The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerhas officially revealed the Stranger’s true identity and, in doing so, did away with its most frustrating trope—mostly anyway. Though it was heavily hinted in season 1 that the Stranger was Gandalf, confirmation didn’t come untilRings of Powerseason 2’s finale. This was easily the Prime Video series' most significant mystery, which means that the story is free and clear to head in a fresh direction for the next couple of seasons. This is quite a relief sinceRings of Power’s dependence on these big secrets was getting a little tiring.
Theending ofRings of Powerseason 2saw the Stranger’s confrontation with Rhûn’s Dark Wizard finally play out. He ultimately chose to protect his Harfoot (and now Stoor) friends, ultimately passing Tom Bombadil’s test and earning his staff. With this came the Stranger’s acceptance of the Stoors' name for him— “Grand-elf,” which quickly evolved into “Gandalf.” Of course, this reveal wasn’t too significant a surprise. Season 1’s hints included word-for-wordLord of the RingsGandalf quotes. Still,Rings of Powerofficially dashing the needless mystery is a relief.
The Rings Of Power Season 1 Relied Too Heavily On The “Mystery Box” Trope
Season 1 & Much Of Season 2 Was All About The Character Mysteries
The mystery of theStranger’s identity wasn’t the only of its kind inRings of Powerseason 1. This installment of the fantasy series relied heavily on the “mystery box” trope, which sees a mystery explored through little reveals and hints that play out one at a time—like a sort of puzzle box.This can be a handy story-telling mechanicsince it draws out a big reveal for the right moment.However, in the case ofRings of Power, the first season and much of the second overdid it, especially those that revolved around the canon identities of seemingly originalRings of Powercharacters.
The identity of Halbrand, the Stranger, and the Acolytes, as well as the meaning of the constellation or the necessity for the Stranger’s staff, were all mystery-box mysteries inRings of Power.
Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsstories have been popular for the better part of a century, which meansRings of Powerfaces a challenge when trying to surprise its audience.Prime Video’s solution seems to have been disguising Tolkien’s characters, like Sauron and Gandalf, as characters of its own invention, like Halbrand and the Stranger. The ending ofRings of Powerseason 1 saw the big reveal regarding Halbrand’s true identity, and this was a somewhat effective twist. However, the show held out on confirming Gandalf’s identity until the end ofRings of Powerseason 2.
Revealing Gandalf Ends The Rings Of Power’s Biggest Remaining Mystery
Rings Of Power Has Answered Nearly All The Big Questions
The Halbrand reveal at theend ofRings of Powerseason 1worked well. There hadn’t been much reason for audiences to second guess whether this character was really a king from the Southlands, especially given the parallels between his and Aragorn’s character inLord of the Rings. When his identity became a mystery, it was solved within a matter of minutes as Galadriel worked out the truth. In this very sameRings of Powerseason 1 episode, the truth about the Stranger was hinted at as well, butPrime Video chose to keep this mystery going all the way throughRing of Powerseason 2.
Of course, such surprises were an effective way to get the ball rolling, but going into Rings of Power season 3—the halfway point for the whole series—there’s no longer a need for these cheap mysteries.
Now that the Stranger mystery has officially been solved (and the answer was no big surprise),Rings of Poweris almost entirely free of the mystery box trope. These mostly needless, slow, and subtle hints about a character’s identity and intentions are no longer necessary, which means the series can focus on plot and character development rather than endlessly beating around the bush. Of course, such surprises were an effective way to get the ball rolling, but going intoRings of Powerseason 3—the halfway point for the whole series—there’s no longer a need for these cheap mysteries.
The Rings Of Power Is Better Without Relying On Mystery Box Narratives
There’s More Than Enough To Carry The Story Forward
While there was a benefit to hidingcanon characters within the story ofRings of Power, the overall series is so much better off without these mystery box plotlines. Since the Halbrand reveal at the end of season 1, Sauron’s character has taken leaps and bounds regarding character development. He was limited as Halbrand, but as the Dark Lord Sauron, the villain’s canon story (mixed with a few creative liberties) can progress. Now that the Stranger has been revealed as Gandalf,Rings of Powerseason 3 is free to do the same with his character.
Though Gandalf wasn’t in Middle-earth in the Second Age, his canon story after arriving from Valinor can still progress the same way inRings of Power. He is sure to soon receive his own Ring of Power (the Elven Ring Narya) from Cirdan in the coming episodes, as well as form the White Council alongside Saruman, Radagast, and a handful of Elves. Tolkien never described a confrontation between Gandalf and Rhûn’s Blue Wizards, butwith Gandalf’s identity out of the way,Rings of Powercan start weaving this story in in a way that makes more sense. Without the mystery box trope, there are fewer limitations.
The Rings Of Power Season 3 Hasn’t Completely Ditched The Mystery Box
The Istari Continue To Be Mysterious
Of course,Rings of Powerseason 2 didn’t do away with every mystery. The identity of the Dark Wizard is still up in the air, with only heavy clues provided and no true confirmation. This character mentioned that there were five Istari sent to Middle-earth, indicating that he is not an invention of Prime Video. Showrunners have already confirmed that he is not Saruman, and the Dark Wizard is very unlikely to be Radagast the Brown. Therefore,it can be assumed that this character is one of Tolkien’s Blue Wizards—but this fact itself presents more mysteries.
Like the Stranger mystery, the questions surrounding the Dark Wizard’s story are a bit exhausting.
If theDark Wizard is a Blue Wizard, then the big question will be what happened to the other. Additionally, it’s curious how this character’s rivalry with Gandalf will play out since nothing of the sort ever happened in Tolkien’s version of the Second Age. Like the Stranger mystery, the questions surrounding the Dark Wizard’s story are a bit exhausting. However, unlike the Stranger (and Halbrand), this Rhûn villain isn’t a main character.Rings of Powercan get away with maintaining this mystery a little longerwithout needlessly holding back the plot. So long as the series sticks with similar mystery boxes, the story can still progress smoothly.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
