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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
Jan 20, 12:17am
Post #1 of 16
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The Identity of the Dark Wizard Revealed
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I tried to post this as part of a larger thread, maybe it will work better as a new post.
From Fellowship of Fans. I'll just post a short excerpt, go to the full article for details::
EXCLUSIVE: The Dark Wizard’s identity revealed for The Rings of Power Season 3 January 18, 2026 News  EXCLUSIVE: Ciarán Hinds plays ‘PALLANDO’ the Blue Wizard, now turned dark, in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3. He is one of the five members of the Order of Wizards—known as the Istari—a group that will be referenced in the show.
I like this reveal and just wish that the Stranger had turned out to be Alatar, the other Blue Wizard, instead of Gandalf.
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Tony Isabella
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Lissuin
Doriath
Jan 20, 11:21am
Post #2 of 16
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That's what I expect to see in a Ciarán Hinds Blue Wizard.
I'm going to thoroughly enjoy watching him weave his masterful machinations - to the sound of that voice!
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Noria
Hithlum
Jan 28, 10:20pm
Post #3 of 16
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Interesting news about Pallando. I always thought that the Dark Wizard was most likely one of the Blues but it’s good to know for sure and to learn his name. It’s especially good to have it out there that he’s not Saruman, as some suggested. I’ll be happy to see more of Ciarán Hinds.
So where is the other Blue wizard, Alatar? I had hoped that the Stranger was a Blue Wizard until it became clear that he was Gandalf. IMO, it would have been more interesting to see the story of the two Blue wizards. But, as Corey Olsen pointed out and I agree, Gandalf is performing the same function. I wonder if Alatar will make an appearance?
And I’m glad to see this site seems to be working well again.
The sun yet shines
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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
Jan 29, 2:56am
Post #4 of 16
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Interesting news about Pallando. I always thought that the Dark Wizard was most likely one of the Blues but it’s good to know for sure and to learn his name. It’s especially good to have it out there that he’s not Saruman, as some suggested. I’ll be happy to see more of Ciarán Hinds.
So where is the other Blue wizard, Alatar? I had hoped that the Stranger was a Blue Wizard until it became clear that he was Gandalf. IMO, it would have been more interesting to see the story of the two Blue wizards. But, as Corey Olsen pointed out and I agree, Gandalf is performing the same function. I wonder if Alatar will make an appearance?
And I’m glad to see this site seems to be working well again. Well, the site was working better. It seems the 'bots are back.
i'm thinking that perhaps Pallando and Alatar have had a parting of ways with the latter going into the South (Harad). The Rings of Power could borrow from more than one source on the Blue Wizards with Pallando founding a cult around magical practices while Alatar remains faithful to the dual missions of attempting to locate Sauron's base and also inspiring resistance against the Dark Lord.
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Tony Isabella
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
Feb 6, 12:17am
Post #5 of 16
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And, surely we'll see Saruman at some point.
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Gandalf was the last Istar to arrive in Middle-earth. I can't see the show going all five seasons without Saruman making an appearance at some point.
With the proto-Hobbits moving back west, will Pallando follow them? I wouldn't like him to be stuck sitting on his throne out east and only chiding the failings of his minions who return to report on their doings. I'd like him to have a more active role in the story, if possible.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo
My LOTR fan-fiction
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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
Feb 6, 1:58am
Post #6 of 16
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Personally, I'd rather not see either Saruman or Radagast in The Rings of Power. We might even see Gandalf return to the Blessed Realm before the end of the show, only to return during the Third Age in the manner described in "The Tale of Years".
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Tony Isabella
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Michelle Johnston
Mithlond
Mar 5, 11:53pm
Post #7 of 16
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Thanks for starting this thread. You must have been tenacious because the site seemed to have banished us to the outer darkness.
In Season 2, we had Tom, who did not appear in the LOTR films, and now we have another authentic character. Several thoughts occur.
1) By naming him, that increases the chances of Alatar appearing. Alatar may be caught between Pallando and Gandalf in a tug of war for his soul. I mentioned Pallando's reflective look up at the Star sign at the end of S2. Two separate threads connected by a cross beam. Pallando is still waiting and for the Istar, who is his soul mate, "his old friend".
2) JCB will have more agency than merely the husband of Galadriel. I wonder if he will not only return a la Glorfindel but will also wear his story. That JCB is playing the part means his character is important. He could have an interesting role to play with the emerging Nazgul back from the land of the perpetual living.
I am fascinated to see how JCB's introduction affects Elrond and Arondir's place in the story.
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Doriath
Mar 7, 2:28pm
Post #8 of 16
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I always enjoy reading your posts.
'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
The Hall of Fire
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OldestDaughter
Mithlond
Mar 9, 3:17pm
Post #9 of 16
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Agreed. I'd be happier if both Saruman and Radagast are left out of the show
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Gandalf, I've gotten over being in the show, but I rather not see Saruman or Radagast in this. I rather it focus on Gandalf and the Blues only. But I guess we will see.
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OldestDaughter
Mithlond
Mar 9, 3:30pm
Post #10 of 16
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This actually made me really happy
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I was hoping he was one of the Blues and NOT Saruman, but now that he is Pallando, I would love to see Alatar. He would be the last wizard we haven't seen on screen between the show and movies.
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DGHCaretaker
Nargothrond
Mar 10, 4:53am
Post #11 of 16
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No one has mentioned the rights issue of the Blue Wizards that caused Gandalf to claim, "I've quite forgotten their names."
So as a public service, I asked Google, "Does Rings of Power have rights to the Blue Wizards?" And Google replied:
Yes, The Rings of Power has the rights to include the Blue Wizards. While Amazon's primary licensing covers The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, the production maintains a relationship with the Tolkien Estate, which can grant permission for specific elements from other works on a case-by-case basis.
Showrunners have confirmed that the character known as the "Dark Wizard" in the series is indeed one of the Blue Wizards. This inclusion differentiates the show from previous film adaptations, which were restricted by narrower licensing agreements that prevented the use of specific names or details regarding the Istari beyond the main narrative.
Google just gets its answers from other posts, but the production announcement makes it credible.
In other words, the Tolkien Estate continues its word by word Rights revenue center, promoting the continued fracturing of the legendarium. My guess - $1,000,000 per Blue Wizard name. The long view of this is that there will never be a complete retelling of Tolkien's works in our lifetime. However, the much longer view is that at least the Rights will expire someday, unappreciative descendants will no longer be able to milk the old cow, and our progeny will make up for lost time.
(This post was edited by DGHCaretaker on Mar 10, 4:55am)
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Noria
Hithlum
Mar 11, 7:46pm
Post #12 of 16
(564 views)
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I agree that Bowers will play a significant character and it might well be Celeborn. We don’t know who Galadriel will be after Sauron and her near-death experience, but surely her husband’s return will impact her old relationship with Elrond and her new one with Arondir. The joke will be on us if Bowers turns out to be playing Glorfindel.
Maybe the appearance of Pallandro makes it more likely that Alatar will show up. I hope so, though I’m reconciled to the idea that The Stranger is Gandalf and not a Blue Wizard. Your idea of a battle for Alatar’s soul (and power) is an interesting scenario.
I remember hearing some months ago, I don’t remember where, that the showrunners could negotiate with the Tolkien Estate for additional material on a case-by-case basis. It’s good, because otherwise they’d have to make even more stuff up. That access also enables them to surprise us with canon lore we didn’t know they could use.
Good to see you back, though I’m not here much myself due to both a lack of news and the difficulty in accessing the site.
The sun yet shines
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Felagund
Mithlond
Mar 14, 10:50pm
Post #13 of 16
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Very pleased to learn that the Dark Wizard appears to have been revealed as Pallando, and interested to see where things go from here. Getting this out of the way early: I still reckon the showrunners missed a trick in going for the option with the more immediate traction in terms of name recognition with audiences, ie. revealing the Stranger as Gandalf. They had a chance to go with something more interesting, in my view, in crafting a Pallando and Alatar story in the form of the Stranger and the Dark Wizard.
It's not just about 'lore' here for me but a genuine chance to tell a different story, not anchored to a well-known (and loved) character, Gandalf. It's more about narrative choices in a screenplay context. It would have helped to make TRoP more its own thing, I reckon. And also avoided a few long-range issues regarding Gandalf's later dealings with Saruman in the Jackson, Boyens & Walsh film trilogy. If we have TRoP Gandalf deal with an 'off-mission' Istar in the Second Age, why does he fall for (yet) another one in the (Jackson) Third? From a commercial point of view, I totally get why this has been done though: name recognition (Gandalf) is priceless, if lacking in creative flare - again, in my opinion. I also didn't need a backstory to why Gandalf loves hobbits but again, I get the pull factor from a commercial point of view.
Still, like you, I see potential in an Alatar sub plot, if Amazon fork out for further name/content rights.
Speaking of purchased rights to name content, interesting too that Amazon bought 'Pallando' rather than 'Rómestámo'. The show has made an effort on linguistics to date, and Rómestámo (Quenya: "East-helper") is a more obvious reference to the Rhûn setting, than Pallando.
And I can't express fulsomely enough how great it is to see you back on the Forum :)
PS Still really struggling to login and post, sadly.
Welcome to the Mordorfone network, where we put the 'hai' back into Uruk
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Michelle Johnston
Mithlond
May 9, 11:24am
Post #14 of 16
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I always enjoy reading your posts.
To be honest, I hadn't realised my post got through. It's only in the last few days of being in Tolkien's England that I can get on the site.
Going forward, I have to exercise more discipline and stay in my lane. Reading your posts is part of why I am here.
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Michelle Johnston
Mithlond
May 9, 11:30am
Post #15 of 16
(144 views)
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I agree that Bowers will play a significant character and it might well be Celeborn. We don’t know who Galadriel will be after Sauron and her near-death experience, but surely her husband’s return will impact her old relationship with Elrond and her new one with Arondir. The joke will be on us if Bowers turns out to be playing Glorfindel.
Maybe the appearance of Pallandro makes it more likely that Alatar will show up. I hope so, though I’m reconciled to the idea that The Stranger is Gandalf and not a Blue Wizard. Your idea of a battle for Alatar’s soul (and power) is an interesting scenario.
I remember hearing some months ago, I don’t remember where, that the showrunners could negotiate with the Tolkien Estate for additional material on a case-by-case basis. It’s good, because otherwise they’d have to make even more stuff up. That access also enables them to surprise us with canon lore we didn’t know they could use.
Good to see you back, though I’m not here much myself due to both a lack of news and the difficulty in accessing the site.
You're right about case by case. Fellowship of the Fans confirmed sometime ago that the Blues were in.
Thanks for your good wishes. Outside of the site, I am on a steep learning curve. On the site I will remain in lane.
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Michelle Johnston
Mithlond
May 9, 11:57am
Post #16 of 16
(141 views)
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Very pleased to learn that the Dark Wizard appears to have been revealed as Pallando, and interested to see where things go from here. Getting this out of the way early: I still reckon the showrunners missed a trick in going for the option with the more immediate traction in terms of name recognition with audiences, ie, revealing the Stranger as Gandalf. They had a chance to go with something more interesting, in my view, in crafting a Pallando and Alatar story in the form of the Stranger and the Dark Wizard.
It's not just about 'lore' here for me but a genuine chance to tell a different story, not anchored to a well-known (and loved) character, Gandalf. It's more about narrative choices in a screenplay context. It would have helped to make TRoP more its own thing, I reckon. And also avoided a few long-range issues regarding Gandalf's later dealings with Saruman in the Jackson, Boyens & Walsh film trilogy. If we have TRoP Gandalf deal with an 'off-mission' Istar in the Second Age, why does he fall for (yet) another one in the (Jackson) Third? From a commercial point of view, I totally get why this has been done, though: name recognition (Gandalf) is priceless, if lacking in creative flair - again, in my opinion. I also didn't need a backstory for why Gandalf loves hobbits, but again, I get the pull factor from a commercial point of view.
Still, like you, I see potential in an Alatar sub plot, if Amazon fork out for further name/content rights.
Speaking of purchased rights to name content, interesting too that Amazon bought 'Pallando' rather than 'Rómestámo'. The show has made an effort on linguistics to date, and Rómestámo (Quenya: "East-helper") is a more obvious reference to the Rhûn setting than Pallando.
And I can't express fully enough how great it is to see you back on the Forum :)
PS Still really struggling to log in and post, sadly.
In the last few days, I had been thinking about an opportunity the Blue Wizards provided ROP, and it's right inside your wheelhouse.
Mr Tolkien wrote about the challenge of the Istar being subject to the deceits of Middle-earth. Frodo, a ring bearer, recognises that in his gracious remarks about Saruman.
It is canon or near canon that the Blues failed, and there is/was a unique opportunity to explore that more thoroughly.
I would have had Alatar arrive confused, 'born' into Middle-earth and lonely, cut off from Aman and Orome, falling for experiments, even seduced by the Mystics (a residue of Morgoth's evil). His buddy Pallando turns up sailing into the Havens, and Alatar tries to turn him, and the drama is in the fight over the Eastern assets. Entwives.
Mr Tolkien came up with Morinehtar, darkness slayer, for R's buddy. I think that would have worked for a good blue. And R be the bad blue.
Leaving aside my arrogant musings, probably Gandalf will protect the Hobbits and Entwives, which fits in with his prior and deep knowledge of both it fits in with the showrunners expanding on things said in the LOTR, like Galadriel's refusal to treat with Sauron in the Third Age.
Mr Tolkien had a real knack for dialogue, giving it more meaning than the moment. Whenever Treebeard and Gandalf talk about each other, I always feel they had form. Hidden depths. It may be important that the rods of the five wizards are mentioned just once, and in front of Treebeard, who may have met the blues. I can see the SR's using that.
(This post was edited by Michelle Johnston on May 9, 12:04pm)
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