Ever since its announcement, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been a topic of mass debate. It’s based mostly on the appendices of Tolkien’s trilogy, versus the trilogy itself, and set throughout the Second Age, an period for which now we have an in depth chronology of historic occasions however far much less information of how mentioned occasions transpired. And alongside well-loved characters like Elrond and Galadriel, it’s introducing its personal authentic gamers with Arondir, Bronwyn, and extra.

One can parse the assorted strands of lore with the suitable Tolkien references, however there may be one particular aspect of The Rings of Power that has left each students and sockpuppets stumped: the Stranger, or the wizard-like determine who crash-lands in Middle-earth by way of molten meteorite.

Viewers had been first launched to the Stranger (generally known as Meteor Man) in a trailer for The Rings of Power, throughout which a number of figures throughout Middle-earth could possibly be seen watching a meteorite soar by the sky. Some individuals suppose that is The Rings of Power’s Sauron, which is probably going improper. Others are satisfied that it’s Gandalf, which additionally doesn’t add up.

After watching the first two episodes of The Rings of Power, we’ve discovered somewhat bit extra about this mysterious determine — though this data has solely served to additional our conviction that neither the Dark Lord nor Mithrandir is our man. So, to evaluate who our magical pal could possibly be, we first must debunk who it virtually definitely isn’t.

The Tolkien lore that may reveal the Stranger’s id

Image: Prime Video

One of the principle causes that individuals are satisfied that that is both Gandalf or Sauron is as a result of showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne all however confirmed it to be a determine of comparable standing in Vanity Fair’s 10 Burning Questions interview:

Well, I might say [Gandalf, Radagast, and Saruman] are usually not the one beings, these names, in that class. So possibly, however possibly not. And the thriller and the journey of it’s the entire enjoyable, I might say.

This is an fascinating reply, as a result of it factors to the opposite “beings” and “names” of the category the wizards — generally known as Istari — share: They are all Maiar, which means they’re kind of like angels. The Valar, who’re above them, are nearer to gods or celestial beings. To put it as plainly as attainable, Meteor Man might be a Maiar spirit, which is what each Gandalf and Sauron are. But so are the opposite Istari, together with the mysterious Blue Wizards, in addition to the Balrogs, amongst others. Meteor Man might due to this fact be considered one of many individuals — that’s to not point out the likelihood he may be a very authentic character.

Is the Stranger Sauron?

Image: New Line Cinema

But once more, the most effective plan of action right here is to argue why it in all probability isn’t Sauron and undoubtedly isn’t Gandalf. The former returns to Middle-earth 500 years into the Second Age, skulking round like a nasty scent. After his grasp’s defeat within the First Age, Sauron is compelled to rebuild his energy and armed forces discreetly, so rocketing his approach again to Middle-earth in a literal fireball would in all probability be fairly counterintuitive. In Tolkien’s writing, he returns as Annatar, dubbed the “Lord of Gifts,” and tips the Elves of Eregion into forging the Rings of Power — which, , is type of the identify of the present, and due to this fact prone to be an necessary a part of it.

There is an argument that viewers will acknowledge “Annatar” as Sauron the deceiver, and so the onus could also be on Amazon to introduce him otherwise. Some individuals suppose that Halbrand, Galadriel’s new pal, will find yourself turning into the Dark Lord in his stead. It’s not the cleverest principle — Galadriel is the one particular person in Eregion to mistrust Annatar within the books, so having her be the one who’s betrayed within the present could be a disservice to her character. Obviously, an concept being dangerous doesn’t utterly low cost it from being realized — however McKay and Payne have confirmed time and time once more that they’re avid Tolkien followers at first, so whereas sure liberties is likely to be taken in response to the established lore, it’s unlikely that it is going to be completely dismissed.

So whether or not Sauron is Annatar, Halbrand, or another person, what we all know is that he’s not allowed into the Elven kingdom of Lindon, based by High King Gil-galad at first of the Second Age. This is as a result of each Elrond and Gil-galad himself are capable of scent his evilness from a mile away.

Another fascinating factor is that this model of Galadriel can be actively looking Sauron. She refuses to return to Aman, swimming again towards Middle-earth shortly earlier than being accepted into Valinor, and she or he is not going to relaxation till she avenges her brother. There can be some humorous enterprise occurring in Arondir and Bronwyn’s arc, in that they’re based mostly in a brand new village created by Amazon that’s set in west-central Mordor. Sauron’s orcs are gathering energy, which is indicative of the key development of Barad-dur (depicted in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy because the tower with Sauron’s eye) from round S.A. 1000 onward. Basically, Sauron is being very quiet, and the one transfer left in his playbook is to make use of his attraction and beauty to intensify his aptitude for persuasion (this can be a massive deal, as a result of it’s only when Sauron is defeated on the finish of the sequence that he’s now not capable of tackle a “fair” look).

Simply put: Why on Middle-earth would Sauron announce his return by reworking himself right into a capturing star seen by mainly everybody on the continent? Not a really Dark Lord transfer.

That’s to not point out the very fact the form of the impression crater resembles the Eye of Sauron from Jackson’s trilogy, which might be an egregiously, condescendingly apparent reference. Usually, when a present introduces a number of pink herrings — lots of which contradict one another — probably the most logical plan of action is to ignore all of them equally.

Which brings us to Gandalf.

So is the meteor Stranger Gandalf?

Photo: Mark Pokorny/Warner Bros. Pictures

In some ways, Gandalf looks like the plain id of this mysterious determine. He is discovered and helped by harfoots, which neatly aligns along with his later affection for hobbits. The nature of his arrival by way of flaming meteorite can be apt, in that he’s the Istar related to hearth. He is, fairly clearly, a frail previous man with lengthy gray hair and a formidable beard — all options of the fana, or bodily manifestation, of the Maiar who develop into Istari.

But the hobbit level is much too apparent a pink herring. His affinity for hearth is referenced a number of instances in Tolkien’s writing (probably the most well-known instance being on the Bridge of Khazad-dum the place, after saying “You cannot pass!” he says, “I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor!”), which means he fairly actually wields the fiery wrath of the solar.

But the most important foil right here is the timeline. Gandalf arrives in Middle-earth in across the tenth century of the Third Age, which is roughly three millennia after the occasions we’re witnessing in The Rings of Power. Sure, time compression could possibly be at play — and sure shall be given the emphasis on Elrond’s recognition of 20 years as fleeting — however that’s loads of time to breeze previous. Also, the harfoots and Elves see the meteor on the similar time, and are additionally geographically fairly shut to at least one one other in that solely the backbone of the Misty Mountains separates Eregion from the Gladden River. All of which is to say: Gandalf receiving Narya, the Elven Ring of Fire, when he landed in Middle-earth is an important half not simply of Tolkien’s legendarium, however of his id because the Istar of Fire. That burning crater could also be a transparent visible reference to Gandalf, however in-universe it’s additionally too early in his timeline to have such a connection.

Also, let’s zoom in on Gandalf, probably the most humble of the Istari and the one one who finally succeeds in his mission, regardless of initially wanting to remain in Aman resulting from his concern of Sauron. You suppose this man is making probably the most audacious entrance within the historical past of Middle-earth? Nah. He sails throughout, like the opposite Istari, and wanders round making buddies with little hobbits. He doesn’t hurtle headlong by the sky in an precise meteorite. And by way of the Stranger’s look as an previous man… Lots of individuals are previous. Middle-earth doesn’t perform on the premise of “Old guy with a beard? Wizard confirmed.”

The Stranger is likely to be another person fully

Image: Prime Video

With all of this being mentioned, it is smart for the Stranger to be a brand new character, of which we have already got a couple of. Tolkien as soon as mentioned that the hobbits weren’t as much as a lot throughout the Second Age, so the spotlighting of the harfoots is an efficient strategy to improve their significance alongside an authentic wizard (he’s, in fact, some kind of wizard or magical, what with the bizarre Stormcrow shouting that apparently impacts the climate).

It’s additionally attainable that he could possibly be a conflation of the 2 Blue Wizards, who initially ventured to Middle-earth within the Third Age, however had been later retconned into the Second Age by Tolkien himself. The Stranger’s nakedness and clear lapses in reminiscence are aligned with this.

In the books, Gandalf speaks to his personal nakedness previous his resurrection as Gandalf the White, noting, “Darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell. Naked I was sent back — for a brief time, until my task is done.” Meanwhile, Tolkien wrote about Maiar having to get used to their corporeal our bodies, which makes the sending of the 2 Blue Wizards — or an authentic character — pretty credible, in that it might have been a kind of prototype, experiment kind of factor. This explains the Stranger’s reminiscence loss, incapacity to talk, speedy fatigue, and superior magical energy in a single fell swoop. It’s additionally a bit foolish.

Personally, I’m into the concept of it being Glorfindel, who dies preventing a Balrog within the First Age and is introduced again as an emissary of the Valar in S.A. 1600. This is unlikely in that Meteor Man is, , a person, versus a classically good-looking elf. The fundamental motive this may be cool is as a result of Glorfindel was finished soiled in Jackson’s trilogy, and completely deserves to be in The Rings of Power regardless of at the moment not being listed within the solid. But once more, the Stranger’s look doesn’t precisely scream “elf who was allowed to live with gods before being sent back as an angelic emissary to cultivate lasting peace throughout the realm.” Disappointing.

The final chance for who this could possibly be if it isn’t an authentic character is Tilion, a minor Maiar spirit who controls the moon. There are two poems about him in Tolkien’s legendarium — one from The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, the opposite from The Fellowship of the Ring. These are referred to as “The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon” and “The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late,” and the previous accommodates the next stanza:

He twinkled his toes, as he considered the meat,
of pepper, and punch galore;
And he tripped unaware on his slanting stair,
and like a meteor,
A star in flight, ere Yule one evening
flickering down he fell
From his laddery path to a foaming bathtub
within the windy Bay of Bel.

The meteor on this poem lands distant from our harfoot buddies, and whereas the Stranger seems to be in a stupor, he’s unlikely to have been overindulging in punch. It is, nonetheless, one of many solely mentions of an precise meteor in Tolkien, and Tilion is a Maiar, making McKay and Payne’s standing as lore consultants and feedback in regards to the Maiar as a “class” fascinating, on the very least. Again although, it’s unlikely to be Tilion — principally as a result of there may be little motive to introduce him.

Or possibly it’s Tom Bombadil, misunderstanding his personal powers and unintentionally summoning a meteor that carries him midway throughout Middle-earth earlier than crashing into the bottom someplace east of the Misty Mountains. Maybe he befriends the harfoots right here and migrates west to The Shire alongside them — which might make sense! It would clarify their absence from S.A. historical past, in that he might assist them consciously keep out of it, whereas this overarching setup might doubtlessly present some fascinating backstory for why the One Ring has no management over Tom.

I imply, it’s in all probability not Tom Bombadil, however rattling, I want it was.