The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has long teased the Stranger's identity, which the producers have rationalized into an explanation that makes a lot of sense. The Rings of Power The Season 1 finale revealed that Halbrand was actually Sauron, finally resolving Season 1's big mystery of who and where Sauron was. I liked the show's slow-burn approach, but this season-long tease wasn't popular with everyone. The second season followed suit, not revealing the Stranger's identity until the end, but I think the producers justified it well.
The Rings of Power season two brought the question of the Stranger's identity back and forth. This bearded magical man crashed into Middle-earth like a meteor and was the main character from the beginning of the show. However, season two was about him discovering who he was, with a significant subplot focusing on Nori helping him find clues about his past in Rhûn. While I enjoyed the Stranger's character development, I wondered if the identity tease was dragging on a little too long. However, the producers' comments changed my opinion on this.
Rings Of Power creators' reason for delaying Gandalf's reveal makes perfect sense
It made sense to show Gandalf accepting his identity
Patrick McKay and JD Payne provided a reason for delaying confirming the identity of Rings of Power Strange, and I understand that perfectly. I thought the introduction of mysteries into the show could have been done to keep viewers waiting. and back, relying on the suspense and mystery that will never be fully resolved. McKay and Payne, producers of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, I spoke to Screen speech about the revelation of the Stranger's identity in the program, confirming that “It's about what he's learning, about who he will be.“
In this sense, the series does not reveal mysteries to captivate the viewer, but tries to reflect the experiences of its characters. Although the slow revelation of Halbrand's identity was meant to show the depth of his betrayal and deceit, the slow reveal of the Stranger's identity was meant to show his confusion and lostness. This is what Payne and McKay meant when they said “We wanted it to be a journey of discovery for the audience, for the character and for ourselves.” Rings of Power he wanted to show the Stranger discovering that he was Gandalf little by little.
I'm now realizing how well the show's Gandalf reveal fits into the character's journey
Gandalf didn't remember everything about his past
In light of Payne and McKay's comments, I enjoy Gandalf's journey from a new perspective. Upon discovering that the Stranger was Gandalf, some viewers questioned how the Stranger's identity broke canon. Gandalf arrived in Middle-earth by boat, along with the other wizards, as confirmed in JRR Tolkien's book. The Silmarillion. But if the Istari had arrived canonically on the show, their identities would have been immediately obvious. This would not have allowed the show its tender and often humorous portrayal of the Stranger's slow realization of who he was.
I agree with Payne and McKay that the show allowed viewers to follow Gandalf's journey.
I know fans questioned the show's mystery box writing in Season 2, just as they did in Season 1. Rings of Power is not keeping mysteries just for the sake of it or mistakenly imitate screenwriters like JJ Abrams, whose work combines mysteries. THE Lost the showrunner became famous for bringing mysteries, popularizing this approach on TV. Rings of Power JRR Tolkien's source material contained no long-standing suspense over the identity of Sauron or Gandalf, making the show's approach controversial. However, I agree with Payne and McKay that the show allowed viewers to follow Gandalf's journey.
Rings of Power must still avoid hugging another mystery box character
The show is taking a different approach with its next mystery box
The Rings of Power season three could be leaning into another big mystery, one that must be navigated carefully. Hiding the Stranger's name helped viewers understand the emotional nuances of his journey with remarkable depth. I felt every moment of frustration and relief in Gandalf's arc, which may very well be true to Tolkien's story. The Istari did not have all of their memories, having been sent to Middle Earth with a narrow focus. But the show should take a different approach with its Season 3 mysterythe identity of the Dark Wizard.
The producers' description of their intentions regarding Gandalf's development makes sense, but wouldn't necessarily work to apply this to Dark Wizard. Rings of Power Dark Wizard isn't being presented as a hero, so the audience doesn't need to relate to him like they needed to relate to Gandalf. He's also not going out of his way to fool anyone like Halbrand did in the first season. Season 3 could very well mirror the first two seasons ending with a big identity reveal, which could only revolve around the Dark Wizard. I wouldn't mind that, but I have specific ideas about how that should happen.
In fact, the producers have already confirmed the Dark Wizard's identity in a Reddit Questions and answers.
Viewers enjoyed speculating about the Dark Wizard's real namewith some suggesting he could be Saruman. If Rings of Power leaves until the end of the season to confirm his identity, he must show his hand as soon as possible, as he did with Gandalf. This would mean giving big hints rather than misleading red herrings, guiding the audience to the right conclusion rather than the wrong one. In fact, the producers have already confirmed the Dark Wizard's identity in a Reddit Questions and answers, proving that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is already being more honest about its mysteries.
Source: Tela Rant, Reddit
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