What We Know About the Dark Wizard in The Rings of Power

As a long-time fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic world, I must say that the mysterious Dark Wizard in The Rings of Power is a captivating enigma that has me hooked. With Ciarán Hinds, an accomplished actor known for his roles in Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, breathing life into this ominous character, it’s hard not to be drawn in.

This post contains spoilers for The Rings of Power through Season 2, Episode 5.

Although Sauron seems preoccupied with crafting rings, a new menacing force is surfacing in the eastern realms known as The Rings of Power. In the first season, an enigmatic figure known as The Stranger and his fellow hobbits encountered spectral adversaries within a forest. Upon closer inspection, these entities originated from the distant land of Rhûn. They served under a malevolent sorcerer, portrayed by Ciarán Hinds, who made his debut in episode 2 of the second season.

Hinds is no stranger to fantasy adaptations: He has had roles in both Game of Thrones and Harry Potter. However, in The Rings of Power, he seems like a particularly ominous foe to The Stranger, who many have speculated to be Gandalf. But the Dark Wizard’s exact identity and ultimate goal had thus far remained a mystery throughout Season 2.

Here is what we do know about the Dark Wizard and our best guess at his motivations.

The new foe is likely one of the Istari

At the conclusion of Season 1, a group of three worshippers pursued the enigmatic figure known as the Stranger in the woods, convinced he was Sauron resurrected. However, they were mistaken; it was actually Galadriel’s companion (and possible romantic interest), Halbrand, who had taken on the role of the Dark Lord.

In the world created by author J.R.R. Tolkien for his “Lord of the Rings” series, The Stranger is secretly a member of the Istari, an order of magical beings who are wizards. Among these five Istari, two play significant roles in the “Lord of the Rings”: Sauron and Saruman.

Towards the close of Season 1, the enigmatic figure known as The Stranger emerged victorious in combat against the cultists. Remarkably, they managed to escape and scurry back to their superior, the sorcerer portrayed by Hinds. Amazon’s official character description corroborates that this character, indeed, possesses magical abilities, making him a wizard as well.

It turns out, the mysterious being known as the Stranger is not the only wizard who has come to Middle-earth….for in the mysterious lands of Rhûn, another wizard awaits him. A dark and powerful wizard, whose origins and intentions are shrouded in secrecy, and who has a legion of magic-wielding acolytes who obey his every command — among them the three travelers who sought out the Stranger at the end of Season 1…on the Dark Wizard’s orders.”

It’s still undecided if this wizard belongs to the small group of Istari from J.R.R. Tolkien’s tales, or if he’s an entirely original character. However, enthusiasts have put forth some intriguing speculations.

He may be one of the blue wizards

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s tales, wizards are often linked with distinct colors (like Gandalf the Grey and Saruman the White). Two blue-associated wizards, Alatar and Pallando, were introduced in ‘The Lord of the Rings’. They embarked on a journey to Rhûn with a mission to dissuade men who had long been loyal to Morgoth, an evil force that could be considered Sauron’s superior, from aligning themselves with Sauron.

In simpler terms, J.R.R. Tolkien described how the three blue wizards, who were tasked with countering Sauron’s influence, unfortunately failed in their mission. Instead of continuing their fight against Sauron, they created their own religious cults in the region of Rhûn. They shared their magical knowledge with humans and even inspired these mortals to revere them as deities.

As a devoted fan of fantasy films, I must confess that the enigmatic Dark Wizard has certainly left an indelible mark. It’s quite plausible that this elusive figure is indeed one of the mysterious Blue Wizards, whose identities remain shrouded in mystery to many.

He may be Saruman

If The Rings of Power aims to link itself more closely with The Lord of the Rings, it might be logical for it to introduce Saruman at some point. This White Wizard indeed ventured to Rhûn early in his Middle-earth journey, and although Tolkien didn’t detail what transpired there, the series could potentially explore this unexplored period.

Even if The Stranger happens to be Gandalf, it’s safe to assume he wouldn’t endorse a fellow wizard establishing a cult while his primary goal remains opposing Sauron. An early confrontation between Gandalf and Saruman seems improbable given their long-standing alliance prior to Saruman’s allegiance shift towards Sauron during the events of The Lord of the Rings.

He could be Khamûl

It’s common knowledge that Sauron will craft nine rings destined for men, and those who wear these rings will be tainted and transform into ringwraiths or Nazgûl. These ringwraiths are loyal to Sauron and are the shadowy figures who relentlessly pursue Frodo and his companions throughout the Lord of the Rings series. It’s likely that we have already encountered some of these former men on the show.

Although this enigmatic individual possesses magical abilities, it’s important to note that he might not strictly fit the description of an Istar from the books. If, instead, he’s a human who mastered mystical talents, then he emerges as a strong contender for the character of Khamûl, one of the nine wraiths and a man originally from the east.

He may be an entirely new character

In “The Rings of Power,” while several characters like Isildur, Galadriel, and Durin are present in Tolkien’s original works, others such as Arondir (an elf) and Nori (a harfoot) have been entirely invented for the series. It’s quite plausible that this dark wizard character is a fresh addition to the show. The creators, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, enjoy considerable freedom to explore the stories in Rhûn since Tolkien left much of the happenings in that region shrouded in mystery.

The authors appear to be deliberately keeping some characters’ identities a mystery, allowing viewers to speculate about their roles in the story. They delayed revealing Sauron until Season 1’s finale and have yet to confirm The Stranger’s true identity. Consequently, it seems that this mysterious Dark Wizard could very well be an original character from Tolkien’s world, despite possibly not being who fans anticipate.

2024-09-18 01:06

Is the EA SPORTS FC 25 Ultimate Edition worth it?

Overwatch 2 patch notes: Mystery Heroes Role Queue, Competitive Drives, and more