**This post contains SPOILERS for The Rings of Power's Last Episode**

One of the biggest secrets in The Rings of Power is the true identity of the Stranger. After arriving in a fireball and using different types of magic, the show did just about everything but directly calling him Sauron. While it was clear he was someone important and powerful, the cold open for the last episode sent everything for a spin.

Related: The Rings of Power: What Does Udun Mean?

In the opening, the white robed people declare the Stranger is Sauron. After his initial hesitance at the claim, he eventually gathers his strength to fight them back, after which they call him "Istar." The Stranger is then able to not only overpower but also banish the white robbed people, and they turn into skeletal specters and vanish. Later in that episode while talking to Nori, he claims the word Istar is their equivalent to the word "Wizard."

The Angel-Like Wizards

Rings of Power The Stranger With Staff Controlling Fire

While the word itself means wizard, the Istar have a much larger role in Middle-earth. After seeing the rise of Sauron's power, the Valar -- the powers that watch over the world -- decide to send down spirits to help the people fight the darkness. These spirits came wielding great power, and they had rules as to what they could and could not do while in Middle-earth.

A total of 5 Istar are sent to Middle-earth with three of them known widely by fans: Saruman, Gandalf, and Radagast. Two other Istar were sent to Middle-earth, but they do not play significant roles. While the Istar's goal is to help the people fight Sauron, they are given the strict rules to not directly face Sauron or to use their power to rule over the people of Middle-earth. The five Istar also are known as The High Council.

Saruman is the leader of the Istar and The High Council, and he is the first to arrive in Middle-earth. After discovering Saruman's treachery and devotion to Sauron during the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gandalf removes him and becomes the new Head of The High Council. The Stranger being an Istar proves to be another variation from the established lore, as the Istar originally arrived in Middle-earth later during the Third Age.

Each of the Istar has an affinity to different types of magic. These differences allow them to interact and help the different groups within Middle-earth. Each Istar also wields a staff to help channel their magic and cast powerful spells.

By the end of the first season of The Rings of Power, it is now almost clear that the Stranger is likely Gandalf. His affinity for fire magic was one clue, and he tells Nori to follow her nose, the same thing Gandalf says in The Fellowship Of The Ring. The Stranger being Gandalf would also explain his future affinity towards the hobbits in later stories, as Nori and the other Harfoots help him realize his purpose and treat him kindly.

Next: The Rings Of Power: Who Is Morgoth