Who Are The Istari In J. R. R. Tolkien's Lore?
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Possible Spoilers For Season 1 Of The Rings Of Power
By now, it’s been revealed that The Stranger in The Rings of Power is indeed not Sauron. The three strangers in white from Rhûn finally find him in the season finale and hurt Nori and her Harfoot friends. After a pep talk from Nori, he takes on the “white travelers,” and they realize their mistake. He is not Sauron. He is one of the “Istar.”
Who, Or What, Are The Istari?
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As The Stranger points out to Nori, they are, in fact, wizards. Viewers have been speculating on his identity all season, with some believing he was indeed Sauron, but the signs all pointed toward his being a wizard. As to his name, however, the mystery still continues, but clues in the lore of the Istari may shine a light on that as well.
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The Istari, or wizards, are an enigmatic group in Middle-earth. To anyone’s knowledge, there are a total of five of them. Two of them are the most well-known, a third is mentioned somewhat in the books and plays a role in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, and the last two are the biggest mystery. They are technically not men but of the Maiar, a race of demigods. Residing originally in Aman, the Undying Lands, they were sent to Middle-earth to challenge the power and forces of Sauron.
Based on their written descriptions, and how they are depicted in the films, the Istari were given the appearance of old men, which lent to their being seen as wise ones, or wizards. They were, in fact, some of the most powerful beings to walk Middle-earth. While their mission was to counter Sauron, they were forbidden to challenge him directly. They were only to use their incredible magic powers in times of great need. Aside from Saruman’s betrayal and refusal to obey those rules, the wizards used their intelligence and skills to solve problems and help.
Gandalf
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Gandalf is, of course, the most well-known and well-liked by fans for his role in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and for his friendship with Frodo and Bilbo. He is known by many names. Among the Maiar, he is Olórin. Among the people of Middle-earth, Mithrandir, or the Grey Pilgrim, is his elven name. He gained the name Gandalf from the men of the North in Arnor. Others referred to him as Gandalf Greyhame. To those who are not a fan, he is known as Stormcrow, as his arrival tends to be a sign of trouble to come. As Frodo tells him in The Fellowship of the Ring, he has been officially labeled a “Disturber of the Peace.” Many, however, see Gandalf as a friend and ally.
Saruman
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Saruman took a different path. While he was also sent to challenge the power and influence of Sauron, he ultimately succumbed to Sauron’s influence, and maybe even saw himself as an equal of the Dark Lord. Before his fall, however, he was, as Gandalf pointed out, the head of the order of wizards, and regarded as the most powerful. Among the Maiar he was known as Curumo, but in Middle-earth, he was known as Saruman the White, and in The Lord of the Rings, he resided in a large black tower known as Orthanc. He also possessed one of the lost Palantir. Due to his rank as the head of the order of wizards, he was also the chief of the famed White Council, a group of powerful leaders in Middle-earth opposed to Sauron. From the start, Saruman was a jealous one, disagreeing with the Valar’s appointment of Gandalf as number two, and his displeasure with the addition of Radagast to their mission led to his disdain for the obscure third wizard.
Radagast
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This brings us to Radagast, or Aiwendil, the third of the Istari of the Third Age. He was given the name Radagast by the Noldorin Elves, and he came to have a passion for caring for animals and the woods, which could be due to his association with Yavanna of the Valar. Radagast often keeps to himself but helps in their mission to thwart Sauron’s power and influence by using his birds and beast friends as spies and allies in their work. He was kind of aloof, being the weaker of the three. In the books, he was an unwitting accomplice in Saruman’s search for the One Ring and its power. In Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, he is portrayed similarly as a kind of erratic and odd old man whose hair and beard are caked in bird droppings and who houses a family of birds in a nest under his hat.
The Blue Wizards
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Those three discussed above were not the only ones wizards sent to combat the influence of Sauron, however. Tolkien also mentioned two more, though who they were and what they did is not as well known. In his writings, Tolkien mentioned two more wizards were sent to Middle-earth in the Second Age, thousands of years before the other three. However, depending on the source, Tolkien also said they came with the other three in the Third Age. They are commonly known as the Blue Wizards due to an obscure detail about their sea-blue robes. Further adding to the confusion and mystery, they were also said to have different names depending on the writings. In some, they are known as Alatar and Pallando. In others, they are known as Morinehtar and Romestamo. Beyond that, not much else is said about them, and even Tolkien was unsure of what became of them. In one instance, he claimed they likely failed in their fight against Sauron in the East and South, and in another instance, he said they succeeded and were vital to the fall of Sauron during the War of the Ring.
The Stranger
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The clues surrounding the Blue Wizards may help unravel more of the mystery surrounding The Stranger. The Blue Wizards were also sent to counter the power and influence of Sauron like the other three. However, they did not go to the western parts of Middle-earth, but the East and South. The East was known as Rhûn, and the South was known as Harad. Interestingly, Romestamo, one of the possible names of the Blues, means “East helper.” We also know the three White Travelers seeking The Stranger were from Rhûn. By the end of The Rings of Power season finale, The Stranger tells Nori that he has to go east, into Rhûn. Perhaps The Stranger is none other than Romestamo?
The Stranger’s true identity remains shrouded in mystery and fans will have to wait two years before we find out more about him.
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