LOTR Rings of Power: All of the Meteor Man’s Possible Identities Explored

Is that a bird? Is that a plane? Is that the evil incarnate himself, Sauron? These were the questions cropping up when a mysterious comet raced through the skies of Middle-Earth. Viewers, Elves, humans, Dwarves, and Harfoots alike did not know what this could be, but Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power made certain that we know it was a big deal.

But it wasn’t a meteor that landed. Nicknamed “Meteor Man” by fans, it was a strange man with magical abilities, a bout of amnesia, and no known form of communication. But who exactly is he?

As per Tolkein lore and speculation, the Stranger (played by Daniel Weyman) could be either Sauron, Gandalf, the Man in the Moon, or a Blue Wizard.

Let’s explore each possibility in detail:

1. Is the Stranger Sauron?

As the teased antagonist, Sauron is the most anticipated arrival in Rings of Power. So, any mysterious person of interest automatically becomes a candidate who could play Sauron. So, is the Stranger Sauron?

Some viewers think so, especially because Meteor Man made his landfall at approximately the same time as Galadriel jumped off the boat. In the Second Age, Sauron takes the form of the shapeshifter Annatar, so he could’ve disguised himself as Meteor Man.

While there is a slight possibility, I really don’t believe so. As intriguing as the Meteor Man’s arrival has been, I think Sauron would have a grander reveal than that.

2. Is the Stranger Gandalf?

I, too, would love to have Gandalf on the show, so my heart goes out to the possibility that Meteor Man may be him. After all, if he does end up befriending the Harfoots, it would also explain his later affinity toward the Hobbits.

But there are two reasons why this may not be the case. One, Gandalf is supposed to have arrived on Middle-earth in the 10th century of the Third Age. That’s about three millennia before the current timeline. I don’t think the show would retcon such a big detail.

Secondly, the stranger doesn’t really fit Gandalf’s vibe or personality so far. Sure, we cannot expect a younger version of him to be exactly the same but most aspects don’t match what we know of him.

Other Istaris like Curumo (Saruman), Aiwendil (Radagast) also arrived during the Third Age. Still, it’s worth keeping their names on the list.

3. Is the Stranger the Man in the Moon?

The Man in the Moon is Hobbit folklore that alludes to a Maia named Tillion. He is famously known to have taken the sole remaining flower from Telperion into the sky and then become the moon’s guardian.

Tillion would have the kind of powers that Meteor Man depicted. Plus, like most Maias that come to Middle-Earth, Tillion would initially suffer from amnesia from the journey and would have to take a humanoid form.

Seeing how Sauron is on the rise, Tillion could’ve sensed the same and left his Lunar post to warn the others.

4. Is the Stranger one of the Blue Wizards?

The most popular theory is that the Stranger is one of the Blue Wizards. But what is this exactly?

In Tolkien’s earlier writings, he penned down that there were two other wizards in addition to Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast. They were simply referred to as Blue Wizards because of the color of the robes they wear.

The original vague canon suggests they turned evil, but because their characters haven’t really been sketched out either in the books or the films, it is possible that Rings of Fire will rewrite the character/s for the screen. If so, the Stranger/Meteor Man would very well fit into the mold of the Blue Wizards.

5. About The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an American TV series, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay for streaming on Amazon Prime. 

Set 3,000 years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the show will be set in the Second Age of Middle-earth. Beginning with a time of peace, the series will follow the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron and the forging of the rings of power.

The cast includes Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, and Dylan Smith among many others.