Summary

• Tom Bombadil's long-awaited live-action debut in Rings of Power season 2 offers a new take on the beloved character from J.R.R. Tolkien's original works.
• The show's creators are exploring Bombadil's role in a multi-season narrative, says star Rory Kinnear, giving more room to delve into his unique character traits and qualities.
• While not prominently featured in the Second Age, Bombadil's presence in the series promises to add a bright light to an age overshadowed by darkness.

Rory Kinnear addresses the long-awaited live-action debut of Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power season 2 returns to the Second Age of Middle-earth, as Sauron (Charlie Vickers) continues to accumulate power and the scattered heroes try to stop the oncoming darkness. Bombadil had a small role in The Fellowship of the Ring as an ally to Frodo, though his role was ultimately cut from the movie.

Kinnear opened up to GamesRadar+ about his character's Rings of Power debut, and how he compares to the source material. Noting how his omission from past adaptations has left fans eager to see him on-screen, Kinnear stated that with the series' multi-year narrative, there was more room to explore Tom Bombadil. Check out Kinnear's explanation below:

Well, I guess with the other adaptations, I think Peter Jackson said it, it doesn't necessarily drive the story on, particularly in the narrative of it. But in the pages and in people's imaginations, he is this incredible character that has so much knowledge and so much sense of fun and so much life about him, as well as the whole of humanity and history and the earth. This is sort of representative of all that Earth is, and 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. So whilst they're using that character, they are using him in a different way to how Tolkien did.

Could A Rings Of Power Character Hint At Tom Bombadil's Season 2 Role?

One Wizard Was Particularly Familiar With The Merry Being In Tolkien's Works

Within the original Lord of the Rings novels, Bombadil rescues Frodo and his Hobbit companions early on their journey. He allows the party to stay in his home and proves himself immune to the One Ring's charms. Though Peter Jackson cut his story to focus on Gandalf, the character has a strong following and has been the subject of many theories about what he represents. He has been viewed as Sauron's polar opposite, a representative of the land, and much more. Despite this, he has few connections to the Second Age.

However, one character Bombadil will interact with in Rings of Power season 2 is The Stranger, Daniel Weyman's still-unnamed wizard. While no longer the sole Istari of the Second Age thanks to the Dark Wizard, The Stranger's identity is still cloaked in mystery. One Istari with familiarity with Bombadil in Tolkien's lore is Gandalf himself, who had a good understanding of Tom to know whether he could be trusted with the Ring. As such, should The Stranger be Gandalf, Bombadil could impart wisdom to him that helps him formulate or rediscover his later identity.

Though his role may be a new addition, it is clear Bombadil is being handled with care to make one of Middle-earth's brightest lights shine in an age of darkness.

While Tolkien may not have defined Bombadil's role in the Second Age, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's showrunners are still doing their best to adhere to the author's original writing. From a faithful costume, a potential key relationship being explored, and even the presence of one of his more notable foes, the Barrow-wight, so many elements of Tom's original appearance have been woven into the series. Though his role may be a new addition, it is clear Bombadil is being handled with care to make one of Middle-earth's brightest lights shine in an age of darkness.

Source: GamesRadar+