Eru, myndigheten, skickade tillbaka Gandalf med ytterligare kraft, kunskap och visdom.
He was sent by a mere prudent plan of the angelic Valar or governors; but Authority had taken up this plan and enlarged it, at the moment of its failure. 'Naked I was sent back – for a brief time, until my task is done'. Sent back by whom, and whence? Not by the 'gods' whose business is only with this embodied world and its time; for he passed 'out of thought and time'.
Före Gandalfs återkomst hade han inte kunnat rädda Theoden genom att bryta Sarumans stavning och inspirera och leda Rohirrim. Inte heller hade han kunnat möta Saruman, som ursprungligen hade Saruman varit ledaren för Istari och därmed mer kraftfull än Gandalf.
So Gandalf sacrificed himself, was accepted, and enhanced, and returned. 'Yes, that was the name. I was Gandalf.' Of course, he remains similar in personality and idiosyncrasy, but both his wisdom and power are much greater. When he speaks he commands attention; the old Gandalf could not have dealt so with Theoden, nor with Saruman. He is still under the obligation of concealing his power and of teaching rather than forcing or dominating wills, but where the physical powers of the Enemy are too great for the good will of the opposers to be effective he can act in emergency as an 'angel'
Gandalfs uteslutning av häxkongen från Minas Tirith är ett annat exempel. Tidigare hjälpte han bara Elronds översvämning genom att hålla Nazgul från Rivendell. Efter sin återkomst kunde han enkelt häva häxkongen.
He alone is left to forbid the entrance of the Lord of Nazgûl to Minas Tirith, when the City has been overthrown and its Gates destroyed
Utdrag från Brev 156 .