He knew his original name, and what he was, but not much more. When he was returned as Gandalf the White, he seemed to be able to recall much more, and seemed to have more power.
Gandalf's physical body couldn't fully comprehend what he saw and experienced in that time once he returned to it, but his time as Gandalf the Grey or Mithrandir ("Grey Pilgrim") remains a distant memory to the wizard, longer ago in his personal history than the origins of the Balrog are in Middle-Earth's.
In his essay on the Istari, Tolkien stated that it took each Istari some time to learn mortal ways after they arrived, which might account for Gandalf's memory lapses just after he was resurrected — and for how Gandalf the White is more formal and disconnected than his previous incarnation.
When Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli found Gandalf in The Two Towers, he didn't remember his name either. He had fought the Balrog, died and been sent back as a similar but different figure. Then -- to the trio -- he said: "Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time.
Though it's never entirely clear in The Lord of the Rings, it's implied that Gandalf doesn't have all the memories of his life before coming to Middle-earth. His soul was still that of Olórin, but his body and brain were of a wizard.
When The Fellowship is taken to Galadriel, she and Boromir have a telepathic conversation which immediately causes Boromir to burst into tears. She senses his desires for the Ring but tells him not to give in because even now, there is hope.
The contents of Tolkiens' notes and other works weren't covered and were thus off-limits to the filmmakers. That's why Gandalf's mind coincidentally went blank — he legally couldn't name the wizards. So, the writers had Gandalf exploit a loophole by alluding to the two Istari without explicitly mentioning them.
As the story progressed, it became increasingly clear that Gandalf's expertise in magic outclassed Saruman's. That became evident when Gandalf, as the White Wizard, overpowered Saruman in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. That said, he certainly wasn't the better wizard in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Summary. Gandalf's claim to be Saruman when he returned in The Two Towers was because his resurrection as Gandalf the White meant he had taken on the role and form of the White Wizard. The wizards in Middle-earth were avatars or incarnations of the powerful Maiar beings, with Saruman as the leader.
In The Lord of the Rings, Galadriel chose to use her powers for good, even helping to form the Council of Elrond. Galadriel was not evil. But had she been, there would be none who could stand against her forces, especially if she was in possession of the Ring.
Gandalf's occasionally mean attitude towards Pippin is rooted in factors such as the stakes of their mission, Gandalf's protective instincts towards hobbits, and his desire to mentor Pippin, offer him guidance, and see him grow.
Who is more powerful Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White?
Although they still share the same personality, Gandalf the White is both more powerful and wiser than Gandalf the Grey. With the death of the grey, the plan of the Valar for the Istari had utterly failed. But Eru himself intervened, resurrected and enhanced Gandalf. Although he still has the obligat…
While both were present during the Battle of Minas Tirith, Gandalf and the Witch-king never come face to face in Tolkien's original work. If they had, the wizard would likely have far outmatched his opponent.
Gandalf became Olórin once more. There, presumably, he dwells still in the gardens of Irmo. Olórin, the wisest of the Maiar and the sole Istar to remain true to his mission, had successfully kindled the hearts of the free peoples of Middle-earth to overcome the evil of their time.
Given how long he has known Gandalf and the fact that he speaks with seniority over him for the majority of their interactions, it can be inferred that, while they are estimated to be around the same age, Saruman is older. This would place him at roughly fifty-five thousand years old.
Gandalf's spirit is immortal, as are the spirits of Elves, Men, and Dwarves, and possibly all sentient beings in Arda. The body Gandalf is in looks like a Man's body, but it doesn't grow old and die like Men do. It can be killed, however.
The closest approximation of Gandalf's physical age is 24,000 years old according to Gandalf himself. Yet various dates of key events in other Tolkien texts show that Gandalf has actually only walked in his physical form for just over two thousand years.
For those that haven't read Tolkien's work, it's easy to see why many audiences suspect Gandalf and Galadriel are in love. After all, many of their interactions in The Hobbit trilogy practically scream romance. However, their relationship remains purely platonic in Tolkien's source material.
However, he was an ally and confidant of Gandalf, who describes him in The Hobbit as his "cousin". He was also friends with the skin-changer Beorn, something that Gandalf relied upon to get his party of Dwarves and a Hobbit accepted by a sceptical Beorn.
Who is the most powerful wizard in Lord of the Rings?
Seeing how Saruman was likely still as powerful as ever, this just goes to show how much stronger Gandalf the White had become. Unless the feats of the blue wizards become widely known and are somehow even greater, it is safe to say that Gandalf the White is the most powerful of all of Middle Earth's wizards.
Galadriel: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace." [She whispers to Frodo in his mind, casting her eyes sideways at him.]
Despite her suspicions of Boromir and the massive rift between the races of Middle-earth, Galadriel understood that uniting all people was the only way they could defeat Sauron. The small act of passing her gift on to Boromir was a step in the right direction that the films failed to elaborate on.
Beware of the Sea! If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore, Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more. Lock-bearer, wherever thou goest my thought goes with thee.
