The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power ended season 2 last week in perhaps the most beautiful location in Middle-earth. Just because the stranger’s identity has finally been revealed doesn’t mean that everything is now clear. One mystery that remains after the finale for season 3 is that Identity of the powerful, dark wizard (Ciaran Hinds)whom Nori’s friend met in Rhûn. With the latest statements from the showrunners, this secret is probably no longer a secret.
Be careful, follow it spoiler!
The Rings of the Power Creators reveal before season 3: The Dark Wizard is not Saruman
Since its first trailer appearance, Lord of the Rings fans have speculated that the new magician introduced in season 2, who is only listed as “Dark Wizard” in the credits, must be Saruman the White. His cool appearance and iron staff, the strikingly similar appearance to Christopher Lee’s character in Peter Jackson’s trilogy, the striking beard pattern and his saying “old friend” provide clues that fit the previous reveal principle of Rings of Power characters. It is all the more astonishing that the… Series creators are already clearly rejecting this Saruman theory.
Asked by Vanity Fair about the identity of Ciarán Hinds’ Dark Wizard, Rings Power showrunner Patrick McKay, supported by co-creator John D. Payne, made a surprisingly clear statement regarding the Saruman speculation:
I want to put something on the record: Given the history of Middle-earth, it would be very, very, very unlikely that it could be Saruman. If not impossible.
So if the Lord of the Rings series leaders aren’t trolling us (and lying) a lot here, the Saruman theory has been canceled. About the further path of the unknown Istar in The Rings of Power, McKay reveals:
The Dark Wizard has one important role in Middle-earth and in the development of our wizard [Gandalf] to play, which now finds its place. Tom Bombadil told him: ‘It is your destiny to face him. And then to face Sauron.’ So the fate of the Dark Wizard has not yet been decided and his name has not yet been revealed. But it was almost against the rules of gravity and physics that he is Saruman.Lord of the Rings series indirectly reveals: Ciarán Hind’s character must be a blue wizard in season 3
At the end of season 2, the Dark Wizard reveals to the memoryless Gandalf (Daniel Weyman) that he knows him from before, from the far west (the Elven homeland of Valinor or just the west of Middle-earth?). He even claims that he can help his “old friend” with his memory gaps. How much truth there is in these words is unclear, but that there is “five of us” there must be true, because he’s playing on them here five Istari who Tolkien created as wizards in his world:
This really only leaves the identity of the Dark Wizard one of the two blue wizards left, about which one knows the least about Tolkien. The blue Istari traveled to the east of Middle-earth in the Second Age (i.e. at the time of the action of The Rings of Power) to help the free peoples on missions against Sauron, but never returned.
In News from Middle-earth* Tolkien writes (via LotR.Fandom) about the blue wizards: “I’m afraid they are failed like Saruman, although certainly each in a different way.” However, before that they created Wizard cults – just like the Istar in season 2 in his temple with his followers of the mystics.
Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) is only ready to train Gandalf in season 2 when he passes his test (choosing friendship over power). We learn that the Dark Wizard apparently also apprenticed with Tom. Unlike his second student, however, he seems to be his Succumbed to hunger for power to be. Because even if he pretends to be a friend at times, he goes to great lengths to achieve his goals as “Sauron’s successor”: namely when he kills one of his masked Gaudrim followers and causes the Canyon of the Stare to collapse.
Which of the two blue wizards Ciarán Hinds is playing, we can only speculate about that at the moment. Alatar’s name translates as “the one of high splendor” and his alias title Morinehtar as “Darkness Slayer”. Pallando means “the far traveler”, which would fit Rhûn’s location far in the east of Middle-earth because, according to his own statements, the dark wizard originally came far from the west.
Whether Alatar or Pallando: The Lord of the Rings series is keeping at least one secret until season 3.
Lord of the Rings series podcast: Rings of Power finale and what awaits us in season 3
After 8 episodes, the second season of Amazon’s big fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come to an end. Middle-earth fans Esther from Moviepilot and Sebastian from Filmstarts draw conclusions after the grand finale and discuss highlights and missteps of the return.
At this point you will find external content that complements the article. You can display it and hide it again with one click.
Did the wizard reveal succeed? Does the great battle deliver what it promised? And what do Sauron, Galadriel and Co. plan to do next as we look at Season 3 theories?
*. If you purchase through this link, we will receive a commission.