this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2024
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Lord of the memes

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[–] ahornsirup@sopuli.xyz 39 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I read the books first, and while there are plenty of omissions and outright changes from the source material that I disagree with, cutting Tom Bombadil is not one of them.

[–] skulblaka@startrek.website 50 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Bombadil was one of the most important pieces of world building in LOTR, and that's not a joke. He's clearly a being of great power. He holds absolute sovereignty over his domain, such that even the trees and the undead bend to his will. And there is absolutely no cogent information or backstory on him, whatsoever. At all. Bombadil is printed proof that Middle Earth has a lot more going on than is touched on in the story. If Bombadil is an unexplained Great Being then it stands to reason that there would be more, beyond Sauron and Sauruman and the characters we meet directly. Bombadil is a signpost pointing off-screen and saying "Hey, there's more stuff over this way".

He may be crazy, and silly, and poorly explained, but that's all for a reason. Tom represents the "etc." at the end of the list of beings in Middle Earth. He is an open end implying the existence of more like him.

[–] CitizenKong@lemmy.world 48 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Nice interpretation but he really was just a character from unrelated stories by Tolkien he liked so much he reused him in LOTR. He's just a remnant of the initial version of the book which had a lot of elements later editions revised like Strider being a hobbit.

[–] Sylver@lemmy.world 19 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I think that’s what makes Tolkien such a talented writer. Sure, he just wanted a nice character reference, but he managed to make it fit in such a way that truly did expand the horizons of Mordor to near infinity.

[–] CitizenKong@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

Well, objectively he's not a very good writer. He's a great storyteller though, maybe the best of the entire 20th century.

[–] Telodzrum@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It doesn’t really matter what Tolkien said or where Tom came from, mechanically in the work. Once it’s on the page, that’s the story.

[–] blanketswithsmallpox@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This is like bible levels of Bombadil.

[–] Telodzrum@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago
[–] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 23 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Tom bombadil and the scouring of the shire were just, logical omissions.

What they did to my boy Gimli though.. :'(

[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 26 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

I disagree, I think the scouring of the shire is important and adheres to the themes established like home being worth fighting for even if you're small and weak.

I just really like Bombadil, so I accept that I'm biased.

Gimli definitely got shafted.

Boromir... I have never seen such a crime committed against a character before.

[–] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 19 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I like bombadil too! I just have hard time imagining the scene working in the film.

[–] jodanlime@midwest.social 16 points 9 months ago (1 children)

And honestly I think that's ok, and an acceptable reason to leave him out. Tom really would be difficult to do justice on the big screen, and might confuse the majority of people that didn't read the books first.

[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 2 points 9 months ago

Oh it would absolutely be confusing, and I readily accept that I'm biased.

[–] BakerBagel@midwest.social 12 points 9 months ago

A whole second sturggle after the climax if the movie is unbearable and would just make it drag on. They were right to ommit it from the movies.

[–] CraigeryTheKid@lemm.ee 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

How different was Gimli in the books? I must admit I didn't read them, but in my defense I don't read any books.

[–] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 18 points 9 months ago

Book gimli is an intelligent, articulate warrior poet.
Film gimli is a bumbling comedic relief.

For example when they enter Moria, in the film, most of the exposition in the film is given to Gandalf, with Gimli being reduced to gasping and awing.

"These are not holes," said Gimli. "This is the great realm and city of the Dwarrowdelf. And of old it was not darksome, but full of light and splendour, as is still remembered in our songs."

He rose and standing in the dark he began to chant in a deep voice, while the echoes ran away into the roof.

Followed by Gimli singing a song about its former splendour

At the tomb of Balin, instead of crying and moaning the whole scene:

"He is dead then," said Frodo. "I feared it was so." Gimli cast his hood over his face.