Sorry if it seemed that way, but I wasn't comin on strong, its just that Tom has been discussed before and I just wanted to be sure that it was agreed he could not be a Vala.

: Secondly Gandalf isn't going for a "little chat" with Bombadil, he is going for "such a talk he has not had in all his time". Which is a really long time. So if Bombadil is a Maia what gives him this special right? Wouldn't Gandalf want to speak to someone more important or someone who cares more of his doings?

: Jon

Absolutely he would want to report to the big guys that his mission was successful and that Sauron was defaeted once and for all. But is Tom the one to talk to about this. Gandalf stated in the Council of Elrond that things such as the One Ring would have very little hold on Tom's mind and he would be a very unsafe keeper, which definately suggests his lack of interest in the whole affair. Why, therefore would the fact that "everything is OK now!" and "...don't worry Sauron and his ring are gone now!" hold any more interest for him? It wouldn't!!

Tom is a Maia (IMHO) and therefore he would be a sort of brother to Gandalf (both being Maia and both having had Eru as a dad), one who he may not see ever again and one whom he has not seen for many ages (probably since before the world was created). Gandalf was going to have a long chat with a being he would consider a sibling and one that he would never see again because Tom was so taken with Middle Earth and the chances of Olorin (as Gandalf would return to becoming) coming to ME after having got back to Valinor were non-existant.

Tolkien said that Tom was an Enigma that did not need explanation, but if we are to try and do so then we should not be attempting to invent anything new or different that Tolkien obviously did not have in mind himself. Tom *does* fit into being a Maia and I believe he most certainly is!

Cheers

Padster