As The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power kicks off its second season, there’s one mystery that could be answered right away. Is the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) actually a young Gandalf, or some other wizard searching for his place in Middle-earth?
Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have promised to answer the question in Season 2, but The Rings of Power’s three-episode premiere only gets us marginally closer to a definitive reveal. Still, some progress is better than no progress at all, and Episode 3 does offer a consolation prize in the form of a major clue. Spoilers ahead for the first three episodes of The Rings of Power Season 2.
Season 2 of Rings of Power brings the Stranger and his newfound friend, Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), to the lands of Rhûn. This is the realm our amnesic wizard dreamed of throughout the first season, and he’s relying on those dreams to guide him toward his purpose.
Having located the constellation of stars from his memory, the Stranger is now on the hunt for a tool that will help him harness his latent abilities. Now he’s dreaming of a wooden staff — something most wizards in the Tolkien-verse use as conduits — but it shifts from one appearance to another. One moment, it looks like a simple branch, and then it resembles Gandalf the Grey's gnarled staff.
Evidently, the Stranger’s dream is a manifestation of his potential. There’s a chance he could become Gandalf after recovering his memories, but The Rings of Power seems to be teasing a few potential paths for the character. Only one will lead the Stranger to his true destiny, though: as he learns in Episode 3, not just any sprig of wood will help him become the wizard he’s meant to be.
When nomads ambush the Stranger, Nori, and Poppy (Megan Richards), the Stranger picks up a nearby branch and attempts to concentrate his magic. His spell works at first, but it soon creates a sandstorm that blows Nori and Poppy away. Either he needs more practice, or he needs to keep looking for the right tool. The “Gandalf branch” he saw in his dreams could hold the key to unlocking his potential, but he’ll have to find it first.
The Stranger’s journey has been one of trial and error. That’s mostly because he has no one to actually guide him, but that should change as he explores Rhûn. The Rings of Power has been teasing a potential mentorship between the Stranger and the mysterious Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear), one of Middle-earth's oldest and most powerful figures. Will Tom school the Stranger in Wizarding 101? Could the Stranger inherit a staff from him? Time will tell, but The Rings of Power isn’t ruling out the fact that he could become Gandalf in the future; we just need to be patient until the truth is finally revealed.
