With the dangers of Rings of Power being emphasized throughout The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, it’s easy to miss that Gandalf wields his own ring. Throughout the story, the grey wizard wears a golden ring with a red gem on his hand, yet it’s barely brought up. Despite its inconspicuous nature, the ring comes with a number of powerful properties, which were also seemingly on display in the movies.

During the Second Age of Middle-earth, the blacksmith Celebrimbor crafted the ring Narya, completely free of Sauron’s influence. The ring was gifted to an Elven High-King and passed down through generations. Upon meeting Gandalf, an Elven descendant gifted him the ring to aid in his protection of Middle-earth. Knowing the great responsibility of wielding a Ring of Power, Gandalf used it sparingly throughout the ages.

To spot when Gandalf uses the ring, it needs to be known what its powers are. Unfortunately, a detailed list of attributes has never been given, although many Rings of Power carry similar properties. Through the numerous details of Middle-earth written by J. R. R. Tolkien, it’s gathered that Narya held the unique power to resist tyranny, domination and despair, as well as inspire those around it. And with the attributes that all other Rings of Power held, Narya aided in hiding from magic and resisting the aging of time.

Chronologically, the first time Gandalf’s ring is mentioned in the movies is in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition. As Gandalf infiltrates the fortress of Dol Guldur, he is captured and questioned on the whereabouts of his ring. Narya reveals itself on his finger, showing that the ring has been invisible all along. After this scene, the ring stays invisible all the way up to the ending of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Despite being invisible, that doesn’t mean Gandalf doesn’t use its powers. During his confrontation with the Balrog, Gandalf exclaims that he is a “servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor.” With Anor being Middle-earth’s sun, it’s theorized that Gandalf is referring to his ring having power over fire, as it’s also been referred to as Ring of Fire. This could’ve aided him in resisting the Balrog’s flames and helped repel the beast.

The only other time the ring is thought to be used in The Lord of the Rings films is during the siege of Minas Tirith. As Gandalf rides through the city, he manages to inspire hope in the soldiers around him, which is a key property of the ring. But other than that, little is known about Gandalf’s ring. Although it’s clear he held respect for the power he wielded, as he had a reluctance to use it even during the most dangerous of moments.