Greatest Wizard: Gandalf, Dumbledore, or Merlin?

Over lunch, Avery asked me, “Who is a better wizard: Gandalf, Dumbledore, or Merlin?” 

Gandalf - Lord of the Rings

Dumbledore - Harry Potter

Merlin - Merlin

I stopped mid-chew of a turkey sandwich.  The question had never been asked of me before and I’d never linked the three of them together – WHAT was the answer?! 

The more I thought about it, the more confused I became.  I’m still confused but the question must be answered so here I go, on a quest to discover truth.  You may join if you wish (I have cool photos).

*Please note 1: some info may be gather from the actual books that produced the movies, rather than just from what we see in the movies themselves.

*Please note 2: When I speak of Merlin (also known as Emrys but I’ll call him Merlin for the duration of this blog) I will be speaking of Merlin from the BBC show Merlin – I know nothing else about the character Merlin than what I’ve seen in this show (Disney’s Sword in the Stone doesn’t count – wonderful as it is).

Round 1. Magic: Who has more powerful magic?

Gandalf shows us his magic in pyrotechnics most often – firework, flaming pinecones, inflaming trees, keeping fires going in blizzard conditions, etc.  We see him use his stick as a flashlight and blow smoke ships through Bilbo’s smoke rings – those are fun pieces of magic.  And if he needs a ride he speaks the language of the moths so they can go collect the eagles for him.  As far as real power – it was pretty amazing that he created the bubble shield against the Balrog (I’m curious why he didn’t use that more often though….seems like it would have come in handy against people like the Witch King of Agmar) and when he came back to Middle Earth we can see that his power has grown when he snaps Saruman’s staff with a mere spoken word.  He also possesses some ability to see into the future.  And let’s not forget that after Pippen’s dangerous encounter with the palantir, Gandalf restored him. 

Dumbledore studied magic his whole life.  He dueled and defeated a great wizard named Grindelwald, despite the fact that Grindelwald possessed what was possibly the greatest wand of all time.  The powerful Dumbledore took the powerful wand and with it, became the only wizard that the evil and quite powerful Voldemort feared.  Lots of power going on here.  Later, Dumbledore uses his magic to capture all Death Eaters but one and then he encases Voldemort in a dome of water, turns Voldemort’s hurling glass into sand, and makes statues obey his commands.  On a lighter note, we see Dumbledore doing fun things like blow out or light candles and put food on the table (I LIKE that!).  He can either apparate or head out in style on a Phoenix if the going gets rough.  And this dude knows how to pull memories out of his head so he can reflect on them and share them with others.

Merlin is young, far younger than the other two wizards.  However, age does not a wizard make.  Gaius himself tells Merlin right off the bat that he’s special – most wizards have to study to use their gifts but with Merlin it’s elemental and instinctive.  With a golden light in his eyes and an utterance (aloud or in his mind) Merlin can defeat any monster that crosses his path, save the city from plagues, heal desperately sick people, control dragons (since he IS a dragon lord), control elements like wind and water, expose villainous witches and warlocks, engineer escapes for those who were wrongly imprisoned, bring magical lightning down out of the sky to defeat a powerful witch and then use the power of life and death to bring Gaius back from death, create potions not just for healing but also for the undoing of powerful and evil witches/wizards, see into the future….these things are done in every episode.  Under the very nose of Uther.  Without anyone but Gaius and Lancelot ever knowing.  Sometimes, no one knows.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think our choice is clear: Merlin has the strongest magic.

Gandalf: 0     Dumbledore: 0         Merlin:1

Round 2. Strength: Who would win in a battle if magic wasn’t allowed?

Gandalf is a real trooper.  He walks everywhere so he’s in much better shape than Dumbledore even though he’s older than Dumbledore.  Rather than solely relying on the magic of his staff (as Dumbledore his wand), Gandalf wields his staff as a pretty mean weapon and his sword skills aren’t bad for an old man.  He actually kills Orcs, Goblins, and Urak hai with those things.  Dumbledore probably couldn’t lift a sword.  Of course, Merlin being young, is in much better shape than either wizard but he does tend to trip and goof up without his magic (one reason why Arthur laughs when someone suggests that Merlin is a powerful wizard).  He has some sword skills but in the end, he must always rely on magic.

That means: Gandalf takes this round.

Gandalf: 1     Dumbledore: 0         Merlin: 1

Round 3. Wisdom: Who is the most clever, the wisest of them all?

Gandalf is a source of wisdom for the fellowship.  He knows what’s going on with the ring, he knows that he should not be the one to take it because he could not withstand the temptation to use it, so he sends it with the best possible person – Frodo.  Furthermore, Gandalf knows that Frodo will need Sam so he has Samwise Gamgee pack up and go along.  Gandalf knows where to find answers and he knows how things will probably end up so he plans accordingly.  Once he becomes Gandalf the White he becomes more clever and convinces others to help him distract Sauron’s eye from Mount Doom so Frodo and Sam have a chance.  Gandalf is one who sees men for what they are and for what they might be.  And you gotta’ love this:

“Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.” ~ Gandalf  

Dumbledore was the most clever headmaster Hogwarts ever saw.  No matter what was done in ‘secret’ – Dumbledore always knew what was up.  From the beginning of Harry’s life, Dumbledore was setting in motion plans that would keep him safe and plans that would eventually bring the demise of Voldemort.  Dumbledore’s knowledge seems to know no limits – he even knew how many turns on the time-turner it would take to get Hermione and Harry to the EXACT moment they needed to be at to save more than one life (The Prisoner of Azkaban).  Meanwhile, Dumbledore never runs out of great things to say:

“Do not pity the dead Harry.  Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.”

 “It is a curious thing, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it.  Those who have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.”

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

“Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right.”

“It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

In the beginning, Merlin largely relies on either the dragon or Gaius for wisdom.  Merlin seems to know what his heart wants or what he feels is right but he has a harder time looking at everything in perspective and thinking about the whole picture.  He does, as he ages, gain more wisdom and he does make decisions that in the end, turn out to be good ones.  However, I can’t say that Merlin is wiser than Gandalf or Dumbledore. 

Choose between those two, I’m going to go with: Dumbledore (with Gandalf as a close second).

Gandalf: 1     Dumbledore: 1         Merlin: 1

Now that we’re all tied up…

Round 4. Selflessness: Who puts their own personal desires on the shelf the most?

A sign of a great man, wizard or no, is selflessness – can he put aside his own, personal desires and do what is right, even when it’s hard and there may be no glory in it for him?

Gandalf must be selfless.  In a way, the fate of Middle Earth rests on what Gandalf decides to do.  The ring tempts him but knowing that it would end very badly for all if he took it, he refuses.  Rather than just hopping in his wagon and traveling through the fire setting off fireworks and smoking his pipe, Gandalf joins the Fellowship on a quest that he knows will be hard and he may well lose his life.  Indeed, Gandalf pays the ultimate sacrifice in the mines of Moria – he sacrifices his life to save the others from the Balrog. 

Dumbledore must be selfless.  In a way, the wizarding world rests on what Dumbledore decides to do.  He could easily have been like Prime Minister Fudge and buried his head in the sand.  Life would have certainly been easier for him.  He would have never had to watch people suffer and struggle.  He wouldn’t have been slowly dying from the ring with the Horcrux in it.  He wouldn’t have had to torture himself by drinking the potion in the cave to get to the Horcrux.  He wouldn’t have had to ask a close friend to kill him.  But Dumbledore was brave, thought of others first, and sacrificed his life.

Merlin must be selfless.  The fate of Arthur, the kingdom of Camelot, and the land of Albion rests on his young shoulders.  Merlin must make difficult choices every day.  Sometimes Merlin must choose between what is right and what his destiny is said to be – because sometimes they are at odds with one another.  Sometimes Merlin holds the power of life or death of a truly despicable person in his hands and he alone knows it.  Sometimes Merlin must choose to illuminate the truth even when it will have dire consequences – but he does because that is what’s right.  Sometimes Merlin must let die someone he loves because it must be that way.  To keep secret that he has magic, Merlin must allow all others except Gaius and Lancelot to think him clumsy, stupid, and fairly worthless.  Merlin never takes credit for what he’s done – usually he finds a way to give Arthur the glory for anything done well.  Not that Merlin wouldn’t like some recognition – indeed, he struggles with it at times.  However, he never does bring to light his triumphs because ultimately in his heart, he does all that he does simply because he knows that it is right and that it must be done.  Merlin lays his life down readily many times not only for individual people that he loves but also for the good of the country.  He does not ever actually have to die but he does come pretty close – believing that he will.

These three are all selfless and two did have to give their life, in the end.  If I’m to choose who is the most selfless, I would have to say: Merlin – because he lived his life always in the shadow of another.  The most powerful man in the land and everyday he chose to be the bumbling, stupid servant of the king.  He was ready to sacrifice his life at a moment’s notice for the country, for his friends, and for his king.

Gandalf: 1     Dumbledore: 1         Merlin: 2

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our winner, the greatest wizard of the three:

Please feel free to give me your supporting or opposing viewpoints :-)