The curious character of Tom Bombadil has finally made his on-screen debut, doing so in the second season of The Rings of Power. Despite his significance in J.R.R. Tolkien’s lore, the eternal being was notably absent from Peter Jackson’s The Lord of The Rings trilogy. While the mysterious entity has seemingly roamed Earth since the dawn of humanity, details about his origins have remained uncertain. Nevertheless, LOTR fans have hypothesized for a long time that Tom Bombadil is the God of Tolkien’s expansive universe. But how credible are these speculations?
Here is a complete breakdown of the theory that relates Tom Bombadil to God himself.
Is Tom Bombadil God in The Lord of the Rings?
To this date, no official piece of content by J.R.R. Tolkien has confirmed Tom Bombadil as the God of his universe. Nevertheless, multiple signs in the original lore do appear to hint at the possibility of this proposition being true.
While there are doubts regarding Bombadil’s identity as The Almighty, the Tolkien world is indeed presided over by a God referred to as Eru Iluvatar. The primaeval being is responsible for creating all life alongside his first children, the Ainur. Iluvatar, as per his stature, fundamentally refrains from meddling with the day-to-day proceedings of living creatures. Instead, the divine entity only acts on certain occasions spread throughout Tolkien’s history.
Similar to Iluvatar, Tom Bombadil is also a mysterious being who shares a profound relationship with nature. The character does not interfere heavily with the events of the main story but still manages to influence it through his actions. He indirectly helps Frodo on his journey, mirroring Eru’s disjointed association with Middle-earth.
Meanwhile, Bombadil describes himself as the eldest who has seen the first raindrop, further solidifying his position as God. His claims are somewhat echoed by the ancient elf Elrond, who calls him fatherless. Addressing the glaring doubt, The Rings of Power showrunners recently shared their thoughts on the debate.
While talking to The Hollywood Reporter, J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay stated that they are well aware of the theory that connects Tom Bombadil to God. However, they also chose to share Tolkien’s take on the topic and shied away from giving a conclusive answer.
As such, the nature of Tom Bombadil’s character remains up for debate among fans to this date.
