est-à-dire celui qui peut sauver l'univers face à Lord Business, un tyran maléfique qui se cache sous l'identité du Président Business et qui veut détruire l'univers Lego avec le « Kragle », une machine permettant de coller toutes les figurines Lego. Malgré lui, Emmet va devoir se battre contre cette menace, avec l'aide d'un vieux mystique, Vitruvius, d'une jeune femme robuste, Cool Tag (Wyldstyle en version originale, Rebelle en version québécoise), et du fiancé de cette dernière, Batman.
, 2h41Réalisé par Peter Jackson
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Drame, Science-fiction, Fantasy, Action, Aventure
Thèmes Mise en scène d'un animal, Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu, Mise en scène d'un dragon, Films pour enfants
Acteurs Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Lee Pace
Note77%
Lors d'un voyage à Bree, Thorin Écu-de-Chêne est abordé par Gandalf à l'auberge du Poney Fringant. Le magicien informe le nain que sa tête a été mise à prix via une dépêche rédigée en Noir Parler et le pousse à récupérer l'Arkenstone, gardée par Smaug à Erebor, pour unifier les Royaumes Nains. Il lui suggère aussi qu'il aurait besoin pour cela d'un cambrioleur.
, 2h49Réalisé par Peter Jackson
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Fantasy, Action, Aventure
Thèmes Mise en scène d'un animal, Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu, Mise en scène d'un dragon, Films pour enfants
Acteurs Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Stephen Fry, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott
Note77%
Alors que ses amis hobbits de la Comté s'apprêtent à fêter son cent onzième anniversaire, Bilbon Sacquet entame le récit de ses aventures dans un livre destiné à son neveu Frodon Sacquet.
, 3h21Réalisé par Peter Jackson
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Drame, Fantasy, Action, Aventure
Thèmes Mise en scène d'un animal, Magie, Monde imaginaire, Mise en scène d'une araignée, La Terre du Milieu
Acteurs Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett
Note85%
Les hobbits Frodon et Sam continuent leur route vers le Mordor, guidés par l'étrange Gollum. Leur plan est de passer par le haut col de Cirith Ungol mais ils ignorent encore que Gollum les mène droit à un piège mortel. De leur côté, les autres membres de la Communauté de l'Anneau, accompagnés par Gandalf, se retrouvent en Isengard au pied de la tour d'Orthanc, où Saroumane et son complice Gríma sont retenus prisonniers par les Ents. C'est là que Gandalf met la main sur le palantír de Saroumane avant que toute la compagnie ne reparte vers Edoras pour y fêter la victoire. Au cours de la nuit, poussé par sa curiosité, le Hobbit Pippin regarde dans le palantír, et se révèle à l'Œil de Sauron. Il y voit Minas Tirith, la cité blanche du Gondor, détruite et l'arbre blanc en feu. Cet aperçu du plan de l'ennemi pousse Gandalf à se rendre de toute urgence à Minas Tirith pour donner l'alarme.
, 2h59Réalisé par Peter Jackson
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Fantasy, Action, Aventure
Thèmes Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu, Mise en scène d'une plante
Acteurs Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis, Cate Blanchett
Note84%
Après être entrés en Emyn Muil, Frodon Sacquet et Sam Gamegie rencontrent la créature Gollum, qui essaye de leur voler l'Anneau par la force. Vaincu, il promet aux Hobbits de les guider jusqu'au Mordor. Après avoir traversé l'Emyn Muil et les marais des Morts, ils arrivent à la Morannon, la « Porte Noire » de Mordor. Cependant, elle est trop bien protégée pour qu'ils entrent par là et Gollum leur propose de leur montrer le chemin secret de Cirith Ungol. Pendant le voyage, ils rencontrent une troupe avancée du Gondor, dirigée par Faramir, fils de l'Intendant Denethor II et frère de Boromir. Il les fait prisonniers et découvre qu'ils portent l'Anneau unique. Il décide alors de les mener devant son père, mais, en traversant la cité détruite d'Osgiliath, les soldats du Gondor sont confrontés aux forces de Sauron menées par des Nazgûl. Se rendant compte du pouvoir maléfique de l'Anneau sur Frodon, qui a presque été pris par un des Nazgûl, Faramir se résout à les libérer pour qu'ils accomplissent leur mission.
, 2h58Réalisé par Peter Jackson
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Fantasy, Action, Aventure
Thèmes Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu
Acteurs Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett
Note84%
Sur la Terre du Milieu, dans la paisible région de la Comté, vit le Hobbit Frodon Sacquet. Comme tous les Hobbits, Frodon est un bon vivant, amoureux de la terre bien cultivée et de la bonne chère. Orphelin alors qu'il n'était qu'un enfant, il s'est installé à Cul-de-Sac chez son oncle Bilbon, connu de toute la Comté pour les aventures extraordinaires qu'il a vécues étant jeune et les trésors qu'il en a tirés. Le jour de ses 111 ans, Bilbon donne une fête grandiose à laquelle est convié le puissant magicien Gandalf le Gris. C'est en ce jour particulier que Bilbon décide de se retirer chez les Elfes pour y finir sa vie. Il laisse en héritage à Frodon son trou de Hobbit ainsi qu'un anneau, qu'il a autrefois trouvé dans la caverne d'une créature nommée Gollum dans les Monts Brumeux, et qui a le pouvoir de rendre invisible quiconque le porte à son doigt.
The Hobbit (1985)
, 1h5Origine Russie
Genres Fantasy, Aventure
Thèmes Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu, Films pour enfants
Acteurs Anatoli Ravikovitch, Zinovi Gerdt, Ivan Krasko
Note45%
Le Seigneur des anneaux (1978)
, 2h12Réalisé par Ralph Bakshi
Origine Etats-Unis
Genres Drame, Science-fiction, Fantastique, Fantasy, Aventure, Animation
Thèmes Magie, Monde imaginaire, La Terre du Milieu
Acteurs Christopher Guard, William Squire, John Hurt, Simon Chandler, Dominic Guard, Michael Graham Cox
Note62%
Au début du Second Âge de la Terre du Milieu, les Elfes forgerons conçurent dix-neuf Anneaux de Pouvoir pour les Hommes, les Nains et les Elfes. Finalement, le Seigneur Ténébreux Sauron forgea l'Anneau unique pour les gouverner tous. Quand la Dernière Alliance des Elfes et des Hommes tomba devant lui, l'Anneau arriva entre les mains du prince Isildur, descendants des puissants rois d'au-delà de la mer. Après qu'Isildur fut tué par des Orques, l'Anneau reposa au fond du fleuve Anduin pendant de longues années, durant lesquelles Sauron s'empara des Neuf anneaux qui avaient été donnés aux Hommes et fit de leurs possesseurs les Spectres de l'Anneau, de terrifiantes ombres qui écumaient le monde à la recherche de l'Unique. Ce dernier fut retrouvé par deux hobbits. L'un d'entre eux, Sméagol, fut tellement attiré par l'Anneau qu'il tua son cousin Déagol pour le posséder. L'Anneau le transforma en une créature tordue et crachotante, Gollum, jusqu'à ce que son « précieux » fût découvert par le hobbit Bilbon Sacquet. Des années plus tard, dans la Comté, Bilbon fête son anniversaire. Dans son trou de hobbit, le mage Gandalf lui demande de laisser l'Anneau à Frodon Sacquet. Bilbon finit par accepter et quitte la Comté. Dix-sept années s'écoulent, durant lesquelles Gandalf apprend que la Comté est en danger : les forces du mal ont appris que l'Anneau est en possession d'un Sacquet. Gandalf retrouve Frodon et lui apprend l'histoire de l'Anneau et le danger qu'il fait peser sur toute la Terre du Milieu. Frodon quitte sa demeure en emportant l'Anneau.