The Stranger’s “Mana Úrë” line in The Rings of Power is a question in Elvish

*WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Rings of Power*

The opening episodes of The Rings of Power are tinged in mystery as, despite assurances from the Elves, evil is beginning to stir again in Middle-earth.

Unusual events are starting to occur, most notably the arrival of a meteor in Rhovanion near to the Harfoots’ camp which brings with it a mysterious Stranger.

After his fiery crash-landing, Nori attempts to communicate with the nameless new arrival but is met with a wave of bellowing shouts, undiscernible grunts and hastily scratched scribbles.

However, the Stranger does eventually utter two words to Nori, “Mana” and “Úrë,” but what exactly do these words mean in The Rings of Power?  

The Stranger’s arrival in The Rings of Power

In the final moments of episode 1, a flaming meteor can be seen shooting across the skies of Middle-earth before crashing into the ground near the Harfoots’ camp in the forests of Rhovanion.

But the meteor isn’t simply a lump of rock. After smashing into the ground, it’s revealed to have brought a mysterious and bearded man to Middle-earth, who is officially titled the Stranger.

The ever-curious Nori Brandyfoot investigates the new arrival and finds that the fiery crash site is not actually hot.

Later, with the help of Poppy Proudfellow, Nori moves the Stranger from the burning circle and provides him with shelter and food.

However, Nori’s attempts to learn more about the mysterious Stranger are curtailed as he is unable to speak her language but it’s clear this being possesses some kind of magic as his shouts carry a huge amount of force and he is able to talk to fireflies and get them to do his bidding, similar to how Gandalf uses a moth to call the Eagles in The Fellowship of the Ring.

What does ‘Mana Úrë’ mean in The Rings of Power?

The only words that the Stranger says to Nori are “Mana úrë.”

These words are spoken in the Elven language of Quenya and according to Tolkien Gateway, translate into the question: “What is heat?”

While it may seem an unusual question, it must be remembered that the Stranger’s fiery crash site was not actually hot, so him emerging into the world will likely be his first experience of heat.

Theory: The phrase could offer a clue about the Stranger’s identity

In the opening moments of episode 1, when Galadriel and her team of Elves find the snowy fortress where Sauron once took refuge, she explains that there is so much evil there that it is drowning out the heat from their torches.

Could this also be a hint to suggest the Stranger is a being of great evil and is similarly averse to heat as well? Perhaps.

Another theory around the Stranger suggests that he could be one of Maiar, who are angel-like beings in Tolkien lore, some of whom were sent to Middle-earth as the Wizards to fight against evil.

If this is the case, then the Stranger could simply be attempting to learn about his new surroundings after arriving in Middle-earth in corporeal form for the first time.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video after premiering on September 2, 2022.

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