Literature has given us examples of several powerful wizards, but one question has plagued them ever since: Which is the most incredible of all? Was it Merlin from the legend of King Arthur? Or maybe Dumbledore, who helps Harry Potter on his journey? Or maybe Gandalf, who led battalions in "Lord of the Rings"?

Doubt seems extremely difficult to solve, especially since they are very distinct characters. Each aficionado for each work will defend their favorite magician. However, Slate has called in a subject matter expert to try and resolve the issue. Although Ernest W. Adams has been a Tolkien reader since 1968, he promises to be impartial in his analysis.

Let the battle begin

Adams is a game designer and relied solely on literary works to come to a verdict - so if you know Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and King Arthur's story only from movies, comics or video games, it's time to read the original works before disagreeing with the author, isn't it?

Merlin and Gandalf are legendary characters. The first appears in various accounts since the 12th century, while the second appeared in Tolkien's works that have a legendary narrative. Because of this, they are two-dimensional; that is, they need growth. On the other hand, Adams argues that Dumbledore, being much more recent, is included in a more naturalistic class of storytelling. The works in which he appears, though childish, are literary novels, placing him in a distinct category from the other two.

Another feature pointed out by the author is that it is difficult to judge the individual character of each of these characters. Merlin dedicated his life to Kings Uther and Arthur. Gandalf was immortal, that is, not a "normal" person. Gandalf showed no weakness because of his characteristics, even though he had a certain "limit." Thus Dumbledore would be much easier to judge because there is a three-dimensionality in character, with more human defects and qualities than in other wizards.

In Ernest Adams's view Merlin has no great magic

What defines the "greatest wizard"?

The author of the essay begins by questioning what makes a wizard to be considered "the greatest wizard." Was it the power of your magic? Your deeds for the other characters? From Merlin, for example, he points out only two great magics: the time he turned Uther Pendragon so he could have sex with his enemy's wife and the time he moved Stonehenge from Ireland to England. Merlin is also responsible for Excalibur's magic sheath, but Adams does not consider him a great wizard, only a faithful servant of King Uther and King Arthur.

Gandalf, on the other hand, has worked in favor of "magic" for centuries. He assembled the free peoples of Middle-earth, joined them in the fight against evil, and sacrificed himself in Moria to save his friends from the Society of the Ring. Still, Adams believes Dumbledore has greater "power" than Gandalf.

However, Dumbledore did not move any nation against the common evil, which was Voldemort. He was only the leader of the Hogwarts School of Magic, having sacrificed himself for nothing in history. For Adams, the fact that Dumbledore committed “suicide” did nothing to help the other people fighting the evil wizard.

Gandalf sacrificed himself in Moria to save his companions

Verdict

Comparing each wizard's deeds, Adams excluded Merlin because he didn't have an "offensive" spell. Putting Gandalf against Voldemort, for example, he believes Tolkien's wizard could wage a war of muggles and wizards against the common enemy. However, in melee, he would not beat the One Who Cannot Be Named.

Dumbledore would not have beaten Sauron in physical combat either. Adams believes, however, that he would have larger magical devices to bring Frodo to Doom Mountain and assist him in his quest to destroy the Ring of Power. Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, for example, would be of great help to Frodo walking through Moria's gates unnoticed.

Was Gandalf powerful? Of course it was. However, author JRR Tolkien did not describe his magic as defining it. Gandalf, in Adams's view, was more of a political strategist than a great wizard. Some of his magic achievements are quite dramatic, but he could not do a fraction of what Dumbledore did.

Dumbledore, in Adams's view, is the most powerful of the three mentioned. But only for the sake of the fact that the world itself has changed since the other two were created. Author JK Rowling seems to have given the character much more power and magic to impress her readers.

"What can I say?"

* Posted on 7/27/2015

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