The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has used mysteries as a plot since the first season, and now the Dark Wizard remains his biggest enigmawith a theory of identity making The Hobbit darker. With Rings of Power with Season 1 focusing on which character Sauron is and Season 2 deliberating on the Stranger’s identity, it will be up to Season 3 to finally confirm who the Dark Wizard is. Season 2 teases a few different identities for the Dark Wizard, and one theory is gaining traction – but it leaves The Hobbit in a surprising place.
Rings of Power it only relates to Jackson’s films insofar as they access the same source material but have little to do with each other. The Rings of Power Season Three isn’t obligated to maintain Jackson’s logic, though many of the series’ stylistic choices subtly celebrate the formative influence of the films (the cinematic references to the Eye of Sauron, for example). Therefore, the producers are well aware of what the characters like the Dark Wizard could affect future movie showings like The Hobbit, making a theory an interesting addition to this multi-franchise LOTR world.
The dark wizard of the rings of power must be Saruman, a blue wizard… or Radagast
The Dark Wizard is an Istar and is not Gandalf
The Rings of Power season 2 confirms that your Dark Wizard character is one of the Istari, and one theory posits that the Dark Wizard is Radagastan important character The Hobbit. The Rings of Power and films have adaptation rights The Hobbit and The Lord of the Ringsso there’s no reason why each of them couldn’t have their own version of Radagast. If the Dark Wizard is Radagast, he would be diverging sharply from the books and films, bringing disturbing new associations when watching or rereading The Hobbit.
Tolkienian era |
Event marking the beginning |
Years |
Total length in solar years |
---|---|---|---|
Ahead of time |
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Undetermined |
Days before days |
The Ainur entered Eä |
1 – 3,500 Valian years |
33,537 |
Pre-First Tree Years (YT) |
Yavanna created the Two Trees |
YT 1 – 1050 |
10,061 |
Early Age (FA) |
Elves woke up in Cuiviénen |
YT 1050 – YT 1500, FA 1 – 590 |
4,902 |
Second Age (SA) |
The War of Wrath is over |
SA 1 – 3441 |
3,441 |
Third Age (TA) |
The Last Alliance defeated Sauron |
AT 1 – 3021 |
3,021 |
Fourth Era (Fo.A) |
Bearers of the elven ring left Middle-earth |
Fo.A 1 – unknown |
Unknown |
The Rings of Power is only allowed to cover the Second Age of Middle Earth in its deal with Amazon, eliminating the chance of crossover with Jackson’s works. Meanwhile, Jackson’s films are set centuries later, in the Third Age. Naturally, immortals like the five Istari can exist in both ages. With Rings of Power Season 2 confirming that the Stranger is Gandalf, the Blue Wizards a mystery and Saruman problematic, Radagast remains a candidate for Dark Wizard. Being the Dark Wizard in the show would portray the clumsy and harmless Radagast of The Hobbit in a new light.
Radagast being the dark wizard would explain why he hardly gets involved in LotR
A dark past may explain Radagast’s passivity in LotR
Disregarding Jackson’s logic, which is completely separate, if Radagast dabbled in dark magic in the Second Age, that could explain his distancing from the War of the Ring. The Dark Wizard in The Rings of Power is definitely being painted a stone’s throw from Sauron’s corrupt, Machiavellian quest for power. If the Dark Wizard is Radagast, he will inevitably turn away from his cruelty and turn once more”into the light.“However, an ancient flirtation with darkness would explain his reluctance to engage with it again in the Third Age.
The Dark Wizard’s manslaughter of Brânk through incompetence reveals his violence and tyranny, both signaling the path of Morgoth. Morgoth was defeated in the First Age, but even without his influence, the Dark Wizard could be prone to similar mistakes – especially if he was a Blue Wizard, who Tolkien speculated may have started dark cults in the east. Alternatively, the Dark Wizard could be an early version of Radagast at a low point. If so, perhaps he remains neutral in the Third Age to avoid turning to evil through corrupting powers like the One Ring.
Gandalf turning Radagast away from evil could be the beginning of their friendship
Rings of Power Could Show Gandalf and Radagast Meeting
If Rings of Power Dark Wizard is Radagast, so the show is offering an origin story for their friendship. This would make sense in the context of the show and allow for a genuinely surprising twist. While Saruman may be many’s first guess as to the Dark Wizard’s identity, there are several reasons why it doesn’t make sense. Meanwhile, the Blue Wizards are an obvious choice for the eastern cult leader. However, a surprise appearance by Radagast could delight viewers and establish an even more delightful friendship.
The introduction of Radagast would give Rings of Power a popular character whose dynamic with Gandalf in the Second Age is unexplored, allowing for creative invention on the show’s part.
If it’s Radagast who Gandalf is interacting with in the show, viewers will be able to watch their relationship develop from the beginning. This could set up all sorts of Easter eggs for The Hobbit books and films, as well as the wider Tolkien tradition. Radagast and Gandalf’s historical friendship is not detailed in The Lord of the Rings movies, nor is it overly explained in the books. The introduction of Radagast would give Rings of Power a popular character whose dynamic with Gandalf in the Second Age is unexplored, allowing for creative invention on the show’s part.
Given as The Rings of Power is already expanding the characterization of Lord of the Rings characters like Sauron and Gandalf, It wouldn’t be surprising to see Radagast do the same. While Saruman is another character from Tolkien’s Third Age story who could use a deeper backstory, he doesn’t make as much sense as the Dark Wizard.
The dark wizard of the rings of power being Radagast would make more sense than Saruman
The Dark Wizard cannot be Saruman
There’s a theory circulating online and in The Rings of Power fandom that the Dark Wizard is Istar Saruman, but it makes more sense for the Dark Wizard to be a Blue Wizard or Radagast. While there’s a compelling argument for the Dark Wizard to be one of the Blues, there’s no reason he couldn’t be Maia Radagast. However, the least logical Istar for the Dark Wizard is Saruman. The Dark Wizard being Saruman doesn’t make sense because if Gandalf knew he was prone to evil, he would have suspected his deception sooner. LOTR.
While the series is under no obligation to adhere to the films, it has generally respected the story that follows in Tolkien’s books. If this suggests that the Dark Wizard is Saruman, the show will raise the question of why Gandalf didn’t consider Saruman’s crime sooner in Third Age. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power cannot tell stories from the Third Age and will not be able to answer that question. So it’s very unlikely that this will increase in the first place. This makes Radagast a better identity for the mysterious Dark Wizard.