Like if we could imagine a president who tried to regain his power by usurping, failed and lost all his power, and then somehow is allowed to try again. Aren't we glad LOTR is just fantasy, that'd be horrible.

[–] exocrinous@lemm.ee 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I would argue Gandalf uses not smooth talking, but fast talking. He does whatever he wants before the hobbits have even mustered up the indignation to say no. That's what happens at the beginning of the Hobbit. The book says most of the respectable hobbits hated Gandalf and only the children and the adventurous liked him, and nobody respected the adventurous hobbits all too much, Bagginses and their wealth not withstanding.

[–] imaqtpie@lemmy.myserv.one 1 points 8 months ago

Pretty sure the person you're responding to is referring to Saruman infiltrating the Shire at the end of the series, not Gandalf.