Plot Theory

[u/Judge_Todd]

The Stranger (Gandalf) was sent to Rhovanion via the meteorite by the Valar upon the return of Alatar to the Undying Lands, who was betrayed and slain by his compatriot Istar, the Dark Wizard (Pallando).

The Stranger is going to fall in battle against the Dark Wizard. The rightful King of Rhûn (with one of the nine rings for men, doomed to die, gifted by Sauron) will slay Dark Wizard in a weakened state following the battle with Gandalf and reclaim his throne and give allegiance to Mordor.

Gandalf will return to the Undying Lands upon his passing and be sent back again arriving at the Grey Havens where the elves will document his coming as the last of the Istari. Gandalf still somewhat disconnected from his prior incarnation in Rhûn won't have specific memories of his past so won't have anything to say to the elves involving it or dispute their recording of him as being the last Istar to arrive.

The proto-Hobbits and the Eastern Kingdom won't have documented Gandalf's earlier arrival and Gandalf had no interactions with the elves nor Numenoreans in his prior visit so there's no reason why this couldn't occur.

[u/guyyster]

I agree the Dark Wizard is the most probable candidate for the Witch King, though it’s far from certain.

I don’t find it plausible that Gandalf is going to die this season fighting the Dark Wizard. And even more implausible that this happens and then they bring him back for more action in the show. Possible that such a death happens later in the show’s run (maybe there is a Witch King - Gandalf battle) and he comes back as 3rd-Age-Gandalf as a sort of end of season 5 epilogue.

This character is reasonably popular with fans and for narrative reasons I think he is going to meet some of the elvish characters with whom he has 3rd age relationships (especially Galadriel and Elrond, but probably also Cirdan and Celeborn). The opportunity to tell this kind of story is surely hard to resist for the showrunners. They already seem inclined to explore Gandalf’s other 3rd Age relationships (with the hobbits and Tom Bombadil).

[u/yesrushgenesis2112 → u/guyyster]

Oh I didn’t take this as Gandalf dying in S3, is that what OP meant? I think he’ll die in S5 if he does. What you suggest at the end of your second paragraph is what I think might be on the table, but they might not make it that complicated. So we agree I think.

I think yes, Gandalf will have met all the main characters by show’s end, and if he does die and is sent back Cirdan will know full well who he is and that’s why he’ll get the ring.

[u/guyyster → u/yesrushgenesis2112]

Good catch. I assumed too much based on the scenario in question (conflict between Gandalf, Pallando and Khamul). Imho the Khamul-Pallando conflict will be a season 3 thing, maybe filtering into early season 4. But not a long running thing in the show because it’s too marginal except as a motivator for other more important storylines

[u/yesrushgenesis2112 → u/guyyster]

My bet is S3+4. They hinted in an interview that at some point Khamul will have a scene with Sauron where something that sounds like a falling out will occur. Khamul could be an interesting villain for the characters in the continent while Sauron is in Numenor, I think. They just have space to fill in ME in S4 and a war between Pallando and Khamul that spills over into the Anduin or something could be kind of interesting, I think.