When did Gandalf know Bilbo had The One Ring? | Tolkien Explained

Today, we cover the popular question - when did Gandalf realize Bilbo's ring was The One Ring? It can be easy, especially going off the Hobbit films, to see Gandalf as foolish for not knowing this for so many years, but we'll take a look at WHAT Gandalf knew and WHEN he knew it!

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Gandalf in the archives of Minas Tirith - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf Frodo - this is the master ring - Matthew Stewart
Gandalf Frodo and the Ring - Elrodimus Flash
gandalf returns to hobbiton - John Howe
gandalf - Jenny Dolfen
gandalf-moria
Gandalf - Catherine Karina Chmiel
Gandalf Frodo and the Ring - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf - JG Jones
Cirdan - alystraea
Gandalf and Shadowfax - Anke Eissmann
lord of the rings the white council
Gandalf the Grey - Elrodimus Flash
necromancer in dol guldur - anotherstrangerme
thrain, son of thror - Turner Mohan
Smaug and Bilbo - Andrea Piparo
bilbo baggins - skullb*st*rd
the young bilbo - Sara Morello
gandalf - skullb*st*rd
Captured by the Spiders - Alan Lee
Dol Guldur - Angus McBride
Bilbo
Gandalf - Elrodimus Flash
sketch gollum cave - Felix Englund
Gandalf in the Shire - Dzmitry Yakhouski
Visit to Bilbo - Alan Lee
Erebor - Aronja Art
Dale - Matthew Stewart
Barad-dur - John Howe
Gandalf - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf - John_Howe
saruman in orthanc - anotherstranger me
Saruman and Palantir - Angus McBride
The Lord of Rivendell - Peter Xavier Price
Saruman - John Howe
Isengard - Ivan Cavini
Saruman - Steve Airola
saruman with the palantir - kuliszu
saruman of many colours - Tolman Cotton
Gandalf and Frodo - Ivan Cavini
Saruman Palantir - Steve Airola
Saruman - Catherine Karina Chmiel
saruman - Tom Romain
saruman - Dzmitry Yakhouski
Bilbo Baggins - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf at Bag End - Anke Eissmann
Bilbo Reading - Matthew Stewart
old took - Matej Cadil
Bilbo Leaves Bag End - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf3 - Elrodimus Flash
Celebrimbor - YidanYuan
Celebrimbor - Angus_McBride
Gandalf Frodo - this is the master ring - Matthew Stewart
Gandalf the Grey - Daniel Govar
Gandalf - Catherine Karina Chmiel
celebrimbor and annatar - anotherstrangerme
Gandalf - John Howe
The Elven Rings - Ralph Damiani
but the ring was lost - Matej Cadil
bilbo baggins - aegeri
Bilbo - Steve Airola
Frodo grieves for Bilbo - Anke Eissmann
The Arrival of Gandalf - Darrell Sweet
A long expected party - Steamey
shadow of the past - Alan Lee
Gandalf in Archives Minas Tirith - Matthew Stewart
Gandalf in Hobbiton - John Howe
gandalf on the road - skullb*st*rd
Legolas and Gandalf - Catherine Karina Chmiel
Gollum - Steve Airola
Aragorn on a mission - Kip Rasmussen
Gandalf - Jenny Dolfen
Saruman - Elrodimus Flash
Saruman Palantir - Steve Airola
Gandalf_Rides_to_Minas_Tirith – Ted Nasmith
Gandalf in the archives of Minas Tirith - Anke Eissmann
Gollum - Matthew Stewart
Smeagol and the Ring - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf The Grey - John Howe
Gandalf comes to Bag End - Anke Eissmann
Gandalf Frodo and the Ring - Elrodimus Flash
Gandalf the Grey - Anna Kulisz
Gandalf - Soni Alcorn-Hender
The Dwarf Lords - Ralph Damiani
9 Rings - Ralph Damiani
The Great Eye - Ralph Damiani
The Archive - Lída Holubová
Gandalf the White - John Howe
Gandalf and Frodo - Ivan Cavini
Bilbo Baggins - Alan Lee
Bilbo Baggins - aegeri
in the garden of bag end - matej cadil
Gandalf - John Howe
bilbo in rivendell - Matej Cadil
gollum - aegeri
Riddles In The Dark - John Howe
Bilbo Leaves Bag End - Elrodimus Flash
gandalf the grey - Jerry Vanderstelt
Gollum Frodo Sam - John Howe
The Shadow of Sauron – Ted Nasmith
Gandalf in the Shire - Dzmitry Yakhouski

#lordoftherings #tolkien #gandalf

[NerdoftheRings]

What other questions about Middle-earth would you like to see me tackle on the channel? (And yeah, I couldn't resist making this thumbnail inspired by the Riddler meme. haha)

[michaelkelleypoetry]

"The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here... I'll wait till we're in Rivendell. It'll freak Elrond out; just wait till you see his face."

[kayhankiracli]

Bilbo's decision to leave the One Ring to Frodo sets him apart as a truly unique character in the story. No one else in the tale has the foresight and selflessness to willingly give up the ring, knowing the immense power and temptation it holds. He is truly a one-of-a-kind hero.

[samuellivermore]

Christopher Lee and Ian McKellen are two of the greatest casting decisions in cinematic history.

[Gandalf]

My favorite scene in the film trilogy is when Gandalf is talking with Frodo in Moria.

"Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be so quick to deal out death and judgement. Even the very Wise cannot see all ends."

[Jopeymessmusic]

I love the way it's shot throughout the film because it looks like Gandalf just casually hopped on horseback and popped over to Minas Tirith from the shire in like, a few days or so but coming from the books, we known it's been nearly 20 years since he had the suspicion that Bilbo's ring was sus. And in the meantime did a bunch of things within that timeframe to confirm his suspicions.

[TolkienAnswers]

Short answer: Gandalf assumed Bilbo had a lesser ring until the events of LOTR.
But wow! That is a lot of context you packed into one video, great job!

[Edwardin]

The Bilbo's love of food and a quiet life overpowered the ring.

[Sevenigma]

I always thought Bilbo never gets enough credit for being the only being in this story able to give up the one ring on his own especially with how long and how much he had used it.

[NardelVexman]

Always thought it was funny in the movies that if Gandalf had been wrong about the ring he would have given Frodo a horrible burn on his palm when he took it straight out of the fire.

[fabiopauli]

7:55 "Most men couldnt even finish their breakfast under the influence of the Ring before setting out to conquer the world"
- CP Gray

[krisfrederick]

Gandalf's love of the halflings leaf clearly slowed his mind...💚

[CaIypsoJ]

For the movie at least, I knew that Gandalf knew when he told Bilbo, "You haven't aged a day." I'll never forget the look on his face and how all of the joy just seemed to drain from it. He then quickly laughed it off, but his mind was set. He only needed to get the proof to confirm what he knew.

[Paulafan]

You said that it wasn't mentioned in the films that there were lesser rings made, but Gandalf has a line like "There are many magic rings in this world, Bilbo Baggins, and none of them should be used lightly." I always assumed that to mean rings that weren't one of the great rings.

[_maza_]

Gandalf does mention the lesser rings in the movie, after Bilbo pulls his disappearing act from the party, he tells him something like "There are many magic rings in this world and none of them are to be used lightly"

[Aaron-Fife]

Alright, you convinced me. I'll rewatch the movies today with this context in mind.

[traviscummings]

As Gandalf says himself (at least in the movie version of Fellowship of the Ring), "Even the very wise cannot see all ends."

[tonypapas]

"The love of the halfling's leaf has definitely slowed your mind.". LMAO - Saruman with the clap at Gandalf in the movie.

[transformersrevenge]

So let me get this straight. In the Hobbit, Tolkien wrote a magic ring into the story as a way for Bilbo to get out of a tough spot. Then he went back, took that ring, and made it the central plot point of the entire saga? That's cool.

[tedwatson]

I think that just as the ring had a negative affect on whoever possessed it, that it could influence someone like Gandalf to pay less attention to it. The ring wants to be found and get back to it's master, but it doesn't want the wrong person to find it. Gandalf or Galadriel would have become rivals to Sauron's power if they were to take the ring, and that is not something the ring wants.