The Rings of Power, released on Prime Video on June 25, 2025, has taken us back to the beloved land of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, but nearly 5,000 years before the events of TheLord of the Rings.We have been introduced to a number of interesting characters the show follows, including a couple of familiar names from the original series. However, there is one character whose identity remains a mystery. He has been dubbedMeteor Manor The Stranger.
The character, played by Daniel Weyman, appeared at the conclusion of the first episode. He made his debut on the show as a meteor crash-landed in Middle-earth and was discovered by a young Harfoot girl called Nori.
Fans have taken to the internet to speculate and share their theories about who the mysterious character could possibly be. It has become apparent, according to the finale, that he is a wizard, and that much was gathered by fans from his magical abilities. He can change the weather and the light and influence other living creatures and nature. Another clue that gives us insight intowho Meteor Man might beis the group of priestesses deemed the White Cloak Cult.
They visit the site of the crash and eventually locate the Harfoots that he had been traveling with. Once they have found Meteor Man, theybelieve him to be Sauronand offer themselves as his servants. Many fans also thought him to be Sauron and made a good case for it, but as it turns out, he is not Sauron. Instead, he uses his magic to save Nori and the other Harfoots from the White Cloaks. Before their demise, the priestesses realize their mistake and call him Istar. Now that we know this, let’s explore what Istar means and what this reveals about his identity.
Meteor Man Is a Wizard
In Middle-earth, Istar means “wise one” or “wizard.” This is confirmation that he is indeed a wizard, as it had been theorized by fans. However, the question is now, which wizard could he be? Many
believed beforethe finale, he could be Gandalf, and now that we know he is not Sauron, that possibility seems more likely, but we will discuss this theory in more depth later. For now, let’s move on to the other wizards.
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Radagast is a possibility worth exploring since Meteor Man seems to have a connection to nature. However, beyond this, we don’t have much evidence to suggest he is the wizard Radagast. His tall build doesn’t match that of the nature-loving wizard, and the timeline, according to the lore, doesn’t match. The Stranger could also be one of the Blue Wizards, Alatar or Pallando. If we are going by the timeline of the lore, these two would be the most likely possibilities as they arrived in Middle-earth during the Second Age, whenThe Rings of Powertakes place.
While it has not yet been outright revealed, hopefully,season twowill give us more clues or finally confirm which wizard Meteor Man is.
Meteor Man Could Be Gandalf
The most popular theory is that Meteor Man is Gandalf the Gray. He does indeed have magical abilities and shares the characteristics of Gandalf. When The Stranger becomes frightened or provoked, his voice changes similarly to when Gandalf becomes angry or faces a threat. The Stranger also has a connection to the Harfoots, who are the ancestors of the Hobbits.
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Gandalf the Gray inThe Lord of the Ringsis known to be a friend to the Hobbits and has a particular fondness towards the halflings. It could be that this bond was formed when he came to Middle-earth and was shown kindness by Nori. She hides and protects him, brings him food, and helps guide him as he is lost and confused about where he is and how he got there.
However, The Stranger’s appearance at this point doesn’t line up with Tolkien’s original timeline for Gandalf. It could be that the writers of theshow took creative libertiesand created their own origin story for the wizard, but according to the books, Gandalf didn’t come into the story until the Third Age. It is after Sauron has risen to power that Gandalf joins the other wizards to aid in the fight against Sauron.The Rings of Powertakes place in the Second Age before and during Sauron’s rise.
Perhaps Meteor Man is not yet Gandalf, but maybe that is who he will become as he learns to control his magic and discovers more about the world he has been cast into. One major hint that he is Gandalf is his final line in the show, “Always follow your nose.” This references what Gandalf says inThe Fellowship of the Ring,thus confirming that the most likely possibility is that Meteor Man is the wizard we have come to know and love, Gandalf the Gray.
