Lord Of The Rings’ Tom Bombadil Revealed In Live-Action For The First Time In Rings Of Power Season 2 Images
First-look images from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power reveal Tom Bombadil in live-action for the very first time. The character is a legendary figure from the original J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy novels, but was not included in either Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy or Ralph Bakshi’s animated adaptation from 1978. However, the upcoming Rings of Power season 2 is set to rectify that, bringing the character into the fold as the Prime Video prequel show continues to expand the early history of Middle-earth.
Vanity Fair has just unveiled a new set of images revealing the first-ever glimpse of a live-action Tom Bombadil, played by Rory Kinnear. The images seem to largely be taken from a single scene that takes place in a cottage near the edge of Rhûn rather than in his typical home in the enchanted forest Withywindle. He is seen taking in the Stranger (Daniel Weyman), a wizard who has lost his memories and who has been widely speculated to be a younger version of Gandalf. Check out the images below:
Tom Bomadil’s Rings Of Power Appearance (And Original Excision) Explained
In the Tolkien text, Tom Bombadil is a mysterious figure who offers aid to the Fellowship in Lord of the Rings. A flighty, silly, and mysterious character who likes to sing songs and wear colorful outfits, Bombadil is deeply connected to the natural world and is more keen to observe the drama around him than participate in it. Because he doesn’t provide necessary information to the Fellowship or move any element of the plot forward due to his neutral motivations, he has been cut out of many adaptations of the story, a roster that also includes several radio adaptations.
It makes sense that he would be able to join the Rings of Power cast in the new season. Bombadil is an ancient figure who has lived many centuries, so he indeed would have been alive at the time of the show, which is set thousands of years before the original trilogy, in Middle-Earth’s Second Age. This has allowed limited crossover with the original timeline, except in the case of characters who are either immortal or unfathomably old.
Because of his frequent excision from Tolkien adaptations, Tom Bombadil has become a near-mythic figure in the overall Middle-earth franchise. His inclusion in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, while providing a challenge to the storytellers behind the show, is thus history in the making. It remains to be seen how important he will end up being to the season, as he may only appear in a single scene to offer the Stranger aid, but regardless, his presence breaks a longstanding franchise tradition.
