OpenTube

What Happened to Radagast After The Lord of the Rings?

The Broken Sword

207,107 views

Why did Radagast disappear from The Lord of the Rings? As one of the five Wizards sent to Middle-earth, Radagast the Brown plays a small but important role in Tolkien’s story, and then vanishes almost completely.

In this video, we explore what actually happened to Radagast, what Tolkien tells us about his role as one of the Istari, and whether he truly failed his mission against Sauron.

Subscribe for more Tolkien lore, deep dives, and Middle-earth history.

Do You Need To Contact Us?
✉ contact@thebrokensword.co.uk

Support Us:
🔗 Patreon: Patreon: thebrokensword

Follow Us:
📘 Facebook: Facebook: TheBrokenSwordYouTube
🐦 Twitter: Twitter: TheBroken_Sword
📸 Instagram: Instagram: thebroken_sword

Chapters:
00:00 – Chapter 1: What Happened to Radagast?
00:53 – Chapter 2: What Radagast Actually Does in The Lord of the Rings
02:27 – Chapter 3: What Radagast Was Sent to Do?
05:13 – Chapter 4: Did Radagast Fail His Mission?
07:12 – Chapter 5: What Happened to Radagast After?
08:57 – Chapter 6: So, What Does Radagast Represent?

Additional Channels:
🎲 The Tabletop Alliance: @ttalliance
🐲 History of Dragon Ball: @historyofdragonball
🏹 The 6th Ranger: @the6thranger
🦇 The Batcave: @thebatcave111

Art credits in order it first appears:
The Hobbit Trilogy – New Line Cinema
Radagast the Brown - Steve Palmerton
Radagast the Brown - Alexander Mokhov
Radagast the Brown - YoungPhoenix3191
Gandalf – John Howe
Radagast - Dan Pilla
A Nazgul on the Path - Anato Finnstark
Orthanc Tower Isengard - Taha Baghery
Saruman – AlMaNeGrA
Radagast Concept - Paul Tobin
Rescued from the Black tower – Shockbolt
Radagast - kimberly80
Istari - Harley-1979
The Istari - Angel Falto
The Blue Wizards Alatar and Pallando – Piratemon
Radagast the Brown - Ekaterina Chesalova
White Hand of Saruman - Manon-Lou Petit
Gandalf Escapes Upon Gwaihir – Ted Nasmith
The Heart of the Wild – JonHodgson
Inspiration – Aztaren
Radagast – Blookarot
Radagast the Green - Jenny Brozek
RIP Saruman – MakingPicsSlowly
Radagast the Brown - Figures of Middle Earth – MattDeMino
Radagast the Brown – Wangyuxi
Radagast the Brown - Mariusz Migalka
Gandalf - Anato Finnstark
A Fell Voice in the Air – AnatoFinnstark
Radagast – Fabio Leone
Radagast - Ivan Cavini
Radagast - Yingjia Huang
Greenwood the Great – AngHuiQing
Radagast the Brown - Jojo Wong
Mage of Rhosgobel - Jef Murray
Radagast the Brown - Consuelo Pecchenino
Triptych – Changinghand
The Five – Sindacollo
Wizards of The Lord of the Rings - Dan Pilla
Middle earth – Klaradox

Disclaimer:
This video is for educational and entertainment purposes, following fair use guidelines. All artwork is credited to the respective artists. Please feel free to contact us for any credit or removal requests.

Tags:
#TheLordoftheRings #LordoftheRings #Lotr

20 Comments

@VladfishTheMagnificent 4 months ago

He became David Attenborough.

@DapperTengu 4 months ago

I always liked the idea that at some point Radagast had a good long chat with Bombadil before deciding to return to the West.

@bruderk4257 4 months ago

I love the idea of Radagast still living in MiddleEarth.

@littlebird2885 3 months ago

Radagast is a great example of that futurama quote

“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”

@biepboep5949 4 months ago

He's still wandering about in a British forest somewhere.

@aarondemiri486 4 months ago

Always had a soft spot for Radagast, happy they gave him a role in the Hobbit movies.

@theeffete3396 4 months ago

Radagast was said to be a master of shapes and hues. In my head-canon he lived on in Middle Earth, slowly taking on more aspects of the natural world, and spawning myths such as the Celtic Green Man /Cernunnos

@danielmccarthy9065 4 months ago

Perhaps he helped with the healing of Mirkwood. Perhaps he directed the Eagles to Mt Doom. Perhaps he worked with the Beornings as they repopulated their territory.

@grandadmiralzaarin4962 4 months ago (edited)

Istari arrive in Middle Earth:

Saruman, "Gonna get a tower and turn evil."
Blue Wizards, "Bye, see you all again never!"
Radagast, "Squirrel!"
Gandalf rubbing his temples, "Guys come on, we had ONE JOB!"

@greendragonreprised6885 4 months ago

It was implied somewhere in Tolkien's writings, it may have been one of the letters, that Radagast was secretly given his mission by Yavanna to care for the living things of Middle Earth. If that is the case then he succeeded.

@kamakazed3747 4 months ago

Best part of story telling it not telling all and letting imagination unwind and fill the gaps.

@beadmorerookshans 3 months ago

There's a great fan theory that as he was under Yavanna in Valinor she had another secret mission for him to protect and nurture the animals and trees and forgotten things of middle earth. It is the most satisfying ending to his arc and the one i choose.

@GhyslainAbel 4 months ago

Since Radagast lived near Mirkwood, it is possible his contribution to the War of the Ring was in the North. We know the Elves under Thranduil and the Dwarves under Dain were both besieged, but we have little, if any, details. Radagast may have helped there.

@APimpNamedSlickback8008 4 months ago

I like to think Radagast tried his best to heal the land, all the damage caused by war. Help the Ents increase their numbers to protect the forrests after he was gone. I also feel like he wouldnt want to travel west, he would have perfered to be buried in the forrest.

@MrLePov 4 months ago

Considering Radagast acts as a guardian of nature, I imagine Tolkien intended for him to stick around, never leaving Middle Earth.

@s.c.1903 4 months ago (edited)

I thought that Radagast was sent to by Yavanna to take care of vegetation and animals in ME! That doesn't make him a failure then, as he never abandon his own mission. I like to believe that his reward/wish was to stay in ME for good, caring for the animals and trees he loved.