: : Maia were Ainu who entered the "Hierarchy of Arda" in a subsidiary role to one of the Valar. The terms Vala and Maia are the equivalent of ranks in an army. As Tom was not (or ever had been) the henchman of a Vala then he could not be a Maia.

: If I understand you correctly, the hierarchy of the Valar/Maiar was established at the moment of their entering Arda? Does this mean that Tom snuck in? I like 'henchman of the Valar', by the way.

: :an Ainu who entered Arda, but did not join in the hierarchy of creator/guardians.
: In other words, an anarchist. The question is, did he willing ignore the hierarchy or was he expelled, not necessarily for following Melkor, but for having a divergent point of view with his 'superiors'. That bring up another question: were was our yellow-booted friend when Melkor and Co. were doing terrible things in Eriador and environs?

: :He enjoyed and observed the created world, indeed revelled in it, but took no responsibility for it (except in very minor ways).
: A sort of John Denver of Middle-earth

: Thanks for your views

:::John Denver (hehehehehe). Quite ammusing! Remember that Melian was a Maia who took a humanoid form, and lived for thousands of years in Middle-Earth, and I think the same could be said for Bombadil and his wife. I don't think that Melkor and Co. really cared about Tom when they were messing in Eriador, or didn't really know about him. I don't think Melkor ever actually went to Eriador, he just sent orcs there to harass the men, and the orcs probably were too afraid to go into Bombadil's forest anyway, and if they did, they probably just got confused and left (courtesy of Tom's enchantments). I don't think we need any more Bombadil discussion though, I am pretty sick of hearing about him, and I don't really care who or what he is anymore.