I am a big fan of The Lord of the Rings (LOTR, rhymes with “boater’). The books are the best fantasy written, bar none. The Peter Jackson movies were excellent, too, and I own the extended editions of them all (thanks Mom!).

However, there was one exchange in the books that would have been so easy for Peter Jackson to include in the movies, and yet, for unknown reasons, he left it out. The exchange is in the Fellowship of the Ring and is between Gandalf and Saruman, right before Saruman imprisons Gandalf in Orthanc.

“Yes, I have come,” I said. “I have come for your aid, Saruman the White.” And that title seemd to anger him.

“Have you indeed, Gandalf the Grey!” he scoffed…”For you have come, and that was all the purpose of my message. And here you will stay, Gandalf the Grey, and rest from journeys. For I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colours!”

I looked then and saw that his robes, which had seemed white, were not so, but were woven of all colours, and if they moved they shimmered and changed hue so that the eye was bewildered.

“I liked white better,” I said.

A priceless Gandalf dead-pan, which would have been awesome to watch acted out. The significance of Saruman’s change from white to “many-coloured” also vividly symbolizes his fall from good to evil as he is confused into thinking that white is weak because it can be dyed and changed so easily.

Way before his time, this scene now uncannily applies to modern ideologies that hold up “diversity” as the highest ideal, where diversity is twisted into meaning “accepting evil behavior as good”.

May God rest the soul of J.R.R. Tolkien!