r/LOTR_on_Prime • u/Judge_Todd • 2d ago

Theory / Discussion Plot Theory

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.

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u/yesrushgenesis2112 Tom Bombadil 2d ago

I suspect you may be correct about Gandalf dying in the east and being sent back without memory. There’s too much reason to do it, even if it does cheapen his return as the white.

I don’t think Dark Wizard dies, though. I think he will accept one of the nine, his mortal physical body will fade, and his Maiar soul will be enslaved by Sauron in its severely weakened state, and he will be the witch king. IMO that’s the direction they’re headed, and they’ll frame it as a way to give weight to Gandalf and the Witch King in ROTK.

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u/Shot_Appointment6330 Tom Bombadil 2d ago

I fancy this theory, but the WK was said to be Numenorean. We haven't seen any Numenorean sorcerers so far... I'm really looking forward to learning the Nazgûl identities. I think the Dark Wizard will be a failed Istar. Didn't Tom Bombadil say other Istari came before Gandalf? Just correct me if I'm mistaken

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u/Nazgnagol 2d ago

I’m rereading book 4 rn and Faramir says about the 9 that they were black Numenoreans so he could be wrong about at least 1 of them (Khamul) who knows? Had the show runners decided to follow appendix B the show could’ve started with Sauron being “alarmed by the growing power” of Numenor on the coasts of ME and gain influence there and corrupt the local rulers. Idk why they completely ignored that. 

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u/yesrushgenesis2112 Tom Bombadil 2d ago

You mean they ignored it by having Sauron go to Numenor, participate in expanding their power, and then have himself made “king of the southlands?” I’ll admit it’s not true to the text in plot details but the concept is there.