Who in Middle-earth is Rhun's Dark Wizard? For a few seasons now, the identity of Ciarán Hinds' staff-wielding ruler served as one of The Rings of Power's biggest mysteries. Now, as of the third episode of season 3, we have an answer – and a satisfying one at that.
Those who have buried their heads in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and other assorted materials may very well be familiar with the person once tasked with saving Middle-earth from Sauron's iron grip. For those of you who aren't – or need a refresher – we dig into who exactly the Dark Wizard is, as well as why his reveal is so important.
If you're hunting for answers of a different kind, we have a guide on where Rings of Power season 3 takes place on the Lord of the Rings timeline, as well as our round-up of current best shows on Prime Video.
Who is the Dark Wizard?
After years of speculation, we now know that Ciarán Hinds' Dark Wizard is Pallando, a Blue Wizard. No, not Saruman, Radagast, or any other leading theory – just Pallando.
Pallando is certainly a key figure in Middle-earth's Second Age, but doesn't feature in either The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, so you can be forgiven for not knowing who he is.
As the Secret Fire tells Gandalf, Pallando was "one of five servants to save Middle-earth", along with Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and his fellow Blue Wizard, Alatar.
The pair were sent to the east of Middle-earth, but Pallando craved further power and murdered Alatar. That death caused Rhun to turn into a desert wasteland in the Second Age.
Gandalf, though, isn't here to kill Pallando. The Secret Fire – an energy that created Middle-earth – tasks the wizard with bringing Pallando back from the side of darkness to help prevent Rhun's forces from aligning with Sauron.
Pallando is only mentioned by name in Tolkien's posthumous writings (most notably, Unfinished Tales, which The Rings of Power takes inspiration from here), with the Prime Video series fleshing out his history for the very first time in a mainstream production.
What happens next to Pallando is unclear – and isn't documented by Tolkien or his estate. A perfect opportunity, then, for The Rings of Power to carve out its own story.
The Rings of Power season 3 is now streaming on Prime Video. For a look at what future episodes are dropping, you'll need The Rings of Power season 3 release schedule.
