You're saying that Tom's supremely arrogant.
Unfortunately, that interpretation does match up with his constant complaint that his intellectual inferiors here at the Zone just never appreciate his true genius, and capriciously refuse to bow down before his obviously superior intellect. (The flies refuse to be swatted, in other words.)
Tom does have a superior intellect, though perhaps not quite as singular and supreme as he imagines. The problem is that the bad attitude seriously undermines its effectiveness. The arrogance provokes resistance and pushback where it otherwise might not have appeared. Over the years the cumulative effect is to promote an attitude in his opponents that it's a badge of honor to have never conceded any point to Tom.
Intellectual arrogances fosters disagreement just for the sake of disagreement. It's satisfying to disagree with Tom because it annoys him so.
I'm not saying that deriving enjoyment from disagreeing with Tom covers me in honor and glory. It means that I've spent considerable lifespan in a trivial pursuit.
If it turns out that Tom's absence is a sabbatical, and he returns with a reformed attitude of cooperation and (relative) humility, it won't be enough. His previous opponents will instinctively pick up where we left off, and resume the game of Disagreeing with Tom. We might drag him back to the game even if he wishes to turn over a new leaf.
I'd suggest looking at Tom's absence as more than an egotistical fit of pique. Many of us have willingly participated in taunting the bear, and what we have here is a codependency situation. If the bear comes back wanting to be a human, we should be ready to accommodate him and meet him halfway. All parties will need to reform their attitudes, not just Tom.
Or maybe he's just recharging his batteries and he'll return swinging the intellectual meataxe with renewed vigor. I hope not, as that would make his vacation a missed opportunity. It'll be a(n all-too-) familiar pleasure to do the bighorn sheep headbump again, but I'll wonder how much better it might've been.