umm...okay, I couldn't understand a word you just said... in the normal english tongue, an enigma is an...?

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I revisited AU on Jan 14th after an almost 10-year break! The nostalgia..!

Enigma = something confusing or unexplainable. My dad likes to say about confusing things, "A mystery wrapped inside a conundrum wrapped inside an enigma." He's a bit weird that way.

There are 14? Wow, and I was under the delusion there were 16 all this time...well, there are 15 if you count Melkor....but you usually don't...

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But if he told us every answer to every mystery in his world, what would be left to wonder about?

Well I didn't say to every mystery in this world, did I?

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I revisited AU on Jan 14th after an almost 10-year break! The nostalgia..!

Interresting topic!
I have to agree with you, Larael, Tom Bombadil is a mystery and has to stay a mystery. I don't think he's a god or something near that, he's master. Someone with a hell lot of selfconfidence, you might say ^^
He's totally in control of himself, and he's in control of his environment. That's why he has no control over the Nazgul (another stupid thing about that theory that Tom = Witch King of Angmar: the With King IS in control over the Nazgul), they come from another environment, the same with the Ring. But the Ring has no power over him, cause Tom is in control of himself.

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we had a discussion about this topic on Council of Elrond. i believe we came to a decision that he is a maia or something along those lines. here's the thread: http://www.councilofelrond.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=XForum&file=viewthread&tid=5724

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I've never thought of it that way before! So your saying that evil is a completely seperate environment or world than that of good, and that is why Tom is so in control of the goodness of nature and not of evil things. But how would that work, because it's almost like Tom has a power over the Ring. He is beyond the confines of our world. The Ring does not affect him like it does earthly beings.

In my world view, I have wanted desperately to nail Tom down and make him this or that. But I have come to agree with you Calathiel. Tom is a mystery. And that actually is a wonderful thing. I came across this quote in the Encyclopedia of ARDA on Tom Bombadil:

"Part of the wonder of Tolkien's world is its depth and detail, but it needs its mysteries and unknowns too: if we knew everything about the World of Arda and its inhabitants, there would be no joy of exploration and discovery. If nothing else, Tom Bombadil stands proudly as a symbol of the mysterious, and we should be glad that he does."

Our own world is chuck full of things we do not understand, things mysterious and wonderful to us. Any creator god of our world would certainly be forever beyond our complete understanding. You have felt the joy of exploring. It is such an exhilirating and euphoric experience. To have that forever before us is awesome! I like it that way!

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"If you do not find a way, no one will."

*applaudes* Well said Sinbearer. For me, that wraps this topic up Not that it isn't still up for discussion...

I think hes Maia But IDK Tolkien never explained him much Cause he wanted it to be more of a mystery like it is.

Perhaps he was a Maia, or he could have been something of his own breed. Maybe Eru made him, but forgot about him so he settled nicely in a small corner of the world and lived his happy life. Do you think some of his power could have "rubbed off" onto him from Goldberry?

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