The Rings of Power’s showrunners hinted at the Dark Wizard’s true identity in an interview, and the idea would heighten Gandalf’s virtues. Amazon Prime Video’s The Rings of Power introduced the Dark Wizard in season 2 as a mysterious antagonist who seems to be one of the Istari (Wizard). Given his likeness to Christopher Lee’s portrayal in The Lord of the Rings films, many suspected the Dark Wizard would be Saruman, but showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay dismissed the idea in a Reddit Q&A.

The Rings of Power is set much earlier in The Lord of the Rings timeline, taking place during the Second Age of Middle-earth. The Istari were an order of Maiar sent to Middle-earth by Eru Illúvatar for the purpose of pushing back against Sauron, typically known for their role in the Third Age. As viewers and readers know from LOTR, out of the five Istari, only one aided Men in the War of the Ring: Gandalf. After his fight with the Balrog, Eru personally brought Gandalf back as “The White,” as he was the only Istar who had remained true.

Istari is the plural term, while Istar refers to a singular wizard. The same can be applied to Maiar and Maia.

The Rings Of Power Making A Blue Wizard Evil Shows How Special Gandalf Actually Was

Gandalf Remained True When Two Members Of His Order Faltered

On the matter of the Dark Wizard, showrunner Patrick McKay suggested that he would likely be one of the two Blue Wizards, which would have dramatic implications on their depiction of Tolkien’s lore. Audiences already know Saruman turned bad and Radagast disappeared during the war, with the other two wizards’ fates unknown. The suggestion that another one of these wizards was evil means that two out of the five Istari fell to darkness, and another two failed to help, ultimately making Gandalf seem entirely more special.

Eru ultimately transformed Gandalf from “the Gray” to “the White” because of his virtue, being the only Istar to abide by his purpose in Middle-earth. The fact that Gandalf remained true while watching not one but two members of his order fall to the temptation of evil is extraordinarily impressive and heightens the strength of The Rings of Power’s depiction of his character.

Were The Blue Wizards Evil In The Lord Of The Rings?

The Blue Wizards’ Fates Aren’t Very Clear

The Blue Wizards are enigmatic figures in Tolkien’s lore, as they’re scarcely mentioned in Unfinished Tales. Their names are Alatar and Pallando, and his writings suggest that they traveled east to regions like Rhûn and Khand at one point, never to return. There’s some suggestion in a letter from 1958 that the Blue Wizards became cult leaders of some sort, which would be consistent with the Dark Wizard’s depiction in The Rings of Power. Tolkien toys with the possibility that they became evil and suggests that, one way or another, they likely failed in their mission.