It would be a heartwarming experience to see Gandalf’s early years in Middle-earth, but he is probably not The Stranger.
The mysterious man who streaked through the sky like a fiery bolt and fell upon the ancestors of the Hobbits is simply referred to as The Stranger in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power credits. Immediately after his appearance, fans decided that the creators of the show were trying to introduce Gandalf into the story as a kind of fan service.
The appearance of this character literally screams that this is one of the Istari. Moreover, Tolkien’s texts mention that the Istari had to learn a lot again after they acquired flesh bodies – this might explain The Stranger’s temporary amnesia.
Why Could The Stranger Be Gandalf?
That the one who fell from the sky could be Gandalf is supported by his power over fire: even when stripped of his memory, he can make the flame go out and flare up again. In Tolkien’s books, Gandalf says during the battle with the Balrog that he possesses the flame of Anor.
After all, we know that Gandalf has especially warm feelings for Hobbits – and it was the Harfoots, the ancestors of Hobbits, who took care of The Stranger in his early days in Middle-earth.
The problem is that, according to the books, the Istari came to Middle-earth several thousand years later, in the Third Age.
Another Theory is That The Stranger is Tom Bombadil
Another theory, no less interesting, is that the Stranger is Tom Bombadil. The character is described by Tolkien as having great power, but remains a rather mysterious character, leaving the showrunners a lot of leeway.
Also, in the Third Age, Bombadil lives in the Old Forest, not far from where the Hobbits live.
The Most Likely Theory is That The Stranger is Actually Saruman
However, the book canon points to another character that fans of The Lord of the Rings are very familiar with – Saruman. According to Tolkien, Saruman was the first Istari to descend into Middle-earth – just like The Stranger. In addition, Gandalf repeatedly mentions that Saruman was not always evil – only over time he became corrupted by pride and power.
Therefore, it is quite possible that Saruman/The Stranger’s sympathy for the Harfoots is explained by the fact that he is acting from the most sincere and pure motives so far, at the beginning of his journey to Middle-earth, not yet corrupted.
Moreover, Gandalf had never been to Rhûn – the region where The Stranger planned to go. But guess who was there? Yes, Saruman.
So far, it seems that the creators of The Rings of Power, who are unable to use most of Tolkien’s works in their project, are making The Stranger a kind of mix of Gandalf and Saruman – giving the character the looks and phrases of the one and the canonical facts of the other.
But so far the strongest argument that The Stranger is Gandalf is the phrase he said, “When in doubt Elanor Brandyfoot, always follow your nose,” while the rest of the facts point to Saruman (who, by the way, might have been the first to say that phrase to Gandalf when he had not yet gone over to the Dark Side).
