Gandalf was a dick who didn’t give a single fuck about reclaiming Erebor. Dude just wanted to make sure *a* dwarf (I say *a* dwarf because Thorin Oakenshield just happened to be the only one willing to even try, I’m convinced he wasn’t Gandalf’s first choice) got their hands on the Arkenstone, which they would then take before all Seven Houses of the Dwarves to convince them to Kumbaya together, thus giving Gandalf some extra cannon fodder for the war against Evil.
Thorin was the one that thought getting the Arkenstone = getting the support necessary to reclaim Erebor. Gandalf never ONCE talks about reclaiming Erebor. All he’s concerned about is the pretty rock Smaug is sleeping on, because what he needs is a symbol, not a giant bloody battle.
I’m not saying Gandalf doesn’t have the best intentions of Middle Earth. He does – but that’s the only thing he has the best intentions for. He cares about people as an idea, a whole, an aspect of Middle Earth, but when it comes to individuals? Psh! He’ll sacrifice individuals left and right if it means his plans succeed! When he saw that Thorin surviving the Battle of the Five Armies would have led to strife with the humans and elves nearby, which would have made them eventually working together against Evil that much more difficult to achieve, he did what he had to do. The Arkenstone might have worked for other Dwarves, but not Men or Elves. Gandalf needed to find a new symbol that would bring everyone together, in time.
There are few symbols better than a King that tragically died protecting the home he had only just reclaimed, and one that seemingly “beat” the madness which plagued his lineage at that?! Just sayin.
This isn’t wholly Gandalf’s fault. It’s simply his nature. He is a lesser god, after all, and the short lives of a few folks start to not mean much when you’ve lived for ages, unless you have a particular investment in them (i.e. Mahal and the dwarves).
I like Gandalf. He’s a funny guy, hella badass, and he does care about others. If it was up to him, nobody would die. But it’s not, and Gandalf doesn’t fight against fate; he enforces it.
i honestly think he just wanted them to deal with smaug so he wouldnt align with sauron, but you make excellent points here too like…
[a wonderful milkmaiden]: Mrrmeow? [the milkmaiden]: Mrrpmeow? [an entity of the shadow]: (emerges from the shade) [the delightful maiden]:Mrrp? [the entity]
]:
(bravely breaks the boundary of the shadow, bravely impeaches it and passes the border of the realm of light in order to be joined with the brave milkmaiden.) [the entity]: (A high-pitched “mmrp!” of delight) [the wonderful milkmaiden]: (She decides that this footage is sufficient. The camera man is instantly murdered upon impact.)
Before you rub an unknown thing on your skin, ingest an unfamiliar thing, light a random recommendation from the internet on fire, or otherwise come in contact with something that you are not personally knowledgeable about, take 2 seconds and google it.
For example:
St. Johns Wort, if ingested, has negative interactions with anti-depressants, and interferes with birth control because it speeds up the metabolism of certain substances.
Continuous exposure to fluorite causes a painful bone disease. Fluorite dust can be absorbed through the lungs, skin, and is soluble in water.
There are parts of yew that should not be burned.
Mugwort is related to ragweed and can cause allergic reactions. Also, it can cause and enhance anxiety.
No, really. 2 seconds. Google. You’re at an internet connected device anyway. Save yourself the trouble of a bad time.
Along with all the above warnings, I find myself telling people at least once a month that certain herbs will interact with your goddamn birth control.
And if you’re pregnant and want to stay that way, stay away from ingesting herbs all together, okay? Mugwort, especially, is Not Good For Pregnant People.
Herbs are not just magical components that only impact the spiritual realms; they’re medicinal and have a very real impact on the physical body. They interact with medications, change chemical balances, and can be seriously detrimental to your health if used improperly – and that means, as the OP said, ingested, inhaled, or applied topically. Please be safe.
I never feel as connected to my early human ancestors as when I am gnawing on a chicken wing and my dogs are watching me. The most spiritually honest version of a paleo diet is just, “whatever you can find, but a dog is watching you”
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