The Dark Wizard of The Rings of Power Season 2 and His Place in Tolkien Lore Addressed by Showrunner

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Showrunner Patrick McKay addresses the implications of season 2’s Dark Wizard, and where it fits into the original story written by J RR Tolkien. The Prime Video fantasy series explored the rise of Sauron, his quest to build a ring to rule them all, and the coming conflict that would shape the Second Age of Middle-earth. Along with the return of Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel, Charlie Vicker’s Sauron, Robert Aramayo’s Elrond, and Maxim Baldry’s Isildur, Rings of power Season 2’s cast will see the debut of Middle-earth fan-favorite characters, including Rory Kinnear’s Tom Bombadil.

ahead of The rings of powerThe three-episode season 2 premiere, McKay sat down with ComicBook.com To address the lore implications of a new threat to terrorize Middle-earth. When discussing the arrival of Ciaran Hinds’ Dark Wizard and his debut in Middle-earth history, the showrunner explained that the new character is rooted in the temptations of Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and Saruman (Christopher Lee) in the face of great power. Check out McKay’s statement below:

I don’t know that it is such a novelty of a concept. We have seen throughout Tolkien that powerful beings are tempted to evil. Gandalf will not carry the ring because he fears the evil it can do through it. Saruman turns to evil, believing that this is the best way to save the world, in whatever twisted logic he came up with. So we know that good characters can turn evil, and we know that even wizards can turn to the dark side, so to speak, and seeing how that plays out with Ciarán Hinds is hopefully a real thrill for people.

Is the Dark Wizard an existing Tolkien character?

There are two potential istari that the new sorcerer could be

With the Dark Wizard arriving in Middle-earth, there is likely a looming thread of Rings of power Season 1 will be answered with Daniel Weyman’s Istari Stranger, and the three mysterious women who followed him in season 1. A being they believed to be Sauron, suspecting the stranger may be their subject of worship. While Vickers’ Halbrand is revealed to be Sauron Rings of powerThe conclusion of season 1, the evil Istari may have deceived the worshippers.

Three wizards have already been firmly characterized by Tolkien, Gandalf, Saruman and Radaghast (Sylvester McCoy), and the remaining Istari Alatar and Palando arrive in Middle-earth in the Second Age, becoming known as the Blue Wizards in their quest to avoid Sauron s promotion. Although little is known except for the cults they inspired and the role they played in ending Sauron’s reign, the Dark Wizard could fit either role. Although its title is ominous, Rings of powers Dark Wizard may be motivated by pragmatism, seeing his manipulations and cruelty as a necessary evil and the three women as his first cultists.

With how the first season kept the mystery of who Sauron is a tightly held secret until its final episodes, it’s likely viewers will be kept in the dark for a similar amount of time about the Dark Wizard in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2. While carrying a dark title, McKay’s description suggests that the Dark Wizard is not motivated by evil, and may have more cryptic motives that are difficult to determine. Although with his history tied to the stranger’s, a battle of magic is sure to unfold in the second age.

Source: ComicBook.com