Gandalf Vs. Dumbledore: Which Wizard Wins?

There’s no doubt that Dumbledore and Gandalf are two of the greatest wizards the world has ever seen. Not only do they posses great power, but also great determination to stand by those who seek to fight against evil. Both are mentors to many and beacons of hope to all those who wish to see good prevail.

And not to mention, they both have mad old man style. It’s hard so say who would win between two such noble wizards, so please, take off your hats, bow your heads in reverence, and let’s show these two some respect as we do our best to compare their wizard might.

There are a few different categories we will look at to help define what exactly constitutes a good wizard. Here’s what we will cover: magical spells, magical weapons and items, renown, allies, knowledge, and overall power. I would add a riddles or stories category, but Dumbledore and Gandalf would go blue in the face trying to out wit and one up each other, and we don’t have that kind of time. So before we begin, let’s learn a bit of history about these two wise wizards.

Gandalf

Gandalf is one of the many Ainur, or spirits who were created by the god Ilúvatar to help in the shaping of Middle Earth. He is also one of the Istari, or wizards, who were sent to dwell in the physical world to aid against evil-doers like Morgoth and his successor, Sauron.

Yeah, Gandalf isn’t even a real person. He’s some kind of angel type thing sent by god to help the lowly peoples of Middle Earth. Gandalf has proven himself time and time again to be instrumental in many of the great events that have shaped Middle Earth; but of course, Gandalf’s greatest task, probably the reason he was sent, was to be an aid in the destruction of the One Ring.

He was the leader of The Fellowship of the Ring, while it lasted and after becoming Gandalf the White, he continued as a great leader to all the free peoples of Middle Earth. He fought in such battles as Helms Deep, The Battle of the Pelennor, and the Battle of the Morannon at the very gates of Mordor. Gandalf is quite the stern old man, but he also loves engaging in cheeky banter.

Dumbledore

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was born a half-wizard in the summer of 1881 in Mould-of-the-Wold, England. With a name such as that, you know he has to be something special. He began studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry in 1892, and was sorted into the Gryffindor house.

During his seven years at the school he had many notable achievements including publishing papers, winning the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting, becoming a prefect in his fifth year, and being made Head Boy in his seventh year… yes, he’s quite the over achiever.

Later he returned to Hogwarts as Professor of Transfiguration, and as we well know, went on to become headmaster of Hogwarts. He has many other noteworthy accomplishments including the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood, and the founding of the Order of the Phoenix. It was also his planning and foresight that set events into motion allowing for Voldemort’s defeat. He can also be a stern, terrifying man at times, but he’s also a silly old wizard with a love for candy.

Now that we know a bit more about our good wizards, let the battle begin!

Round One: Magical Spells

The most important aspect of a wizard is magic! We all know this. While both wizards have a formidable command of magic, Dumbledore has more spells in his bag of tricks. With the wave of his wand he can unlock doors, make water appear, disarm foes, create light, or even kill someone if he so desired.

There are probably an endless amount of spells at Dumbledore’s bidding, and he undoubtedly has the ability to learn any new ones or even create his own. While we do see Gandalf do some cool spells like shoot light from his staff and ward off fire attacks from the Balrog, he still can’t apparate or turn people into animals, even though he may threaten it. Gandalf is a great wizard, but when it comes to spells, he needs to take some classes from professor Dumbledore. Sorry Gandy, this round goes to Dumbledore!

Gandalf: 0

Dumbledore:1

Round Two: Magical Weapons and Items

A wizard also needs certain tools and instruments to aid in his magical prowess. Gandalf’s main weapon is his staff. He also wears the ring of fire, Narya. This is no small trinket, but a mighty ring of power that was gifted to him by its original Elven owner. That’s how cool he is. Elves just give him magical ruling rings to wear. However,

Dumbledore also wields a mighty weapon: the Elder Wand. It isthe most powerful wand known to exist and is rumored to have been created by Death himself. Dumbledore also has a huge collection of interesting magical objects like the deluminator, which can steal light and then replace it; magical pictures that move and interact with anyone in the room; and the pensive where he stores memories.

Gandalf would be be speechless in Dumbledore’s office with all the magical trinkets, and would probably want to carry a few off for study. I’m not sure if we really ever seen Gandalf completely flabbergasted by something, but this would be the one time he just wouldn’t know what to do with himself. Good job Dumbledore!

Gandalf: 0

Dumbledore: 2

Round Three: Renown

What good is a wizard if there are no tales of his deeds? He cannot inspire hope into people if no one knows who he is. He cannot have any power over a situation if people cannot put their trust in him. We know this isn’t the case for our two good wizards. Both are known far and wide throughout their respective lands.

When troubling times arise, everything seems hopeless until Gandalf and Dumbledore arrive on the scene; then those around them feel as if they can conquer anything, and their dark foes tremble at their sight. It’s probably quite annoying sometimes, having to run all over the place in Gandalf’s case, or meticulously plot out plans like Dumbledore does. But they don’t complain…much. Gandalf’s many names are a true witness of his great renown; everyone calls him something different depending on tales of his deeds. Word of Dumbledore’s fame is so powerful that he is said to be the only wizard Voldemort ever feared. For this round, it’s a clear tie.

Gandalf: 1

Dumbledore: 3

Round Four: Allies

Wise wizards surround themselves with wise friends. Both Dumbledore and Gandalf know this, and know that the power behind good friends and good counsel goes a long way against the forces of evil. Dumbledore has many close friends who helped him in hard times and who were loyal to him, even to the point of death. Such wizards included McGonagall, Snape, Lupin, the Weasley’s, and many other powerful and wonderful witches and wizards.

Although I am partial to Dumbledore’s allies, as they are all very lovable, Gandalf wins this round. Some of his notable allies include Elrond, Galadriel, Thorin Oakenshield, Theoden, and Aragorn, all of which are kings and queens of respected kingdoms in Middle Earth. Those are definitely some friends in high places.

Gandalf: 2

Dumbledore: 3

Round Five: Knowledge

One of the last, yet most important aspects of a wizard is his knowledge, or how wise he is. We’ve stressed, several times, how incredibly wise both these wizards are, but is one perhaps wiser than the other? I will argue that Gandalf is by far the wisest of the two.

Not only was he created before Middle Earth, but he spent much of his time learning from Elves who are also immortal. No amount of knowledge that Dumbledore possesses can compare to the vast amount of information that Gandalf has learned from Ilúvatar, the other Ainur, Elves, the other inhabitants of Middle Earth, books, scrolls, and other artifacts recounting he history of the world. Like we learned before, Gandalf is a spirit. He’s immortal. He pretty much knows everything there is to know, or has the means to access it.

Gandalf: 3

Dumbledore: 3

Final Round: Overall Power

We’re on our last round and our two wizards are tied! It’s been a close call so far, and I’m sure, Depending on preference, either wizard could win for most people. But I do believe we have a clear winner, and that is Gandalf. Although he may not seem to have the most or even the best spells or the best magical items, a human wizard like Dumbledore just can’t compare to an immortal being like Gandalf.

His skills as a wizard are not something that he studied and learned. These were given to him by Ilúvatar. Gandalf is not a mere man who knows how to do magic, he is a spirit or something equivalent to an angel. And let’s not forget, Gandalf is immortal. He was indeed slain by the Balrog, but was sent back as Gandalf the White to finish his task.

As powerful as Dumbledore was, he could not achieve immortality. I do think that if it came down to a fight, Dumbledore could give Gandalf a run for his money, but I still don’t think all his skills and might are a match for an Istari. Actually, if it came down to it, instead of fighting, the two would probably just go to a local pub, Gandalf with his pipe and Dumbledore with some licorice snaps and butter beer, and they would share stories as old wizards do.

Gandalf: 4

Dumbledore: 3

GANDALF WINS!