Asked By: Antonio Baker Date: created: Feb 18 2024

Where does the stranger come from in Rings of Power

Answered By: Charles Williams Date: created: Feb 19 2024
! Non-canon alert The subject of this article originates from non-canonical sources. To learn about what is considered “canon”, see LOTR:Canon, !

When in doubt, always follow your nose. ” — The Stranger ” The Stranger ” was a moniker given to one of the Istari who arrived in Middle-earth during the Second Age via meteorite. The precise identity of the Stranger remains unspecified.

Who is the stranger in Rings of Power season 2?

This Lord of the Rings article contains spoilers of The Rings of Power. It seems clear now: the Stranger is Gandalf.

Asked By: Bruce Williams Date: created: Dec 31 2023

Is the stranger in Rings of Power a maia

Answered By: Hayden Patterson Date: created: Dec 31 2023

So, Is The Rings Of Power’s Stranger A Maia? – If the Maiar are prone to forgetfulness upon entering Middle-earth, and The Rings of Power ‘s Stranger lost his memory upon arriving in Middle-earth, does this mean Daniel Weyman’s character is definitely an incarnated Maia? It’s certainly not the only sign.

  1. Many of the spells Meteor Man has cast since landing in The Rings of Power bear a striking resemblance to magic used by wizards in The Lord of the Rings, such as Gandalf’s insect-whispering technique.
  2. Unfortunately, the Stranger being a Maia still leaves a multitude of options on the table.
  3. He could be Sauron, Gandalf, another wizard, Tilion from the moon, or a Maia not mentioned by name in Tolkien’s mythology.

The Maia option is rapidly becoming the most likely answer to The Rings of Power ‘s Stranger’s identity, but the field isn’t exactly narrowed by much.

Is the stranger good or bad in Rings of Power?

The real Stranger is the friend we made along the way. Image via Prime Video Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Episodes 1-8 of The Rings of Power. The time has finally come. ” Alloyed,” the Season 1 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is here at last, and it brought us answers to some of the most asked questions up till now.

  1. Did you want to know who Sauron is? Now you do.
  2. Did you want to see some actual Rings of Power? Now there are three.
  3. What about the identity of the Stranger ( Daniel Weyman )? We did also find out more about him, and, although the answer may not be that surprising, there is still more to him than meets the eye.

or the nose. As it turns out, the Mystery Meteor Man is indeed one of the Istari. With strange hooded figures following the tracks of his falling from the sky in the first episode, they finally catch up with the Stranger right at the beginning of the finale, and immediately call him.

Lord Sauron. But something doesn’t feel right, especially as, far away, in the realm of Eregion, the equally mysterious Halbrand ( Charlie Vickers ) is sniffing around Celebrimbor’s ( Charles Edwards ) forge. Saying someone is Sauron is a big deal; you have to be sure of who you’re talking to. The Mystics were not, and ended up approaching an Istari instead of the Dark Lord.

They surely paid a heavy price for that mistake. “Istar” translates to “Wise One” or “Wizard,” and, although he admits to being good, the Stranger is no fool, and quickly dispatches the three figures.

Is The Stranger in Rings of Power Gandalf or Saruman?

Why The Stranger Is Gandalf – Immediately after arriving in Middle-earth, fans were quick to label the Stranger as a Second Age version of beloved Gandalf the Grey. Other than being tall with a large beard and wearing a tattered robe, there are quite a few indications that the Stranger is Gandalf.

In the third episode, Nori and her friend Poppy watch the Stranger speak to fireflies in a similar fashion to Gandalf speaking to the moths when he was imprisoned by Saruman. The other major indication is the advice he gives Nori before they travel to Rhun. He tells her “when in doubt, Elanor Brandyfoot, always follow your nose” which is nearly identical to what Gandalf said in the Mines of Moria in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Although Gandalf didn’t arrive in Middle-earth until the Third Age according to Tolkien’s books, The Rings of Power has already adjusted much of the source material, so it’s not inconceivable it would bring Gandalf into the fold a bit early. There’s also the chance of the Stranger being confirmed as Gandalf but dying at some point, only to be resurrected later in the Third Age, like he was after being killed by the Balrog in Moria.

Asked By: Jason Barnes Date: created: Jul 14 2024

Is the stranger a Balrog

Answered By: Landon Jenkins Date: created: Jul 15 2024

The Best Theories On Who The Stranger Is In ‘The Rings Of Power’ Image Source: Amazon Prime’s new hit show, The Rings of Power, takes place in the second age. JRR Tolkien did not leave much about the second age after he died, and Amazon so they have to take some creative liberties. One of these liberties is the new character of ‘The Stranger’.

  1. It has not yet been revealed who this who fell from the sky is, but there are many theories out there as to who he may be.
  2. Contains spoilers for the first three episodes of The Rings of Power** The most popular theory is that this mysterious man is Gandalf.
  3. It would be a much younger version of the This theory however does not fit within the time period.

Gandalf didn’t appear until the Third Age. He was originally known by another name: Olórin. Gandalf and the Stranger can both wield fire. At the end of episode 2, the Stranger speaks to fireflies like Gandalf speaks to moths. Many things link the two characters, and so it makes sense why people may think he is Gandalf. Another theory is, The Stranger was never shown in anything more than a simple cloak, and an apple in his hand. Some think this may be related to Christian iconography, where an apple tends to come with consequences. While in his fair form, Sauron takes the name Annatar.

  1. He has powerful magical abilities and can turn good things into bad with a lot of time and patience.
  2. This would fit, as Nori’s family has started to have issues ever since he showed up.
  3. In the score done by Bear McCreary, there is also a hint of Sauron’s theme, when Nori first finds him.
  4. From what know, we have not seen Sauron yet, so this theory is definitely not out of the realm of possibilities and makes more sense than the Gandalf theory.

A third theory is the. He is an extremely fun character and one we never got to see in the Peter Jackson films. He is one of the oldest living creatures in Middle-earth, and his powers are unknown. There was not much written about this character’s activities during the First and Second ages.

All we know is that he spent the time hanging out with his wife, Goldberry, a river spirit. They were known to have frequent interactions with Hobbits, so interactions with their predecessors, the Harfoots, wouldn’t be too crazy. When we think of the Balrog, we think of the giant fiery creature Gandalf fought in The Fellowship of the Ring.

However, some think the Stranger could actually be the Balrog. The Stranger is not hurt by fire, and took a huge fall, that only some would be capable of surviving. The maiar, are primordial beings who helped shape the world before anyone else inhabited it. Image Source: The Stranger in The Rings of Power has caused various theories as to who he is, and may not know for a bit until the show reveals it. Whoever he may be, many think he is most likely a wizard of some sort, based on his abilities. Whenever Amazon reveals the character, we are sure to be in for a surprise. READ NEXT: : The Best Theories On Who The Stranger Is In ‘The Rings Of Power’

What is the purpose of the stranger in Rings of Power?

The Stranger’s Connection To The Stars – When the Stranger first arrives in Middle-earth, his single overriding memory concerns a star constellation he must locate. In Amazon’s The Rings of Power season 1 finale, this constellation is revealed to lie in Rhûn – a realm to the east with deep ties to Sauron.

  • Tolkien mythology explains how the Istari are actually Maiar spirits incarnated into physical bodies by the Valar, so it seems The Rings of Power ‘s Stranger has been sent to Middle-earth for the express purpose of investigating Sauron.
  • That backstory applies to pretty much all wizards, but the Stranger’s manner of navigation – using stars to find his way – applies more specifically to Gandalf.

Before coming to Middle-earth, Gandalf’s name was Olórin, and a thirst for knowledge led this eager spirit to learn from the wisest of the Valar. Olórin was especially aligned with Varda, the Queen of the Valar and creator of the stars in the night sky.

Asked By: Bernard Jones Date: created: Oct 05 2024

Is Olorin the stranger

Answered By: Chase White Date: created: Oct 08 2024

Gandalf – Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey in 2001’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, New Line Cinema The Stranger’s magical abilities have led many fans to think he may be an Istari, who are better known as wizards. And his positive relationship with the Harfoots is the key reason some viewers believe The Stranger may specifically be Olórin, who you probably know as Gandalf.

  1. If he is, his relationship with the Harfoots could help explain why Gandalf believes so deeply in the Hobbits, who descend from the Harfoots, in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
  2. However, there’s no canonical evidence to support Gandalf showing up in Middle-earth during the Second Age, which is the era The Rings of Power primarily takes place.

In fact, it’s explicitly said in Tolkien’s texts that Olórin doesn’t arrive in the Grey Havens as Gandalf until about a thousand years into the Third Age. The Stranger secretly being Gandalf would therefore mark a major deviation from Tolkien canon.

Asked By: Jeffery Miller Date: created: Feb 18 2024

Is the stranger not Sauron

Answered By: Oliver Walker Date: created: Feb 19 2024

Sauron’s true identity wasn’t the only secret revealed in the Season 1 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, We’ve learned who the Stranger — a bearded man who fell from the sky in the series premiere — really is. Well, not exactly, but we’ve narrowed it down to just a few possibilities.

  1. SPOILER WARNING! This interview contains spoilers for The Rings of Power.** Although the finale, “Alloyed,” opens with the reveal that the Stranger is Sauron, that’s a fakeout, and the trio of white-cloaked women who were after him was mistaken.
  2. We later learn that Halbrand is Sauron, while the Stranger is one of the Istari — the formal name for wizards in Middle-earth.

Though the episode stops short of confirming which Istari the Stranger is (the safe money is on him being Gandalf, but there are other possibilities, for sure), the revelation gives the Stranger more control over his magic powers and he’s able to speak and think clearly.

“I loved the idea of starting with this blank slate as he arrived in the crater,” actor Daniel Weyman says of the Stranger’s story arc. “Whatever the audience watching didn’t know, he didn’t know either. He’s had to patch bits together and he’s had to learn stuff on the journey.” RELATED: Sauron revealed! The Rings of Power actor explains the twist and the Dark Lord’s motives.

For his part, Weyman was learning along with the Stranger, too. Much as Halbrand/Sauron actor Charlie Vickers told SYFY WIRE he shot two full episodes before learning who he was really playing, Weyman spent most of the season knowing about as much of the truth of the Stranger’s identity as the Stranger himself did at any point.

  • In an interview with SYFY WIRE following the season finale, Weyman talked about playing a character who doesn’t know who they are, discussed changes to J.R.R.
  • Tolkien’s lore, and revealed what it takes to pull a Harfoot cart.
  • Now that he’s talking in crisp English, how much of the Stranger is, for lack of a better word, formed ? He still doesn’t know exactly who he is or what his mission is, but he’s much more coherent and put together.
You might be interested:  Who Is The Little Girl In The Aa Advert?

Is this him remembering how to act or did he arrive as a blank slate and he’s picked up everything from the Harfoots? I think that is a really, really good question. The short answer is that I don’t really have definite points to tell you about that. I know that the last thing he says on the hillside to Nori is that fragments have come back — images and things like that.

  1. But, when we leave him in Episode 8, it’s not like he knows exactly everything.
  2. I think that’s where I am, certainly where the viewers are, and I’ll have to wait to see what want to do with the second season and his journey going forward.
  3. It’s an exciting, fun place to be because it leaves so much open.

How much do you know about your character? I know you’re not going to be able to confirm that he’s Gandalf, but is the Stranger a stranger to you? I think now we’re up to what I know about the character. That’s all I’ve been given. I felt comfortable, when we were filming, to really learn it scene-by-scene, episode-by-episode because I didn’t need to know the future to play the character.

The character came with nothing until the point at which he’s given some momentous insight. Now he knows he’s a wizard, now that that word resonates through time for him. Even before time itself as an idea came to being, he was sort of floating around in the ether. Until that really comes through into his core, I didn’t think he needed to know what the future is.

I suppose that’s what it is for J.D. and Patrick, they’ve got the arcs in their head and I feel a huge amount of respect for them and inspiration from listening to their stories and getting a chance to play them. For me, I fully trust that when I need to take on board anything, if they need to give me more information in the future, then they will give it to me with enough time for the thing I’m playing to make sense.

  1. Not to harp on this, but am I correct in that it’s not that you’re not telling people if you’re Gandalf or Saurman or a Blue Wizard or whoever, but you don’t know as an actor yet? No, I think nobody in our world knows the identity of the Stranger, including the Stranger himself.
  2. I’m actually much more excited by the honesty of that.

I think we’ll get a much better performance from me and therefore the audience will understand the Stranger and be better able to empathize with his journey if that’s where I am. The mystery of the Stranger and who the Stranger was growing into was enjoyable both for me to play day-to-day and also for the people watching it.

Because there were certain things we knew we had to hit. Numenor will fall, at some point. Isildur will cut the Ring finger off, if we get that far. There are certain things in the lore that we know we’re going to have to hit. And the pockets of space where J.D. and Patrick are able to extrapolate and invent the extra ideas of Tolkien feel like real gems.

The finale did confirm that the Stranger is one of the Istari, and that’s caused some consternation amongst die-hard Tolkien fans because the wizards were explicitly not around during Middle-earth’s Second Age. I don’t mind it, personally — I’d rather have a Lord of the Rings show with wizards than without — but what is your response to criticism about this change of established lore? One of the really great things about being on the show is to hear how many people there are in the world that have ownership of Tolkien’s stories because they have lived with them, taken them to heart, researched them, and delved deep into them.

I as an actor really have enjoyed doing that myself. Far from feeling like I need to respond or say somebody’s right or somebody’s wrong, I’m much more excited by the idea that people’s own theories are bubbling through and saying, “Well this does or doesn’t fit with my view.” For me, I think that there are all sorts of parts of Tolkien’s writing that have allowed me to feel really comfortable with where JD and Patrick have got.

They really respect Tolkien’s work and the way that they’re trying to bring this massive time period of the Second Age to the TV screen is really awesome. I tend to feel like, if people keep watching, they will fall in love if they haven’t already. Were those Harfoot carts a pain to pull? They looked heavy and rickety.

  1. I have to give a huge shoutout to my scale double, Paul Sturgess, who ended up having to pull the big, big carts for most of the time.
  2. Because, of course,, who played Nori, and her family unit, when they were pulling carts — those carts were too big for my scale, so Paul was the guy who had to pull an even bigger cart.

When I had to pull a cart, it was actually much smaller than what everyone else was pulling. When I had to pull, it wasn’t too bad. But, the big hills and things like that, it was often Paul who was pulled in. Big shoutout to him, I don’t know what I would have done if I’d had to pull it myself.

Asked By: Isaac Cooper Date: created: Feb 18 2024

Is Gandalf from Ruhn

Answered By: Patrick Murphy Date: created: Feb 19 2024

Gandalf’s Connection To Rhûn In Lord Of The Rings – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is largely inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s notes and appendices on the history of Middle-earth, and in the essay “Glorfindel” he hints that Gandalf (also called by the name Olorin) had visited Middle-earth before the Third Age seen in The Lord of the Rings, traveling among the people and becoming ” acquainted ” with them.

  • Tolkien finished these notes on Gandalf the Grey’s forgotten history with the words “,nothing is said of this, ” but later amended it to “,nothing has yet been said of this.
  • The Rings of Powers is showing Gandalf in his previously untold past, including an adventure in the lands of Rhûn.
  • Gandalf has no known connection to Rhûn in the lore of The Lord of the Rings,

Indeed, by the Third Age he insisted he would never go to the east of Middle-earth, leaving that area for the Blue Wizards. Ironically, until now it had seemed his ally Aragorn was more familiar with Rhûn than Gandalf himself; speaking at the Council of Elrond, Aragorn claimed he had ” crossed many mountains and many rivers, and trodden many plains, even into the far countries of Rhûn and Harad where the stars are strange.

” Gandalf is seeking the lands of Rhûn based in part on his sketch of constellations, so Aragorn’s comment can be taken as confirmation he will indeed find answers in Rhûn in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2. All episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are streaming now on Amazon Prime.

Want more The Rings of Power articles? Check out our essential content below.

How Many Episodes Of The Rings Of Power There Are (& When The Finale Is) The Rings Of Power Cast & Character Descriptions Everything The Rings Of Power Leaves Out About The War Of Wrath Every New Tolkien Location In The Rings Of Power Explained

Asked By: Bruce Morgan Date: created: Feb 02 2024

Who is stranger with nori

Answered By: Geoffrey Allen Date: created: Feb 02 2024

Who is the Stranger? ‘Rings of Power’ star teases “a new character” in season 2

When Daniel Weyman learned who The Stranger might be, he felt a chill down his spine.”I didn’t know it was coming,” the English actor and star of tells Inverse. The actor first read the script for the with co-star Markella Kavenagh, who plays the kind Harfoot, Nori.

The big confrontation in the Season 1 finale. Amazon Studios All season long, Nori has taken care of Weyman’s Stranger, an imposing being with no memory and no way to communicate. Fans have speculated about his true identity, including the possibility that he’s the greatest evil in Middle-earth: Sauron.

  1. The finale opens on the trio of sinister white witches who have stalked the Stranger for several episodes.
  2. They finally corner him and claim to know that his true identity is, yes, Sauron.
  3. Reading those pages, Weyman says he felt a change from within.
  4. I was reading it with Markella, and we both looked to each other and our eyes glistened, because it was so cool, weird, and exciting,” Weyman says.

“I felt all the goodness that I’d experienced with her playing Nori all being blown away, like a wind blowing through me. All the goodness was being replaced by dark embers.” Of course, The Rings of Power had more tricks up its chainmail, and there are still questions about the Stranger’s identity to be answered.

  • Inverse caught up with Weyman to unpack the new direction his character is heading, both literally and thematically.
  • Spoilers for The Rings of Power Season 1 finale ahead.
  • After a whole season of speculation, Daniel Weyman’s enigmatic Stranger is revealed to be a wizard.
  • But what kind, exactly? Amazon Studios In the Rings of Power season finale, Weyman’s Stranger is confronted at a vulnerable moment.

The witches call him Sauron, ending weeks of speculation. But as the episode continues, it’s revealed the witches had it wrong. By the end, there are glaring hints that the Stranger is a wizard — “istar,” in Elvish — and possibly none other Weyman says his character’s identity will still loom over Season 2, when the Stranger and Nori journey across Middle-earth to learn his exact origins.

But now that he can speak and move without restrictions, he feels like a new character. “Nori’s going on this journey with a slightly new character,” he says. “What is speech going to give us? Is that going to come with memory? Of the agelessness a wizard should have? How does wisdom come through?” Weyman says a critical attribute for all wizards, wisdom, is an unknown for the Stranger.

“Has he got any wisdom yet?” he ponders. “There are a couple of lines where they feel like they’re touching wisdom. But is wisdom coming through veiled memory?” At the end of Season 1, The Stranger and Nori embark on a new journey that Weyman says Season 2 will explore.

  1. Amazon Studios The Stranger’s physicality is also important, as everything from his posture to his gait will transform.
  2. He’s been quite hunched,” Weyman says.
  3. How will the fact he’s taken this choice to walk a particular path change how he moves? How he’s able to harness the energy he might need next season? I think we’re at a really exciting place.” While fans might want to look to the future, Weyman says there’s a lot of depth yet to be discovered in Season 1.

“I’m gonna go back to episode seven,” Weyman says, considering it a turning point. “He’d been kind of cajoled into trying to fix this tree, not knowing what he’s doing, and it goes wrong. He sees on everybody’s face betrayal, distrust, hatred. I think he leaves with a sense that, no matter how hard he tried with Nori, it hasn’t worked.

As he leaves, he has all these conflicting feelings, and that takes him to quite a dark place.” Weyman says his character’s disillusionment makes him susceptible to the witches’ influence. Even though he’s not Sauron, he easily could have turned to their side, if not for Nori still believing in him. “When Nori comes up to the Stranger and says, ‘You’re here to help,’ he doesn’t believe it.

He doesn’t want to hurt her anymore. But then it’s like she says, This is the end of how far I can come with you. It was important for him to see somebody with agency saying, ‘I’m not at your every whim. You have to do this for yourself.’ That is what lands.

  1. As she walks away, he sees her bravery and her strength.
  2. I think that bit of jigsaw is what the Stranger needed.” Despite quoting one of Gandalf’s iconic lines, Weyman says he didn’t reference Sir Ian McKellan’s performance.
  3. I had five or six film references from the showrunners,” he says.
  4. Amazon Studios Weyman adds that using the witches’ rod was another way for the Stranger to grow.

“Suddenly there’s a conduit for this energy that is not himself,” he says. “I think he’s struggled all season. By being the conduit himself, the energy had to go through him to get somewhere, and it’s too much. He needed this divining rod. He’s not generating the power himself.

  • He’s used himself, and it’s been extraordinarily powerful.
  • So when he gets that staff, that feels right, he’s able to use this energy for the first time in a much better way.
  • For the first time he feels like he’s on the right track.” The use of the word “wizard” was an intriguing addition to the Stranger’s origin story.

Weyman’s character could be Gandalf, or maybe, who appeared during the Second Age. Whoever the Stranger actually is, he at least has a sense of where to go. “When ‘wizard’ finally comes out of his mouth, his dialogue changes,” Weyman says, “He’s suddenly able to speak more.

Is Stranger a blue wizard?

Middle-earth’s Timeline Points to The Stranger as a Blue Wizard – While most fans seem to think that The Stranger is Gandalf, The Rings of Power ‘s showrunners have not confirmed that supposed reveal. They specifically cast doubt on the assumption that The Stranger is Gandalf, So, what are the alternatives? Assuming that The Rings of Power isn’t consolidating all of Middle-earth’s timeline, the Istar can’t be Gandalf, Saruman or Radagast.

  1. However, he could be one of the Blue Wizards,
  2. The Blue Wizards are a mysterious bunch because Tolkien changed his mind about them.
  3. At first, they were throwaway characters who fell to the wiles of Sauron.
  4. Later in his life, though, Tolkien fleshed out their history.
  5. Eventually, he stated that they had had a great effect in defeating Sauron in the far east of Middle-earth.
You might be interested:  Who Is The Richest Women?

Even still, Tolkien only laid out a rough story for them, and because of that, not much is known about their whereabouts. (Even Gandalf didn’t know what they were up to – or even what their names were.) Some accounts have them arriving in 1000 TA with the other wizards, but other accounts have them arriving in 1600 SA.

If The Rings of Power goes with the latter timeline, their arrival would fit nicely into the series. So, while fans are waiting for Season 2, they can all make their predictions for The Stranger’s true identity, but him being one of the Blue Wizards makes the most sense according to Middle-earth’s timeline.

Season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video.

Asked By: Eric Peterson Date: created: Jun 03 2024

Which Maia is Sauron

Answered By: Logan Long Date: created: Jun 05 2024

Origin – ” For nothing is evil in the beginning. Even Sauron was not so. ” ― Elrond As one of the most powerful Maiar, Sauron was created by Ilúvatar before the Music of the Ainur, At the beginning of Time, he was amongst the Ainur who entered into Eä, Here he became one of the Maiar of Aulë, among whose people he was deemed mighty and surpassed only by the Smith himself, and was known as Mairon,

  1. Mairon’s virtue was his love for order, planning and coordination, disliking confusion and chaos.
  2. But his obsession with order gradually overshadowed his love for the other intelligent beings of Arda, who would benefit from his planning; it became the sole object of his will, the end in itself.
  3. He started admiring Melkor ‘s power to realize his designs quickly and masterfully.

Early on, already by the blissful Spring of Arda, he was ensnared by Melkor, becoming his spy on the isle of Almaren, the dwelling-place of the Valar. While Tulkas was asleep, Melkor ruined the Two Lamps, and when Almaren was also destroyed, the Valar moved to the Blessed Realm of Aman, still not perceiving Sauron’s treachery.

  1. Soon Mairon left the Blessed Realm for Middle-earth, in a dark time where Melkor dominated limitlessly, and bent the knee before him as his greatest and most trusted servant.
  2. Thus he came to be known as Gorthaur by the Sindar of Beleriand and Sauron by others.
  3. Sauron initially was not as evil as Morgoth, as he was serving someone and not himself; and unlike Melkor, who wanted to unmake and corrupt the world, Sauron wished to rule it and do what he wanted with it.

After Morgoth made his great fortress of Angband in the north-west of Middle-earth, he appointed Sauron to be its commander.

Who is tracking the stranger?

The Rings of Power still hasn’t confirmed the identity of The Stranger, but the flower he makes in episode 7 could be a major hint. Warning: the following may contain spoilers for The Rings of Power The Stranger’s identity in The Rings of Power is still a mystery, but the flower he made in episode 7, “The Eye,” could be a major hint about his true origin. As one of the more mysterious characters from the first season of The Rings of Power, popular theories say The Stranger’s true identity is Sauron or Gandalf or another wizard, yet none of his story has explicitly confirmed who he is or where he came from, but a few big hints help narrow down the options.

Is Gandalf the GREY immortal?

Gandalf
Tolkien character
Detail of Gandalf (right) turning the trolls to stone in one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s drawings for The Hobbit
First appearance The Hobbit (1937)
Last appearance Unfinished Tales (1980)
In-universe information
Aliases See Names
Race Maia
Affiliation Company of the Ring
Weapon
  • Glamdring
  • Wizard’s staff

Gandalf is a protagonist in J.R.R. Tolkien ‘s novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, He is a wizard, one of the Istari order, and the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien took the name “Gandalf” from the Old Norse “Catalogue of Dwarves” ( Dvergatal ) in the Völuspá,

  1. As a wizard and the bearer of one of the Three Rings, Gandalf has great power, but works mostly by encouraging and persuading.
  2. He sets out as Gandalf the Grey, possessing great knowledge and travelling continually.
  3. Gandalf is focused on the mission to counter the Dark Lord Sauron by destroying the One Ring,

He is associated with fire; his ring of power is Narya, the Ring of Fire. As such, he delights in fireworks to entertain the hobbits of the Shire, while in great need he uses fire as a weapon. As one of the Maiar, he is an immortal spirit from Valinor, but his physical body can be killed.

In The Hobbit, Gandalf assists the 13 dwarves and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins with their quest to retake the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon, but leaves them to urge the White Council to expel Sauron from his fortress of Dol Guldur, In the course of the quest, Bilbo finds a magical ring. The expulsion succeeds, but in The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf reveals that Sauron’s retreat was only a feint, as he soon reappeared in Mordor,

Gandalf further explains that, after years of investigation, he is sure that Bilbo’s ring is the One Ring that Sauron needs to dominate the whole of Middle-earth. The Council of Elrond creates the Fellowship of the Ring, with Gandalf as its leader, to defeat Sauron by destroying the Ring.

He takes them south through the Misty Mountains, but is killed fighting a Balrog, an evil spirit-being, in the underground realm of Moria, After he dies, he is sent back to Middle-earth to complete his mission as Gandalf the White. He reappears to three of the Fellowship and helps to counter the enemy in Rohan, then in Gondor, and finally at the Black Gate of Mordor, in each case largely by offering guidance.

When victory is complete, he crowns Aragorn as King before leaving Middle-earth for ever to return to Valinor. Tolkien once described Gandalf as an angel incarnate; later, both he and other scholars have likened Gandalf to the Norse god Odin in his “Wanderer” guise.

  1. Others have described Gandalf as a guide-figure who assists the protagonists, comparable to the Cumaean Sibyl who assisted Aeneas in Virgil ‘s The Aeneid, or to Virgil himself in Dante ‘s Inferno,
  2. Scholars have likened his return in white to the transfiguration of Christ ; he is further described as a prophet, representing one element of Christ’s threefold office of prophet, priest, and king, where the other two roles are taken by Frodo and Aragorn,

The Gandalf character has been featured in radio, television, stage, video game, music, and film adaptations, including Ralph Bakshi ‘s 1978 animated film, His best-known portrayal is by Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson ‘s 2001–2003 The Lord of the Rings film series, where the actor based his acclaimed performance on Tolkien himself.

Is the meteor man Gandalf?

Meteor Man Could Be Gandalf – New Line Cinema The most popular theory is that Meteor Man is Gandalf the Gray. He does indeed have magical abilities and shares the characteristics of Gandalf. When The Stranger becomes frightened or provoked, his voice changes similarly to when Gandalf becomes angry or faces a threat.

The Stranger also has a connection to the Harfoots, who are the ancestors of the Hobbits. Gandalf the Gray in The Lord of the Rings is known to be a friend to the Hobbits and has a particular fondness towards the halflings. It could be that this bond was formed when he came to Middle-earth and was shown kindness by Nori.

She hides and protects him, brings him food, and helps guide him as he is lost and confused about where he is and how he got there. However, The Stranger’s appearance at this point doesn’t line up with Tolkien’s original timeline for Gandalf. It could be that the writers of the show took creative liberties and created their own origin story for the wizard, but according to the books, Gandalf didn’t come into the story until the Third Age.

  1. It is after Sauron has risen to power that Gandalf joins the other wizards to aid in the fight against Sauron.
  2. The Rings of Power takes place in the Second Age before and during Sauron’s rise.
  3. Perhaps Meteor Man is not yet Gandalf, but maybe that is who he will become as he learns to control his magic and discovers more about the world he has been cast into.

One major hint that he is Gandalf is his final line in the show, “Always follow your nose.” This references what Gandalf says in The Fellowship of the Ring, thus confirming that the most likely possibility is that Meteor Man is the wizard we have come to know and love, Gandalf the Gray.

Why did they think the stranger was Sauron?

‘Rings of Power’ The Stranger Fan Theory – Who is The Stranger in ‘Rings of Power’? This story contains spoilers for the Season One finale of Rings of Power, has teed up plenty of tantalizing mysteries, but none have tormented viewers quite so powerfully as the identity of The Stranger.

Way back in, this anonymous geezer crash-landed into Harfoot country by way of a meteor strike; ever since, he’s been testing his otherworldly powers and forming connections with the Harfoots. But just who is this mysterious meteor man? One need only look to for clues. Before the finale, I wrote here on Steve Jobs’s Internet​​, once and for all—The Stranger is a Maia.

I guaranteed it. Tolkien’s Maiar are creatures of divine origin created as helpmeets of the gods before the beginning of the time; possessed of otherworldly powers, they can wander the world unseen or disguise themselves as earthly creatures. Maiar come in many forms, though casual Tolkienites know them best as wizards like Gandalf and Saruman.

  1. But just which Maia could The Stranger be? One popular fan theory argued that The Stranger is Sauron.
  2. Yes, believe it or not, Sauron was a Maia, cut from the same cloth as Gandalf himself—way back at the beginning of the world, Sauron was a good and virtuous being known as Mairon, until Morgoth corrupted him.

Certain things about The Stranger pointed toward this theory; in Episode One, his flaming crater looked an awful lot like the Eye of Sauron, and on two separate occasions, he inadvertently harmed Nori Brandyfoot with his supernatural powers, suggesting that he may be dangerous.

  1. But in my book, the Sauron theory didn’t hold water.
  2. The timing didn’t line up; although Sauron’s whereabouts were unknown for the first five centuries of the Second Age, Rings of Power takes place during the twilight of the Second Age, meaning that by now, Sauron should be posted up in Eregion, where he disguised himself as an elf named Annatar and manipulated Celebrimbor to craft some very pretty rings you may have heard about.

And, it turns out, that’s. exactly where Sauron is! The dropped shocking reveals about The Stranger and Sauron both, beginning with some classic misdirection. The three mystics in white who have been hunting The Stranger throughout the season finally pursue him into the woods, where they say, “We’ve come to serve you, Lord Sauron.” But after a series of fearsome confrontations, it becomes clear that the mystics have got the wrong guy.

  • He’s not the Dark Lord—he’s an Istari!” one shouts with her dying breath as The Stranger obliterates her with a beam of white light.
  • That’s right, he’s a WIZARD, baby (Istar being Tolkien’s name for the order of wizards).
  • But just which wizard is he? The show never calls him Gandalf, but one small line all but confirms it.

When The Stranger and Nori make to leave on an adventure together, she confesses that she doesn’t know the way. He notes that the breeze coming from a certain direction smells sweet, saying, “If in doubt, always follow your nose.” A classic Gandalf quote—which means that he’s not just any wizard, he’s Gandalf ! It’s a smart choice by Rings of Power to build on Gandalf’s backstory— of course it was a young Harfoot girl with a thirst for adventure who was his first friend in Middle-earth.

No wonder he’d later show such a soft spot for hobbits, especially fellow adventurers like Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. But lest we get carried away, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are here to bring us back down to (Middle)earth. On the official Rings of Power podcast, they reminded listeners that there are five known wizards in Tolkien’s canon, including Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and the mysterious Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallandro.

“We know wizards can be good and bad,” Payne, “And wizards are of the same class as Sauron. So, the answer is, there is no point at which, ‘He’s a wizard, oh great, everything’s cool.’ Because, wizards can be as evil and as dangerous; they can be rivals for Sauron, or allies of Sauron, and The Stranger’s journey will continue.

You might be interested:  Who Left The Jungle?

So I think that’s an open question still, though I do think by the end of the eighth episode, he sure seems like a force for good.” By that logic, could Rings of Power be using Gandalf’s famous “always follow your nose” line as a red herring? In Tolkien’s telling, Gandalf didn’t arrive in Middle-earth until the Third Age, so introducing him during Rings of Power ‘s Second Age setting would mark a major break with canon.

It would make more canonical sense for The Stranger to be Alatar or Pallandro, as the Blue Wizards were known to be rattling around Rhûn during the Second Age. Fittingly, when we leave them at the end of Season One, The Stranger and Nori are headed to Rhûn in search of information about his origins. Books and Fiction Editor Adrienne Westenfeld is the Books and Fiction Editor at Esquire, where she oversees books coverage, edits fiction, and curates the Esquire Book Club. : ‘Rings of Power’ The Stranger Fan Theory – Who is The Stranger in ‘Rings of Power’?

Asked By: Luke Cooper Date: created: Sep 15 2023

Why did the White wizard turn bad

Answered By: Daniel Williams Date: created: Sep 18 2023

Saruman’s Jealousy Made Him Desire A Ring Of Power Of His Own – Though Saruman resented that Gandalf (and Radagast) were sent with him to Middle-earth, he cooperated with them for many years. As Gandalf explained in The Lord of the Rings, he believed the head of his order to be a wise, strong, and trustworthy leader.

  1. However, the White wizard’s jealousy only grew.
  2. Shortly after the Istari arrived in Middle-earth in the 1,000th year of the Third Age, Gandalf was gifted one of the Three Elven Rings of Power, Narya—something Saruman deeply resented.
  3. Since Saruman was a craftsman like Sauron, he became deeply interested in the Rings of Power and desired to have one for himself.

When the White wizard revealed himself to have turned from the side of good in Lord of the Rings, Gandalf noticed a ring on his finger. The wizard called himself ” Saruman of Many Colors ” and ” Saruman Ring-maker, ” indicating his covetous nature led him to try to make a Ring of Power for himself.

Asked By: Seth Thompson Date: created: Dec 17 2023

Is Saruman also Sauron

Answered By: Morgan Wood Date: created: Dec 18 2023

Saruman –

Saruman, also known as Saruman the White, is the one Istari Sauron was able to lure into his service. While Saruman was Sauron’s ally, the Wizard had the ultimate goal of taking the Ring and wielding its powers for himself.

Asked By: Blake Evans Date: created: Aug 14 2024

Is The Rings of Power Stranger Radagast

Answered By: Justin Washington Date: created: Aug 17 2024

The Stranger’s identity in The Rings of Power has been revealed – thanks to one key line (Image credit: Amazon Studios) Warning: Spoilers follow for episodes 1-8! Turn back now if you’re not caught up on Amazon Prime Video! Just who is the Stranger in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves since the mysterious giant crash-landed on Middle-earth in the first episode. (Image credit: Amazon Prime) No, The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) is not Sauron, Saruman, or even Radagast the Brown. While it is revealed in the season finale that The Stranger is an Istar/Istari (otherwise known as a wizard in Middle-earth parlance), one line clues us in even further to The Stranger’s identity. (Image credit: New Line) Read up on more of The Rings of Power’s big mysteries with our complete explainer to the and all the clues that you may have missed. Plus, there’s our guide to as well as to help you make sense of Middle-earth’s centuries of conflict and chaos.

Who is the stranger in Rings of Power episode 5?

A wizard is never late, nor is he early – After their absence from last week’s episode, it wasn’t a surprise to see the harfoots and The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) get a decent amount of screen time this week, opening with The Stranger learning some phrases from Nori (Markella Kavenagh).

  1. Let’s hope he’s not picking up that accent during the lessons – the Rings of Power needs another Oirish accent like it needs another character with an as-yet-undefined motive.
  2. Just as Nori’s running through a list of things that can kill you, it dawns on The Stranger – a firefly killer of some skill – that he might be another of these perils of which she speaks.

It was part touching, seeing the realisation spread across his face, and part asking if he is, in fact, a baddie. Your secret is safe Maxim Baldry as Isildur with Lloyd Owen as Elendil. Photograph: Courtesy of Prime Video/Prime Video undefined Later in the episode, as we watched him drag caravans from the swamp and easily scare off three charging wargs, it was easier to see him as a good character, but his clumsy methods and lack of control over his powers allow doubt to remain.

  • I still believe he’s going to be a wizard – not Gandalf – but an original character for this series who will serve a similar purpose to the wizards we know from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
  • But what about mention of “the star fall” last week being a sign of Sauron’s imminent return, you cry? My prediction is it’s part of a wider prophecy, one that concerns the arrival of a wizard when Sauron has gathered a certain amount of strength, rather than The Stranger literally being Sauron.

None of that explains who those weird folk in the white gowns are, though. Three of them are listed in the credits – The Nomad (Edith Poor), The Ascetic (Kali Kopae) and, the group’s leader by the look of it, The Dweller (Bridie Sisson). Are they a cult awaiting The Stranger’s arrival? But to what end? To worship him? To kill him? Executive producer Lindsey Weber hinted at their purpose that “fans might like to know that her character is travelling from far to the east – from the lands of Rhûn ” Not much is known about Rhûn, although we do know that men settled in the eastern region and fell under the rule of Morgoth and later duh, duh, duh Sauron. Who will join us? Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) and Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi). Photograph: Courtesy of Prime Video/Prime Video undefined

Is the stranger a Balrog?

The Best Theories On Who The Stranger Is In ‘The Rings Of Power’ Image Source: Amazon Prime’s new hit show, The Rings of Power, takes place in the second age. JRR Tolkien did not leave much about the second age after he died, and Amazon so they have to take some creative liberties. One of these liberties is the new character of ‘The Stranger’.

  1. It has not yet been revealed who this who fell from the sky is, but there are many theories out there as to who he may be.
  2. Contains spoilers for the first three episodes of The Rings of Power** The most popular theory is that this mysterious man is Gandalf.
  3. It would be a much younger version of the This theory however does not fit within the time period.

Gandalf didn’t appear until the Third Age. He was originally known by another name: Olórin. Gandalf and the Stranger can both wield fire. At the end of episode 2, the Stranger speaks to fireflies like Gandalf speaks to moths. Many things link the two characters, and so it makes sense why people may think he is Gandalf. Another theory is, The Stranger was never shown in anything more than a simple cloak, and an apple in his hand. Some think this may be related to Christian iconography, where an apple tends to come with consequences. While in his fair form, Sauron takes the name Annatar.

  1. He has powerful magical abilities and can turn good things into bad with a lot of time and patience.
  2. This would fit, as Nori’s family has started to have issues ever since he showed up.
  3. In the score done by Bear McCreary, there is also a hint of Sauron’s theme, when Nori first finds him.
  4. From what know, we have not seen Sauron yet, so this theory is definitely not out of the realm of possibilities and makes more sense than the Gandalf theory.

A third theory is the. He is an extremely fun character and one we never got to see in the Peter Jackson films. He is one of the oldest living creatures in Middle-earth, and his powers are unknown. There was not much written about this character’s activities during the First and Second ages.

All we know is that he spent the time hanging out with his wife, Goldberry, a river spirit. They were known to have frequent interactions with Hobbits, so interactions with their predecessors, the Harfoots, wouldn’t be too crazy. When we think of the Balrog, we think of the giant fiery creature Gandalf fought in The Fellowship of the Ring.

However, some think the Stranger could actually be the Balrog. The Stranger is not hurt by fire, and took a huge fall, that only some would be capable of surviving. The maiar, are primordial beings who helped shape the world before anyone else inhabited it. Image Source: The Stranger in The Rings of Power has caused various theories as to who he is, and may not know for a bit until the show reveals it. Whoever he may be, many think he is most likely a wizard of some sort, based on his abilities. Whenever Amazon reveals the character, we are sure to be in for a surprise. READ NEXT: : The Best Theories On Who The Stranger Is In ‘The Rings Of Power’

Is Adar and Sauron the same?

For the most part, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has done its best to keep Adar (Joseph Mawle) on the outer edges of its story. That may seem like an odd decision, especially considering that Adar is the closest thing The Rings of Power ‘s first season has had to a villain up to this point.

  • However, by focusing so little on Adar, the Amazon series has been able to keep up a veil of mystery around the character, in place since The Rings of Power premiere.
  • The cracks in Adar’s measured façade are, nonetheless, beginning to show.
  • In The Rings of Power Episode 5, for instance, Adar even has one interaction with a would-be follower that calls to mind an important detail about Sauron himself.

Joseph Mawle as Adar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Episode 5. Prime Video Adar or Sauron? The Rings of Power ‘s fifth episode sees Adar and his army of orcs meet with a group of Southland villagers. The group, led by Waldreg (Geoff Morrell), pledge their fealty to Adar and offer to help him take full control of the Southlands.

  • Things quickly take an interesting turn, however, when Waldreg directly refers to Adar as Sauron.
  • In response, Adar walks up to the Southlander and promptly throws him to the ground.
  • He then forces Waldreg to eliminate one of his fellow human villagers, telling him that “only blood” is powerful enough to bind them together.

Throughout the whole scene, he, notably, never says out loud whether or not he is Sauron. “Only blood can bind.” Prime Video A Villain of Many Names — While his angry outburst in The Rings of Power Episode 5 makes it seem like Adar definitely is not Sauron, that isn’t necessarily the case.

  1. As a matter of fact, Adar’s enraged reaction to being called Sauron may actually be a hint that he is, indeed, Middle-earth’s second Dark Lord.
  2. After all, in The Two Towers, J.R.R.
  3. Tolkien has Aragorn note that Sauron doesn’t “use his right name, nor permit it to be spelt or spoken.” It’s a moment that makes it clear that Sauron likely isn’t a fan of his given name and that he makes a point of forbidding his followers from ever writing it or speaking it out loud.

It’s not difficult to see why, either. Not only does restricting his own supporters from referring to him by name only increase his power over them, but it also stops them from further espousing a name that was given to him against his will. Indeed, Sauron was originally known as Mairon, which means “the Admirable.” He only became known as Sauron, which means “the Abhorred,” after he allied himself with Morgoth.

It is notably said that the Dark Lord continued to refer to himself as “Mairon the Admirable” after the events of the First Age, which proves that he likely preferred it over Sauron. Is Adar secretly Sauron in disguise? Unfortunately, we still don’t know for sure. Prime Video The Inverse Analysis — On the surface, Adar’s reaction to Waldreg’s name drop in The Rings of Power ‘s latest episode might seem like a way for the show itself to confirm that he is not, in fact, Sauron.

That’s not necessarily the case, though, as Tolkien’s own writings prove that Sauron was not a fan of his followers referring to him by his given name. In other words, while it still seems likely that Adar isn’t Sauron, the door isn’t nearly as closed on that possibility as some Rings of Power viewers might think.