Going from an all-powerful Maiar to a mortal wizard had a hand in that. You can’t stuff phenomenal cosmic powers into an itty-bitty living space. The Maiar tasked with watching over Middle Earth and its inhabitants lost their way when they became mortal because their new fragile bodies couldn’t contain all the knowledge and power of their original form. They basically became “senile” old men, compared to what they once were.
That’s why the two blue wizards wandered off to the east, never to be seen again; Radaghast the Brown ran off to live in the woods with the animals; and Saruman the White easily fell to corruption by Sauron. Only Gandalf the Grey managed to stay on track with their mission, and just barely.
Going from an all-powerful Maiar to a mortal wizard had a hand in that. You can’t stuff phenomenal cosmic powers into an itty-bitty living space. The Maiar tasked with watching over Middle Earth and its inhabitants lost their way when they became mortal because their new fragile bodies couldn’t contain all the knowledge and power of their original form. They basically became “senile” old men, compared to what they once were.
That’s why the two blue wizards wandered off to the east, never to be seen again; Radaghast the Brown ran off to live in the woods with the animals; and Saruman the White easily fell to corruption by Sauron. Only Gandalf the Grey managed to stay on track with their mission, and just barely.