The Best Theories On Who The Stranger Is In ‘The Rings Of Power’
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Amazon Prime’s new hit show, The Rings of Power, takes place in the second age. JRR Tolkien did not leave much about the second age after he died, and Amazon does not have rights to The Silmarillion so they have to take some creative liberties. One of these liberties is the new character of ‘The Stranger’. It has not yet been revealed who this mysterious man who fell from the sky is, but there are many theories out there as to who he may be.
**Contains spoilers for the first three episodes of The Rings of Power**
The most popular theory is that this mysterious man is Gandalf. It would be a much younger version of the famous wizard. This theory however does not fit within the time period. Gandalf didn’t appear until the Third Age. He was originally known by another name: Olórin. Gandalf and the Stranger can both wield fire. At the end of episode 2, the Stranger speaks to fireflies like Gandalf speaks to moths. Many things link the two characters, and so it makes sense why people may think he is Gandalf.
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Another theory is Sauron. The Stranger was never shown in anything more than a simple cloak, and an apple in his hand. Some think this may be related to Christian iconography, where an apple tends to come with consequences. While in his fair form, Sauron takes the name Annatar. He has powerful magical abilities and can turn good things into bad with a lot of time and patience. This would fit, as Nori’s family has started to have issues ever since he showed up. In the score done by Bear McCreary, there is also a hint of Sauron’s theme, when Nori first finds him. From what know, we have not seen Sauron yet, so this theory is definitely not out of the realm of possibilities and makes more sense than the Gandalf theory.
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A third theory is the character of Tom Bombadil. He is an extremely fun character and one we never got to see in the Peter Jackson films. He is one of the oldest living creatures in Middle-earth, and his powers are unknown. There was not much written about this character’s activities during the First and Second ages. All we know is that he spent the time hanging out with his wife, Goldberry, a river spirit. They were known to have frequent interactions with Hobbits, so interactions with their predecessors, the Harfoots, wouldn’t be too crazy.
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When we think of the Balrog, we think of the giant fiery creature Gandalf fought in The Fellowship of the Ring. However, some think the Stranger could actually be the Balrog. The Stranger is not hurt by fire, and took a huge fall, that only some would be capable of surviving. The maiar, are primordial beings who helped shape the world before anyone else inhabited it. The Stranger could be a part of this group. They also have the ability to change shape, which would work for the Balrog in this scenario. Tolkien never really wrote anything about Balrogs, besides the fact that they are large demons who serve Morgoth. We know they will make an appearance in the show, so it’s not a crazy theory, especially with the history.
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The Stranger in The Rings of Power has caused various theories as to who he is, and may not know for a bit until the show reveals it. Whoever he may be, many think he is most likely a wizard of some sort, based on his abilities. Whenever Amazon reveals the character, we are sure to be in for a surprise.
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Sources: Gamesradar, CNET