Schrödinger’s Gandalf: The creators of «The Lord of the Rings» didn’t know who the Stranger would become until the second season
The finale of the second season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” revealed that the Stranger is Gandalf. But the showrunners were unsure who to make him. In an interview with Gamesradar, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay talked about their deliberations over which wizard to make the stranger.