Fans on the internet are beginning to wonder if the Meteor Man from The Rings of Power isn’t in fact The Lord of the Rings‘ Gandalf.
The Rings of Power is an extended prologue to The Lord of the Rings and takes place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, and reveals how the Rings of Power came into being, one of which was the corrupted ‘one ring to rule them all’. The series isn’t based on the books specifically, but rather on the appendices and the voluminous notes that he penned, essays included, that were later collected and published by his son, Christopher Tolkien. This means that the overarching story is technically predetermined by the notes and appendices, but it leaves a lot of room for mysteries.
“Tolkien talked about not creating Middle-earth but excavating it. We felt like we were discovering things that were already there. People have heard about it in montages and flashes, but these are massive untold stories,” series co-creator J.D. Payne shared with Vulture.
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The Wizards of Valinor
Wizards, according to the main lore, were only sent to Middle-earth in the Third age, sent from Valinor to help in the war against the evil infesting Middle-earth. There were five angel-like spirit beings called Maiar that were known to be active in Middle-earth.
Gandalf was one of the most active wizards to walk Middle-earth, known by many names, like Mithrandir (the Grey Pilgrim) in Gondor, the White Rider by those who see him on his horse, Incanus (grey-haired) in the South, Tharkun (staff-man) by the dwarves, Greybeard by those who followed Sauron, Stormcrow by the Hobbits, but his real name from Valinor is Olorin.
There was never any indication of exactly how or when the Maiar were sent to Middle-earth, but it is speculated that they fell from the sky like angels or meteors. It was mentioned that their appearance in Middle-earth might be disorienting when they first arrive, stripping them of their supernatural abilities, memories and possibly their knowledge.
It was often assumed that Olorin was only sent to Middle-earth in the Third Age when the five wizards were most active, but there is some evidence that suggests otherwise. In one of Tolkien’s essays, Glorfindel explored some of the untold stories of Olorin, explaining that he explored the doings of Elves and Men “became acquainted” with them which would mean that he would have had to have arrived during the time of Elves and Men.
Tolkien also added that “nothing has yet been said of this.” Indicating that he might have hoped to tell the story someday.
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The Meteor Man
One of the biggest surprises that were revealed in the first few episodes of the series was the Stranger, who was nicknamed the Meteor Man, and right now his true identity is difficult to determine, with so little information. Some fans are speculating that the Meteor Man might be Sauron, while others are suggesting that he might be Gandalf.
His appearance as the Meteor Man in The Rings of Power might explain Gandalf’s love for Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as the stranger is settled among the ‘proto-Hobbits’ known as the Harfoots, nomadic Hobbits before they have created their settlements.
The Stranger seems very confused when introduced in The Rings of Power, and seems like his power is out of his control while he acclimatizes after waking up as the Meteor Man. He is also alive and learning from the people and environment around him, as it is speculated that Gandalf was around during the First or Second Age, and had time to accumulate all the wisdom that he did.
It seems that those who say that Gandalf may be the Meteor Man have some facts behind them and not just foundation-less theory. Only time will tell who the Stranger truly is, so place your bets while you can.
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Do you believe that the Meteor Man from The Rings of Power is Gandalf?
The Meteor Man from The Rings of Power Could Be Gandalf Written by Megan Oosthuizen for Fortress of Solitude
