The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is working hard to convince audiences that the Dark Wizard is Saruman, but this twist would make no sense. The Prime video series is determined to beat around the bush with its Istari characters. Only in the finale of Rings of Power season 2 was the Stranger finally confirmed to be Gandalf, but the true identity of Rhûn’s Dark Wizard has been left in the air. Several hints were dropped in this most recent batch of episodes, including confirmation that there are five Istari in Middle-earth, but that’s about the extent of it.

Istari are Lord of the Rings‘ wizards, which, in canon, included Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and the two Blue Wizards. These old men are actually angelic shapeshifters called Maiar, who assisted the god of Lord of the Rings in the creation of the universe, along with the demigod-like Valar. The five wizards were sent to Middle-earth to help the free peoples in the fight against Sauron, who was also Maia. Ultimately, Gandalf was the only one successful in his mission since Saruman went evil, Radagast ignored his duties, and the Blue Wizards essentially disappeared.

The Rings Of Power Is Heavily Hinting The Dark Wizard Is Saruman

They May Not Be The Same Character, But Prime Video Is Creating Heavy Parallels

Custom image by Nick Bythrow

While the Dark Wizard could technically be any of the Istari aside from Gandalf (and, let’s face it, Radagast), Rings of Power has created a lot of parallels between this villain and Saruman. Aside from the general look and vibe of the character, the Dark Wizard has a similar manner of speaking to Gandalf as Saruman had in The Lord of the Rings. He is no-nonsense and slightly condescending while still feigning friendship and touching on flattery. What’s more, the Dark Wizard’s plan to first join and then replace Sauron is precisely the same as Saruman’s, as well as his answer (and rage) when Gandalf declines.

Saruman Shouldn’t Be Evil In The Rings Of Power (& That Creates A Problem)

Gandalf Can’t Be Fooled Twice

Of course, the Dark Wizard actually being Rings of Power‘s version of Saruman would be a major problem. While the former White Wizard did, in fact, travel to Rhûn after arriving in Middle-earth, he did not become evil or entertain the idea of replacing Sauron until the Third Age, just before the events of Lord of the Rings. There might have been signs of Saruman’s corruptibility in his early days as a wizard (like his tendency to be jealous of Gandalf), but Gandalf still trusted his superior, Istar, wholeheartedly. He was a friend and wise companion—not someone who ever tried to bury pre-Hobbits in a rage.

It would make no sense for Gandalf to later trust Saruman after knowing he had once been a villain bent on replacing Sauron.

It would make no sense for Gandalf to later trust Saruman after knowing he had once been a villain bent on replacing Sauron. It would be a sort of “fool me once” situation since being tricked by the same wizard twice would be entirely on Gandalf. The only way Rings of Power could pull this off would be for Gandalf to lose his memory yet again, but this would basically entail the wizard being killed and reincarnated (like he was in Lord of the Rings). That’s a lot of work to bring Saruman into Rings of Power this way, and the plotline would feel entirely ridiculous.

How The Rings Of Power Can Get Around Its Saruman Plot Hole

A Different Identity Is A better Fit For The Dark Wizard

Hopefully, the hints in Rings of Power that the Dark Wizard is Saruman are red herrings since this is the only way this plotline would make any sense. This character being a Blue Wizard would be a far more logical conclusion since one account of Tolkien’s works indicates they set up cults in Rhûn dedicated to their own worship. This is essentially what the Dark Wizard has done, so it seems likely that Rings of Power will eventually take this route in the end.

The Blue Wizards never appeared in Lord of the Rings, so they are far less familiar to screen audiences. This is perhaps why Rings of Power is working so hard to create parallels between the Dark Wizard and Saruman since audiences will be looking for the second most famous Tolkien wizard. Still, this continued beating around the bush when there are limited options is a bit frustrating. Regardless, Rings of Power has created a problem for itself since there is no real way to pay off the built-up suspense regarding this character (without completely breaking canon).