Well, the primary season of Amazon’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come and gone, however simply because it is on an undisclosed-length hiatus, does not imply we’re by discussing the present. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien‘s work in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the Amazon collection tells the story of the Second Age of Middle-Earth – or, at the very least a condensed model of that story. Although the streaming large would not have the rights to Tolkien epics akin to Unfinished Tales or The Silmarillion, which discover the Second Age intimately, The Rings of Power has taken from the appendices of his hottest work and made the legendarium its personal.
Of course, with any spinoff work, there are some who benefit from the modifications and others who do not, however on the finish of the day, it is enjoyable to discover a brand new age of Middle-Earth, one we have not often seen on display screen outdoors the prologue to Peter Jackson‘s epic trilogy. Among the brand new additions is the Stranger, a personality performed by Daniel Weyman who’s been revealed to be one of many Istari aka the Wizards of Middle-Earth. Sent from the heavens above, this Stranger has allied himself with Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh) and her tribe of Harfoots – precursors to Hobbits – as he journeys on to find who he’s, why he is right here, and what to do about it.
There have been numerous speculations as to the identification behind this Stranger, together with a fake-out on the present that he may be Sauron himself, however now that he is been confirmed to be an Istari, lots of the theories have been narrowed down. Some consider (and hope) that the Stranger is one of many two Blue Wizards that Tolkien alluded to in The Silmarillion and wrote about in his Unfinished Tales. These Istari – named Alatar and Pallando – are recognized to have traveled to the east of Tolkien’s world, a area beforehand unexplored in any live-action medium, and have been despatched there throughout the Second Age to cease Sauron from gaining extra energy.
On the opposite hand, there are many of us who’re satisfied that the Stranger is certainly Gandalf himself – or, at the very least a youthful model of the Grey Wizard. Though Gandalf would not historically seem in Middle-Earth till the Third Age, and there is not any document that he traveled that far east, there are many different causes to assume that the Stranger could also be our favourite Tolkien Wizard. In truth, there is a sturdy case to be made that the Stranger will (and perhaps even ought to) become Gandalf in spite of everything.
Consistency Is Key
For starters, Gandalf is certainly one of three Tolkien characters to seem in each latest live-action adaptation of Tolkien’s works. Played by Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, the Grey-turned-White Wizard has at all times been related to all issues Tolkien. Alongside Cate Blanchett‘s Galadriel and the Dark Lord Sauron himself, Gandalf is likely one of the few characters to seem in all six Middle-Earth movies, making his look right here a fairly secure guess. If Amazon have been good, they’d proceed the custom. Given that each Galadriel and Sauron are leads on The Rings of Power, the Grey Wizard could be the one odd one out…
Naturally, there are Tolkien diehards who would hope towards the Stranger being Gandalf. After all, the character would not present up in any of the Second Age tales, and the 2 Blue Wizards have but to be actually explored – which means, there’s loads of room for embellishing and new takes on these undiscovered characters. But, for almost all of oldsters watching – particularly those that already consider the Stranger to be the Grey Wizard – there’s already an expectation that it is a youthful Gandalf. Between his mannerisms, his grey-clad look, and using Gandalf’s personal dialogue from The Lord of the Rings books, it appears fairly clear that the Stranger is in reality our favourite Wizard.
Of course, the truth that so many informal viewers – and diehard followers of The Lord of the Rings trilogy particularly – count on this Istari to be Gandalf might truly be the twist, and it might be genuinely stunning to many if he weren’t the Grey Wizard in spite of everything. However, after the reveal that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) is certainly the Dark Lord Sauron – one thing that many discovered “too apparent” from the get-go – plainly Amazon will most likely play it secure. Though, we may very well be flawed…
A Friend to Halflings
Possibly the strongest case to be made for the Stranger and Gandalf being one and the identical is that this Wizard is a good friend to the Hobbit’s personal ancestors the Harfoots. A nomadic folks, the Harfoots have but to set foot within the Shire, and are at the moment wandering throughout the map as they migrate with the seasons. Though the Stranger traveled alongside the Brandyfoots for almost all of the primary season, he and Nori have since got down to the east on their very own adventures collectively – which admittedly feels quite a bit like Gandalf’s eventual travels with each Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
The Stranger has typically regarded out for the halflings, a individuals who most in Middle-Earth would pay no thoughts to. In truth, the one different species to acknowledge the Harfoots apart from the Istari himself – or the three Mystics who have been looking for Sauron – are the wild animals who want to eat them. Since Gandalf has at all times been a good friend to the Hobbits, and has at all times seen them in excessive regard, it stands to motive that this Istari’s interactions with the Harfoots might, and possibly ought to, be the origin story for the Grey Wizard’s personal love for the “little people.”
If the Stranger have been certainly Gandalf, this may clarify why he believes that Hobbits are the important thing to stopping Sauron within the Third Age. In his eyes, these typically over-looked persons are the proper method into each the dragon Smaug’s area throughout the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit and the Dark Lord’s realm of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings. After all, because the Grey Wizard as soon as instructed Frodo, “Hobbits actually are wonderful creatures… You can study all that there’s to learn about their methods in a month, and but after 100 years they’ll nonetheless shock you at a pinch.“
A New Direction for the Wizards
Of the 5 Istari Wizards that Tolkien talked about in his writings, solely three are ever expanded on intimately. Of course, we all know probably the most about Gandalf himself. This is definitely one more reason why the Stranger might be Gandalf provided that Amazon solely holds the rights to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, however we digress. We additionally know at the very least a bit of about Saruman the White and Radagast the Brown, who might every theoretically be the Stranger additionally. On the opposite hand, the Blue Wizards are nonetheless one thing of a thriller, therefore why of us hope to see the Stranger become certainly one of them. But, what may be much more compelling, is that if the Stranger-as-Gandalf traveled to the east solely to come across these two Blue Wizards as they combat towards Sauron’s work in these areas.
So far, we have seen Gandalf work together with each Saruman and Radagast, however what if he have been to work together with Alatar and Pallando too? What if, in touring to the east with Nori, the Blue Wizards have been to assist him uncover his true goal as an ally to the little people and as an adversary to the Dark Lord himself. Since we do not know a lot concerning the Blue Wizards and their work within the east, many have rightly speculated that they failed their mission throughout the Second Age, giving solution to Sauron’s corruption of the armies of the japanese males. If this seems to be true, it might be fascinating to observe Gandalf witness the Blue Wizard’s failure and study from it for his personal return within the Third Age.
Since Gandalf has existed for hundreds of years – recognized within the unseen realm as Olórin – there is not any motive that he could not seem in Middle-Earth at any time when he must, and whereas Tolkien’s legendarium would not point out Gandalf strolling within the bodily world till the Third Age, there’s nonetheless quite a bit concerning the different ages we do not know. The Rings of Power might additionally simply set up Gandalf’s friendship with Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Galadriel, and provided that they typically name him “Mithrandir” somewhat than Gandalf, the Grey Wizard’s most typical title won’t even must be spoken. Ultimately, solely time will inform as to who this Istari Stranger is, however whether or not you are rooting for one of many Blue Wizards or Gandalf the Grey himself, it is clear that the world of Middle-Earth wants the Wizards, particularly when Dark Lords are afoot.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is on the market for streaming on Prime Video.