Everything else are Non-Canon Drafts that were never completed. Only the Appendices, LotR and The Hobbit are Canon. Neither are absolute Canon and both can be used as seen fit. Unfinished Tales like Peoples of Middle Earth is a set of Drafts on Tolkien Lore. Unfinished Tales is the source that claims they all showed up in the Third Age while Peoples of Middle Earth claims that the Blue Wizards showed up during the Second Age.

So! Saruman and the Blue Wizards’ expertise involved Craftwork(Saruman) and Eastern Matters(Blue Wizards) which is why they were sent during the Second Age since that was Sauron’s focus.

He understood Animals and their Languages well enough even if Radagast was even more knowledgeable. Yes! Gandalf understood Nature quite well. That was why they were sent during the Third Age as that was the only time that Sauron & his followers were meddling in their Sphere of Knowledge. Gandalf and Radagast were sent in answer to Sauron’s meddling with Nature. Saruman came first and alone then came the Blue Wizards & Glorfindel and then the 3 Wizards went to the East with Saruman coming back alone early Third Age to greet Gandalf and Radagast who had arrived following the rise of Dol Guldur. Saruman and the Blue Wizards were supposed to be in the Second Age according to Peoples of Middle Earth(one of the History of Middle Earth Books) being joined by Glorfindel. We know from the traditional lore that the Istari/Wizards don’t show up till early Third Age, The reason I believe he's already in Middle Earth at the start of the series is because of Celebrimbor's extreme need to build this new fantastical forge in such a hurry. Also, he's known as Annatar the Fair in the Second Age, and Mystery Man doesn't fit the bill in my mind. Were it him, I feel he wouldn't want to announce to the whole world that he's back by crashing to the ground as a falling star. think he's already in Middle Earth at the start of Episode 1, he's just been in hiding, and still is - to an extent.

Landing amidst some Hobbits to befriend, seemingly having some kind of magical influence, beard, etc. But I feel like they're trying *too* hard to make it seem like Gandalf. We know from the traditional lore that the Istari/Wizards don't show up till early Third Age, but they have had to do some time compressing for the show, so that's a monkey wrench. Spoilers Mystery Man!! I've been doing a lot of thinking on that one. House of the Dragon has been pretty darn good so far for me, although that whole marriage debacle had my inner Elliot Stabler all in a tizzy.

Covenants by Lorna Freeman