If you still haven't watched the season finale of The Rings of Power, "Alloyed," major spoilers follow.
The recent season finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power finally revealed that Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) was actually Sauron all along, and while we didn't get a definitive answer when it came to the identity of The Stranger (Daniel Weyman), his last line of dialogue to Nori appeared to confirm that he was Gandalf.
Or did it?
Interestingly, showrunners/writers JD Payne and Patrick McKay are still not willing to confirm anything when it comes to the mysterious "Meteor Man" beyond the fact that, yes, he is one of the five Istari/Wizards.
"So, the answer [to the question of The Stranger's true identity] is there is no point at which [audiences should think], 'He's a wizard, oh great, everything's cool,'" Payne said during an appearance on the show's official podcast. "Because wizards can be as evil and as dangerous, they can be rivals for Sauron or allies of Sauron, and The Stranger's journey will continue. So, I think that's an open question still, though I do think by the end of the eighth episode, he sure seems like a force for good."
McKay agreed with Payne, noting that, like Sauron, The Stranger and the other Wizards are Maia spirits and are also subject to corruption.
Could the Gandalf tease ("when in doubt, always follow your nose") be a fake-out? It's certainly possible, and would actually make more sense since Sauruman - the Istar who was ultimately corrupted into joining forces with the Dark Lord - arrived to Middle-earth before Gandalf in Tolkien's lore, and was a force for good right up until the events of War of the Ring.
It looks like we're just going to have to wait and see how Nori and The Stranger's journey progresses in season 2, but be sure to share your thoughts and theories in the comments down below.