The identity of The Stranger has been just one of the hotly debated subjects of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. However, as the show delivered answers to many of the questions it posed heading into season 2, the identity of The Stranger is still an open question. Daniel Weyman, who plays the character, says there is something about the mysterious “Istari” that many have missed.
The first season of the Tolkien-inspired series has been a mixed bag when it comes to reviews, with critics happy to highly rate the show with an 85% approval rate, but audience scores were dragged down to a lowly 39% as the series split viewers who were either fully on board the ride or hated it with a passion. For those who have enjoyed the series as being an adaptation of Tolkien’s Middle Earth history from before his iconic works of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings rather than a direct adaptation of the likes of The Silmarillion, the series has been a visually stunning journey into the world of Tolkien on the small screen.
One of the mysteries that has puzzled many is the identity of The Stranger, who fell from the sky in the opening episode with no memory and no ability to talk. As the series has progressed, so has the character, but Weyman says there is one aspect of him that people have not noticed changed throughout the season. He told TV Line:
"I don't know whether people have noticed, but the costume changes slightly over the course of the season. The fact that they were surrounding The Stranger meant that they subtly changed and altered themselves, It's like they all got pulled in, and so it goes from being a very big, wild costume to being more of a costume of an Istari."
Has The Rings Of Power Introduced Saruman?
The appearance of The Stranger, grey and bearded, led many to instantly believe they were being shown the arrival of Gandalf to Middle Earth. While that is still possible, there is a lot to suggest the character is actually another iconic wizard of Tolkien’s creation; Saruman.
In The Lord of The Rings, Saruman is an ally of Sauron, but he has only recently started his journey of evil, as Gandalf approaches him for help when he discovers Sauron’s return. This means that prior to being corrupted by the power of Sauron, Saruman was indeed a “good wizard,” something that The Stranger claims he is.
Of course the biggest hint of The Stranger being Saruman is his arrival, falling from the sky without memory of who he is. After fighting the Balrog, Gandalf speaks of a similar return and lack of memory when he becomes Gandalf the White. The slow changing of The Stranger’s costume, as mentioned by Weyman, is likely to continue throughout the series, and it may not be too long before it also takes on a much lighter appearance.
The Rings of Power season one is streaming now on Prime Video.