Did Shadowfax go to Valinor?





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I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?










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    19















    I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?










    share|improve this question

























      19












      19








      19








      I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?










      share|improve this question














      I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?







      tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings






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      asked 8 hours ago









      GinasiusGinasius

      3,0281248




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          1 Answer
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          28














          Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.




          I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
          this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
          indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
          ‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
          omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
          evidence as there is).
          I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
          race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
          ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
          be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
          by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
          circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
          ‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
          the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
          seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
          and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
          Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
          a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
          those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
          horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
          he could hardly have been forgotten.



          Tolkien: Letter 268







          share|improve this answer
























          • Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

            – Darrel Hoffman
            5 hours ago











          • @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

            – Brian Gordon
            5 hours ago






          • 10





            @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

            – Verdan
            5 hours ago











          • The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

            – lfurini
            5 hours ago













          • Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

            – Darrel Hoffman
            3 hours ago












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          28














          Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.




          I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
          this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
          indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
          ‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
          omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
          evidence as there is).
          I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
          race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
          ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
          be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
          by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
          circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
          ‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
          the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
          seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
          and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
          Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
          a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
          those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
          horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
          he could hardly have been forgotten.



          Tolkien: Letter 268







          share|improve this answer
























          • Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

            – Darrel Hoffman
            5 hours ago











          • @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

            – Brian Gordon
            5 hours ago






          • 10





            @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

            – Verdan
            5 hours ago











          • The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

            – lfurini
            5 hours ago













          • Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

            – Darrel Hoffman
            3 hours ago
















          28














          Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.




          I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
          this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
          indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
          ‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
          omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
          evidence as there is).
          I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
          race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
          ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
          be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
          by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
          circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
          ‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
          the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
          seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
          and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
          Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
          a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
          those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
          horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
          he could hardly have been forgotten.



          Tolkien: Letter 268







          share|improve this answer
























          • Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

            – Darrel Hoffman
            5 hours ago











          • @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

            – Brian Gordon
            5 hours ago






          • 10





            @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

            – Verdan
            5 hours ago











          • The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

            – lfurini
            5 hours ago













          • Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

            – Darrel Hoffman
            3 hours ago














          28












          28








          28







          Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.




          I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
          this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
          indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
          ‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
          omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
          evidence as there is).
          I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
          race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
          ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
          be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
          by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
          circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
          ‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
          the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
          seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
          and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
          Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
          a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
          those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
          horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
          he could hardly have been forgotten.



          Tolkien: Letter 268







          share|improve this answer













          Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.




          I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
          this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
          indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
          ‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
          omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
          evidence as there is).
          I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
          race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
          ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
          be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
          by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
          circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
          ‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
          the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
          seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
          and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
          Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
          a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
          those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
          horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
          he could hardly have been forgotten.



          Tolkien: Letter 268








          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 8 hours ago









          ValorumValorum

          413k11230123234




          413k11230123234













          • Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

            – Darrel Hoffman
            5 hours ago











          • @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

            – Brian Gordon
            5 hours ago






          • 10





            @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

            – Verdan
            5 hours ago











          • The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

            – lfurini
            5 hours ago













          • Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

            – Darrel Hoffman
            3 hours ago



















          • Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

            – Darrel Hoffman
            5 hours ago











          • @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

            – Brian Gordon
            5 hours ago






          • 10





            @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

            – Verdan
            5 hours ago











          • The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

            – lfurini
            5 hours ago













          • Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

            – Darrel Hoffman
            3 hours ago

















          Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

          – Darrel Hoffman
          5 hours ago





          Interesting that this says he must have ridden to the Havens, as in he didn't take a boat like everyone else. Can Shadowfax walk on water? (I mean, okay, you can easily say "a wizard did it" in this case and it wouldn't be the strangest thing that ever occurred in Middle Earth, but still not something that was previously seen...)

          – Darrel Hoffman
          5 hours ago













          @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

          – Brian Gordon
          5 hours ago





          @DarrelHoffman Huh? The hobbits walked.

          – Brian Gordon
          5 hours ago




          10




          10





          @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

          – Verdan
          5 hours ago





          @Darrel The Gray Havens was the port in Middle Earth where the elves got on the ships to travel West.

          – Verdan
          5 hours ago













          The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

          – lfurini
          5 hours ago







          The hobbits rode to the Grey Havens, Galadriel rode on a white horse, Elrond probably was on horse too. When they arrive, they see Gandalf and his white horse.

          – lfurini
          5 hours ago















          Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

          – Darrel Hoffman
          3 hours ago





          Okay, my bad - I thought the Grey Havens were the West, and you had to take a ship to get there...

          – Darrel Hoffman
          3 hours ago


















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