Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-88.117.41.142-20151221171736/@comment-26298013-20151223021843

Nice, Hobit. They're right, in most points. Glorfindel saved the Fellowship, terrifying the Ringwraiths into the flooding Bruinen, by revealing his Elf-lord powers. He, simply by virtue of being an Elf who lived on Valinor, has power. Not all magic, however, comes from the Ainur in the direct way that was earlier mentioned.

Elrond has power over the Bruinen. He can control the river. He a lord of the Elves and a very, very tough Elf himself and owner of the strongest of the Three Rings (Forged without the help, direct or indirect, or any Valar or Maiar, though Sauron did help Celebrimbor create the art of Ring-forging. Which, by the way, does not mean that the magical strength of the Three came from Sauron. Any power must have come from Celebrimbor himself, because he did not trust Sauron and did not accept anything from Sauron). He does not call on a Vala or Maia.

Now for the fun part! This suggestion is wrong and obviously wrong. The only people who can wield direct, earth-shattering, fire-ice-and-lightning magic are the Vala and Maia. Legolas doesn't shoot fire from his fingers. Galadriel can't electrocute Orcs. (But she can light them up with her Elf-lord [Elf-lady?] status [Dwelled on Valinor for a time] and scare them with her Ring. Which is made to preserve, not destroy.)

Gandalf, however, can fry hilltops, drop bridges, and call down lightning, because he's a Maia. It has nothing to do with his staff. Though their staves are, in fact, a symbol of the power and limitations of the Istari. (Old men need canes, but the staves are therefore symbols of wisdom, and the Istar therefore appear to be wise kings, noble, and powerful in a way that is more than physical.)