Who is The Stranger in The Rings of Power? Daniel Weyman character theories

The latest episode of the Lord of the Rings spin-off sees our Istar separated from Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards) - but he makes a new acquaintance in Rory Kinnear's Tom Bombadil (which marks the first time the character has appeared on-screen!).

In a bombshell moment, Tom informs The Stranger that his task is not only to face Sauron (Charlie Vickers) but the Dark Wizard (Ciaran Hinds) as well - before Middle-earth is reduced to ashes by the pair of them. No pressure!

Just how he's going to do this remains to be seen, but it's clear he'll have to harness his powers with much more control and evade the Dark Wizard's acolytes, including the Dweller, who have been hunting him since season 1, if he's got a chance.

There's also a lot more to come for The Stranger in season 2, with showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne confirming that we'll know his identity by the end of the season.

For now, here's everything we know so far.

Who is The Stranger in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power? Theories explained

The Stranger is an Istar, or a wizard, an enigmatic and magical character who crashed to Middle-earth in a fiery red comet. Many fans have speculated that he's a version of Gandalf, played by Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson's movies - but we do know that we're going to find out this season.

Exclusively speaking to RadioTimes.com, Payne said: "What this season is about for this character is a journey of self-discovery. He's learnt that he's a wizard but he doesn’t really know how to control his powers yet and he doesn't know how he's supposed to use them or who he's supposed to fight.

"You're going on the same journey that he is. The 'who?' is part of it, but that's not the entire sundae, that's the cherry on top. But it will be answered this season."

Weyman has admitted that he is humbled by the intrigue and theories surrounding his character.

"What I've loved about the people that watched the show and know Tolkien is that they've used things that are dear to them to come up with really good explanations about why The Stranger might be [a certain] character," Weyman recently told RadioTimes.com.

"It’s always humbling when you hear people that hold the story that dear and have that knowledge about it. I'm just a custodian of a storyline to a massive story."

Nevertheless, he asserted that The Stranger's true identity isn't crucial to understanding the character because "the audience knows him pretty well already, whatever his name ends up being".

In JRR Tolkien's lore, Gandalf was one of the Maiar of Valinor, angelic beings who took human form, and was originally named Olórin.

Olórin came to Middle-earth in the Third Age, landing in the Havens of Mithlond as he was sent by the deity known as the Creator (Eru) to aid those in the land against the threat of Sauron, taking the form of an old man as a sign of humility and to be more trusted by the peoples there.

Gandalf the Grey was the form that Olórin took and was one of five wizards who arrived in Middle-earth with this mission, alongside him being the chief of their order, Saruman the White.

It should be noted that Gandalf arrived a long time after the events of this series when compared to the books' timeline and the details in Tolkien lore.

However, actor Daniel Weyman's British roots, his raggedy appearance, his magical powers, his ability to communicate with small insects, and his relationship with the small creatures and Hobbit forebears known as Harfoots only add credence to the idea that The Stranger is an adapted version of Gandalf's origins for the television series.

He would have arrived on Middle-earth from another land entirely and with a clear mission - to help in the fight against Sauron.

The character's appearance is also in line with the wandering appearance of the Norse god Odin, to whom Gandalf has long been compared.

However, perhaps The Stranger could be a different wizard – perhaps Saruman the White himself or Radagast the Brown.

What happened to The Stranger in season 1 of The Rings of Power?

The Stranger's story began when an adventurous Harfoot named Nori approached the site of the crash and saw him lying in the fiery crater.

In the aftermath, the second episode saw Nori and her friend Poppy Proudfellow (Megan Richards) hide The Stranger, with the former feeling destined to have met him.

After hiding him, Nori goes to The Stranger the next day and finds him studying strange markings before startling him, causing him to scream. Shadow and wind emerge, indicating that he is a magical being.

Managing to calm him, Nori provides him with some food and it's clear that The Stranger appears to be unaware of his identity and is trying to communicate something to Nori through symbols - appearing to be a warning.

Nori and Poppy visit The Stranger again later and find him staring up at a starry sky, and Nori notes that the next Harfoot migration is coming - as they are nomadic people.

However, The Stranger instead notes the fireflies in their lanterns and breaks one, causing the fireflies to emerge and him to communicate with them before sending them away and appearing to match a constellation of stars - suggesting he wants to show the Harfoots the way to something.

After this, The Stranger appears exhausted by his actions and collapses, prompting Nori and Poppy to note that the fireflies have died.

In the third episode, titled Adar, The Stranger attempts to decipher some star maps and accidentally exposes his existence to the Harfoot community on the eve of their next migration.

Despite anger at Nori for helping this enigmatic figure, the Harfoots allow the Brandyfoot community to stay in the caravan - albeit at the back.

As Nori's father Largo struggles with their belongings due to an injured ankle, The Stranger helps to move the cart and earns his place in the Harfoot community. However, that doesn't last for long.

At the end of season 1, it was revealed that the gentle giant is an Istar, another name for a wizard, fuelling the rumours that the character will turn out to be the iconic Gandalf the Grey, played by Sir Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies.

What has happened to The Stranger in The Rings of Power season 2?

Whoever The Stranger is, he's in for an eventful season as he joins the Harfoot Nori on a journey through the harsh desert region of Rhûn.

The season starts positively for the pair as they set off on a journey of self-discovery, hoping to learn more about their purpose - and they're joined by Nori's friend Poppy Proudfellow.

However, they quickly realise they're being followed - with the Dark Wizard and his acolytes planning to capture him and kill the Harfoots.

The latest episode of the show sees the Stranger separated from Nori and Poppy, and shows him meeting Tom Bombadil, who tells him more about his purpose.

"Very quickly, things start to go wrong," Weyman told RadioTimes.com of the Stranger's journey in season 2.

"Whether that's the landscape working against them - food, water and heat. Or whether it's the impending darkness that is gradually closing around all of Middle-earth. Suddenly, they get to a place where they are forced to solve problems that are outside of The Stranger's scope.

"The Stranger's job is to navigate all the different choices he has got and work out the path that he needs to follow."

Who plays The Stranger in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?

The Stranger is portrayed in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power by English actor Daniel Weyman.

Having played numerous roles on stage and screen, Weyman has appeared in television series such as Colditz, BBC series Dunkirk, Van Gough, Foyle's' War, Midsomer Murders, and Poirot episode Dead Man's Folly.

Weyman is perhaps best known for his role as Max Thorndyke in the BBC crime drama Silent Witness in which he portrayed the husband of regular character Clarissa Mullery, played by Liz Carr.

Speaking about his role as The Stranger in The Rings of Power, Weyman told Entertainment Tonight: “I would think, hopefully, people will have as much fun watching his story as I had filming it.

"And I suppose the best thing to say is that while we were working, I, at each point in the story, knew exactly where the character was and who he was and what he was going through.

"So, from my point of view, it was quite an easy task to follow that through."

The Rings of Power season 2 is streaming now on Prime Video, with new episodes arriving on Thursdays – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.