The Possible Theories Around “Meteor Man” Explained: Why Does He Mutter “Ure Mana”? What Does It Mean?

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A lot of speculation has been made about the identity of the “Meteor Man,” who crashed near the establishment of the Harfoots in the first episode of “The Rings of Power.” There is no mention of such a man in the written texts of J.R.R. Tolkien, which has made the fans all the more curious. So, let’s try to theorize who this anonymous man could be and what his purpose was behind coming to Middle Earth.

Spoilers Ahead


The Arrival Of The Meteor Man: Was It A Coincidence?

Things were changing on Middle Earth. There were people who considered it an omen, and there were others who just wanted to overlook it. These changes and uncanny developments were not merely the figment of the imagination of a superstitious mind. There was proper evidence that something was not right in the world. Nobody in the first two episodes of “The Rings of Fire” is able to ascertain what exactly is wrong, but there is an intuitive feeling among men, Harfoots, and even the Elves, though it is still very primitive and uncorroborated. In Rhovanion, the wilderlands situated east of the Anduin, we see two hunters having a conversation and meandering near the place where the Harfoots were camping. There was nothing to hunt, and they felt that there was some danger that was lurking amidst the tall grasses of the highlands. Sadoc Burrows was no less than a cicerone for the inquisitive Harfoots. He used to study patterns and assess what was forthcoming. The hunters had come a bit early this time, and Sadoc and his colleagues considered it a bad omen. Sadoc’s colleague, Malva, was of the opinion that they should migrate to a different place as soon as possible. But Sadoc didn’t want to act in haste and then later regretted it. He wanted to understand the situation fully and then take any decision.

Meanwhile, in the Southlands, the lands of men, Bronwyn’s son, Theon, had a weapon with a head that looked like a trident. It lit up when he took it out of the hiding place and held it in his hand. It was similar to the secret sigil that Galdreil had found out. The Southlands also saw the arrival of an orc, though they were not able to cause any damage or inflict any harm, as Bronwyn severed its head. Arondir, one of the elves, stationed in Tirharad, found out that the grasslands were getting poisoned, and the animals which were grazing on them had started lactating a black sticky liquid. Everything that was happening couldn’t have been a coincidence. The High King was in denial, but Sauron was rising from the dark abyss. His sigils were seen at places, and there were indications that he would soon wage a war in Middle Earth.

A “Meteor” was seen in the sky, and it fell near the establishment of the Harfoots. Elanor ‘Nori’ Brandyfoot and Poppy Proudfellow followed it to find out that it had formed a crater where it had fallen. In the middle of the crater, a man lay in an unconscious state. There was fire surrounding him on all sides, and it felt like he had not survived the fall. Nori was curious to know who the man was, and she was not ready to leave him to his fate. She wanted to help him out because that was what she had always been taught by her father.


What Does “Ure Mana” Mean? Who Could The Meteor Man Possibly Be?

When Nori asks the Meteor Man (Daniel Weyman) about his identity, he makes a symbol on the ground and says the phrase “Ure Mana” repetitively. It was said that a constellation named “Valacirca” was one of the most important ones in Middle Earth. The constellation was also referred to as “Ursa Major.” Varda, the queen of Valor, used the same constellation as a sign of defiance against Morgoth and warned him about the doom that awaited him and also challenged his authority. Maybe the Meteor Man, through the constellations, was trying to warn the Middle Earth of the evil that was rising, and because he didn’t know the tongue of the residents of Middle Earth, he was trying to communicate in whatever way he could. He tries to create constellations through the fireflies in the lantern of Nori. Poppy and Nori didn’t understand what it meant, but they knew that the secret to the arrival of the Meteor Man lay in those stars. Maybe he knew that Sauron was going to build his fortress in Mordor and wage a war, deadlier and more terrifying than anything ever witnessed before.

Alternatively, the origin of the word “mana” can also be traced back to Maori and Hawaiian history. The word has a spiritual connotation and is often used to denote power and strength. In Maori culture, it was said that a person could lose or gain “mana” through their own decisions and the path they take in life. Maybe the Meteor Man was trying to tell Nori that he needed to find something to get back his strength and his powers. We saw that he was able to use his supernatural powers only for a few moments, and then instantly got exhausted and fell to the ground. Though the identity of the Meteor Man, referred to as The Stranger, is still unknown, there are clues and hints given by the makers, based on which we are going to make certain assumptions. 

The Meteor Man could hear whispers, just like Frodo did in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, whenever he wore the ring. Though the man had no clue who he was, he might have gotten a vision of the terrible things that were going to happen on Middle Earth. He didn’t know where he came from or if others like him existed. Contrary to the speculations made, in my opinion, the Meteor Man was not evil. He had a purpose and probably had come down to save Middle Earth from the wrath of Sauron. Yes, sometimes his powers did lead to not so likable occurrences, like twisting the ankle of Nori’s father, but that could be because he didn’t know how to use his powers in a controlled manner, and maybe he didn’t intend to harm the innocent dwellers of Middle Earth. 

Maybe he was a fallen angel. It feels like the Meteor Man could be an Ainur, the holy beings created by Eru Iluvatar. It was said that Eru Iluvatar, through a secret fire known as the Flame Imperishable, created the Ainurs. Nori didn’t get burnt by the fire that was surrounding the Meteor Man. She realized that there was something magical about it. The world was created when the Ainur sang a complex song, together in harmony. When we see the top shot of the Meteor Man lying in the middle of the fire, it gives us a feeling that it was a symbolic representation of that same harmony that the Ainurs had among them. The Ainurs could be divided into Valar and Maiar.

The Meteor Man could be a Maiar, just like Sauron and Gandalf, and his fall and him crossing the realms, might have led to the loss of his memory. Maybe with time, he would learn to speak the tongue of the Harfoots and communicate with them the message that might help them turn events in their favor in the forthcoming battle.


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Sushrut Gopesh
Sushrut Gopesh
I came to Mumbai to bring characters to life. I like to dwell in the cinematic world and ponder over philosophical thoughts. I believe in the kind of cinema that not necessarily makes you laugh or cry but moves something inside you.

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