The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

admonition ! This article contains spoiler forThe Rings of Powerseason 2 , installment 4 !

The Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Powerseason 2 introduced Tom Bombadil , a orphic figure with deep roots in Middle - world ’s history . The strange being , who is not a Man , Elf , Dwarf , Wizard , or any other living thing in Tolkien ’s universe , was a feature of speech in theLord of the Ringsbooks but was leave out of Peter Jackson ’s moving picture trilogy . This create his debut appearance inThe Rings of Powerseason 2 , episode 4 all the more exciting . However , Tom Bombadil is still hide in mystery in the Prime Video series , and though the same is true in Tolkien ’s book , there is still a niggling more to sleep with .

InThe Rings of Powerseason 2 , sequence 4,the Stranger come across Tom Bombadilat a quaint small home in Rhûn . The mystic being sing some goofy Song dynasty and offered the Stranger some much - needed care while alsogiving some cryptic advice regarding the Istar ’s luck to face both the Dark Wizard and Sauron . When the Stranger asked preciselywhatBombadil was , Old Tom say that his own name was the only solution there was to give . This is on the dot what was state of Tom Bombadil inLord of the Rings , where he played a role in Frodo Baggins ' journey .

Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power Season 2 Poster Showing Charlie Vickers as Sauron

Tom Bombadil’s History In The Lord Of The Rings Lore Explained

Old Tom Is The Oldest Of The Old

Frodo and his fellow Hobbits met Tom Bombadil before long after leave theShire inLord of theRingswhen they traveled through the Old Forest . This was where Old Tom lived and held rule over the plants , animate being , and being that reside there . After being deliver by Bombadil , the Hobbits con that this being was more ancient than even the Old Forest and that he had come to Middle - worldly concern long before the Dark Lord ( Morgoth , in this grammatical case ) himself arrived . Still , it ’s never let on on the nose where Tom arrived from .

When Bombadil first come to Middle - earth , he cheat the state andbecame known to the Elves as Iarwain Ben - adar , intend " oldest and fatherless . “The other being of halfway - earth called him by different names , but it was n’t until Bombadil decide at Withywindle in the Old Forest that he was given his common name by the Bucklanders . While settling in the Old Forest , many spirits and creatures tried to trance Bombadil , but he possessed the power to crucify them with only his vox . curiously enough , this is how he met his wife , Goldberry , a river spirit who once pulled him into the water by his byssus .

What Powers & Abilities Tom Bombadil Has In The Lord Of The Rings

Tom Bombadil Has A Unique (& Strong) Sort Of Power

While Tom Bombadil seems to be an odd , pleasant puppet worthy of kinky folklore , he is , in Sojourner Truth , among themost powerful beings inThe Lord of the Rings . He is the only character with no veneration of the One Ring and even identify it on his fingerbreadth to no ominous effect . He was n’t tempted by it and did n’t become invisible , which is remarkable considering even Gandalf reject to touch Saruon ’s artillery for fear of corruption .

Bombadil ’s office was remark at the Council of Elrond inThe Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ringsince it was suggested that he could hide out away the One Ring or even deal with it himself .

Old Tom ’s power was n’t loud or gimcrack . Instead , he seemed to have an innate control over the thing around him . Bombadil ’s singing voice was the cardinal source of his magic , and his far-out lyrics allowed him to terminate Old Man Willow , a tree spirit , from harming the Hobbits . He even had the power to scare off the Barrow - wights with only his vox . Bombadil ’s ability was observe at the Council of Elrond inThe Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ringsince it was suggest that he could hide away the One Ring or even deal with it himself . However , Gandalf made it clear that Old Tom would not get involve in such matters .

A blurred image of The Shire from The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) behind images of Tom Bombadil and Nori from The Rings of Power (2022-)

Custom Image by Lewis Glazebrook

Tom Bombadil’s True Nature Is Still A Mystery

Tolkien Never Gave Many Answers About Tom Bombadil

Though Tom Bombadil is a belovedLord of the Ringscharacter , very picayune is known about him . Tolkien often went into great detail describing the ancient traditional knowledge of his character , but Bombadil was one that he left on purpose mystical . When call for who , what , and why Tom Bombadil was , the source had no more answer than the character himself — he is just Tom Bombadil and nothing more . Naturally , this has led to 10 of hypothesis regarding his true nature .

Some popular theories about Tom Bombadil suggest that he is the god ofLord of the Rings(Eru Iluvatar ) , the spirit of Middle - earth itself , or the visual representation of the Music of the Ainur .

The mystery surrounding Tom Bombadil ledPeter Jackson to bequeath the character out of hisLord of the Ringsmoviesentirely . Not only is the fictional character ’s lineage and nature a mystery , buthis connexion and grandness to the overall news report have always been a shade confusing . Bombadil is even a touch controversial , with someLord of the Ringsfans considering him an irreplaceable feature of Tolkien ’s books , while others struggle to see the detail in his eccentric . no matter , Rings of Powersaw fit to convey Tom Bombadil into the premix , and this has been an equally controversial pick .

Elijah Wood as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring

Why Tom Bombadil Is In Rhûn During The Rings Of Power Season 2

Rhûn Was A Surprising Place For Tom Bombadil To Appear

Tom Bombadil was never note inThe Silmarillionand did n’t play any specific role in the 2nd Age of Middle - world , which makes his appearance inRings of Powera surprisal . Of naturally , given the character ’s status as the one-time of the old , he sure as shooting would have been around during this period of time of in-between - earth ’s chronicle . Still , Prime Video surprised consultation by havingthe Stranger find Tom Bombadil in Rhûn rather than in the Old Forestwhere it has traditionally lived .

As a sort of spirit of nature , it relieve oneself some gumption that Bombadil would need to see the impact of the Dark Wizard and Sauron on the Edwin Herbert Land .

Rings of Powerseason 2 , episode 4 acknowledgment Withywindle , and Goldberry is discover let the cat out of the bag along with Tom Bomabdil from the other room , so it ’s discernible that the lineament has already launch his home in the Old Forest by this full point in the fib . However , he has , for some reason , traveled to Rhûn . While no definitive answer are given , the ancient being reveals that this Eastern realm of Middle - earth used to be green and bountiful but that evil had turned it dry and desolate . As a kind of spirit of nature , it makes some sense that Bombadil would want to see the shock of theDark Wizard and Sauron on the land .

Fangorn Forest in Lord of the Rings

How Tom Bombadil Connects To The Stranger’s Mission

Old Tom Has A Connection To The Istari Of Middle-earth

After the Stranger found Tom Bombadil , he notice the constellations etched on the roof and realise thathis dreams and visions had been leading here to the ancient being ’s home . As an Istar , or wizard , it ’s up to the Stranger to direct the beingness of Middle - ground against Sauron , and he is mean to practice magic to do this . However , the first ofRings of Powerseason 2 sees him struggle to operate his magic . Tom Bombadil ’s part is to teach the Stranger how to harness his powers , passively guiding the Istar on his journeying forward .

Bombadil also discover inThe Rings of Powerseason 2 , episode 4 that he had previously direct the Dark Wizard , indicating that this mysterious graphic symbol ’s use in Middle - earthly concern is now related to the Istari in general . While this still pass on much about Bombadil ’s nature and role in in-between - earth a whodunit , it ’s far more of ananswer than was ever provided inLord of the Rings . Of course , this in and of itself is a controversial divergence from canon onRings of Power ’s part .

How The Rings Of Power Changes Tom Bombadil Compared To Lord Of The Rings

Rings Of Power Has Changed The Nature Of Tom Bombadil’s Neutrality

Tom Bombadil makes it clear inThe Lord of the Ringsthat he does not intervene in the fight of good and evil . In fact , while he is a kindly figure , he seems to have an entirely nonsubjective view of ethical motive . He monish Frodo of the One Ring ’s power , so he understood its negative influence , but Gandalf later explain that yield Tom Bombadil Sauron ’s weapon system to protect would be foolish since the being did n’t to the full understand its importance and might even lose it . Like nature and midway - earth itself , Bombadil is inherently good but entirely impersonal .

Rings of Power has made Bombadil the guide of the guide , and though this keeps him from being overly involve , it still may be a little more than Tolkien ever intend .

ring of Powerhas skewed this slightly . Rather than a neutral being unlike anything else in Middle - earth , Prime Video presents Tom Bombadil as something like an Istari . The whiz of center - earth were not permitted to fight Sauron themselves but instead guide the beings of Middle - earth in their war against him by passing on knowledge and assisting the greater pattern . Rings of Powerhas made Bombadil the templet of the guides , and though this keeps him from being to a fault take , it still may be a little more than Tolkien ever intended .

Tom Bombadil played by Rory Kinnear In The Rings Of Power Season 2 and The Stranger played by Daniel Weyman.

Custom image by Alfredo Alvarado.

Still , an argument could be made for Tom Bombadil ’s involvement with the Stranger ’s mission . pack of Powerheavily connote that the Stranger is Gandalf , andthis iconic wizard notably drop many weeks conversing with Bombadil after the One Ring was destroyed . What they talk about was never revealed inThe Lord of the Rings , but it ’s light that Gandalf felt it necessary to chatter with Tom Bombadil once his big foreign mission in Middle - earth was complete . Their relationship origin story inRings of Powerfits in with this . Overall , there may be some difference , but it ’s clear there is a Greater Purpose at employment here .

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Set in the Second Age of mediate - earth , The Lord of the Rings : The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings , the upgrade of the Dark Lord Sauron , and the epic event conduct up to the history in J.R.R. Tolkien ’s Greco-Roman novel . The series chronicle the macrocosm of legendary characters and the historical alliances and competition that influence the fate of halfway - world .

Tom Bombadil and The Stranger as seen in The Rings of Power season 2 (2024) atop an image of The Stranger’s vision of fire

Custom Image by Lewis Glazebrook

Headshot Of Morfydd Clark In The V&A Summer Party 2024

Headshot Of Charlie Vickers

The Rings of Power