Rings of Power season 2 episode 8 was released online on Prime Video. This finale finally answers one of the main mysteries of the series: is the Stranger Gandalf?
The Rings of Power completed the broadcast of its second season this Thursday, October 3. Fans of the spin-off Lord of the Rings were able to discover an episode 8 rich in twists and turns, marked by numerous clashes between the Elves and Sauron’s clan, significant deaths, and revelations. The most important concerns a mystery that has fueled fan theories since the very first episode: who is the Stranger, an amnesiac sorcerer played by Daniel Weyman in the series?
During the first season, several theories were raised by fans of the Rings of Power : The Stranger might be Sauron, until it is revealed that it was actually Halbrand. Others have since thought that it could actually be Gandalf, thanks to several clues, including a line taken from the film The Fellowship of the Ring spoken by this amnesiac character: “When in doubt, always follow your nose”.
Warning, the following contains spoilers for the season 2 finale of the Rings of Power. We had to wait for the end of season 2, and a quest which brings the Stranger into contact with the character of Tom Bonbadil (Rory Kinnear) for fans to finally have an answer to this mystery. During this final episode, the Stranger confronts a black mage before being given a nickname by Nori and his gang: “Great Elf”. Repeated several times, this then becomes… Gandalf. The theory of many fans is therefore well confirmed! Now let’s see how the gray mage, who leaves to join Tom Bombadil, will fit into the great story of the series, namely the confrontation with Sauron.
Because the majority of the episode is actually devoted to the aftermath of the battle of Eregion which pitted the Elves against Sauron. During this confrontation, Celebrimbor is tortured for a long time by the evil lord who ends up killing him, after the elf calls him “Lord of the Rings”. On the front, Elrond, Gil-galad and their army, defeated, are finally saved by the providential arrival of the Dwarves, led by Prince Durin who became king after the death of his father. At the same time, the orcs turn against their leader to rally Sauron, and Adar is killed.
The finale logically ends with a sword duel between Galadriel and Sauron, which results in Galadriel’s defeat. Sauron then seizes the nine rings of Men. The magic of the two rings of Elrond and Gil-galad then makes it possible to save Galadriel and the rest of the survivors of the battle. The field of possibilities is well and truly open for season 3 of Rings of Powerwhich has however not yet been made official by Prime Video.