As a devoted fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, I must confess that the enigma surrounding The Stranger in Amazon’s “The Rings of Power” has me utterly captivated. With my years of studying and re-reading the original works, I find myself drawn to the possibility that this mysterious figure could be none other than Saruman.
Now that we’ve identified Sauron as Halbrand, let’s shift our attention to another intriguing mystery in The Rings of Power: Who is The Stranger? As Season 2 of The Rings of Power is set to premiere on August 28, 2024, it seems fitting to delve deeper into the theories surrounding this enigmatic Istari character and uncover his true identity.
Toward the final episodes of Season 1, speculation arose about characters unrelated to wizards. Yet, we can now affirm with certainty that The Stranger is an Istari, which translates to him being a wizard. However, his specific identity among the wizards remains unknown, even to the actor portraying him, Daniel Weyman, as he revealed at the end of Season 1. When questioned about the true nature of this enigmatic character, the actor responded to Syfy that he himself was unaware of the wizard’s identity.
In our world, it seems that not even the Stranger knows who he really is. This mystery excites me greatly! I believe that by immersing myself in this character, my portrayal will be more authentic and engaging. Consequently, the audience will have a deeper understanding of the Stranger and relate more empathetically to his journey.
With his role coming to the forefront as Season 2 unfolds and his journey in Rhûn commences, let’s delve into possible theories regarding the persona behind the enigmatic figure played by Daniel Weyman.
The Most Popular Theory Is That The Stranger Is Gandalf
It’s widely speculated that the character The Stranger, portrayed by Weyman in the series “Rings of Power,” bears a strong resemblance to Gandalf from “Lord of the Rings.” This is supported by their mutual fondness for the Hobbits and the Harfoots, as well as their ability to communicate with insects and love for music. Additionally, Games Radar noted an intriguing parallel in a line where The Stranger tells Nori something similar to what Gandalf says to his companions.
Always follow your nose.
You might remember that’s something Gandalf says to Merry in The Fellowship of the Ring too.
As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve been diving deep into some intriguing theories over on Reddit about a particular game we all know and love. Some savvy players have uncovered several hints suggesting that The Stranger could actually be none other than the legendary Gandalf himself!
It’s widely believed that The Stranger shares a bond with the Harfoots, similar to how Gandalf feels about the Hobbits. But @timetraveller1992 noted an additional connection: The Stranger has a singing style reminiscent of Gandalf, and it appears his love for music may stem from spending time among the Harfoots.
Viewers have likewise observed, as ScreenRant mentioned, that The Stranger employs magic analogous to Ian McKellen’s wizard. He communicates with fireflies in a manner reminiscent of Gandalf conversing with moths. Furthermore, they both cast spells that cause vibrations across the ground.
A compelling comparison ScreenRant made highlights Gandalf’s fascination with constellations, as they mentioned that Gandalf was “allied with Varda,” who is known as the “creator of celestial patterns in the night sky.” In The Stranger’s upcoming journey through The Rings of Power, he too shows an interest in constellations, following one on his path.
As I delve deeper into this captivating season, Weyman mentioned an intriguing detail: The Stranger’s attire evolves throughout, culminating in a set of robes that bear a striking resemblance to those worn by wizards at the end.
It certainly appears persuasive, doesn’t it? Yet, there are quite a few fans who remain skeptical about this scenario. Given that Gandalf appears to be the most probable candidate, it’s important to remember that five wizards were dispatched by Valar. Consequently, it’s not entirely implausible that The Stranger is another enigmatic magical figure altogether.
Could The Stranger Be Saruman?
In the epic tale of Middle-earth, it’s widely recognized that Saruman was the initial Istari, or Wise One, to set foot in this world. In the series The Rings of Power, these powerful beings are called “The Stranger” instead of an Istar by the Mystics, which implies he might be the first of his kind to arrive. Furthermore, Game Rant and Nerdist both pointed out that this enigmatic wizard was already traversing Rhûn, a realm not known to have been visited by Gandalf prior to The Lord of the Rings. At the end of Season 1, The Stranger was headed precisely towards Rhûn, suggesting a possible connection.
A strong argument suggesting The Stranger in “The Rings of Power” could be Saruman lies in the fact that Gandalf didn’t arrive in Middle-earth until the end of the Second Age, a period after Sauron was initially defeated. Since “The Rings of Power” is set before this time, during Sauron’s resurgence, it’s plausible to assume that the wizard on the show might be older than Gandalf.
Despite some modifications from the original work, it remains unclear whether these changes will affect the storyline. Nonetheless, there’s a compelling argument suggesting that The Stranger could indeed forge an alliance with Sauron, and ultimately transform into the wizard in question.
Is It Possible The Stranger Is One Of The Two Blue Wizards?
The primary argument for The Stranger being one of the two blue wizards has to do with when he arrived. Pallando and Alatar came to Middle-earth during the second age. Having him be one of these two wouldn’t mess with the lore as much as it would if The Stranger was Gandalf. Plus, we don’t know as much about these two, so there’s more room to flex their stories.
It’s possible you didn’t see Radagast mentioned because he joined later, which doesn’t fit with the sequence of events in my narrative. Moreover, if they decide to alter the timeline for one of these characters, there have been subtle indications that it could be Gandalf, not Radagast.
Fundamentally, we’re still left guessing about the true identity of The Stranger, despite the hints, and the team behind “The Rings of Power” seems content with maintaining this mystery. In an interview with Collider, co-showrunner J.D. Payne mentioned this intention.
We strive to make things interesting by leaving room for various interpretations. For instance, The Stranger could be Gandalf or Saruman, and you might discover this later on. In one scenario, if The Stranger is Gandalf, he may say something initially, then repeat it later. Alternatively, if The Stranger is Saruman, he may have said the same thing to Gandalf first. Either way, there are multiple ways to bounce the interpretation like a pinball. This approach allows for intriguing outcomes and keeps the story engaging as you consider the possibilities. Consequently, we prefer to keep these options open, making it enjoyable to delve deeper into the narrative.
Absolutely, interacting with the story is quite enjoyable due to all the potential outcomes. At the same time, I’m eagerly anticipating the responses.
We might find out some new details about The Stranger’s identity and mastery of his abilities when Season 2 begins. Until then, take advantage of your Amazon Prime membership to watch Season 1 of The Rings of Power before the second season debuts.
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2024-08-25 20:38