Tolkien wrote about five wizards:
These were sent by the Valar to help and assist the peoples of Middle-earth against Sauron as he gathered his forces during the Third Age. The five known Istari were: Curumo, a Maia of Aulë Olórin, a Maia of Manwë and Varda (held by Círdan the Shipwright to be the wisest of the Order).
GANDALF THE GREY - One of the most powerful Wizards in all of Middle-earth, Gandalf the Grey joins the quest to reclaim the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the great treasure that lies within its stone halls from a fire-breathing dragon, Smaug the Terrible.
The five members of the Order included Saruman the White (who was the leader), Gandalf the Grey (who became the new leader after defeating the Balrog and being reborn as Gandalf the White), Radagast the Brown (a nature lover), and The Blue Wizards whose names were revealed in Tolkien's Unfinished Tales as Alatar and ...
The Blue Wizards Arrived First
The first Istari sent to Middle-earth to fight against Sauron are the two blue wizards named Alatar and Pallando. Alatar had been chosen by the Valar Orome, the hunter. Alatar didn't want to go alone, though, so he asked his friend Pallando to join him.
But the most puzzling characters on Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power—at least to date—may be the three witches in white who are played by Edith Poor, Bridie Sisson, and Kali Kopae. Perhaps it's more accurate to call them cultists or evil-doers.
Tolkien wrote about five wizards: Gandalf the Gray, Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown, and two unnamed Blue Wizards.
He was one of the Maiar of Valinor, specifically, one of the people of the Vala Manwë; he was said to be the wisest of the Maiar. He was closely associated with two other Valar: Irmo, in whose gardens he lived, and Nienna, the patron of mercy, who gave him tutelage.
Sauron was a Maiar spirit, and Melkor's greatest servant. He was only less evil than his master in that once he served another Valar, and not himself. He became known as The Great Deceiver, and wrought generations of terror and woe upon the free peoples of Middle-earth. Gandalf truly feared Sauron.
Galadriel has very strong magical powers, and she is said to be the greatest of the Ñoldor after Fëanor. The majority of her powers come from her Ring of Power, Nenya, the Ring of Water.
Saruman The White
Saruman is a complex wizard who could be considered one of the weakest characters since he gave up serving the side of good, and as Aragorn said, ceased to be "as great as his fame made him."
In his prime, Dumbledore truly had no equal who could best him in a one-on-one wizarding duel. Even though he might seem like an old man, his wizarding power is on a completely different level. Gandalf is probably the most powerful opponent he'd ever face, but Dumbledore wouldn't go down without a fight.
Galadriel was arrogant and rebellious in her younger years, but she later founded and ruled the kingdom of Lothlórien. She grew to be one of the most powerful Elves in Tolkien's universe thanks to the wisdom she gained throughout her long life.
Both Morgoth and Sauron managed to inflict significant damage upon the world and their enemies before their downfall, but Morgoth was undoubtedly the more powerful of the two.
The Blue Wizards
Tolkien stated that five wizards were sent to Middle Earth. Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast make appearances in the core story, but two other wizards are only briefly mentioned: The Blue Wizards. This pair, named Alatar and Pallando, provide a perfect canvas for “The Rings of Power” series.
As a wizard, Gandalf's magical power is in light and fire, which he is able to manipulate by casting beams of light, starting and directing fires, and more.
Gandalf the Grey fought the Balrog, allowing the Fellowship to escape Moria. Both fell into the abyss, but the battle continued at the peak of Zirakzigil. It ended with the demon slain, however Gandalf also died.
The death of the white wizard Saruman differs slightly from Tolkien's original book Return of the King to Peter Jackson's film adaptation of the same name. But although the whereabouts and the circumstances change between the two, both versions agree that Saruman is killed by Grima Wormtongue.
Saruman, also known as Saruman the White, is the one Istari Sauron was able to lure into his service. While Saruman was Sauron's ally, the Wizard had the ultimate goal of taking the Ring and wielding its powers for himself.
That's revealed to be the Necromancer, who is himself later revealed to be Sauron.
Get a refresher on Elrond Half-elven, the Lord of Rivendell, ahead of his appearance in Prime Video's The Rings of Power. If you love J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, then you know that all of the events of the story would be impossible without the half-Elf Elrond.
There is also the reasoning that Gandalf was not known for his journeys in the east (the Elven name for the Eastlands is Rhûn), this is where the Blue Wizards were said to journey to, which is part of the reason they have not featured in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit tales, apart from in passing.