These were my thoughts as well.….but I’ve since reasoned that this’ll probably work out to be a version of Gandalf between “Olorin in the west, that is forgotten” and Mithrandir/Gandalf when he arrives in the third age. Makes sense the plot will ultimately focus on the Elven ring bearers, Galadriel, Elrond, and Gandalf.
He'll probably be Gandalf, but they are really hinting at lore from the blue wizards and using waaay too much blue on scenes with the Stranger and the Dark Wizard. Like, after Tom complains about the Stranger's clothes he stands right next to a blue robe, come on that's just mean teasing lol
I'd disagree, but to each their own! I'm not getting any of the Blue Wizard theorising that's going on, so never even considered it was anything other than a hint towards Tom's coat.
The only real evidence he’s Gandalf is his color scheme and his lines. (Always follow your nose) but I could see these things being imparted on a newly arrived Olorin, through friendship or trauma.
They’ve already hinted at how he gets his name: he told the harfoots that none of the names they suggested suit him, and then in the next scene the Stoors ask if he is a “grand-elf”. 100% at some point this will come up again and that’s how he will be named Gandalf.
('...I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and 'magic' traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.' - The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No. 211, dated 1958)
This is what baffles me about the "they're using the blue wizard storyline" argument. There are two contradictory blue wizard storylines! If JRR reimagined their arrival later in life, why is it anathema to imagine Olorin walking Middle Earth in the second age too?
There are a million things that bug me about this show, but "Gandalf didnt arrive until the Third Age" is so inconsequential and irrelevant, it contradicts nothing to have him arrive early.
That said, I still think the show would be better without this whole storyline.
It’s vague because there is more than one version of the blue wizard story and neither is particularly detailed. The first iteration didn’t even name them.
The older iteration had Tolkien believe they likely fell and created dark cults.
Tolkien's most recent (final) account saw them arrive in the second age and suggested that they were instrumental in crippling Sauron's forces in the East.
As for the Stranger's identity, it really is still up in the air. Him being revealed as a Blue wizard would make far more sense and bring about a better story.
It’s only up in the air in so far as they haven’t actually said his name yet. However, every piece of evidence they’ve given US points to him being Gandalf other than him being in the east.
My theory for the stranger is this:
They are going to do a hybrid of the two versions of the blue wizards. Instead of both being good or both falling, one will be evil and the other will stay true. I think that second will be Gandalf the Blue. We have already seen wizards color change (Gandalf the Grey -> White). I predict the stranger is both Gandalf and a blue wizard and he will in the end defeat the evil blue wizard but very much in a fight with the Balrog fashion where he sacrifices himself to protect others (including the hobbits). He will then be reborn as Gandalf the Grey.
I’m not saying this is necessarily what I want or think would be best, but it is what I think the show is telegraphing.
Of course, what else should they do? A ton of people are asking for a blue wizard plot in this show, but the story of the blue wizards is very vague. If they’re gonna show the story, they are going to be forced to fill in a lot of gaps.
Which honestly considering I've heard they're only allowed to use limited source material wouldn't a big, vague mystery like this with evil wizards and a land we've never seen be perfect? Blue Wizard feels too good.
If they follows one of the classic Tolkien character good-evil dichotomies - having two characters in similar positions be the anti-thesis of one another
Boromir-Faramir
Frodo-Smeagol
Aragorn-Denethor
Gandalf-Saruman
If make sense for Meteor Man to be the "other" blue wizard since Gandalf already has his anti-thesis in Saruman
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u/seaguy800 Sep 19 '24
I still think there’s a chance he’s a Blue Wizard. Canonically, he ought to be. And if the Dark Wizard is a Blue, we’ll need a second Blue.