Among the crucial living beings during the Second Age of Middle-earth were the Istari in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, when the darkness and manipulation of the Dark Lord were growing over time.
While the elves, humans, and dwarves were battling against the evil spread by Sauron in season one, a mysterious character who was initially referred to as Meteor Man was sent to help them take down Sauron.
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As the series progressed with new episodes, it was later revealed that Meteor Man was an Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. These superpowered beings are the wise wizards sent to join forces with the inhabitants of Middle-earth and significantly contribute to removing the growing darkness and dreadful atmosphere.
Who is Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
Coming straight from J.R.R. Tolkien's acclaimed novel, the Istari have always played a crucial role in helping other living beings eliminate Sauron's influence during the Second Age of Middle-earth.
Similarly, in the Prime Video fantasy drama, the Istari are sent from above to fight against Sauron’s constant darkness and encourage the inhabitants to continue their fight for good.
The Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power didn’t face off against Sauron alone, as their main task was to guide the inhabitants in lowering Sauron’s influence in the universe.
According to Tolkien's novel, the Istari are five members of the Maiar group, created by Eru Ilúvatar to extensively guide the wise and kind-hearted beings, including elves, dwarves, and humans.
As previously mentioned, the Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was initially called Meteor Man or The Stranger since his origins and ambitions in the Prime Video series weren't instantly revealed.
However, it is later seen in the fantasy TV series that the Meteor Man/The Stranger was the wise wizard or Istar who landed in Middle-earth in a burning red comet seen in the opening episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one.
The mysterious character was played by Daniel Weyman in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, who said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, "I would think, hopefully, people will have as much fun watching his story as I had filming it," expressing excitement about his character in the series.
Was Gandalf an Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?
Even though the Prime Video series didn't confirm that Gandalf is one of the Meteor Men among the five Istari in the show, there have been several elements that have led many viewers to believe that Gandalf is indeed an Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The most notable instance was when the White Robes said, "He is not Sauron. He is the other. The Istar. He is…" hinting that Gandalf was tasked with indirectly fighting against Sauron as an Istar. Additionally, in the source material, Gandalf is the superpowered and kind-hearted being Olórin, disguised as a human to help the inhabitants fight the formidable evil.
How many Istari are there?
While it wasn't confirmed how many Istaris were there in the TV series, we do know that there are five Istaris in The Lord of the Rings. Here's a table to explain you about Istaris and their significance:
Will The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 disclose the identity of The Stranger?
In the Prime Video series' first season, it wasn't confirmed that The Stranger of Weyman’s character was actually Gandalf the Grey or one of the five members of the Maiar group.
However, showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay assured in an interview with Radio Times that fans and viewers will delve deep into his identity in season 2. Payne added:
"You're going on the same journey that he is. The 'who?' is part of it, but that's not the entire sundae, that's the cherry on top. But it will be answered this season."
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 has finally arrived on Prime Video with the first three episodes available on the streamer to enjoy another big quest of the inhabitants against the darkness.
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