Of all the characters in The Lord of the Rings, one stands out as the most curious addition to Middle Earth: Tom Bombadil. He is best known for his appearance in Tolkien’s novel, where he saved Frodo from a nefarious tree spirit called Old Man Willow during the Fellowship of the Ring. Fans have been dying to see Tom brought to life, and now he’s finally on our screens with Season 2 of The Rings of Power.
His appearance in the television series is massive, and it’s the first time Tom Bombadil has appeared in a film adaptation of Tolkien’s work, as he didn’t make it into the screen version of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. So unless you’ve read all of Tolkien’s novels and poems, you might be wondering who this mysterious figure actually is, and why half of Lord of the Rings fans have been chanting the words “Old Tom Bombadil is a jolly fellow, his jacket is bright blue and his boots are yellow” since the news of The Rings of Power broke.
But fear not, we’re here to bring you up to speed and explain in detail who Tom Bombadil is ahead of the return of one of the best series on Amazon Prime. From his past to the implications of his appearance in The Rings of Power, here’s everything you need to know about this mysterious character.
Who is Tom Bombadil?
Tom Bombadil is one of the oldest and most mysterious characters in Middle Earth. He’s also been a long-time fan favorite in The Lord of the Rings canon thanks to his unflappable, quirky demeanor. While the rest of Middle Earth was worried about Morgoth and Sauron, Bombadil was just happily going about his business, seemingly unfazed by the forces of evil. Don’t let the good vibes fool you, though; Tom Bombadil is a quiet powerhouse.
Throughout Tolkien’s works, such as The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and The Lord of the Rings, we are given small glimpses of this enigmatic figure, showing us just how powerful he really is and his connections to most of the peoples of Middle Earth. During his adventures, Bombadil encountered malevolent tree spirits such as the old Willow Man and terrifying grave spirits. Over the centuries, he was also challenged by numerous creatures, including river animals and birds who are against boating.
In terms of charisma, Bombadil even managed to land a stunning woman when he met Goldberry (aka the River Woman’s daughter). Aside from winning the lottery with women, however, what is most impressive about Tom Bombadil is that he is completely unaffected by the influence of the One Ring. When he met Frodo during the Fellowship, he slipped Sauron’s evil trinket on like it was nothing and easily returned it to the hobbit, a feat that not even Gandalf could accomplish.
With that in mind, you’re probably thinking that Tom Bombadil plays an important role in Tolkien’s world. However, as we mentioned above, not much is known about him beyond his penchant for a bright blue jacket and yellow boots. Tolkien never told us how old Bombadil was or where he was born. But thanks to clues in his works, we know that Bombadil is older than the elves and existed long before Melkor (aka Morgoth) came to Adar. It is implied that he has existed since the dawn of Adar’s creation, making him one of the oldest, if not the oldest, being in Middle Earth.
We also don’t know what race he is, but his ability to see Frodo even when he’s wearing the Ring suggests to Tolkien that Tom Bombadil is a special being who can interact with the invisible world (also known as the spirit world). There are some theories that he is a Maiar, like Gandalf, one of the primordial spirits created to help the Valar. Some even believe he could be a Vala, one of the gods who helped create the world. However, Tolkien never confirmed this, so Bombadil is still mostly a mystery that will likely remain unsolved.
How does Tom Bombadil fit into the Rings of Power?
Tolkien never specified exactly what Tom Bombadil was up to during the First and Second Ages. However, we do know that he wandered around Middle Earth during these times. Where in Middle Earth he went is largely a mystery, except for the end of his pilgrimage, where he stayed in Eriador. He later traveled down the Withywindle River and settled in the Old Forest, where he lived with his wife Goldberry and eventually met Frodo in the Third Age.
In Tolkien’s work, we learn that elves, dwarves, and men all have different names for Tom Bombadil, suggesting that he interacted with them and got to know them all before the Third Age. We also know that he and Gandalf knew each other very well before the War of the Ring, as Gandalf told the Council of Elrond that Bombadil would simply lose the One Ring if they decided to give it to him, back when Bombadil was being considered as a potential Ring-bearer before Frodo.
Gandalf knew that Tom Bombadil was a carefree soul who did not deal directly with the heavy burden of Sauron’s growing influence. This realization tells us that he must have met Bombadil at some point. In Season 2 of The Rings of Power, we will see Bombadil in Rhun, probably on his travels. There he will meet the stranger (who seems increasingly likely to be Gandalf, despite the Second Age) and offer him some words of wisdom and encouragement.
We also know that the character will be used in The Rings of Power in a way that doesn’t strictly conform to Tolkien’s work. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Tom Bombadil actor Rory Kinnear explained how the character will take on a new place in the history of Middle Earth.
“With multi-tiered series, you obviously have more time to explore these stories. The way (showrunners) JD (Payne) and Patrick (McKay) tell the story, they can create a role for him that isn’t necessarily the one he has in the books,” he said. “So while they’re using that character, they’re using him in a different way than Tolkien.”
We’ll have to wait and see how different this Tom Bombadil is from Tolkien’s work. We’re also curious to see if he gets to meet the other peoples of Middle Earth, or if we’ll see him travel down the Withywindle River to meet his wife Goldberry later in the season. Fingers crossed we’ll see the power couple together soon!
While Tom Bombadil did not appear in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, he did appear in Tolkien’s novels and starred in a collection of poems. In Lord of the Rings, we meet Bombadil during The Fellowship of the Ring, where he helps Frodo and the other hobbits.
He also appears in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, a collection of poems that tells the story of Tom’s encounter with Goldberry, his encounter with Old Man Willow, and finally his wedding. We’ve also seen him in some of the best Lord of the Rings games, such as The Lord of the Rings Online, so despite his absence from all the film adaptations, there’s still plenty of Bombadil.
It’s also been confirmed that Tom Bombadil will play a major role in The Rings of Power Season 2, so you can expect this guide to expand soon as we get more episodes featuring everyone’s favorite joker. For more on that, check out our handy guide to The Rings of Power Season 2 release schedule.
For more Tolkien fun, read our Review of Season 2 of Rings of Power or read our guide on how to get all Lord of the Rings movies in the correct order.
