Some new photos have been released for Prime Video’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and it features a first look at the character Tom Bombadil.This is a character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels that didn’t appear in Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth movies. He is a unique and enigmatic character who particularly appears in The Fellowship of the Ring. Described as a merry, ageless figure with a deep connection to nature, he lives in the Old Forest with his wife, Goldberry, the “River-daughter.” Unlike other beings in Middle-earth, Tom is unaffected by the power of the One Ring; it has no influence over him, and he shows no interest in its potential for domination. There’s a mystery behind his origins and true nature, with some speculating he might be a Maia or an even older spirit. Bombadil is a fascinating character who has carefree and joyous demeanor, and he has a profound knowledge of the natural world.Tolkien wrote about the character, saying: “Tom Bombadil is not an important person—to the narrative. I suppose he has some importance as a ‘comment.’ I mean, I do not really write like that.… He represents something that I feel important, though I would not be prepared to analyze the feeling precisely.”The character is played by Rory Kinnear (Men) in the series and the photo sees the character tanding in front of “The Stranger,” played by Daniel Weyman. The Stranger is an Istar, who is one of the five wizards, and many fans suspect that he is Olórin, who will eventually become Gandalf.When talking about how this character would be introduced in the series, showrunner J.D. Payne said: “There’s a reason why he hasn’t been in prior adaptations, because in some ways he’s sort of an anti-dramatic character.He added: “He’s not a character who has a particularly strong agenda. He observes drama, but largely doesn’t participate in it. In The Fellowship of the Ring, the characters kind of just go there and hang out for a while, and Tom drops some knowledge on them.” Showrunner Patrick McKay said: “Knowledge that’s not particularly relevant to anything that they’re doing or about to do.”It’s explained that “Bombadil first turns up when the hobbits run afoul of Old Man Willow, an angry tree in the Old Forest who swallows Merry and Pippin in the folds of his bark. “Bombadil sings a song that soothes the savage sprout, causing it to release the halflings. After a brief stay with him and his wife, Goldberry, the little ones depart. “Later, they’re rescued again by Bombadil when they are captured by malevolent spirits known as Barrow-wights, who seize them in an ancient cemetery.”Payne went on to talk about the character, saying: “He can be a force for good, but he is challenging to integrate dramatically in that he doesn’t have an agenda. He’s not driving forward and pushing people to arrive at any particular end.”McKay explained: “He has no clear dramatic function that would justify his inclusion in a really great movie adaptation. He’s whimsical and magical, and almost verging on silly. “But also has the wisdom of the ages and the music of the spheres and deep emotional wells of ancient history and myth, and his conception and function are tied to Norse myths and have deep roots in European fairy tale.“So weirdly, he’s kind of the most Lord of the Rings thing in Lord of the Rings, and also the first thing you would cut if you were adapting it as a film. But we have the advantage of a television show, and hence we are going to find a way to tap into that.”In the series, Bombadil has a second home, on the outskirts of a region called Rhûn. Payne reveals: “In our story, he has gone out to the lands of Rhûn, which we learn used to be sort of Edenic and green and beautiful, but now is sort of a dead wasteland. Tom has gone out there to see what’s happened as he goes on his various wanderings.”That’s the same place where the second season of The Rings of Power finds the halflings Nori (Markella Kavenagh) and Poppy (Megan Richards) as they escort the amnesiac wizard known as the Stranger (Daniel Weyman) toward discovering his purpose.Payne discusses Bombadil meeting The Stranger saying: “When he finally crosses paths with the Stranger, you could say he has a desire to try to keep the destruction that has happened there from spreading to his beloved lands in the West. “He nudges the Stranger along his journey, which he knows will eventually protect the larger natural world that he cares about. So I’d say our Tom Bombadil is slightly more interventionist than you see in the books, but only by 5% or 10%.”It’s going to be interesting to see Tom Bombadil brought to life in this series.