The Rings of Power season 2 introduces a new villain in the form of Rhûn’s dark wizard, and this Saruman replacement is even more evil than the Lord of the Rings villain. Although Sauron is the main antagonist of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series, the show features other villains as well. There’s Adar, who succeeds in destroying the Southlands at the end of The Rings of Power season 1. And then there’s season 2’s new dark wizard, who has taken a concerning amount of interest in the Stranger and his Harfoot companions.

This dark wizard feels reminiscent of Saruman, though The Rings of Power has yet to reveal many details about Ciarán Hinds’ character. It’s likely he’s another Istar, and he could even be an earlier version of Saruman. However, Rhûn’s wizard feels significantly more sinister than the Lord of the Rings villain. He has a lot in common with Saruman, but his motives appear to be a bit darker. This could be an indication that he isn’t actually a younger version of Saruman in The Rings of Power.

Rhûn’s Dark Wizard Is The Rings Of Power’s Version Of Saruman

He Wants To Join Sauron & Has A Similar Dynamic With The Stranger

There’s little doubt that Rhûn’s dark wizard is The Rings of Power‘s Saruman, in much the same way the Stranger is the Amazon show’s version of Gandalf. Whether or not these new characters turn out to be the Istari we know from The Lord of the Rings, they play similar roles in the series’ narrative. The Stranger serves as a friend and protector to the Harfoots, while Gandalf takes on those responsibilities with the Hobbits. And season 2’s dark wizard seeks power by joining Sauron, which is precisely why Saruman betrays Middle-earth in LOTR.

In addition to being an antagonistic wizard, like Saruman, Rhûn’s new villain looks poised to repeat the dynamic between the original White Wizard and Gandalf.

In addition to being an antagonistic wizard, like Saruman, Rhûn’s new villain looks poised to repeat the dynamic between the original White Wizard and Gandalf. Just as the two Istari are at odds throughout The Lord of the Rings, Hinds’ character seems likely to butt heads with the Stranger in The Rings of Power season 2. And while he has the upper hand early on, his similarities to Saruman suggest that he’ll find himself at the Stranger’s mercy once the other wizard learns to control his magic.

How Rhûn’s Dark Wizard Is Even More Sinister Than Saruman

He’s More Of A Tyrant Than The Lord Of The Rings Villain

Rhûn’s dark wizard mirrors Saruman in many ways, but The Rings of Power season 2 character seems even worse than him morally. While Saruman follows Sauron to obtain more power, the Istar does seem to believe he’s doing the right thing. Saruman thinks that he can defeat Sauron if he obtains the One Ring. And although he’d likely replace the Lord of the Rings’ villain as Middle-earth’s Dark Lord, one can sort of see the good intentions underlying his hubris.

By contrast, The Rings of Power‘s new wizard seems interested in power and power alone. Judging by the way his followers talk about him — one tells the Stoors that he’s the reason they’re forced to wear masks in episode 4 — he’s dangerous and cruel, even to those loyal to him. The Amazon series has yet to dig deeper into his goals and identity, but Rhûn’s wizard feels like a standard tyrant at first glance. Unless the show reveals other reasons for his actions, he’s even worse than Saruman in this regard.

Could Rhûn’s Dark Wizard Actually Be An Earlier Version Of Saruman?

The Differences Between The Villains Raise Questions About This Theory

Given the similarities between both characters, a major theory about Rhûn’s dark wizard is that he is an earlier version of Saruman. With all the signs that the Stranger is Gandalf, it’s possible The Rings of Power is giving us the backstory of both wizards from The Lord of the Rings. However, the fact that The Rings of Power‘s wizard seems so much worse than Saruman raises questions about whether he’s really the same character. Saruman also doesn’t side with Sauron during the Second Age, and his eventual reasons for doing so are quite different.

Only time will tell where the series intends to take its newest villain, but his actions are beginning to make viewers’ Saruman theories look dubious.

With that in mind, Rhûn’s wizard could be a mortal man dabbling in dark magic. He could also be one of the Blue Wizards mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, as he doesn’t elaborate much on their stories. The author does reveal that the Blue Wizards founded a cult, which could be something The Rings of Power is expanding on during its Rhûn storyline. Only time will tell where the series intends to take its newest villain, but his actions are beginning to make viewers’ Saruman theories look dubious.