Although viewers still have not received confirmation on who The Stranger is in Amazon Prime Video's The Rings of Power, Season 2 continues to make it seem as though he is connected to Gandalf.
One of the biggest mysteries of The Rings of Power Season 1 was the true identity of Daniel Weyman's The Stranger (read Weyman's own comments regarding The Stranger's identity here). When he debuted, some believed him to be Sauron, while others theorized that he was one of the five Istari.
However, at the end of Season 1, many believed that a simple line of dialogue revealed who The Stranger was. When speaking to Nori just before they began their journey, he said, "When in doubt, Elanor Brandyfoot, always follow your nose."
Seeing as how this was a line made famous by Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, it seemed as though all signs pointed to The Stranger being Gandalf.
Every Connection Between The Stranger and Gandalf in The Rings of Power Season 2
The Wooden Staff
Lord of the Rings fans know that Gandalf's staff is a major part of his character and a quite formidable weapon when he needs it.
When Gandalf was still Gandalf the Grey, he carried a plain wooden staff that he used as a sort of conduit for his powers. For example, he could illuminate the end of the staff to create a light source and also use it to channel powers through, such as when he battled Saruman at Isengard.
When viewers first see The Stranger in Season 2, he is having a vision of him walking in Rhûn. While in the vision, he sees a staff hovering in the air in front of him. At first, the staff looks completely different from Gandalf's, but, in glimpses, it seems as though it changes form to look almost exactly like it.
This staff is important to The Stranger since it continues to be seen by him in visions.
In Episode 2, when The Stranger, Nori, and Poppy find the well of water in the desert and are then confronted by the riders from Caras Gaer, The Stranger finds the staff there at the well.
He picks it up and can use his powers through it in an unimaginable way that destroys the area around them which eventually leads to him being separated from Poppy and Nori.
However, more importantly, the staff is destroyed due to The Stranger's powers. Some may think that means The Stranger can't be Gandalf, but it is even more of a connection.
Since that particular staff was destroyed, The Stranger could end up finding another staff, one that looks identical to the one Gandalf uses in the Third Age.
The Stranger and Gandalf Are Istari
It was briefly mentioned in Season 1 that The Stranger is an Istar, a claim that is reiterated and further cemented early on in Season 2.
As if his magical abilities and the fact he came from a comet weren't proof enough that The Stranger is an Istar, the Dark Wizard seen in Caras Gaer verbally confirms it.
When talking to his resurrected acolyte known as The Dweller, and then when talking to one of the riders he sent out, the Dark Wizard refers to The Stranger as an Istar.
He also talks about how powerful The Stranger is, saying that they need to capture him and bring him there to Caras Gaer before he can learn how to control and harness his power, thus adding more fuel to the fire that The Stranger is Gandalf.
The Stranger's Care For the Harfoots
It is no secret that Gandalf had a certain fondness for the Hobbits when he was in Middle-earth during the Third Age.
Many fans pointed out that The Stranger grew increasingly close to the Harfoots in Season 1 of The Rings of Power, and that only continues in Season 2.
Although The Stranger is trying to figure out his mission and purpose for being in Middle-earth, he still makes taking care of Nori and Poppy his top priority.
In Episode 2, when they venture out into the deserts of Rhûn, he overworks himself so much trying to help them and keep them safe that he passes out from what is likely heat exhaustion.
Then, a few moments later after he wakes up and the Caras Gaer riders are there threatening them, he unleashes such a power that it creates a whirlwind of sand and destroys a lot of the immediate surrounding area.
When doing this, The Stranger did cause himself to be separated from Nori and Poppy, but his intentions were good and he was just trying to protect them.
So, the way The Stranger is connected with the Harfoots is eerily similar to how Gandalf is connected to the Hobbits, making the case that the two are the same even stronger.
The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video, and new episodes will be released every Thursday.
Read more about The Rings of Power:
Every Power Galadriel's Ring Has in Rings of Power
Fans Didn’t Like Rings of Power Season 1, Here’s How Season 2 Can Fix It
