Flame of Anor

From the One Wiki to Rule Them All, the Lord of the Rings Encyclopedia.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, both the novel and the film, Gandalf claimed to be the wielder of the Flame of Anor. Many people think this means the Elvish Ring of Power he has (Narya, the Ring of Fire), but many also wonder why he would reveal this secret to such a powerful enemy. No one knows what he really meant by the Flame of Anor. Some believe it is possible he could be referring to Durin's Bane (aka a Balrog) as being the Flame of Anor, as the Balrog is said to light itself aflame at will. The Balrog, therefore, could be classified as a being of fire. This is highly unlikely though, since Gandalf also tells the Balrog 'The dark fire shall not avail you, flame of Udun!' This suggests that it is most likely that the Flame of Anor refers to power inherent in Gandalf himself, possibly because of his status as a Maiar. The Balrogs were also Maiar and their powers, such as the "Flame of Udun", could also be due to this distinction. This, however, is only speculation, as the meaning has never been revealed.

It is interesting to note that Minas Tirith was formerly known as Minas Anor, or "Tower of the Sun." This could suggest that the Flame of Anor is the light of the Sun - an ancient symbol of the one omnipotent being, Iluvatar. As a Maiar and a wizard charged with aiding the peoples of Middle Earth in the battle against evil, it's possible that Gandalf's powers are linked to the power of the sun and given by Iluvatar himself. This seems supported by the fact that most of Gandalf's wizardly powers have something to do with blinding white light.