The eighth episode of The Rings of Power Season 2 sees the Stranger finally confront the Dark Wizard (Ciaran Hinds) of Rhǔ, a villainous figure that has only briefly appeared once before the finale. One of the major themes this season has been the Stranger slowly but surely uncovering his destiny as the savior of Middle-earth, with the help of Tom Bombadil (Roy Kinnear), of course. But it was not until now that the Stranger finally uttered his real name, “Gandalf.” It’s safe to say many goosebumps were formed during this sequence, a satisfying reveal that took two seasons to set up. It confirms a long-standing fan theory, but it feels good to see it come to fruition.
Daniel Weyman, who plays Gandalf (it feels good to finally say that), spoke to the New York Post about the highly-anticipated unveiling of his character’s true identity. Surprisingly enough, the actor did not know for sure that he was indeed playing the iconic wizard until filming the finale. The Rings of Power showrunners kept Gandalf’s identity under lock and key, even shocking Weyman, who says, “Literally right before filming that scene was the first time I learned that I was going to utter those words.” Although he was originally not sure who his character was and did not mind playing someone fans were not familiar with, playing Gandalf was a dream come true for Weyman.
“There was lots of talk around who he’s going to become, and [while] I wouldn’t have minded if he was any other version of a character who we’ve seen, or haven’t seen, I think there is inevitably something about the child in me going, ‘wait a second, you’re going to be playing this amazing heartwarming character who everybody knows.’ That’s a massive ‘pinch me’ moment.”
The Rings of Power Has Always Been Leading to This
For many avid fans of the material, the reveal of the Stranger as Gandalf was a long time coming. Ever since it was revealed he came from the stars, and he wielded the wood staff and Gandalf-like powers in the first season finale, the “Stranger” never felt like someone unfamiliar to longtime fans of the franchise. It also helps that Weyman, who barely spoke in Season 1, gave a pitch-perfect performance as the Gandalf-to-be. Even without knowing his name, it was hard to mistake the heartwarming and faithful nature of the Stranger. His close friendship with the Harfoot hobbits, particularly Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), all but confirmed fans’ rampant speculation.
With Ian McKellen teasing his return as Gandalf in Andy Serkis’ The Hunt for Gollum, it seems there will be two on-screen versions of the character at once. Fortunately, both won’t be treading similar territory, as The Rings of Power takes places hundreds of years before the events of Peter Jackson’s seminal movie trilogy. It also helps that Weyman has done an incredible job of differentiating his Gandalf from McKellen’s without diverting too much from what makes the character special. Although the jury is still out on The Rings of Power, fans can rest easy knowing that the beloved grey-haired wizard is being taken care of on the big screen and on streaming.
