Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) appears in the newest episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power titled “Eldest.”
Many viewers might be surprised to meet one of the most powerful characters not featured in previous adaptations by Ralph Bakshi or Peter Jackson.
Tom Bombadil’s abilities are not fully explained, but the limited powers he does show in J. R. R. Tolkien’s writings suggest that he can do things other great beings in Middle-earth cannot.
Despite his great strength, Bombadil is not a “Deus-ex-Machina” (a term often incorrectly used for the eagles).
He is powerful but cannot defeat Sauron by himself, which is why he tells The Stranger (Daniel Weyman) that it is his duty, similar to how he tells Frodo in the books.
Tom Bombadil Is Unaffected by the One Ring
In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo and the hobbits—Merry, Pippin, and Sam—meet Tom when he rescues them from Old Man Willow, a tree with a nasty spirit that tries to eat the hobbits. Tom shows his ability to disappear at will and talk to trees, like he does with Old Man Willow.
When Frodo offers him the One Ring, Bombadil reacts in a way never seen before. Tom takes the Ring, sees it as unimportant, puts it on, and remains visible before making it disappear and then reappearing to Frodo.
Tom not only gives up the Ring without any trouble, but being a ‘ring-bearer’ does not seem to affect him. Even when Frodo makes himself invisible with the Ring to check if it works, Tom can still see him. Until this point and afterwards, every character who encounters the Ring is either afraid or tempted by it.
To see Bombadil treat it so lightly is surprising. His ability to see Frodo in the Unseen World might hint that he has a similar origin to the Valar and Maiar, though his true origin remains a mystery.
In Rings of Power, Tom is shown to be very powerful, saving The Stranger from Old Man Ironwood and appearing much older than he looks. The big question is: “Why doesn’t Tom take the Ring to Mordor himself?”
Why Doesn’t Tom Bombadil Take on Sauron Himself?
The answer to this question is found in The Fellowship of the Ring. It is similar to Tom’s response to The Stranger in the episode: “Tom’s a wanderer, not a warrior.” As shown in Rings of Power, Tom was in Middle-earth before the trees, acorns, and even calls stars “newcomers.”
Still from The Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
This suggests that Tom is not originally from this world. This explains why the Ring does not tempt him and why he cannot intervene in the world’s struggles. His power seems to come from a different source, making him unaffected by Sauron’s power yet unable to counteract it.
The Council of Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring discusses hiding the Ring in Bombadil’s realm. However, it is decided that even Bombadil could not protect against all of Sauron’s forces. This highlights that even the most powerful beings cannot defeat evil alone.
It requires everyone in Middle-earth working together. Tom is not from Middle-earth; he represents something else. In a letter from 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien told Stanley Unwin that Bombadil represents the English countryside. This makes Bombadil a figure to protect rather than a warrior.
Tom Bombadil’s brief appearance in “Eldest” shows him to be one of the most powerful characters ever adapted in The Lord of the Rings franchise.
He is not affected by the Ring and his age and ability to see into the Unseen World suggest ancient, mythical origins. However, as a symbol of the English countryside, Tom cannot fight wars for others. He is a wanderer, not a warrior, and that’s exactly how he should remain.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video.
Halfway through the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the dangers in the Second Age of Middle-earth have never been greater.
Sauron (Charlie Vickers), now disguised as the Lord of Gifts, Annatar, is set to use his new role to further his plans. He has already influenced Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) and is ready to move forward with his scheme. A new preview of episode 5, released by Prime Video, hints at what’s coming next.
Earlier in the season, Sauron appeared as Annatar and quickly won over Celebrimbor. Together, they planned to create powerful rings for the Dwarven lords.
It’s All Mind Games For the Great Deceiver in ‘The Rings of Power’
The new teaser for Thursday’s episode shows Annatar suggesting they also make rings for men. Celebrimbor, at first, resists this idea. The teaser also shifts to Númenor, where Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) now rules as king, having replaced his cousin, Queen Regent Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson).
Míriel, now imprisoned, starts setting the stage for Elendil (Llyod Owen) to become the king of Gondor after a disaster hits the star-shaped island. Back in Middle-earth, Prince Durin (Owain Arthur) advises his father against looking for mithril in Khazad-dûm, fearing it will awaken an ancient evil.
Still from The Rings of Power (Credit: Prime Video)
In The Rings of Power, Sauron’s schemes are all about mind games. Fans of Peter Jackson’s films and J.R.R. Tolkien’s books know that Annatar will eventually succeed in creating rings for men.
These rings will corrupt them, turning them into the Ringwraiths, or Nazgûl. Sauron manipulates minds, including Celebrimbor’s, as showrunner Patrick McKay explains:
“[T]he story in Eregion between Sauron and Celebrimbor is going to be a psychological thriller, where you’re watching Sauron pick apart the sanity of one of the greatest minds in all Elvendom with Celebrimbor, the great Elven smith.
We talk about a sort of gaslighting, as he’s slowly manipulating and tormenting Celebrimbor to the point of losing his mind. So the story goes into dark places psychologically as well as the actual stakes and fate of Middle-earth.”
The first four episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are available for streaming on Prime Video now. Keep up with Otakukart for more updates on Season 2.
