/tg/ - Lord of the Rings: Power Levels

Now admittedly it's been a long, long while since I've read the Fellowship of the Rings; but I think the reason they might have left him out might be because the entire section would probably horribly confuse the audience in general.

From what I recall, the series of events from this entire section is a follows.

Sam and Frodo come to a rest besides an old willow tree, which then proceeds to try and eat them. Before they are devoured by the tree, Tom comes skipping merrily along and, through the power of singing and a chipper attitude, saves the Hobbits.

He then invites them home for lunch, where Sam and Frodo gawk at his stunningly beautiful wife for a bit. Frodo then hands Tom the One Ring to look at, and after juggling with it for a bit, he hands it back to Frodo whilst showing no interest in it whatsoever.

Gandalf then shows up to collect the hobbits, and realising how powerful Tom is and how secluded the area he lives is, Frodo asks why they cannot just leave The Ring with Tom for safe-keeping. Gandalf then explains that Tom is a dozy git who would probably just leave lying on a park bench somewhere, because he does not give the slightest of shits for the affairs of mere mortals and dark lords.

And after all of that, I believe the party then arrive at the Prancing Pony and meet Aragorn for the first time.

IIRC Tom is only OP in his little realm in the middle of the woods. Gandalf says something like Tom could've kept the ring for a while if he wanted, but even he couldn't keep Sauron and his forces out forever. Plus, as it was mentioned, he doesn't really care about anything but his wife and his woods.