[Miriamele]

Perhaps this is a strange question...but in LOTR, how come the Ring has no effect on this guy? He seems to me to be the strangest and most mysterious character in the book. Who is he anyway?

I was just curious if anyone knew.

[manticore]

Iarwain ben-adar(sp?)oldest and first born. paltry charms conjured up by little kids like sauron didnt affect him, since he was older and crazier than anybody else. i used to know what the myth original that inspored him was, but now ive forgotten.
when i first read the book i was 11, and i found him rather scary. i was convinced he was one of the bad guys and was rather disappointed when he wasnt

[Cadfael]

Tom Bombadil is one of the Ainur, it was their music that created Arda (the Earth)... there were created by Eru to maintain and look after the Earth. Melkor (Morgoth) was actually a Ainur to, but he was expelled soon after the creation of the world.

I think it is his God-like status that protects him from the ring... in fact... he cannot even be serious about it... it just matters nothing to him. This is why it was unsafe to leave it with him... he would have probably lost it... he cared that little for it.

[Miriamele]

Hmmm...I see. So he was like a god. He acted pretty goofy for a god...leaping around in his colourful clothes and spouting silly rhymes. But who's to say what a god would act like? I suppose it makes sense that he wouldn't care about the petty doings of mortals (although he was kind enough to help out Frodo and the bunch).

But then who's Goldberry? Is she some kind of elf?

[Kingslayer]

I think I read a theory somewhere about Goldberry being an Ainur or Maia, but I have no idea if it was right.Does anyone know that?

I actually enjoyed Bombadil and his dancing and singing.Bit of a light hearted addition to the book, I thought.Too bad they cut him out of the film, although I'm not sure how most people would have taken to him.The yellow clothes and and boots would be enough to put some off :eek:

[Princess of Darkness]

Goldberry, the River-Daughter, is the daughter of one of the Riverwomen, who most people believe to be one of Ulmo's "Maiar" (Ulmo, Lord of the Waters), or simply spirits of the river. No one is really sure......
Goldberry is very beautiful though - you can understand why Bombadil would marry her.

[Loque]

i always loved the bit with bombadil, was my kind of weird randomness, was very disappointed when he was cut from the film, came as rather a surprise actually as i hadnt heard about it beforehand, nevermind, i guess some sacrifices must be made :/

[Shanoncia]

I'm not sure what happened but I just spent about an hour researching Bombadil, Goldberry and quoting the experts, then when I clicked submit reply it told me I wasn't logged in, :eek: so I filled out the stuff to log in and it didn't really take me anywhere.... :confused: I tired to go back but I couldn't. I lost all it all. MY longest, and most thought out post ever! All that work down the drain! :(

[Miriamele]

Really? That sucks. :(

What did you find out though?

[saintjon]

I assassinated her post.

hahahahaha

Tom was great. Had no idea he was a Valar though. Cool.