# Was Tom Bombadil a Ringbearer?



## ssgrif (Feb 14, 2002)

Ok,

Gollum, Bilbo, Frodo and Sam were all Ringbearers becuase they wore the ring.

Tom Bombadil also wore the ring, but it had no affect on him, so would you classify him as a ringbearer?

Your thoughts...


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## Lantarion (Feb 14, 2002)

*Ahh, a fresh new thread*

I vote 'no', but for a different reason than stated in the poll. I think only those who have actually worn it and kept it, and warded it from evil can be called Ringbearers. Bombadil wore it for about twelve seconds in his house, and, although it did not affect my decision, it's true it did not have any effect on him.
Sam was one of the Rinbearers, because he wore the Ring for a while and actually used it and carried it for a long while (then why didn't he go with the others to Valinor?).


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## ssgrif (Feb 14, 2002)

you're right, he did in the end


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## graen (Feb 14, 2002)

*Ring Bearer*

A slightly different thought on being a RingBearer.

All of the Ringbearer's (including Sam) claimed the ring as their own possession (Even Sam when he thought Frodo was dead). Tom slipped the ring on his finger, but never claimed the ring.


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## Greenwood (Feb 14, 2002)

Bombadil merely examined the Ring. He never "possessed" it, so he was never a "bearer".


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## SarumansTreason (Feb 14, 2002)

I thought Sam did sail over the sea, in the very end, when his wife, Rosie Cotton, died.


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## Strider97 (Feb 14, 2002)

Pontifex,

Saruman-Treason is correct Sam did depart from the Grey Havens later in the Fourth age after the death of his wife Rosie.


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## Beleg Strongbow (Feb 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Strider97 _
> *Pontifex,
> 
> Saruman-Treason is correct Sam did depart from the Grey Havens later in the Fourth age after the death of his wife Rosie. *





Yes i think that since there was no effect on Bombadil then he wasn't a bearer. What do you think that if you asked him what would he say? He would say no IMO.


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## ssgrif (Feb 15, 2002)

At the end of the forth age, everyone who wore the ring left middle-earth for the Grey Havens, Sam being the last.

Tom would be the only one left in middle-earth who wore the ring and remained at home, beside Goldberry.

BTW, do we know anything more about Goldberry apart from the fact that she was bubbly, nice, and covered in flowers? what happened to her? did she get a mention in any other books?


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## Elanor2 (Feb 15, 2002)

Hi Graen

----------------------------------------------------------------------All of the Ringbearer's (including Sam) claimed the ring as their own possession (Even Sam when he thought Frodo was dead). Tom slipped the ring on his finger, but never claimed the ring.
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Good poing, graen. This will include in the list of ringbearers a Deagol. He never used it (Smeagol killed him first), but he did claim it for himself while he had it in his hand.


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## Lantarion (Feb 15, 2002)

Yes I know, and you're all right, Sam did leave in the end. I was just focusing on the fact that he didn't leave with the other Ringbearers, but it's obvious now that he had Rosie Cotton to attend to, and the Red Book and the refurnishing of the Shire. My bad. 
But if all the people who had worn any one of the Rings of Power 
(1, 3, 7, 9) were said to have left at Mithlond, then why was there no Dwarves present? Were they all dead by that time?


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## baraka (Feb 15, 2002)

*Tom Bombadil*

He wore the ring for a little time. I think that that makes him a ring bearer. It doesn´t matter if the ring has any effect on him.


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## ssgrif (Feb 19, 2002)

I have to agree with what Grond said in another thread, that Frodo was a Ringbearer, but Tom was a Ringignorer...


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