The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come to an end and the season finale was full of big and exciting events. One of the biggest reveals is one that many fans have predicted, and that’s The Stranger’s true identity.
If you haven’t finished watching the series yet, you may want to skip this one.
Towards the end of the episode, The Stranger ends up taking on the name Gandalf, after his Stoor friends start calling him “great elf”. So yes, The Stranger was indeed Gandalf as we all knew.
Some fans are not happy about it because in JRR Tolkien’s source material, Gandalf did not come to Middle-earth until the Third Age to assist in the fight against Sauron.
The Rings of Power is set during the Second Age, long before Gandalf is technically “supposed” to appear. But a Lord of the Rings and Tolkien expert explained that this change isn’t that big of a deal.
Dr. Corey Olsen, professor/chair of The Tolkien at Signum University, explained in a discussion shared by The Rings of Power X account:
“The first thing to point out is that there is, in fact, no canon in Tolkien. Tolkien’s ideas were constantly evolving.”
“In the text of The Lord of the Rings, we are told that Gandalf with the other wizards arrived around the year 1000 of the Third Age, and in his later years, he was toying with the idea that perhaps Gandalf arrived first, perhaps some of the Wizards they arrived in the Second Age and took part in the wars of the Rings of Power.”
After a rocky start, I ended up enjoying season 2 of The Rings of Power and can’t wait to see how the story continues in season 3.
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
