MOVIE NEWS – The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power series has ended, but there are still open questions. For example, who could be the mysterious “Dark Wizard”? In addition, it is possible that the future of the series is not as sure as we thought…

The second season of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has come to an end, and while it had its fun and memorable moments, it’s very loosely handled by J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. This may be difficult for many fans, as the series has a unique interpretation of not only the narrative but also the iconic characters of Middle-earth.

One of the most controversial cases is the mysterious “Dark Wizard” appearing in the second season. With his long beard, white robes and staff in hand, his presence and demeanour are reminiscent of Saruman. Many fans believe that this character is actually Saruman, who later betrays the Order of the Istari and sides with Sauron. However, the creators of the series seem to want everyone to doubt this…

Who is Saruman and why is he thought to be the mysterious character?

Since the appearance of Ciarán Hinds, who plays the character, there have been many theories among fans. Most people believe that this mysterious “Dark Wizard” is none other than Saruman. However, the creators of the series have played with the identity of the characters before, such as in the case of the “Stranger”, who was only revealed to be Gandalf after two seasons, even though he was hinted at before. It’s possible that the hints of Saruman are just a diversion.

Saruman is one of the Istari, the five “wizards” who came to Middle-earth, sent by the Valar to help in the fight against Sauron. He is initially a wise and powerful leader, but because of his ambition, he is seduced by the power of the One Ring. Before the events of The Lord of the Rings, Saruman had not yet shown his true colours. Ostensibly, he is an ally in the fight against Sauron, but secretly he wants to gain the power of the Ring for himself. Saruman is essentially a master manipulator who only later reveals his true nature.

The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age, long before the events of The Lord of the Rings. This raises the question: is it possible that Saruman is already present in this period when he officially arrives in Middle-earth only in the Third Age? The creators of the series have changed Tolkien’s chronology before, such as with the early appearance of Gandalf. If they’ve done it, why not Saruman?

From what can we deduce the identity of the “Dark Wizard”?

The main theory that this character is Saruman is based on his appearance and behaviour. Since its release, its aura has been impressive. His presence and dark features inevitably remind me of Christopher Lee’s Saruman. Hinds’ “Dark Wizard” appears with a long beard, bright clothes and a staff. It is easy to imagine a younger Saruman already seduced by the promise of ambition and power.

The character’s behaviour also caught the attention of fans. He is arrogant and distrustful and seems to be possessed by dark powers. Of course, not everything is so simple. Although many are convinced that it is Saruman, there are equally strong arguments that it is not him. First, according to Tolkien’s official chronology, Saruman arrives in Middle-earth in the Third Age. Although the series did change some events, changing such an important moment in the Istari’s history could lead to even stronger criticism of the series’ narrative liberties.

Another key point is that Saruman maintains his benevolent guise for a long time in The Lord of the Rings before revealing his true intentions.

This “Dark Wizard” is openly hostile from the beginning, especially towards hobbits. (This is another characteristic shared by Saruman). Saruman worked closely with the Elves and other Istari before his betrayal. If this character is already overtly evil, it wouldn’t fit with Saruman’s known story.

Who could the character be if not Saruman?

Since the “Dark Wizard” has not yet been clearly identified as Saruman, there have been other theories about who he might be. Some fans believe that he is one of the “Blue Wizards,” Alatar or Pallando—later Morinehtar and Rómestámo —about whom Tolkien writes little. These mages were also sent to Middle-earth to fight Sauron, but their fate is unknown, and their time of arrival is disputed, leaving room for interpretation.

Another theory is that the character is an original character from the series: an entirely new villain who fits into the plot. While this may disappoint some fans, it would fit in with how the series handles Tolkien’s original material to tell its own version of the story of Middle-earth.

In recent interviews with The Hollywood Reporter and Vanity Fair, the creators of the series hinted that not everything is what it seems about this character. Rings of Power showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay have suggested that the character may not end up being Saruman, despite fan speculation. They stated that it “wouldn’t make sense for him to be Saruman” and that, given the history of Middle-earth, it was “very, very, very unlikely” that the character would be the famous “White Wizard”. These statements hint that the character may have an even more surprising identity that has yet to be revealed.

Can they cancel The Rings of Power?!

Although Rings of Power was reportedly renewed for a third season a few days ago, some comments from the producers were missing to give the news more credence, especially in light of the rumours that the series has performed poorly and is, therefore, about to be cancelled. Finally, a few hours ago, an interview with Jennifer Salke, director of Amazon Studios, was published, which reveals that the Lord of the Rings prequel series still enjoys their full support.

The 50-episode plan of the series will not change.

The executive again made it clear that nothing has changed in the original plan, and the series will consist of 50 episodes.

“I don’t think so. [That] commitment is never the thing that’s driving what we’re doing. We’ll continue to make the show as long as we see global customers loving it and watching it to the point where — it is a business. Obviously, we need a large amount of people showing up. And there are a large amount of people, so there’s no debate about whether or not the show will continue.”

Salke emphasizes that at least 55 million people watched the second season of the fantasy series. So the company still believes it’s a franchise worth supporting for long-term revenue. In fact, they were also asked whether they might take over the rights to The Lord of the Rings, taking advantage of the fact that the owners, the Embracer Group, are not doing well financially. His response: “We’re always looking into options, but I don’t have anything to share.”

So far, no details have been released about the third season, when filming might start, and when it might air on TV. But if all goes well, it could theoretically arrive in 2026, with a 2025 shoot.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Variety