Is THE RINGS OF POWER’s Stranger a Wizard We’ve Met Before?

As a seasoned Tolkien enthusiast and a connoisseur of all things Middle-earth, I must say that the recent revelations about The Stranger in “The Rings of Power” have me quite intrigued! Growing up with Bilbo’s tales and Frodo’s adventures under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of deja vu when it comes to this enigmatic figure.

In The Rings of Power, it’s become evident that Galadriel was correct: An ancient evil is resurfacing in Middle-earth. Orcs are abducting entire villages, mysterious creatures are roaming the land and sinking ships, the terrain is corrupted, and there have even been volcanic eruptions. However, it seems as though the forces of good may acquire a new ally soon. This ally, though new to them, has already arrived – on a comet! He could be an ancient supernatural entity or perhaps the first manifestation of a beloved hero from The Lord of the Rings lore. It’s not difficult to discern why this might be so, especially for those with keen eyesight. Indeed, there are growing indications that this stranger in The Rings of Power could very well be Gandalf himself.

Who Sent the Comet That Carried the Stranger?

Nothing from the realms of men, elves, dwarves, or orcs could have withstood a comet impact. It’s also safe to say that no earthly race can journey through small meteorites. Such a journey would require an entity far beyond the powers of any being dwelling in Middle-earth. The only reasonable conclusion about who sent that cosmic traveler is the Valar.

The Valar represent powerful, supernatural entities responsible for overseeing Middle-earth, second only in power to the supreme creator Ilúvatar. For long periods, they chose not to involve themselves directly in Middle-earth’s First Age conflicts. Instead, they observed from a distance as the offspring of Ilúvatar experienced hardship at the hands of the original Dark Lord, Morgoth – who was also one of the Valar.

Eventually, the Valar conceded and traveled to Middle-earth to permanently vanquish Morgoth. This victory marked the end of the First Age. However, after this, the Valar returned to their own western landmass, which is where Valinor, the realm that Galadriel declined to return to at the end of episode one, lies.

As a gamer immersed in the lore of Middle-earth, I find it intriguing that while the epic events of The Rings of Power unfold during the Second Age, we know that the Valar played significant roles in the great war that erupted during the Third Age. Instead of reappearing themselves, they chose to send five of their most powerful spirits, known as Maiar, to guide and aid Middle-earth’s inhabitants in their time of need.

The Maiar are potent spiritual aides that assisted the Valar in shaping the world. However, the Valar dispatched them to Middle-earth concealed within the forms of elderly men. Familiar to “The Lord of the Rings” enthusiasts as the five-robed, bearded, wise figures, they are often referred to as wizards.

Before We Consider Gandalf, Is The Rings of Powers‘ Stranger Even a Wizard?

By the onset of the Third Age, the Valar had isolated Aman from the material realm. Thus, it was from the heavens that wizards descended upon Middle-earth. (Repeat: from the heavens.) The Valar dispatched these beings to show that they had not abandoned Middle-earth or its inhabitants amidst their renewed battle against the re-emerging Sauron. Among them, one wizard stood out, significantly contributing to the final defeat of Sauron in Middle-earth before returning to reclaim his position in Aman.

To become similar to Gandalf from “The Rings of Power,” it’s essential that The Stranger initially exhibit magical abilities, as it turns out that the enigmatic old man Nori, who was discovered miraculously unscathed in a field where a comet fell thousands of years before the era when wizards first appeared, possesses many powers reminiscent of those possessed by wizards.

What are the Stranger’s Powers on The Rings of Power?

In the captivating world of “The Rings of Power,” I found myself playing the role of the mysterious, unpredictable wanderer, whom others call The Stranger. Arriving nearly devoid of clothing and displaying odd behavior, my presence was certainly unusual. A freak accident left me with a memory haze, causing me to struggle with communicating effectively. My identity is shrouded in mystery, as I’m unsure why I find myself among these Harfoots. Nori’s assertion that I’m “good” struck a chord within me, for I fear my unknown powers might unwittingly cause harm to the innocent Harfoots.

Despite his puzzling nature, the enigmatic figure known as The Stranger in “The Rings of Power” demonstrates an astonishing level of power. His abilities surpass those of any race in Middle-earth, and he possesses a mastery that is undeniable. He can manipulate objects with his mind, effortlessly lifting colossal wolves and hurling them or driving them away with a single strike of the ground, causing a massive shockwave. His scream, which plunged the world into darkness, doesn’t merely vibrate everything nearby; it appears to have destructive capabilities.

He’s also impervious to fire. The fire from his comet didn’t harm him. No surprise, then he could also pull flames into himself and snuff them out without injury. He also took Nori and Poppy’s fireflies and controlled them to form stars in the sky. Unfortunately, that also killed all the fireflies, which is one ability that should frighten everyone on Middle-earth. The Stranger can suck the life from livings things, though he did not take joy in killing the fireflies. Either that was unintended or a sacrifice required to use his magic. But because he’s not fully in control of himself or his abilities, he is paranoid and scared.

Nori has developed a fear towards his newfound abilities, just like The Stranger did. In a moment of instinct, The Stranger intervened and sustained an injury while fending off wolves. He managed to mend himself by submerging the wounded limb in water that froze over. Unfortunately, when Nori touched him, the ice also engulfed her arm. Even though he couldn’t perceive her presence, let alone protect her, The Stranger shows signs of gaining his powers in the concluding episodes of The Rings of Power. It’s worth noting that when The Stranger eliminates a character on The Rings of Power, they transform into a moth, potentially hinting at another link to Gandalf, who converses with this creature in the The Lord of the Rings films.

Although he has the power to demolish, he is equally capable of constructing. Remarkably, The Stranger breathed new life into a barren, charred tree overnight, reviving not just the tree but also the surrounding landscape. He transformed a desolate land into an abundant oasis for the Harfoots, who were once desperate and destitute.

Is the Stranger actually a wizard? Indeed, he shares more characteristics with the Istari than any being born on Middle-earth. Even Poppy recognizes that he’s not human or elf but something else. Furthermore, it is revealed in The Rings of Power that the Stranger is an Istar, as they eventually identify him as a wizard instead of their leader when they encounter him.

So the question just remains, is The Rings of Power using the Stranger to introduce Gandalf?

What Is the Stranger Trying to Tell Nori on The Rings of Power?

Just as Nori finds herself engrossed in “The Rings of Power”, we too remain puzzled by what the mysterious figure known as The Stranger is trying to convey. The markings on that stone, which appeared to be runes, hint at his early attempts at communication – but their meaning remains elusive. As for the lines he drew in the dirt, could they possibly be a map? This question lingers in our minds.

When the Stranger beheld them, he kept repeating, “Mana úrë,” which in Elvish means, “What is warmth?” Translated to our language, it sounds like, “What is warmth!” However, we can’t definitively determine the intent behind these peculiar words spoken by the Stranger.

In summary, the constellation that the Stranger pointed out to Nori with fireflies appears to hold great importance, as it is also depicted on an ancient Harfoot parchment. This suggests its relevance extends far back in time. Sadoc Burrows mentioned that this particular arrangement of stars hasn’t been visible for thousands of years. It’s intriguing to consider whether the Stranger might have previously seen these stars or if their image comes from a different source.

In the end, they reveal more secrets as the enigmatic cult wearing white robes accompanying the Stranger shares an image reminiscent of stars. They hint towards the elusive land of Rhûn, where seers and humans are on alert for a new source of power to manifest. We’re confident that we’ll visit this intriguing location in season two.

While Nori may not be able to discern significance in his physical traits, we humans can. For instance, his towering companion sports a worn gray robe, a long gray beard, and lengthy graying hair. This colossal figure, dispatched by the Valar across the skies, is not only resistant to flames but also possesses magical abilities—and he has a particular fondness for the hue of gray.

Among all the characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, only one shares a similar enigmatic quality as The Stranger from The Rings of Power, and that is Gandalf the Gray.

Is The Rings of Powers‘ the Stranger Actually Gandalf?

In Tolkien’s unofficial writings, it is mentioned that two out of five Blue Wizards (Alatar and Pallando) arrived in Middle-earth during the Second Age, before their official arrival during the Third Age. This suggests that wizards may have visited Middle-earth much earlier than previously thought. As per Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales, when these powerful beings known as Maiar transformed into physical forms and journeyed to Middle-earth, they had to learn many things anew through trial and error. This could explain the similarities between a wizard like Gandalf and The Stranger in Amazon’s The Rings of Power.

Back in the days when I was deeply immersed in the world of Middle-earth, there was a character known as Gandalf, who among the Maiar went by the name Olórin. Now, this guy had a knack for blending in with the Elves, disguising himself among them. So, it’s quite possible that he visited Middle-earth before, but since he could change his form, the Elves might not have recognized him as the wise and powerful shape-shifter he truly was, unaware of his hidden identity and mission.

In a similar vein to the enigmatic figure known as the Stranger, Gandalf possessed an extraordinary bond with fire. He was immune to its harm, and had the ability to conjure it from nothing, using his magical prowess to light torches. Furthermore, he carried Narya, the Elven ring of fire. This powerful character, who once inscribed mysterious runes on Bilbo’s door, also communicated with insects and single-handedly fended off wolves. When the One Ring attempted to corrupt him, the world grew dim as he let out a terrifying roar at both Bilbo and Frodo, much like the Stranger reacted when Nori startled him.

In a similar vein, the enigmatic voices the stranger perceived bore striking resemblance to the voice of Sauron that Frodo experienced upon donning the One Ring. Furthermore, similar to Gandalf, Sauron belongs to the group known as the Ainur or Maiar.

In the last episode of season one, Nori and the Mysterious Traveler embarked on a journey to explore uncharted territories. Currently, the Mysterious Traveler is roaming Middle-earth, while Gandalf, famously known as the Roaming Sorcerer, was a wanderer who traversed various lands without a permanent residence.

Beyond sharing similar faces and beards, there’s more to their relationship. In “The Fellowship of the Ring,” Gandalf the Grey met an end. Yet, his spiritual presence from the Maiar didn’t linger in Middle-earth for long. Ilúvatar reintroduced Olórin to confront Sauron. Although he was now a completely different entity (yet retaining the same spirit), the wizard allowed his former allies to continue addressing him as Gandalf, albeit this time as Gandalf the White. At first, however, he could not recall the name Gandalf; it took several days for Olórin to recollect and comprehend these details in his consciousness.

How did Olórin, who was undeniably “benevolent,” behave upon his initial, bare-bodied reappearance in our world? He recounted, “I lay there gazing skyward” from a mountain peak, he explained, “as the stars traversed overhead, and each day felt as long as an epoch of the earth.” Similar to The Stranger in ‘The Rings of Power’, Gandalf sought counsel from the stars, possibly because they shared a common purpose on Middle-earth.

It appears that The Rings of Power hints at the possibility that the Stranger might be Gandalf in its last episode of season one. Following the revelation that the Stranger is an Istar, or a wizard, he also mirrors Gandalf’s line from The Lord of the Rings films by advising Nori to follow her senses when unsure. However, it’s also possible that the Stranger is a distinct wizard within The Rings of Power; only season two will provide us with further insights.

The Rings of Power Season Two Will Reveal More About the Stranger

In the second season, The Stranger embarks on fresh journeys which could finally reveal his true self to us. It’s been revealed that he will encounter Tom Bombadil, a character steeped in enigma whose influence is bound to affect The Stranger significantly. Here’s a glimpse of their forthcoming encounters:

Dive within. Discover the charms of one of Tolkien’s most fascinating characters from The Lord of the Rings, the whimsical and mysterious Tom Bombadil, in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, now accessible in the United States. @HarperCollins

— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@TheRingsofPower) August 20, 2024

As a gaming enthusiast delving into the world of “The Rings of Power” season two, I’ve just stumbled upon an intriguing new glimpse into The Stranger’s journey. This sneak peek sheds some light on what his role might be in the upcoming episodes.

In the second season, the enigmatic figure with magical abilities, known as the Stranger, embarks on a quest to uncover his past and understand his role. He is pursuing a specific constellation that has troubled him since his entry into Middle-earth, and he believes the wizard’s staff, hidden beneath it, will provide answers.

If you observe The Stranger driving a nail into his staff, that would be a clear indication that he indeed is Gandalf.

The Stars of the Valar and Middle-earth’s Smallest Heroes

Varda, Queen of the celestial beings known as the Valar, brought forth a radiant array of stars before the elves awakened on Middle-earth. These were the initial sights that greeted the elves, and they admired them deeply. However, Varda had more in mind than just beautiful spectacles. She strategically placed certain constellations to foretell impending calamities.

The reason wizards were sent to Earth during the Third Age was to aid in the battle against an impending doom. It seems that the Valar followed this pattern during the Second Age as well, and if Olórin was involved, then the character known as the Stranger in “The Rings of Power” could explain why Gandalf trusted the destiny of the world to Middle-earth’s common people.

In a different phrasing, it can be said that Nori encountered this Mysterious Figure and chose to stay with him. She safeguarded him, in part, as she believes some enigmatic force guided this man towards her. Yet, her decision was also influenced by the fact that the Harfoots, their ancestors, are compassionate individuals. Moreover, after this encounter, he reciprocated by ensuring her kin didn’t get misplaced during the Grand Migration. He shielded them because the Mysterious Figure and Nori have already established a strong bond of friendship, relying on each other.

As I navigated the enchanting lands of Middle-earth, a celestial figure descended, much like a star falling from the heavens. His appearance felt more than just an ordinary visit; it seemed to foretell a dark destiny lurking on the horizon. If indeed, he was Olórin, I couldn’t help but admire Gandalf’s faith in the valor and courage of hobbits. Nori, in particular, demonstrated their value in Middle-earth well before Gandalf even knew it.

Mikey Walsh serves as a staff writer for TopMob, and you can find him on Twitter under the handle @burgermike. Additionally, if anyone is compiling lists of the Targaryen kings, they might want to take note of Mikey’s work.

2024-08-22 21:04