Where is The Stranger going? The Stranger is one of the most mysterious figures in the Middle-earth fantasy series, but the season finale of Rings of Power answered more than a few questions about him.
At the start of Rings of Power episode 8, the Stranger had left the group of Hobbits and was stumbling in the direction of Greenwood the Great. He was then tracked down by the Harfoots, but not before the white cloaked cultists got to him first. The cultists tried to convince the Stranger that he was, in fact, Sauron. They told him that he needed to go with them to the land of Rhûn, in the East of Middle-earth.
A big battle ensued, and the Stranger completely destroyed the white cloaks – but not before it was revealed that he was a Istar. Shock! That resolved the mystery of who he was. But there’s one more question, where is the Stranger going now?
Where is The Stranger going?
The Stanger is headed to the land of Rhûn, alongside his dependable hiking partner Nori. This is where the cultists told him to go when they believed he was Sauron.
But why is he headed to Rhûn? As we’ve seen from the start of his adventures, the Stranger is very interested in the stars of Middle-earth, and their formations. The cultists showed him that the particular alignment of stars that he was looking for could be found in Rhûn, in Middle-earth’s east.
What could this mean for the future? Well, if Rings of Power is telling us that wizards are now in Middle-earth during the Second Age, there could be another explanation for why the Stranger is going to Rhûn. The Blue Wizards, the two members of the Istari who aren’t Gandalf, Saruman, or Radagast are known to be active in the Eastern regions of Middle-earth: including Rhûn.
It might be, then, that we see the Stranger (who is, in all likelihood Gandalf) linking up with the Blue Wizards in Rhûn as part of his journey in season 2. We never see the Blue Wizards in the Lord of the Rings movies, and they’re only briefly mentioned in Tolkien’s writing. So, this could be a chance for Rings of Power to create the definitive versions of the mysterious characters.
For more deep dives into the land of Middle-earth, check out our guide to the Numenoreans.