The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have addressed whether Tom Bombadil is the most powerful being in Middle Earth, virtually making him “God.” Rory Kinnear portrays the character in the Prime Video series, now in its second season.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s source material depicts the character as a jolly singing fellow who has been around since the beginning of time. The characterization informed Bombadil’s presentation in The Rings of Power, which retains core elements without affecting the show’s serious tone. Dialogue in the series’ fourth episode hints that Bombadil’s demeanor belies his true status in Middle Earth, with many asking if he is basically “God.” “We would have no problem if that question was being asked because people say that about the character in the books,” co-showrunner Payne told The Hollywood Reporter. “And I think people asked that of Tolkien himself. Tolkien chose to remain silent on it, and so shall we,” Mackay added.

Payne discussed The Rings of Power character in more depth, comparing him to an iconic character from another beloved franchise. “I think there’s a long tradition of these kinds of characters — the wise trickster. Think about Yoda a little bit. He’s a funny green puppet playing around with Luke’s stuff, and then something ends up being the wisest being in the galaxy,” he said. “We’re trying to walk a similar knife edge with Tom. Does he sing and spout nursery rhymes? Yeah, absolutely. But was he also older than the first raindrop? Yes. And the delight is that one being can embody all those things, and Rory plays him with such grace.”

Payne continued, “In one moment, he is singing, and I love him. He turns, and The Stranger asks him, ‘Who are you?’ And he just says, ‘Eldest.’ I get chills when I see him say that because I believe he is the oldest being on all of Middle Earth in that moment. So there are moments where he’s very serious and intense and other moments he’s laughing and cracking jokes.”

The Rings of Power New Adar Actor Addressed Taking Over the Role in Season 2

Sam Hazeldine recently addressed assuming the role of Arda in the current season of The Rings of Power after replacing Joseph Mawle, who played the character in Season 1. “It was honestly a pleasure. I think that’s because it was such a rich character created by the writers and by Joseph in Season 1,” he said. “And so, it was a real privilege to take on that character and see where the story takes him from there. So, I really enjoyed it. I just loved every part of it,” the actor added.

The Rings of Power Season 2 is available to stream on Prime Video.