Warning! Spoilers for Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 4 ahead! Tom Bombadil’s powers have always been a mystery, however The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has inspired a theory that could explain everything. Season 2, Episode 4 of the Prime Video series saw the Stranger run into Old Tom far away from his canonical home in the Old Forest. The desert wasteland of Rhûn is the last place Bombadil would have turned, however Rings of power Has a little twist on the character. Still, there are some commonalities between Tom’s houses in Withywindle and Rhûn, with one of these potentially providing a hint as to the nature of his powers.
After coming on Tom Bombadil’s house in The rings of power Season 2, episode 4, the stranger found himself in a bit of a pickle when a nearby tree began sucking him up into his trunk. Thankfully, old Tom came to the rescue, and a simple word from the mysterious being caused the tree to spit the stranger back out again. Bombadil called the tree “Old Man Ironwood“ And told the stranger that it would probably have given up one of its branches (rather than attacking) if he had only asked nicely. Little else was said about the tree, but it is still quite a significant moment for Rings of powers introduction of the canon character.
The tree in The Rings of Power season 2 is similar to Old Man Willow from Tolkien’s books
Rings of Power repeats Tom Bombadil’s book debut
The stranger being sucked into Old Man Ironwood was an exciting moment since this is almost exactly what happened to Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin in the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring book. While traveling through the Ooid Forest, the Hobbits found themselves being sucked up by a willow tree, which is when Tom Bombadil made his first debut. He called the tree “Old Willow“ and jovially demanded that it free the hobbits. Just as in Rings of powerThe tree obeyed.
Tom Bombadil saving the stranger from Old Man Ironwood is undoubtedly meant to be a tip-of-the-hat for Old Man Willow in Fellowship of the Ring– which was quite effective. The whole of The rings of power Season 2, episode 4 was full of references to the Hobbit’s journey through the Old Forest, Between Bombadil, the mischievous tree, and the barrow-wit met by Galadriel and her elite group of elves. As enjoyable as the references were, the HRe next to Tom Bombadil’s house Rings of power May have a deeper purpose.
Middle Earth’s “Old Man” trees may be the source of Tom Bombadil’s power
Old Man Ironwood may be key to Bombadil’s powers in Rhûn
in The Lord of the RingsIt is heavily implied that Tom Bombadil only has power in the Old Forest. Gandalf mentioned that this was the son’s domain and that he cared little for anything that happened outside. However, it is also stated in the canon that Old Tom has spent some time wandering Middle-earth, a detail that Rings of power Season 2 has linked in. Still, what this meant for the character’s magic was never entirely clear. Prime Video has placed Bombadil in Rhûn, and it’s obvious that he has a lot of magic.
It would certainly be the taste of Tolkien’s work that these trees should spread across Middle-earth, with Bombadil among the few who know how to use them.
It is possible that Tom Bombadil’s magic in The rings of power Season 2 is indebted to Old Man Ironwood. The tree is certainly a kind of sibling to old man’s willow, as both nature spirits have the same way of greeting strangers. Perhaps the brother in Rhûn had an invisible connection to his fellow in the Old Forest, allowing Tom Bombadil to use magic. It would certainly be the taste of Tolkien’s work that these trees should spread across Middle-earth, with Bombadil among the few who know how to use them. or, Perhaps it is old Tom himself planting or creating the magical “Old man“Trees.
The rings of Power’s trees support an old Tom Bombadil theory
Rings of Power leans into a theory about who Tom Bombadil is
The theory that trees like Old Man Willow or Old Man Ironwood are the source or conduit for Tom Bombadil’s power lines in another existing theory about this Lord of the Rings Character. Old Tom’s true nature was never revealed, and Tolkien himself was never willing to offer any more definitive answers than his books had provided. however, A popular theory is that Bombadil is the physical embodiment of Middle-earth– A kind of old father nature. This would explain his moral neutrality and his ability to control the trees, streams and animals with only his voice.
If this is true, it would make sense that Tom Bombadil would want to be home in Rhûn to be near a “Old man” Tree. It is said that this area was once green and beautiful, but during the Second Age, it was nothing but a desert wasteland. There is very little nature left here, which would mean that Tom’s powers would be limited. But , a tree like Old Man Ironwood would ensure that Tom Bombadil could stay in Rhûn long enough to learn the stranger magic And reveals the fate of Easter. Of course, the truth can only become clearer The rings of power Season 2 continues.