He is not a hobbit, neither a man, but what is he? Is he a dwarf? A wizard? A god? Something else entirely?

  • AnarchistArtificer
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    11 months ago

    I like this answer. Mine would’ve been “spirit of nature incarnate” or similar, but this captures why I think that.

    Tom Bombadil is trustworthy in that he was understood to be incorruptible by the ring. However, he wasn’t a trustworthy holder of the ring because he’d probably lose it because he didn’t feel the gravity of it. Tom Bombadil is good and trustworthy, but ultimately uncontrollable.