The Rings of Power S2 Welcomes Tom Bombadil: What Does It Mean for the Show?

One of the most mysterious characters in the whole Tolkien universe, Tom Bombadil, will appear in the second season of The Rings of Power. Bombadil will be played by actor Rory Kinnear, who previously starred in the films The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and Men.

A more detailed explanation of Tom Bombadil's story has always been at the top of the wish list of anyone who was not satisfied with the movie trilogy about Frodo and the Ring.

This will not be the character's first appearance on screen, but the first in an official adaptation. In Peter Jackson's films, episodes involving him were cut because they were unimportant to the plot.

Tom Is the Most Mysterious Entity in the Whole Story

Bombadil is one of Middle-earth's most mysterious inhabitants. He is the only character immune to the power of the Ring. When he wears it, Tom does not become invisible and is not tempted. Who he really is is unknown. Tolkien only stated that Bombadil is alien to the passions inherent in humans, that he knows no fear and does not want to subjugate others.

Tom's origin is unclear, only that he is immortal and was born long before the trees of Middle-earth. Bombadil appears as a character with great power, and at the Council in Rivendell he is even offered to take the Ring, but Gandalf rejects this plan.

Tolkien himself had no clear idea of the character's purpose and noted that he kept Bombadil in the story even though he had no practical purpose for him. Therefore, the creators of the series have a free hand in how they integrate him into the story.

What Is Tom Bombadil's Storyline in the Series?

According to the creators of The Rings of Power, Bombadil will be the protector of Middle-earth's nature. Tom will have another home, on the shores of the Sea of Rhun, which was once a paradise but began to turn into a wasteland. Tom embarks on a journey to find out the reason for such a catastrophe.

According to the creators, Bombadil's costume is based on Tolkien's own drawings. And on the ceiling of his hut is a map of the starry sky, which emphasizes Tom's connection to all of Middle-earth's nature. According to the creators' idea, Old Tom watched the stars and used them to predict the appearance of the Stranger.

The Rings of Power S2 Could Lift the Veil on the Mystery

Tom Bombadil's appearance in the second season and his meeting with the Stranger further convinces us that the meteor man is indeed Gandalf. It was Gandalf, of all the other characters, who knew the most about Tom, though he never revealed who he really was.

Thus, it is quite possible that through the dialogues of these two characters, the creators of the series will shed light on the origin of the most mysterious character in the saga.