By the end of its first season, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power all but confirmed that the mysterious Stranger (Daniel Weyman) was none other than Gandalf himself. If his magic powers, gray clothing, and affection for the Hobbit-like Harfoots weren’t indicators enough, him directly quoting Ian McKellen’s Gandalf in the finale — saying “if in doubt, always follow your nose” — sealed the deal.
However, as The Rings of Power Season 2 kicks off, the Stranger still has no clue who he is. That’s why he, Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), and Poppy Proudfellow (Megan Richards) are following a star map to the Eastern land of Rhûn. Maybe there, they can find answers about who the Stranger is, including, crucially, his name.
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In episode 2, Nori does her best to workshop some possible names for the Stranger. Suggestions include Doderic, Andwise, and Fredegar. While the Stranger isn’t feeling any of those, the names are fun nods to Hobbits briefly mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: Doderic Brandybuck is a relative of Merry, Andwise Roper is Sam’s uncle, and Fredegar Bolger (aka “Fatty” Bolger) is a good friend of Frodo’s, and later Merry’s brother-in-law.
However, Nori says something else in episode 2 that’s a clearer hint at the Stranger’s name — even if she doesn’t realize it at the time. As Poppy wonders why the Stranger can’t just magically create food and water for them, Nori reminds her that he needs a stick or staff of some kind to harness his power, saying “he’s afraid he’d lose control again without a gand.”
Now hold on just a minute! A “gand”? As in “Gand”alf? That’s it, we’ve cracked the code!
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But “gand” — from the Old Norse “gandr,” meaning “staff,” “wand,” or even “magic” — is so much more than just a word that sounds similar to Gandalf. It’s a key part of the etymology of Gandalf’s name, and it could be a clue as to what the Stranger’s quest in Rhûn will entail.
Why is a “gand” so important in The Rings of Power?
Daniel Weyman in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”
Credit: Ben Rothstein / Prime Video
Tolkien didn’t come up with the name Gandalf on his own. Instead, he tweaked a name from a section of the Norse poem Völuspá titled the “Catalogue of Dwarves.” (This is also where most of the dwarves’ names from The Hobbit came from.) Name-wise, the inspiration for Gandalf was a dwarf named Gandálfr, which combines “gandr” and “álfr,” meaning elf. Basically, “Gandálfr” means “elf with a wand.”
Being the language lover that he was, Tolkien preserved that meaning in his own works. He wrote in his Unfinished Tales that the name Gandalf means “Elf of the Wand,” in reference to both Gandalf’s staff and Men’s misconception that he was an Elf. (Notably, “Gandalf” is just the name Men came to know the wizard by. He has other names, including Olórin, his name in Valinor, and Mithrandir, the name given to him by the Elves.)
By mentioning the Stranger’s need for a gand in episode 2, The Rings of Power positions the search for a staff as a key part of his quest moving forward. Add to that his episode 1 dream of a shapeshifting staff calling to him, and we’re officially on staff watch.
So where is Gandalf going to find a staff in Rhûn? Could he fashion one from those gnarled trees all around the desert? Might he receive one as a gift? And perhaps most pressingly, will he understand how a gand relates to his name as soon as he takes up his staff? Or, like in Tolkien’s work, will he earn that name from Men he encounters on his journeys?