Tom Bombadil
By Revan2009
@Revan2009 (469)
September 9, 2009 4:25pm CST
I have wondered for a very long time whether or not Tom Bombadil is stronger than Sauron.
I have a few reasons to believe that Tom may be stronger...
1) The One Ring has no power over him: he can see Frodo when he wears the Ring, and when Tom wears the Ring it cannot corrupt him, nor does he become invisible. He in fact makes the Ring disappear, but produces it in his other hand.
2) Tom doesn't fear Sauron because Gandalf says (in the council of Elrond) that Tom doesn't find the One Ring powerful at all and he may misplace it. This was the meeting in which the Council was debating what they should do with the Ring... somebody suggested that they should give it to Tom.
3) Tom calls himself the eldest and the master. Some say he is the 'One' which would make him god Eru... but this is highly unlikely.
However, Galdor believes Tom cannot withstand the full might of the armies of Mordor if Sauron returns to his full strength...
So what do you think? Is he stronger than Sauron or is Sauron truly unbeatable(excluding the Gods) with the Ring in his possession?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Elflingimp (36)
• United States
11 Nov 09
My response to this is simply this,numerous people have tried to figure things out about Bombadil and no one knows anymore than what Tolkien was willing to reveal or he simply didn't know himself. I suggest you read Tolkiens Letters and it has the most explanation you will ever get on this as for him being stronger than Sauron I don't think he was and his lands and he himself would have perished if Sauron had not been defeated.
@Revan2009 (469)
•
13 Nov 09
I agree, Tom is possibly not stronger than Sauron, if Sauron had his ring... but what if Tom had Saurons ring? He seems to be uncorruptable and probably the best known person to command the master ring.
Much of Saurons mighty power was forced into constructing the master ring, in order to fully dominate the other rings: for the other rings were EXTREMELY powerful therefore Sauron couldn't dominate them without adding his own power to his ring.
@elenyae (388)
• Australia
9 Sep 09
I don't think Tom Bombadil is stronger than Sauron, perhaps just not affected by Sauron and his powers. I think it's more like Tom knows no fear almost and his vision isn't clouded by the same things that cloud the vision of lesser folk (i.e. everyone else). If he were more powerful than Sauron, I reason that he'd be able to destroy Sauron but as Galdor says, it's like he doesn't fear the blade, but the blade can still slay him in the end.
I think Tom has created his own world in the Old Forest and he is master there because no one else kinda...wants to be? But if his power were contested, I don't think he would fight for it.
I'm not sure if that made any sense... o_O I think I sorta got my point across...
In short - no, I don't think Tom Bombadil is more powerful than Sauron.
@Revan2009 (469)
•
10 Sep 09
He could be more powerful, it's just that he doesn't care about Sauron as though he believes Sauron can't harm him. Tom seems to be very wise and surely knows more than anybody (possibly more than Galdor) how dangerous Sauron truly is... after all, he is supposedly the oldest living being on Middle Earth.
What do you think about Tom owning the One Ring? If he could use it, the Ring Wraiths would become his servants and much of Saurons old strength is part of the Ring.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
9 Sep 09
Aren't both Sauron and Tom from the Maia? And wouldn't that make both of them more or less equal?
Long time since I've read this stuff. lol
@Revan2009 (469)
•
10 Sep 09
I think they are Maia which are lesser angelic spirits... however I highly doubt that fact makes them equal.
You see I'm human, yet I can only dream of fighting equally with Mohammed Ali, or Rocky Marciano. Similarly, Gandalf is also a Maia, yet he is a insignificant obstacle for the Ring Wraiths let alone Sauron himself.
So, surely there's got to be difference in strength between Sauron and Tom however small it may be. The question was: who is stronger?
So while you are right, it doesn't address the question. So which of these Maia do you think is stronger and why? Thanks for you participation.
:)
@coach7172 (43)
• United States
11 Sep 09
There is much debate on whether Tom was/is stronger than Sauron. I would have to say that Tom is not a Maia at all, rather the Spirit of the Earth. At the Council of Elrond, they describe Tom's powers as powers of the Earth, such as control of nature and weather in his little world. Sauron can wither the earth and pollute it. Tom is about keeping the purity of the world as it was of old. He came into being, in my opinion, when the world was first created by Eru. He will also be no more when the world is no more. Tolkien is very vague on Bombadil, I believe, for a reason to allow people to come up with their own opinions.
