The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's finale revealed the identity of The Stranger, and he is a stranger no more! Daniel Weyman's character has intrigued fans from the start, though the fact that he arrived on Earth in a ball of flame left many convinced that he must be Sauron.
His uncontrollable powers also suggested there could be a darker side to this "Meteor Man," though his befriending of the local Harfoots - precursors to Hobbits - had us wondering if he may, in fact, be Gandalf. Still, with so many theories doing the rounds (Saruman was another name that often cropped up online), it's been hard to pinpoint who, or what, he might be.
Well, after The Dweller, Nomad and Ascetic catch up with The Stranger, he's named as Sauron. In a devastating twist, we learn that they believe him to be their master, and the trio vows to restore his memory. However, it soon becomes clear they've made a mistake, and the sinister group calls him an "Istar" (wizard) before he dispatches them.
All signs point to The Stranger being Gandalf, but we don't get confirmation until the very end of the episode (even if he is never named).
Talking to the Harfoot, Nori, before they set off to try and piece together his past, the Meteor Man offers some words of advice when he says, "Always follow your nose." That's the exact same thing Gandalf once said to Merry, leaving no doubt that The Stranger and Gandalf are one and the same.
His memory still needs to be restored, but J.R.R. Tolkien's work provides some clues as to why he's arrived on Middle-Earth. The Istar were sent to this realm when Sauron started to increase in power, and while The Rings of Power has seen that happen a little sooner than it did in the lore, there are ways his arrival could be explained in future seasons.
For now, this is a very exciting development, and one that confirms The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is also set to serve as an origin story for Gandalf the Grey.