“The Rings of Power”: That’s why Gandalf’s quote in no way confirms the identity of the stranger

He already looks a bit like a young version of Ian McKellen’s Gandalf, is friends with Hobbit ancestor Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), is now officially identified as a wizard and so says the one known from the “Lord of the Rings” -movies Saying “When in doubt, always follow your nose”. For many fans of “The Rings of Power” after the season finale, it’s clear that the stranger (Daniel Weyman) who landed on Earth with a meteorite is Gandalf.

Somehow things seem clear after the reveal of Sauron: Numerous clues have been sown that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) is actually Sauron. Surely the references to the stranger’s Gandalf identity must also be correct? We won’t get a definitive answer until season 2 of The Rings of Power. But screenwriter and executive producer Gennifer Hutchison has indicated that the “nose” quote should not necessarily be taken as an affirmation of Gandalf…

In an interview with Hutchison was asked if Gandalf’s quote hinted at the stranger’s true identity. After all, it has been confirmed that he is an Istar – one of the Maiar who were sent to Middle-earth as sorcerers. Hutchison explained that they like to play with quotes and references to the later events of the Third Age – the stories most people should know about The Lord of the Rings. So things that happen later may have originated in the Second Age and be passed down from generation to generation – like Gandalf’s quote.

Did Gandalf copy the spell?

But it doesn’t have to be Gandalf who invented the phrase “always follow your nose”! “Whoever the stranger is, the spell is one they say again later, or one they pass on.”according to Hutchinson.

» “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Amazon Prime Video*

So it could also be that Gandalf took the punishment from his colleague – but who would this be? Besides Gandalf, we know four other Istari from Tolkien’s writings: Saruman, Radagast and the two blue wizards Alatar and Pallando. While Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast did not come to Middle-earth by ship until the third century, Alatar and Pallando were already present in the Second Age, in which “The Rings of Power” is set. And they went east to Rhûn, which is exactly where the stranger is going now.

Long wait for season 2

Of course, in the interview, Gennifer Hutchison was also asked if the stranger is one of the Blue Wizards — and unsurprisingly, she didn’t reveal anything: “Until he knows his name, we won’t know him either.”

We do not expect the start of the second season of “The Rings of Power” on Amazon Prime Video before 2024. You can read how it can continue in this article: