Radagast

"Radagast is, of course, a worthy wizard, a master of shapes and changes of hue; and he has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds are especially his friends."
— Gandalf on Radagast, The Fellowship of the Ring

^{Radagast the Brown}

I had intended to write a story about him, but I lost the ability to create and knew I wouldn’t make the deadline even if I tried. But I couldn’t just abandon him or let others remain unaware of his greatness… well, greatness in his own way. So, here are some thoughts on him instead...

I’ve never read the books, but I’ve watched the films since I was very young. Every Christmas season, the television would play reruns of the trilogy, and my cousins and I would sit in front of the TV and watch all three films over three consecutive days - starting with The Fellowship of the Ring and ending with The Return of the King. We kept this up for years, and it eventually became our tradition. We grew up with it.

The urge to read the books was never very strong for me; I was perfectly content with what I’d grown up with. Reading them now might introduce changes I never imagined, and in a way, I’m afraid it could alter or even disturb the childhood memories I treasure so much. Or maybe not - maybe it would enrich them. I don't know.

Perhaps part of the reason I’ve never felt compelled to read them is Radagast. He never truly appears in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he’s mentioned only once when Saruman calls him a fool during Gandalf’s visit to Isengard. Most of what I know of him, including the White Council scene in Rivendell and Saruman’s comment on his excessive consumption of mushrooms, comes from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films, rather than Tolkien’s books.

Of course, he does appear in Tolkien’s other writings, like The Unfinished Tales, but it’s not the same as seeing him in the adventures I grew up watching.

But what can I say of Radagast the Brown myself? Beyond being one of the Istari - a group of wizards sent by the Valar to guide and protect Middle-earth - he feels different from the others. While Gandalf and Saruman are caught up in the affairs of Men and the struggle against Sauron, Radagast seems closer to the natural world, more at home among the forests, birds, and beasts, which, to me, feels wonderfully refreshing.

Radagast is actually my favourite wizard - yes, I love Gandalf too, but he comes second for me. There’s something about his gentle, nature-loving spirit and his quiet, eccentric devotion to the forests, animals, and birds that feels incredibly endearing. Unlike the others, he doesn’t get caught up in the grand struggles of Men and power; he cares (perhaps a little too much), and that makes him stand out in my eyes.

Though he’s clearly not one of the “greats,” that’s ironically what draws me to him. There’s something quietly admirable about those who work in the background, often unnoticed, yet remain fully themselves - absorbed in their own world, genuine and devoted.

Radagast may not be counted among the heroes who saved Middle-earth, but his steady care and unwavering attention to the small, living things around him remind me that not all heroism is grand or celebrated; sometimes it’s in the subtle, steadfast presence of those who simply care. And damn right, he cares.

I think he deserves more screen time - or even better, a spin-off. The forests of Middle-earth are vast and mysterious, full of corners and creatures that remain largely unexplored. A story centered on Radagast could reveal that hidden world, giving him the space to shine and allowing us to appreciate the magic of nature through his eyes - and perhaps understand it through his forest-born wisdom.