Any theory about who Tom Bombadil is

There are a handful of Lord of the Rings Theories that creatively answer the question, “Who is Tom Bombadil, really?” In a world of ever-hungry hobbits, giant spiders, undead knight-kings, and immortal elves, Tom Bombadil is the strangest creature in Tolkien’s world. Indeed, over the years, the Lord of the Rings Franchise continues to branch out into various new movies and series, including Prime Video The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. However, even with this lot of new content, There have been no clear-cut answers to questions about what type of being Tom Bombadil is.

Most Lord of the Rings Mysteries are explained in detail in the extensive works of JRR Tolkien. The origins of Shelob, the feuds between elves and dwarves, and the backstory of Sauron are all intricately detailed by Tolkien elsewhere in his canon. Unfortunately, an explanation for Tom Bombadil is nowhere to be found, and decades later, the jovial character remains an unknown entity in Middle-earth. now, Old Tom’s appearance in The rings of power Season 2 has brought this mystery back to the forefront– What are the possible explanations?

Tom Bombadil is God

Tom Bombadil could be Eru Ilvatar

Although he is not mentioned in The Lord of the Rings Or The HobbitTolkien’s world is presided over by a god known as Eru Ilvatar. This primordial entity shares many traits with the monotheistic gods of the real world and was responsible for creating all life with the help of his first children, the Ainur. Predictably, Eru does not involve himself in the day-to-day events of the world. Despite his omniscience, Eru only intervenes directly on a handful of occasions throughout Tolkien’s history – one example (potentially) being Gollum tripping over Mount Doom.

Since Tolkien’s Eru is as mysterious as Tom Bombadil, it’s only natural that fans would connect the two. Bombadil boasts seemingly unlimited power and a deep connection to nature. The character also aids Frodo without directly joining his quest, which fits Eru’s detached relationship with Middle-earth. Tom describes himself as the “oldest“Who Remembers These”First raindrop“, and the old elf Elrond labels him as “fatherless,” which some have interpreted to mean that he was the first being in existence—the ineffable Eru.

Tom Bombadil is one of the Ainur

The Valar were known to sometimes dwell in Middle-earth

If Tom Bombadil wasn’t himself, He could be one of the Valar – Who are to him what Archangels are to God. The Valar dwell in the Undying Lands, watching over the world of men and taking action when necessary, and although Eru is not known to walk among his creations freely, the Valar certainly do. These beings loved their father’s creations, and gravitated to a specific element of nature for which they were responsible. Some of the Ainur befriended elves in the distant past and took physical forms to approach the children of Eru.

Since Tom Bombadil’s power is limited to the Old Forest, he could be a Valar, as both influence aspects of nature. Some Valar are more proactive than others, which may explain Tom’s power limited to his borders, and the Valar are also known to marry, which accounts for Goldberry’s presence better than if Tom is Eru.

Tom Bombadil is a Maya

Many masters of Lord of the Rings are their own way

More likely than a Valar, Bombadil may also be a Maia – a less powerful being, comparable to an angel. since the Maiar were far greater in number than the ValarBombadil could easily escape to the Old Forest for a quiet life, and a lot of Maya is left unnamed by Tolkien, giving some narrative wiggle-room. Interestingly, Tom Bombadil’s powers are somewhat similar to those of Melian, a Maya who was featured in Tolkien. The Silmarillion.

Sauron himself is a Maya, so Bombadil could similarly take a human-like form without being considered a human incarnation, like wizards. Still, that wouldn’t explain Bombadil’s neutrality. Additionally, Bombadil being a Maya would only make him as old as the rest of the Ainur, which, again, doesn’t fit with his implied age in Lord of the Rings.

Tom Bombadil is a wizard

Tom Bombadil may be an undocumented Istari

in The Lord of the Rings, A wizard is a Maya incarnated in human form. Tolkien’s famous wizards are made up of Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast and two blue wizards of Lord of the Ringswhich are only mentioned. Since Bombadil wears a blue cloak and little is known about the movements of the Blue Wizards, some fans speculate that he may be one of the absent wizards in disguise, although this is highly unlikely as Tom resides in Middle-earth long before the Wizards. Arrived.

Alternatively, Bombadil may be another Maya-turned-wizard from an earlier age whose existence is not widely known. With that said, Tom’s resistance to the ring perhaps dispels any notion of him as a wizard. Both Gandalf and Saruman were tinted by Sauron’s influence, but Bombadil was unmoulded by dark power, suggesting his true form ranks higher than a wizard. Tom Bombadil’s powers also seem to eclipse what the likes of Gandalf the Gray are capable of.

Tom Bombadil is the embodiment of Middle-earth/Father Time

Tom Bombadil could be the earth itself

A more out-of-the-box theory suggests Tom Bombadil is a physical embodiment of the world itself. Tom’s abilities are primarily based on behavior. The living world responds to Tom’s commands – A power even the Ainur does not possess. Bombadil also remains neutral in the War of the Ring, and it can be said that his only concern is to preserve the natural order. Just as the Earth itself has no prejudice against the animals that live on it, Bombadil takes no sides in the War of the Ring and has no concern for good and evil.

A major clue in this theory comes during the Council of Elrond, as concerned attendees consider using Tom as the ring-bearer for the journey to Mordor. During the discussion, Galdor the elf says, “The pThe power to oppose our enemy is not in him, unless such power is in the earth itself,” which hints that Tom and nature are one and the same. For similar reasons, some have suggested Tom Bombadil may be the manifestation of time Due to his carefree personality, immortality and command of nature. the “oldest“and”fatherlessAdjectives support this theory, like Tom’s resistance to the One Ring.

Tom Bombadil is the song of the Ainur

This would explain Tom Bombadil’s love for music

Tolkien’s story of Genesis is told in The SilmarillionIn which Eru and his host create a piece of music that weaves the tapestry of all time and existence. It has been theorized that Tom Bombadil is the physical representation of this music in Middle-earth. This would make sense because Radagast the Brown already represents nature in Lord of the Rings. moreover, Tom’s love of song is used as evidence in this argumentAs the character exerts his power over other creatures through music, almost singing them into submission.

If Tom is indeed the song of creation, this would effectively explain his status as the first ancient living being in a land full of ancient living beings. The song of creation simply IsWith no will or mind of self, only flowing with the passage of existence. This perfectly describes Tom’s personality and his lack of interest in the battle between good and evil.

Tom Bombadil is “The Reader”

Tom Bombadil can represent you and me

One of the more meta-theories about Tom Bombadil is that he is “The reader“From Lord of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Rings Tom Bombadil Chapters move the tale of ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​/​​and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ and​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​One​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ of​​ of​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​_​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ infrastructure depend land leave land cover land cover land surface basis To a more serious journey of death, darkness and corruption. Tom’s magical house is the final refuge for Frodo and his fellow hobbits before they reach Brie, and things get exponentially more serious. If Tom Bombadil were the reader, he could picture this very move from the childish to the adult.

As the reader, Tom supports Frodo but cannot do his work for him And is limited to watching the events of Middle-earth from a place of relative safety, whether it is the old forest or a comfy chair in the 21st century. This idea also makes the conversation in the Council of Elrond quite interesting. Gandalf and Elrond would have discussed whether youThe reader was able to save Middle Earth – it’s very important Neverending Story Thought.

Tom Bombadil is JR Tolkien

Tolkien could have placed himself in Lord of the Rings

Another device Lord of the Rings Theory is that Tom Bombadil represents Tolkien himself. This is similar to the idea that Old Tom is Eru since Tolkien is the out-of-this-world creator of Arda and Middle-earth. This would explain Bombadil’s ancient existence Because the author is obviously older than his works of fiction. Furthermore, it would explain why Tolkien himself was resistant to providing any explanation for Bombadil’s identity – spilling the beans would ruin all the fun.

There are some problems with this theory, however, because Tolkien already has a lot in his world. The Lord of the Rings Books are meant to be “found manuscripts.” Tolkien presents his work as if he were not the author but, instead, a linguist who translated an ancient text that was found buried centuries later. It would make no sense to the man who discovered the ancients. Histories to be a character in them. Still, it’s a fun theory to consider.

Tom Bombadil is dead

Old Tom the Grim Reaper

The concept of death is neutral and indiscriminate, which is why the theory that Tom Bombadil is a physical manifestation of death – a sort of reaper – has gained some traction. It makes sense that the One Ring would have no impact on such a being and that he would not want to get involved in the battle of good and evil. what’s more, Death has an intimate connection with the earth, considering the general circle of life.

In his works, Tolkien also called death “the gift of men”, and it was not considered a bad thing for the wise. Humans were the favorites of Ilúvatar, and their death was seen as a way for their souls to join their creator, a privilege not extended to the immortal elves. Additionally, after experiencing something like death, it makes sense that Gandalf would meet with Tom Bombadil as he did after the primary events of Lord of the Rings.

Tom Bombadil is the secret fire

Tom Bombadil could be the essence of life itself

In Tolkien canon, the Secret Fire is a spark, created by Ilúvatar before even the Ainur, that gives life. It exists in the void surrounding the universe, in the heart of the world, and in every living being. The secret fire is life, creation, death, soul and everything at once. This is what the Dark Lord Melkor first coveted, and therefore, in the center of all conflicts in The Lord of the Rings.

If Tom Bombadil was the physical representation of the Secret Fire, that would again explain how he could be the oldest thing in existence. It would also explain his neutrality since The secret fire is the force behind All Living things, both good and bad. of course, Why It is a physical manifestation of the life force would still be unclear. Still, it’s fun to consider.

Tom Bombadil is ‘The Hobbit’

Old Tom may represent Tolkien’s first medieval book

Another meta and somewhat stranger theory is that Tom Bombadil is a character that represents Tolkien. The Hobbit. This was the legendary author’s first book set in Middle-earth and was published before Tolkien really knew exactly how far his Legendarium would go. Originally, Bilbo’s ring was just a quirky, magical trinket – not a powerful and evil weapon of the Dark Lord. The Hobbit was a separate story that evolved and grew into something grand and dark.

Tom Bombadil appeared at a transition point in the Lord of the Rings Books. Before and during Frodo’s time in the Old Forest, his story was similar in tone and nature to Bilbo’s adventures in The Hobbit. However, things quickly became darker and more serious. In this way, Bombadil represents the spirit of The HobbitAnd be left in the old forest, neither wild nor able to leave, represents “The Lord of the Rings” Departure from this innocent affair.

Tom Bombadil is a being unto himself

Tom Bombadil can only be Tom Bombadil

Despite the abundance of Tom Bombadil theories out there, it is possible that there is no hidden identity behind the character – that Tom Bombadil is simply an entity unto itself, unlike anything else in Tolkien’s world. The great Elrond suggests as much when he refers to Tom as a “Funny Creature“Elrond’s knowledge of the Ainur suggests that he would have recognized Bombadil if he had been one of them, so it is strange that even the wise old elf could not guess Bombadil’s nature.

Tolkien is known for his commitment to minute detail, from maps and family trees to languages ​​and dates, so it’s strange that Tom Bombadil’s behavior would be completely unexplained in the iconic author’s canon. The lack of a reasonable answer strongly suggests there Is No answer. Part of Tom Bombadil’s appeal in The Fellowship of the Ring Is his irreverent, enigmatic nature, fading out of the story as easily as he slips in. With this in mind, Tom Bombadil is perhaps an unexplained, inimitable curiosity in the Lord of the Rings World.