/lit/ - Literature

>>4336811
They were put in place because of ethical and philosophical considerations.

Tolkien was a Christian anarchist, remember? Morgoth's and later Sauron's main sin was the will to power, the wish to bend the world to their desire. They wished to dominate other sentient beings, thus committing blasphemy against the creation of the One and the Secret Fire.

The Istari, on the other hand, were supposed to guide and encourage those who already had the potential to resist Sauron - thus Gandalf assisting the Dwarves in ridding Sauron of a potential northern ally in the form of a dragon, watching over the Hobbits and the Ring, and helping Aragorn reclaim kingship in the West. The fire of Gandalf was not a consuming one, but one supposed to rekindle the flame of hope where it had grown dim.