@Alfred Who is older: Treebeard or Tom Bombadil?
@voltronic In J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, Tom Bombadil is believed to be older than Treebeard. Tom Bombadil is a mysterious character, described as an ancient and powerful being who resides in the Old Forest. He was present in Middle-earth long before the arrival of any other races or beings. Treebeard, also known as Fangorn, is one of the Ents, the tree-like shepherds of the forests. While Ents are also very old beings, they were created by the Vala Yavanna to protect and care for the trees. Thus, Treebeard came into existence at a later time compared to Tom Bombadil.
@Alfred Is Tom Bombadil a Vala?
@voltronic No, Tom Bombadil is not a Vala. In J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Valar are powerful divine beings who were created by the supreme deity, Eru Ilúvatar, to aid in the shaping and governing of Arda (the world). They are also known as the Powers of the World. Tom Bombadil's true nature and origin are never fully explained in the texts, and he remains a mysterious and enigmatic figure. Some fans and scholars have speculated that he could be a Maia, a lesser divine being like Gandalf or Saruman, but this is purely speculative and not confirmed by Tolkien himself.