The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power teased the Stranger’s identity for a long time, which the showrunners rationalized in an explanation that makes a lot of sense. The Rings of Power season 1 ending revealed that Halbrand was actually Sauron, finally resolving the big season 1 mystery of who and where Sauron was. I liked the show’s slow-burn approach, but this season-long tease wasn’t popular with everyone. Season 2 followed suit by not revealing the Stranger’s identity until its very end, but I think the showrunners justified this well.
The Rings of Power season 2 brought the question of the Stranger’s identity front and center. This bearded magical man fell to Middle-earth like a meteor and was a main character from the show’s start. However, season 2 was all about him finding out who he was, with a significant subplot focused on Nori helping him find clues about his past in Rhûn. While I appreciated the Stranger’s character development, I did wonder if the identity tease was dragging on a bit too long. However, the showrunners’ comments have changed my mind about this.
The Rings Of Power Creators’ Reason For Delaying Its Gandalf Reveal Makes Perfect Sense
It Made Sense To Show Gandalf Coming To Terms With His Identity
Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne provided a reason for delaying the confirmation of the identity of Rings of Power’s Stranger, and I understand it completely. I had thought that introducing mysteries to the show could have been done to keep viewers hanging on and coming back, relying on the suspense and mystery never being quite resolved. McKay and Payne, showrunners of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, spoke to Screen Rant about the show’s unveiling of the Stranger’s identity, confirming that “It’s about what he’s learning, about who he’s going to be.“
In this sense, the show isn’t dishing out mysteries to keep viewers hooked, it is trying to reflect its characters’ experiences. While the slow reveal of Halbrand’s identity was done to show the depth of his betrayal and deception, the slow reveal of the Stranger’s identity was done to show his confusion and lostness. This is what Payne and McKay were getting at when they said “We wanted it to be a journey of discovery for the audience, the character, and for ourselves.” Rings of Power wanted to show the Stranger finding out he was Gandalf bit by bit.
I’m Now Realizing How Well The Show’s Gandalf Reveal Fits With The Character’s Journey
Gandalf Didn’t Remember Everything About His Past
In light of Payne and McKay’s comments, I appreciate Gandalf’s journey from a new perspective. On finding out that the Stranger was Gandalf, some viewers took issue with how the Stranger’s identity broke canon. Gandalf arrived in Middle-earth by boat, along with the other Wizards, as confirmed in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. But if the Istari had arrived in canonical fashion in the show, their identities would have been immediately obvious. This wouldn’t have allowed the show its tender and often humorous portrayal of the Stranger’s slow-dawning realization of who he was.
I agree with Payne and McKay that the show allowed viewers to go on Gandalf’s journey with him.
I know that fans questioned the show’s mystery box writing in season 2 just as they questioned it in season 1. However, Rings of Power isn’t dangling mysteries for the sake of it or to misguidedly imitate screenwriters like J.J. Abrams, whose work suits mysteries. The Lost showrunner was famous for bringing mysteries, popularizing this approach in TV. Rings of Power’s J.R.R. Tolkien source material did not contain long-running suspense about Sauron or Gandalf’s identity, making the show’s approach controversial. However, I agree with Payne and McKay that the show allowed viewers to go on Gandalf’s journey with him.
The Rings Of Power Must Still Avoid Embracing Another Mystery Box Character
The Show Is Taking A Different Approach With Its Next Mystery Box
The Rings of Power season 3 may be leaning into another big mystery, which it should navigate carefully. Hiding the Stranger’s name helped viewers understand the emotional nuances of his journey with remarkable depth. I felt every moment of frustration and relief in Gandalf’s arc, which may well be quite true to Tolkien’s story. The Istari did not have all their memories, having been sent to Middle-earth with a narrow focus. But the show should take a different approach with its season 3 mystery, the identity of the Dark Wizard.
The Istari arrived in Middle-earth around 1000 years into the Third Age in The Lord of the Rings novel, although Tolkien speculated that some may have arrived in the Second Age in other books.
The showrunners’ description of their intentions around Gandalf’s development makes sense, but it wouldn’t necessarily work to apply this to the Dark Wizard. Rings of Power’s Dark Wizard isn’t being presented as a hero, so the audience doesn’t need to relate to him like it needed to relate to Gandalf. He also isn’t trying hard to deceive anyone like Halbrand was in season 1. Season 3 may well mirror the first two seasons by ending with a big identity reveal, which could only revolve around the Dark Wizard. I wouldn’t mind this, but I have specific ideas about how it should pan out.
The showrunners actually already confirmed the Dark Wizard’s identity in a Reddit Q&A.
Viewers have enjoyed speculating about the Dark Wizard’s real name, with some suggesting that he could be Saruman. If Rings of Power does leave it until the end of the season to confirm his identity, it should show its hand early, as it did with Gandalf. This would mean dropping big hints rather than misleading red herrings, guiding the audience to the right conclusion, not the wrong one. The showrunners actually already confirmed the Dark Wizard’s identity in a Reddit Q&A, proving that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is already being more honest about its mysteries.
