Do we like Gandalf?
A character from The Lord of the Rings (1954–55)
Our score: 10 out of 10. Absolutely. He's wise, brave and kind, and he's the mentor who gets the whole quest moving. He also has the nerve to stand in front of a monster and tell it no.
Gandalf is an old, grey-cloaked wizard who wanders Middle-earth with a staff, a pipe and a talent for fireworks. In The Hobbit he turns up at Bilbo Baggins's door and pulls the quiet hobbit into an adventure with thirteen dwarves. Decades later, in The Lord of the Rings, he realises that Bilbo's old magic ring is the one thing the Dark Lord Sauron needs to rule the world. He then helps Bilbo's heir, Frodo, take on the job of destroying it.
What makes him easy to back is how he leads. He mostly advises, argues and encourages. He trusts small, humble people with enormous tasks, and he's openly fond of the hobbits. He is also stern with foolishness and generous to anyone acting in good faith. He can swing a sword and call down fire, but he'd rather talk, and he turns down the chance to wield great power himself. He's a mentor with no ego, and he still has a sense of humour.
His faults are minor. He can be cryptic, he turns up late and he often doesn't explain his plans until the last minute. His secrecy sometimes leaves his friends stressed and exposed. But his motives are never selfish, and that's why he scores a ten.
His greatest test comes in the mines of Moria, where he holds a bridge against an ancient fire-demon so the Fellowship can escape, and falls with it. He comes back stronger and more commanding as Gandalf the White, and he leads the defence of Gondor and the final push against Sauron's armies.