‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ Season 3 Episode 3 Recap: Good Wizard Gone Bad

Gandalf learns that the Dark Wizard is Pallando, a Blue Wizard who killed his fellow wizard Alatar and turned against his original purpose. A divine voice tells Gandalf that his mission is to save Pallando and help him fight Sauron, rather than simply defeat him, setting up a more complicated conflict.

Elsewhere, Galadriel, Arondir and Marnûkh continue their journey, but two of Sauron’s riders nearly catch them. Galadriel distracts the riders with a swarm of butterflies, allowing the group to escape, though one rider sends a black messenger bird after them. The episode also draws on familiar character dynamics and scenes from earlier Lord of the Rings adaptations.