Who is Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power? Tolkien's most mysterious and surprisingly powerful character explained
Meet Tom Bombadil, who is finally making his on-screen debut in The Rings of Power season 2
Out of all the characters in The Lord of the Rings, there is one who stands out from the rest as the most curious addition to Middle-earth: Tom Bombadil. Best known for his appearance in Tolkien's novel, where he saved Frodo from a nefarious tree spirit, Old Man Willow, during The Fellowship of the Ring; fans have been dying to see Tom come to life, and now he's finally set to hit our screens with The Rings of Power season 2.
His inclusion in the TV series is massive and is the first time Tom Bombadil has appeared in a cinematic adaptation of Tolkien's work, as he didn't make the cut for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies. So, if you haven't read all of Tolkien's novels and poems, you may be wondering who this mysterious figure actually is and why half of the LOTR fandom has been chanting the words: "Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow, bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow" since hearing The Rings of Power news.
Well, fear not; we're here to get you up to speed and fully explain who Tom Bombadil is ahead of the return of one of the best shows on Amazon Prime. From his history to the implications of his appearance in The Rings of Power, here is everything you need to know about this mysterious character.
Who is Tom Bombadil?
Tom Bombadil is one of the oldest and most mysterious figures in Middle-earth. He's also long been a fan favorite in the Lord of the Rings canon, thanks to his unwavering, quirky demeanor. While the rest of Middle-earth was stressed about Morgoth and Sauron, Bombadil just went on his Merry way, seemingly unphased by the forces of evil. However, don’t let the good vibes fool you; Tom Bombadil is a silent powerhouse.
Throughout Tolkien's works, such as The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and The Lord of the Rings, we get small glimpses of this enigmatic figure, teasing how powerful he truly is and how he has connections to most of the races of Middle-earth. Throughout his adventures, Bombadil has faced spiteful tree spirits such as Old Man Willow, and horrific Barrow-Wights. He's also been challenged by multiple creatures throughout the centuries, including the likes of river animals and birds who have an agenda against boating.
In terms of charisma, Bombadil even managed to score a stunning wife when he met Goldberry (aka River-woman's daughter). However, winning the wife lottery aside, most impressively, Tom Bombadil isn't affected by the One Ring's influence at all. In fact, when he met Frodo during the Fellowship of the Ring, he slipped on Sauron's evil piece of jewelry like it was nothing and easily handed it back to the Hobbit, a feat that even Gandalf couldn't do.
With all that in mind, you probably think that Tom Bombadil is a massive player in Tolkien's world. However, as we mentioned above, not much about him is known, apart from his preference for wearing 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 do know that Bombadil is older than the elves and was around long before Melkor (aka Morgoth) came to Adar. It's hinted that he’s been around since the dawn of Adar’s creation, making him one of, if not the oldest being in Middle-earth.
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We also don't know what race he is, but with his ability to see Frodo even when he is wearing the Ring, Tolkien hints that Tom Bombadil is a special being who can interact with the Unseen world (also known as the wraith-world). There are some theories that he is a Maiar, like Gandalf, one of the primordial spirits created to help the Valar. Some even think that he could be a Vala, one of the gods who helped shape the world. However, Tolkien never confirmed this, so Bombadil is still largely a mystery that will likely go unsolved.
How does Tom Bombadil fit into the Rings of Power?
Tolkien never specified what Tom Bombadil was up to exactly during the First and Second Ages. However, we do know that during this time, he was wandering around Middle-earth. Where in Middle-earth he was exploring is largely a mystery, except for the end of his pilgrimage where he’d stick to Eriador. He’d later go on to travel down the Withywindle River and settle down in the Old Forest where he’d live with his wife Goldberry and eventually meet Frodo during the Third Age.
In Tolkien's work, we hear that elves, dwarves, and Men all have different names for Tom Bombadil, implying that he interacted and got to know each of them before the Third Age. We also know that he and Gandalf were very much acquainted 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 directly concern himself with the heavy burden of Sauron's expanding influence. This insight tells us that he must have gotten to know Bombadil at some point. In The Rings of Power season 2, we'll see Bombadil in Rhun, likely on his travels. There, he'll meet up with the Stranger (who seems more and more likely to be Gandalf despite it being the Second Age) and offer some words of wisdom and encouragement.
We also know that The Rings of Power will be using the character in a way that isn’t strictly in line with Tolkien’s work. During an interview with GamesRadar+ Tom Bombadil actor Rory Kinnear explained how the character will have a new place in the story of Middle-earth.
"Obviously, over multi-season episodic TV, you’ve got more time to investigate those stories. In the way that [showrunners] J.D. [Payne] and Patrick [McKay] are telling the story, they're able to create a role for him that isn't necessarily the one that he has in the books," he said. "So whilst they're using that character, they are using him in a different way to how Tolkien did."
We'll have to wait and see how different this Tom Bombadil is from Tolkien’s work. We are also curious to see if he’ll get to meet the other races 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 get to see the power couple together soon!
Tom Bombadil in other works and media
Tom Bombadil may not have appeared in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies, but he did make an appearance in Tolkien's novels and starred in a collection of poems. In Lord of the Rings we meet Bombadil during the Fellowship, where he helps Frodo and the rest of the Hobbits.
He also appears in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, a collection of poems telling the story of Tom meeting Goldberry, facing Old Man Willow, and ending with 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, even with his absence in all the movie adaptations, there is still plenty of Bombadil to go around.
It’s also been confirmed that Tom Bombadil will have a significant role to play in The Rings of Power season 2. So expect to see this guide expand as we get more episodes featuring everyone’s favorite merry old fellow soon. For more information on that, you can head to our handy guide on The Rings of Power season 2 release schedule.
For more Tolkien fun, you can read our Rings of Power season 2 review or check out our guide on how to watch all the Lord of the Rings movies in order.
After reviewing films throughout University and being a cosy game expert for years, I realised that entertainment journalism was my true calling in 2019. Since then, I've started multiple new farms on Stardew Valley and have written for several publications such as The Upcoming, PCGamesN, and Wargamer. I was the resident Guides Editor and horror lover for The Digital Fix before joining the GamesRadar+ team in 2024. As the Managing Editor for Evergreens, I'll be making sure that all the best lists you read on GamesRadar+ are the most helpful and fun pages on the internet!