The true identity of The Stranger (played by Daniel Weyman) has been discussed since he arrived in the very first episode of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Throughout season 1, the showrunners tried to convince the audience that he was possibly Sauron with amnesia. We eventually learned he is an unnamed Istar (aka wizard) sent by the Valor to Middle-Earth for an upcoming threat. As his storyline continues into season 2, The Stranger and his harfoot friends Nori and Poppy travel to Rhun to learn more about his past, including his real name. Fans have long theorized which wizard he could be, which includes Gandalf the Grey, Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown, or even the two unnamed Blue Wizards.
As the finale of season 2 comes to a close, we learn that The Stranger is indeed Gandalf the Grey (originally played by Ian McKellen in the movies). While this revelation isn’t surprising considering his “always follow your nose” quote from season 1 and the affection he shows to halflings, it is a bit disappointing. Gandalf the Grey only comes to Middle-Earth during The Third Age. He also explicitly states he has never traveled east to Rhun. However, the show has taken creative liberties to bring him into the Second Age (albeit the very end) to travel to Rhun to meet Tom Bombadil and a mysterious Dark Wizard (played by Ciarán Hinds).
His name derives from a conversation between The Stranger and the village of Stoors (another set of Hobbit ancestors) that thank him for protecting them from the Dark Wizard. They call him “Grand Elf” as they have never seen a real elf before. Eventually, it clicks, and he remembers his name, “Gandalf.” During his first confrontation with The Dark Wizard, we don’t learn who he is either. However, the Dark Wizard immediately recognizes who Gandalf is as a fellow Istar. He even calls him “my old friend, ” a famous quote used by Saruman the White in The Fellowship of the Ring. If we are to go off quotes, then it’s pretty much assumed this is Saruman. However, while the wizard does stay in Rhun for several thousands of years in the novels, he is never genuinely evil until he falls under the influence of Sauron during the War of the Ring.
Unfortunately, the showrunners, by choice or by the rights with the Tolkien Estate, were unable to use the two Blue Wizards in their series. They were both mentioned to have come to Middle-Earth in the Second Age and sow discourse amongst the men in Rhun. The showrunners would have been given a clean slate to write an original story for The Stranger that technically doesn’t break lore. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see where they take this conflict with the already evil Dark Wizard that Gandalf barely knows into the remaining three seasons of the series.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is streaming now on Prime Video
