The ‘Tolkien Professor’ defends The Rings of Power Season 2 finale, explaining why Gandalf’s early appearance fits Tolkien’s evolving lore perfectly.

The ‘Tolkien Professor’ just dropped some major knowledge bombs on The Rings of Power fandom, and honestly, it’s a game-changer! After that jaw-dropping twist in the Season 2 finale, fans were left divided, questioning the show’s bold choices. But fear not, Middle-earth enthusiasts—the good professor’s stepped in to set the record straight!

A still from Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Credits: New Line Cinema

He’s vindicating that shocking revelation, breaking down why it’s not only true to Tolkien’s vision but also exactly what the story needed to stay epic. If you thought the plot took a wild turn, buckle up, because the Professor’s got the receipts to prove it all makes perfect sense. Get ready to see this finale in a whole new light!

Tolkien’s Ever-Changing Lore: How The Rings of Power Flips the Script on Gandalf

Gandalf the White in The Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

The Rings of Power Season 2 finale just flipped the Tolkien fandom on its head, and here’s why: The Stranger? Yep, he’s Gandalf. Cue the gasps! Fans are up in arms, debating how this revelation fits into the carefully woven lore of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world. But hold up, because Dr. Corey Olsen, aka ‘The Tolkien Professor,’ just put this whole controversy into perspective. He said:

First thing to specify is that there’s no such thing really as canon in Tolkien. Tolkien’s ideas were ever evolving.

Turns out, Tolkien’s Middle-earth was never set in stone. Dr. Olsen explained that Tolkien was constantly reworking his world-building, even after LOTR hit the bookshelves. And as it happens, one of those ideas involved Gandalf and the other wizards showing up way earlier—during the Second Age instead of the Third. The Rings of Power showrunners clearly decided to take this idea and run with it, imagining a Middle-earth where Gandalf plays a bigger role from the jump.

Sure, in the text, Gandalf and the Istari were supposed to arrive in Middle-earth around the year 1,000 of the Third Age. But Tolkien himself toyed with the notion of shaking things up—what if Gandalf had actually rolled into town earlier? What if he was there for the wars of the Rings of Power? That’s the thread the series has picked up on, giving the wizard a more extended backstory than we’ve seen before.

And let’s be real, The Rings of Power isn’t shy about bending the timeline to make things work for TV. The show’s already packed millennia of history into just a couple of seasons, shifting key events and introducing new characters left and right. Dr. Olsen’s take? It’s all fair game. Because if Tolkien himself was open to change, maybe we should be too.

Amazon Poised to Greenlight Season 3 of The Rings of Power!

Rory Kinnear in Rings of Power via Vanity Fair | Credits: New Line Cinema

Amazon was all set to dive back into Middle-earth, with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on the brink of a sweet third-season renewal. Showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay had been cooking up storylines for months, but fans were splitting up with uncertainty over the lack of an official green light. Then came the Prime Video UK Upfront presentation, where cast members Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Charlie Vickers, and Sophia Nomvete brought some serious star power to the stage.

Studio head Jennifer Salke hyped things up, saying season two attracted over 55M viewers and was on track to catch the first season’s jaw-dropping 150M. With Rings of Power topping Nielsen’s charts and getting better Rotten Tomatoes scores, the hype was real!

Payne and McKay were already assembling their writers’ room for season three, teasing even more epic adventures on the horizon!

Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime.