Незнайомець / «Володар перснів: Персні влади»
The finale of the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” revealed that the Stranger is Gandalf. But the showrunners were unsure who to make him.
In an interview with Gamesradar, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay talked about their deliberations over which wizard to make the stranger.
“It took us some time to get there. There was a moment when we were not committed to which of the Istari he would be when we just started. We wanted it to be a journey for us, discovering along with the character. The outcome was unknown. So, we spent some time exploring different directions, contemplating who this character should be and why, along with all the justifications for it,” said J.D. Payne.
“I think it was somewhere at the beginning of writing season two that it became clear we were heading there,” continues Patrick McKay.
The showrunners say the final choice was largely emotional:
“It’s incredibly emotional. I remember when we first saw the assembly of that scene where Dan Weyman names himself and says: ‘Gandalf,’ I got chills and cried,” adds Payne.
J.D. Payne says it was “like meeting a hero of his childhood”:
“This character is so beloved across many different mediums. He’s in the books, in Peter Jackson’s films, and then he comes and reaches ‘adulthood.’ Going through the growth process and then really becoming himself at the end of the season, declaring and proclaiming himself, was a really emotional process.”
By the way, the showrunners have spoken about the Dark Wizard and confirmed again that he is not Saruman:
“We can definitively say that he is not Saruman. Absolutely, 100% not. … I think we can say that we know who he is,” says Payne.
So all the fan theories about the Stranger were not so off the mark. Probably, the various hints throughout both seasons were not so futile either.