After a lot hypothesis, followers of The Rings of Energy have lastly realized the identification of the Stranger. The character’s identification was revealed within the Season 2 finale of the Prime Video sequence, launched on October 3. Nonetheless, in response to sequence creators and showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, numerous different choices had been thought-about earlier than the true identification of the Stranger was determined.
The Rings of Energy creators reveal how The Stranger’s true identification was determined
Within the Season 2 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy sequence, it was lastly revealed that the Stranger is none aside from Gandalf, a member of the Istari order and one of many predominant characters in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings novels. Nonetheless, McKay and Payne revealed in a latest interview that they appeared into different potentialities for the Stranger’s potential identification earlier than going with Gandalf, who was born with the identify Olórin within the historical land of Valinor.
“Nobody will imagine us, however this was a journey of discovery for the character and the characters round him, and it was a journey of discovery for the writers,” McKay defined in an interview with the Los Angeles Occasions. “We needed this to be the origin story of a wizard coming to phrases with who he’s and what he has to do.”
Payne elaborated, “Deep within the historical past of Center-earth, Quantity 12, he confirms that Olórin had already visited Center-earth. So Tolkien left it open that Gandalf might have come sooner than the Third Age. However there have been additionally issues that we found contained in the story that actually appeared to suit with the character as you meet him afterward.”
The Stranger, portrayed by Daniel Weyman, arrived on Center-Earth through a meteor within the sequence premiere. His identification was shrouded in thriller till the Season 2 finale. Within the finale, followers get to see him tackle the Darkish Wizard and get his employees. He even says, “Gandalf… That’s what they’re going to name me, isn’t it?”
Saruman and the Blue Wizards had been briefly in consideration to be revealed because the Stranger. Nonetheless, McKay and Payne acknowledged that they moved on from these concepts as a result of they didn’t make sense for the narrative. By the tip of Season 1, that they had already determined that the Stranger can be Gandalf. He alerts this by saying his traditional line “When doubtful… all the time comply with your nostril” within the Season 1 finale.