Who is Istar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?

Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power recently saw the release of its second season, which has revealed further details about the Istari. According to LOTR lore, Istar refers to the ‘wise one,’ or a ‘wizard,’ a term that came from the Elvish Quenyan language. It refers to a group of five wizards who were sent to Middle-Earth by Valar to aid people in their war against Sauron.

The new episodes were released at a time when fans were still stunned by the revelations that came up in the season 1 finale, which confirmed the identity of Sauran. The finale also revealed that the Stranger is a wizard and not the dark lord, as initially teased on the show.

His identity was confirmed as ‘the other, the Istar, one of the three evil acolytes who serve the dark lord.' Further, in season 2, the Stranger and Nori are seen embarking on a journey to Rhun. On the way, they meet the Dark Wizard, who has been speculated to be another Istar, bringing up the question at hand.

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The Stranger is the sixth member of Istari, but what are his powers?

Istar are Maiar spirits who appear as elderly men. These men are powerful, angelic beings who possess immense strength and knowledge. Instead of being sent as warriors to aid the war against Sauron, they were sent to guide and inspire Middle-earth beings to resist the influence of the Dark Lord.

In LOTR, there are a total of five Istari. This includes Saruman the White, who was the first to arrive in the Middle-earth and become the leader of the group. However, instead of serving his purpose, he eventually gets influenced by Sauron and seeks the One Ring for himself. The second member of the Istari is Gandalf the Grey.

Gandalf becomes the ringbearer, making him Gandalf the White. In addition, he becomes the leader of Middle-earth post the fall of Saruman. A fan-favorite character, he is the biggest ally of the Free Peoples in their war against darkness,

Next, it is Radagast the Brown, who was known for his love for animals and plants, playing a minor role in the battle.

Alatar and Pallando, known as the Blue Wizards, are the other two members of the Istari. The two were last known to have ventured to the far East, with some legends claiming that the two have also strayed from their original mission, under Sauron’s influence.

Now, with The Stranger also revealed to be an Istar, he becomes the sixth member of the group to be introduced to LOTR lore. The magical powers of this group include the ability to cast illusions, manipulate minds, and heal physical bodies.

Further, they also carry specific staves that amplify their powers. While the Istars are trained in combat, they choose to use wisdom and persuasion to avoid conflicts. Physical force is a final resort that they use. Gandalf, of course, is an exception to this rule.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see what kind of role the Stranger plays in The Rings of Power. The Istar arrived in Middle-earth inside a meteor and was seen attempting to learn more about his powers and origin. This led to him crossing paths with Nori and the Dark Wizard.

The Dark Wizard in itself may be another Istar, which will align with the rumored fate of the Blue Wizards. Upcoming episodes of The Rings of Power season 2 can be expected to result in the revelation of new characters and the eventual side that they end up choosing.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now available on Amazon Prime.