Frodo had to leave because, in his own words, "There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep." This was no ordinary PTSD. He was deeply, deeply traumatized, not only from his journey and the physical wounds, but mostly from the psychological hold that the ring had on him. Spending his last days with the Elves in Valinor (aka "The Undying Lands") was the only way he could have a modicum of happiness and healing.
I may be mistaken, but I think it also explained as a spiritual sort of wound as well, that is everlasting for people exposed to the ring like that. They become no longer wholly of the physical world, a piece of them is always in the world of the unseen. Something like that, this may even just be my own head canon.
When my mother watched these movies she got on a kick about how she wanted all of her kids to be like Sam, always doing the right thing without the need for recognition. She used to preach that to us all the time. When she died in 2016 from lupus, we found a box full of Samwise action figures in her closet, one for each of her six kids and their spouses, as reminders to always be each other's Sams.
I hope people would be more like Frodo. It's "easy" to fight for the ones you love, that's essentially what Sam did, but to volunteer on truly hard mission, continue it even after you have lost everything and know you are going to die, and still have mercy on Smeagol even after all he had done, now that's what we need more. I don't want to make Sam any less of a hero that he was. Though I think his heroism is so easily recognized because people would like to have Sam in their life. Frodo's heroism is the of the opposite.
I absolutely agree. One of the very strong suit of this monument of a movie is the acting and acting direction. Why was Ian McKellen not awarded the academy for best actor? I still wonder....His telluric performance remains unequalled. We could say the same for Sean Astin and for the magnetic rendition of Aragorn by Viggo Mortensen. Breathtaking acting throughout the trilogy.
Well except for the guy that played Tom Bombadil and that guy that played Glorfindel whose parts had to be cut because they didn't live up to the standards.
@@tigqc in fact they got one. All together. Surprised by PJ HIMSELF and others in the event management! Even brought up the best friends of Tolkien who were the artists who he approved of for his books and so forth. They all got to the stage. And in the behind the scenes documentary movie literally lined them up on the hotel room table, taking pictures of them etc and had a party.
Frodo never fully healed from his wounds, which means he could never stay happy in Middle-Earth. He, Gandalf, Bilbo, and the rest are going to the undying lands (Elf heaven essentially), where mortal beings usually aren't allowed. An exception is made for Frodo and Bilbo because they were ring bearers. In the appendices we learn that Sam becomes mayor of the Shire and lives a long and happy life. After his wife dies, he also sails west to the undying lands because he was briefly a ring bearer. So Frodo and Sam do meet again. Merry and Pippin spend their days with Aragorn in Gondor, and when they die they are buried next to Aragorn's grave. Legolas and Gimli remain friends, and their friendship heals the rift between Dwarf and Elf. When they reach their end, they also sail to the undying lands together. It's a massive honor for Gimli, being a dwarf, and never a ring bearer. Once they leave, the fellowship is gone from Middle Earth forever.
I didn’t notice this the first few times I watched LOTR… but I love the parallel from the first movie of Frodo grabbing Sam’s arm to pull him from the depths of water, then Sam pulling Frodo from the “depths” of fire after the ring is destroyed. Just speaks of their unfailing friendship!
Also, in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there's [spoilers ahead] ... ... ... ... an almost identical moment at the end of the film with both Indiana and the German woman hanging off a cliff and reaching for the Holy Grail, and having to choose to let it go.
And the ring doesn't melt until Frodo makes the decision to let go and take Sam's hand. His look right before he makes the decision is him thinking that he can still save the ring, there's still a chance.....
And the parallel between Isildur cutting Sauron's finger off, and getting the ring at the beginning, and Gollum biting Frodo's finger off to get the ring at the end.
I saw it for the first time in 2002 or 2003, and since then I must have seen it countless times, but every time Aragorn says, "My friends you bow to no one," I can't stop crying from 14 to 35 years old
Imagine that... Having the greatest living king in the world, a man whose lineage goes back thousands of years, who is, quite literally, superhuman, bow to you for your services. There can be no greater honor.
@@CristiNeagu not only that, it’s on the day of his coronation. Not only that, it’s one of the first things he does as king besides kiss his queen to be that he hadn’t seen in ages.
I learn something new every time I watch these movies. Not just details in the movie but as you get older and mature you understand certain lessons in the story that you missed earlier in life. Tolkein stands the test of time and the movies stay as loyal as they can to the writing. We watch the trilogy every year around Christmas in my house going on 12 years now.
Agreed! Just by watching it once, I can tell there are certain lessons I've missed already and even then i've learned so much. Easily became my favorite movie!
To me Lord of the Rings is something that I can actually feel it, you know. I think only people like us, the fans that watch this over and over, can understand the meaning of this. This ain't just a movie, the word "masterpiece" is also not enough to describe it. Stef you were true and beautiful, thank you for this amazing reaction! You got a new fan!
@@stefsolari How do you feel about this trilogy 9 months later? I actually looked for a sort of “review” video from you after you had time to process everything. Cuz emotionally it’s A LOT of a lot lol
All ring bearers sail from Middle-earth to Valinor, the undying lands. Only in Valinor the pain and soul wounds inflicted by the ring's evil power can find relief. Years later Sam, who has worn the ring albeit briefly, will also sail to Valinor and be reunited with Frodo. Thanks for your reaction. And don't worry about the tears. I'm 47 years old and I admit that when I see many scenes from this film again (Sam's strength when he loads Frodo on his shoulders or when the whole of Gondor bows down to the greatness of the little 4 hobbits) I can't hold back the tears.
@@enderjed Tom isn't a ringbearer- although he touched it (which is what I presume you mean), he is an avatar of older magic that the ring has no effect on. To Tom, it's just a worthless piece of metal.
@@cerisambrook7692 he's impervious to its effects because of his nature, but for me anyone who touches the thing is a ring bearer. Sam didn't put it on, but he held it
I’m not sure if many people know this but there are 3 eagles that go to mount doom, one is for Frodo, one is for Sam, and the third is meant for Sméagol, bc Gandalf wanted to be able to save him and heal him. It was so refreshing to rewatch these movies through your reactions, they’re were so pure and genuine, thank you!!
@@EthernousNatsuDragneel Smeagol is a victim more than a villain. His mind has been controlled by One ring's power. It makes a lot of sense trying bring him back.
Eomer finding Eowyn's seemingly lifeless body on the battlefield wasn't in the theatrical cut, and it must have just gutted Karl Urban (playing Eomer). It was just such a raw outpouring of utter grief and despair, and Karl really left nothing in the tank. In the actor's commentary on the Extended version DVD when the scene comes up, Miranda Otto (playing Eowyn) says very happily "oh this is back in!" and then something about how happy she is for Karl since he did such a great job with it.. or close anyway, it's been minute since I last sat through the DVD commentary. ;)
When Eomer finds Eowyn on the battlefield, seemingly dead from the effect of the black breath, the touch of the Witch-King incident to her assault on that undead monster, and from her injury, he gives way to grief and horror in the way that he had predicted that Merry would react if exposed to the savage cruelty of battle.
@@jonrolfson1686 and in the book that is only partway through the battle, not at the end. At the beginning of the battle the Rohirrim are singing. After seeing Eowyn and thinking her dead is when they cry out "death".
@@samswords9993 That's also after Theoden is dying, and passes the kingship of Rohan to Eomer, in the book. He is somber and accepts the responsibility from his uncle as he dies...but then seeing his sister, who he thinks is dead, drives him into a rage of utter destruction, and yes, rides off with his knights to bring more death to the forces of Mordor.
@@jonrolfson1686He doesn't "give way" you fuck. He grieves more bitterly than a lesser man would be capable of. Part of the courage of battle is that you fight to protect people back home. She was the person for him who was supposed to be safe.
i always love the part when Sauron realizes. He feels Frodo put it on and knows where he is, as do the Nine. It takes knowing a little extra to feel the true weight of the scene. Sauron hasn't known about Frodo Sam and Gollum's quest this entire time. He's had glimpses from far away, but when Aragorn challenges him in the Palantir, then marches on him at the Black Gate with Gandalf, he thinks he knows they have the Ring. Because it's what he would do. He expects the puny MiddleEarthers to use his weapon against him, despite being unable to truly wield it, aside from maybe Gandalf. When Frodo puts it on, he realizes everything....that someone else has it, they're going to destroy it, they've deceived him and survived this whole time, and that his life is dangling over a cliff. It's the most visceral fear he's ever felt. And of course we see him die well enough and it's sort of set up for us in Fellowship, but this is at the tail end of an insanely long life of slow reduction in power....finally, by Lord of the Rings Sauron summons a magic so stupidly strong and archaic it only works if he pours nearly his entire soul and strength into this thing. The thing's primary goal to deceive and control doesn't work, save on the kings of Men, but it does make him absurdly strong in MiddleEarth. But it gets stripped from him, and finally the only thing tying him to the world is dissolved, so he's left with nothing but an insane sort of consciousness in the ether.
@@sanfander Precisely, i know it sounds funny, but i think that is exactly what Tolkien would have wanted to express with this, that in the end, evil, is going to get beaten, no matter how hard it try, no matter how clever or powerful it is, by itself ,because, in this case for example, Sauron the deciever, getting decieved, it is something that Sauron, with all of his hubris would not have considered even remotely to be possible. Same thing as Gollum and Frodo actually destroying the ring...not because they want to destroy it, but because they want the ring for themselves.
The scene in this that cuts through my heart is when Sam says "If ever I was to marry someone, it would've been her. It would've been her." and starts sobbing. Sam was Frodo's rock through this entire journey, and Frodo was preoccupied with the influence of the ring - but you can see how he suddenly realizes that his friend has given up so much too in order to be there for him. He sits up immediately to embrace Sam as they assume they're basically waiting to die.
What a beautiful, heartfelt, authentic and genuine reaction. I’m not crying, you’re crying 😢 There are lots of reactors out there, most talk too much and feel the need to crack stupid jokes every 8 seconds, whereas you are totally invested emotionally in the experience. More of the same please!
I agree with you! Too many reactors feel the need to insert themselves into the story, rather than let the story take them along and just mention to us how they are impacted.
ahhh I appreciate it so much! I know I am a little new to the reaction world but I genuinely want to say thank you for being so kind. I'm so happy you enjoyed
How was Eowyn able to kill the Witch King when it was said that no man could kill him? It was Merry's dagger (Dúnedain dagger) that allowed this to happen. In the book it was forged by the smiths of Arthedain, the daggers were intended for use in the war between Arnor and Angmar. As such, they were enchanted with magic capable of harming the Witch-king. So, when Merry stabbed the Witch-king in the source material, he didn't merely distract the Lord of the Nazgûl. Instead, he dealt a great blow by breaking the spell that made the Witch-king near-immortal. To wit: Merry's blade broke "the spell that knit [the Witch-king's] unseen sinews to his will." Essentially, Merry's magic dagger opened the door for Éowyn to kill the Witch-king. It was a team effort. It's so impressively incredible that this story -- perhaps the greatest fiction ever told -- was created and written by one man.
@@BuBbLeBaThJaKeshelob wasnt merely a spider. She was ancient creature. She was descendant of a primordial power that took form of a spider and likely more powerful than Sauron. So she is basically half demon
That moment gets you, but I do also find it very funny the way the whole crowd internally reacts like "Oh whoa - the king is bowing to them!? Get down! GET DOWN!"
Even after so many years this movie shows why it won so many awards. It stay mostly true to the writer's vision, and that's why it stands the test of time. If you like movies, and you like stories, there are few that can compare to this trilogy.
Echiiro Oda's "One Piece." Don't let the 1000+ chapters/episodes worry you. It's a true Epic on par with Lord of the Rings. It's a fun pirate tale, or a deep as heck pirate tale.
In the places where it deviates, I feel like Peter Jackson's version just makes for a better movie and a better story. I prefer his vision to Tolkien's, to be honest.
My son grew up with this trilogy. I could say Gandalf was the closest thing he had to a father and Aragorn was the role model which set up his moral compass as a young man. My boy is now a classically trained actor. Years ago, when he was returning home, quite late at night, disheartened, after a grueling training session, he bumped into Sir Sir Ian Mckellen on the deserted platform of a London Underground station. He opened his heart to Sir Ian, both actor to actor and like a son would open his heart to a father. Sir Ian gave him the best words of wisdom and encouragement, the biggest of hugs and held him against his heart. I wish I could let him know what that meant for my son, and for me, as a mother. I wish I could explain why it meant so much and how very grateful I am. Your reactions to this story are so pure. Bless.
If it makes you feel any better, Tolkein wrote in a letter to a fan that the rings power would be so strong at the chasm of Mt Doom that he fears no one in middle earth would have had the willpower to throw it into the fire. So I think it speaks to Frodo's strength that he didn't fail until the very end.
No character willingly gave up the ring. Bilbo just let it drop from his hand, Frodo grabbed it from Sam in the tower, and Gullom bit it from Frodos hand, he didn't even let ig go when he was swallowed by the lava. The ring is truly powerful
@@prohiadam9 Tom Bombadil (book only) and Gandalf, both hold the ring and then hand it back to Frodo. In the movie, Gandalf doesn't actually physically touch the ring, but holds it with the fire tongs. But in the book he clearly holds it in his hand, before handing it back. Bombadil even slips it onto the end of his finger, with no effect whatsoever.
His strength but I think even more significantly other traits such as the goodness of his heart that made it more difficult for the ring to seduce him.
Notably in the books there is no squabble between Frodo and Sméagol. He wrests the ring from Frodo and while celebrating slips over the edge, I like this because it plays into Tolkien’s theme. While it was so evil that nobody in Middle Earth would have been able to destroy it, evil will always destroy itself, and so it was with the ring
Outstanding reaction. The best one I've seen. I first saw this when it came out. I joined the Army after and went on a few tours overseas. That feeling at the end when the four of them come back and sit at the table in the pub, wrapped in their own world based on a shared experience, really hit home and rung true for me.
It is a very important scene, not everyone understands the significance. It is linked to Frodo´s leaving of Middle Earth. The shire is saved, but not for him. He returned to the Shire, but it is not home anymore, because the trauma changed him.
Frodo saying they had saved the Shire, but not for him, and leaving for the Undying Lands at the end is a metaphor and call out to all the men who came back from WW I and found that they no longer felt a part of the world they had left before the war. In the infancy of psychotherapy PTSD, what they called shell shock back then, was not fully understood, but it affected millions of men who felt disconnected from everything. Hemmingway called it the Lost Generation. Only in the Undying lands can Frodo fully heal.
You see a part of this when the 4 Hobbits are sitting in the inn drinking. They look around and realize they are no longer a part of the life they used to have and that none of their friends would ever understand what had happened to them.
Tolkien hated allegory. On record, he said that. Whether or not he was influenced by his experiences in WW1 was inconsequential (personally, to him, on record, probably even on video on TH-cam, literally stated by the guy) toward his legendarium. Please don't take this as some sort of internet weirdo attack, but also please stop propagating this very very cold take. A snippet: th-cam.com/video/y5UZ8UacJ5Q/w-d-xo.html
@@LyleAllbritton when Tolkein stated he hated allegory he was responding to a letter wherein someone asked him if lord of the rings was meant to be a metaphor for world war 2, he didn't necessarily mean that there aren't any parallels or influences he took from real life history and experience, yes its false to say Frodo's ptsd like symptoms were specifically a metaphor for ww1 ptsd, however i dont think its an entirely invalid interpretation as ww1 and the lost generation of which he was a member of likely did influence Frodo's story, Sam and Frodo's relationship directly mirrors many relationships during ww1 of an officer and his assistant of which Tolkein would have been a part of, so what im saying is you're correct that implying Tolkein wanted it to be read as ONLY a ptsd metaphor is wrong, but its also not wrong to believe it is a metaphor for that, i imagine however, Tolkein wanted it to be an allegory for multiple things at the same time, ptsd, addiction, trauma, general life changing experiences, and at the same time a metaphor for none of these at all, there really isn't a wrong way to see it and i think thats part of what makes it so relatable and what made Tolkein such a great writer
@@LyleAllbritton A lot of people like to cite Tolkien saying he disliked allegory as a reason why nothing in LOTR could represent something. Whether Tolkien intended it or not, it is clear that parts of the story were directly influenced by his war experiences. People don't have to admit to something out loud for it to be true.
The final lines of the book right after Frodo’s departure, leaving behind his friends and Middle-earth: (...) But to Sam the evening deepened to darkness as he stood at the Haven; and as he looked at the grey sea he saw only a shadow on the waters that was soon lost in the West. There still he stood far into the night, hearing only the sigh and murmur of the waves on the shores of Middle-earth, and the sound of them sank deep into his heart. Beside him stood Merry and Pippin, and they were silent. At last the three companions turned away, and never again looking back they rode slowly homewards; and they spoke no word to one another until they came back to the Shire, but each had great comfort in his friends on the long grey road. At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland; and already they were singing again as they went. But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill, as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap. He drew a deep breath. 'Well, I'm back,' he said. The End.
It never fails. Every single time I watch Sam saying "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!!!" brings tears to my eyes. I mean, I've probably seen that several hundred times and it still gives me chills. Everyone needs a Sam in their life.
Hiç izlememiş olmayı isterdim bu filmi, hafızamdan sildirip tekrar baştan izlemeyi o kadar çok isterdim ki. Reaksiyon videolarını izliyorum ve gerçekten benzer duygularımı hissettiğimi düşündüğüm kişilerin verdikleri reaksiyonlar için onlara teşekkür ediyorum. Bütün duyguları beraber yaşatıyor ve resmen abondane ediyor. Ağlaman için fırsat veriyor sonra tekrar aksiyon sonra tekrar ağlayabiliyorsun, gelmiş geçmiş en iyi film tartışmasız!!!
Short answer to why Frodo left is: he suffered so much on his journey and from having the ring as a constant burden that he was never fully able to heal and find peace in the Shire. So, since he was a ring bearer, he was allowed to take a ship to the land of the elves across the sea (a sort of heaven/afterlife/paradise type land) where he could finally heal.
Trauma is the reason why. Some people experiance such traumatic experiences that they are unable to function at all, the soul never comes back. When this happens death and the afterlife is their only hope of peace
Stef - Don't know if you'll ever read this. But I just wanted to say that your reaction videos are some of the most genuine I've ever seen. Thank you for sharing them with us. It's very refreshing to re-live this masterpiece through fresh eyes. All the best to you.
I got to fulfill a lifelong LOTR fan wish this week for my birthday! My husband found a theater an hour away doing a 20th Anniversary showing of ROTK extended edition! It started at 7pm on a school night so we didn't get home until after midnight but it was the best ❤❤❤! I will say it also showed me things that in 20 years, I never have noticed watching the extended versions on smaller screens/lesser headphones etc. I picked up on CGI in places I never did before & different parts of the sound effects I never heard before!
I've seen this movie, and reactions to these scenes many, many times now. Even after all that, I usually get somewhat emotional on each one. But your halting, incomplete sentences and frequent shedding of tears here really moved the hell out of me more than usual. Thank you.
It was good to see you taking that jouney, Stef. It's a long journey. It's an intensely emotional journey. It's a profound and meaningful journey. And it's a journey that, I think, enhances your life when you take it. Welcome to the 'Lord of the Rings' club.
There are a handful of films in our world that are worthy of the title Masterpiece. I sincerely believe Lord of the Rings to be one of them. One little detail that always stuck out in my mind was hearing somewhere that Peter Jackson told his cast and crew not to treat their efforts like they were just making a movie, but as though they were reenacting historical events.
He also put them through wringer. He would often do dozens of takes. He likes having editing options... but also to push the actors to extremely emotional moments. The battle between Eowyn and the Witch King he did like 40+ takes and it was breaking her and she just lost it in what ended up being the final take and all that raw emotional amd fear and anger and pain just came crashing out. Peter often very calmly just says, "cut... that's great one more please." And imagine hearing that over and over and over. He was also known for frequently saying "pain is temporary, film is forever."
Tolkien's universe is described in great detail. This universe is so realistic that in some forums I saw a dispute about what stone the bridge was made of and from which quarry this stone was brought - the universe was described in such detail that people forgot that it was fiction and begin to argue that this is a real country and real characters. Several non-existent languages were invented in detail (among elves and dwarves). That is, my idea is that if you plunge into the world of Tolkien, you will no longer be able to live without him. I've read several books, sequels to Lord of the Rings by various authors, and they were all great. In this film, we see the sunset of Middle-earth, the elves leave this country, and all the time the characters here and there mention references to more ancient times, when this land was the heyday, the great kings of antiquity, and the ancient battles became legends. The film The Hobbit gives us one of the episodes of the not so distant past of Middle-earth (Bilbo, although old, is still alive). The best years of the Middle-earth of antiquity are no less exciting, they are still waiting for their authors, there are few such books and they are written by other authors. Some bloggers give a quick overview of Tolkien's idea. For example, who is Galadriel who appeared in the most ancient times and why is she so powerful. Who is Tom Bombadil (not in the movie) and why is this character important. It's not all that simple, there is a hidden meaning. All this is Tolkien's universe, which is worth exploring in more detail.
The more you watch this movies the more you grow to love them and pick up on more things, like when Galadriel says to Sam when they first met "Yet hope remains..." She saw through him how pure of soul he was. Also the main themes about mortality (Arwen, Gandalf, Theoden, etc)
Thank you for paying attention and giving the trilogy a chance. This story got me through my childhood. I didn't have an easy time with my parents, and every time I was down I would watch Lord of the Rings and I would find Hope. None of my friends ever care to listen to me or give Lord of the Rings a chance. So watching these reactions is always nice because I feel like I get to share something I love with someone else. You're such a heartfelt person. Thank you for experiencing this story and sharing the same love for it that I too.
Okay here it goes, the moment I waited till now as to not spoil you or anyone else: The story of the ring is a difficult one. But it basicially it boils down to: There is no such thing as a pure soul. EVERONE is corruptable. Some might hold onto it longer than others, but in the end power corrupts. That is just a fact. This is why not even Frodo could cast it into the fire. He was barely able to hold onto the ring without going mad, but even that was VERY close sometimes and he was only able to fight it because of the friendship he had. There is not a single person that would have cast the ring into the fire. NOT A SINGLE ONE. Sauron explicitly made the ring that way. (not explaining who sauron really is... or I'll be here 3 hours) That is why he didn't put up guards at the tower of mount doom. Even if someone had made it there, they would not ever destroy the ring. What destroyed the evil at the end? Evil itself? The corruption. The reasons most emperors or dictators fall is because they get killed for all the evil shit they did. Or because someone even more powerhungry tried to get the power. On the one hand it is a dire message. A wake up call. If you think you are all good, you are blind. There is no such thing as pure good. (but on the same coin, there is no such thing as pure evil!) It serves as a warning to all. It could happen to you next! (maybe because of your fame? Maybe something else entirely) But it is also a reassuring tale. That evil will not last. It can not last. Evil breeds evil. And evil destroys itself. Be that the mongols, the nazis or anything. It WILL eventually collapse under its own evilness. There is just no other way around it.
The Lord of the Rings is a tale of a constant failing. Frodo's expedition is a failure. He almost did not even manage to throw the ring and Sauron got defeated just for a pure kick of luck of Smeagol falling by himself into the pit. Aragorn almost destroyed entirely his Grey Company leading to death almost all the Dunedain remaining (in the books that is explained very well). Smeagol fell under the burden of his own evil. The story has not a good end and it is not meant to have. But still it leaves us with peace and goodness. Still it looks like a very good ending story while it's not. That is in fact the fascination of life. We are in it, nonetheless. All with our burdens, all with our banes, our maleidctions, our monsters. With our failing fellowship of outcast friends. But still we stand. And that is encouraging, isn't it? All we still stay here even everything we went through. Lords of the Rings is the story of our life, and the realization that we all can fight against our banes is sufficient to think that our life is a good-ending story, after all
@@Cliffster420 You must be young. If you think that every german in Nazigermany was evil. I re-HEALLY don't want to start such a deep philosophical debate in the youtube comments, because it is more complex than I can make it justice, but I just want to say: Even Hitler was once an innocent baby. But then things happened. And so was every Nazi general. Every Nazi soldier. Was Frodo evil because he wanted the ring for himself? Do you relaly think that? And no. The elves were not immune to it either. (Did you listen to what galadriel said? "EVERYONE SHALL LOVE ME AND DISPAIR!!!") Sure, they were wiser than men or dwarves, because they were created less emotional and were much much older... (its like toddlers and elders.. .of couse the elder can see that the van with 'fReE CanDy' on it is a trap...) so they knew not to use their rings until sauron was defeated. I really hope you can take something from this. There is no such thing as pure evil. Most people are either misunderstood or corrupted. Even Grima Wormtongue shed a tear when he realized what he had done. That is one of the biggest lessons in Tolkiens works.You need to stand up for what is right. But do not hate those that got corrupted, as they were once just like you. Even the orcs were once just elves. If that doesnt tell you something about corruption... I don't know what will.
The eagles are the Heralds of Manwe, Chief of the Valar (essentially archangels) When they help out its never a minor event. Frodo leaves because his soul was damaged beyond repair by the ring and the when the witch king stabbed him on Weathertop. Only living near to the grace of the Valar in the Undying Lands will he ever be able to find peace again.
Hi Stef, I'm one of those YT viewers that's usually content to watch videos and like/sub while remaining quietly anonymous, but I felt like I wanted to leave a personal comment to thank you for sharing your first time experience with this amazing trilogy. I've seen these films and other reactors to it many times over the years but yours was something really special and gave me another newfound appreciation for the LOTR as well as reaction vids like this in general. So thank you once again and bless your kind heart.
My mom watched these movies for the first time in her 60's as someone who never had any interest in the fantasy genre or even fiction in general. They are now her favorite movies, took years to get her to watch them but now she rewatches them all the time whether or not I'm visiting and she got all the books set in middle earth too.
Next Trilogy The Hobbit Extended Edition Of The Adventures Of Bilbo Baggin: (1) An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition (2) The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition (3) The Battle Five Armie Extended Edition
Gandalf's "Far Green Country" speech to Pippin in the book comes from a dream Frodo has while staying in the house of Tom Bombadil, who does not appear in the movie: “Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to glass and silver, until at last it was all rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise.” It''s not describing heaven, but the Undying Lands. Death is called the Gift of Men by the elves because when men die, they go to spend eternity with Eru Illuvatar, the One Father.
Great reaction to these incredible films! Some questions you asked: . The physical eye was an addition to the films and not in the books (In the books the “Eye of Sauron” is only mentioned figuratively or in visions) . The Eagles are servants of Manwë, the leader of the Valar (Valar being kind of analogous of “demigods”) Gandalf has arguably a special relationship with the Eagles. It’s pretty special that the eagles helped, as the Valar aren’t allowed to intervene directly with events (They’re so powerful that they risk doing more harm than good, the same reason the Wizards are “advisors” and don’t use their full power) The eagles getting involved can therefore be seen as exceptional/divine intervention . Frodo left Middle Earth because his wounds from The Witch King and Shelob never fully healed, that and for playing his part in destroying the ring, he was afforded the rare honour along with Bilbo of being given a place in Aman (a divine realm where the Valar, Maiar/Wizards and some elves reside. Usually only afore mentioned beings are even allowed to enter Aman, there Frodo can live out the rest of his life free from pain and trauma)
im a 36 year old man, I saw all these in the theaters when they came out. I cannot watch these without getting a lump in my throat every 5 minutes lol. Best trilogy ever.
You are now one of us, and will find yourself trying to persuade people to watch this epic saga and follow the same roller coaster of emotions. Without doubt one of the best series of films ever made, and needs to be enjoyed by many more.
The great thing about Frodo is that while he arguably one of the greatest heroes, with him carrying the ring all the way to Mount Doom, the journey broke him. He's a fallible being. He wasn't special in that he was incorruptible. He simply did his best, and while it was enough to accomplish the goal, it wasn't enough for him to come out in a way that he could recover. A lot of fantasy has heroes that come out just fine or perfect at the end, and I think Frodo is the perfect example that even if one is broken from being the hero, one is still a hero at the end. And it's okay. Sometimes the challenges we go through break us, but we can still be great in the end.
Look at the way that Frodo smiles back at the others, as he boards the ship to Valinor. Just for a brief moment that is the Frodo that we first saw, reading a book under a tree. That is what he would find in Valinor... his old self and at peace, healing.
19:03 Maybe without Gollum at the end, the ring would not have been destroyed. Gandalf said in the 1st movie: "Gollum will still have his (important) part to play" in the story.
Only found this today. The realization of this story through the eyes and hands of so many dedicated artists who shared the same vision was an accomplishment that you don't see too many times in a lifetime. Glad that it had such an emotional effect on you. The epitome of excellence in film. We dedicated New Years, for three years in a row, to indulge in the spectacle of this trilogy. So worth it. Thanks for sharing.
If you watched Fellowship of the Ring, you’d know where the eagles are from - when the moth shows up for Gandalf, basically the eagles are coming, he sends a message of sorts. He did it in that movie to escape Saruman.
And BTW Eagles embody Manwe's power (or even Eru's) and they are here just to rebalance the fight between the Evil Maiar (Sauron) and Men. Notice that Gandalf as a servant of the Eternal Fire uses power versy sparingly. Eagles help saving him, staving off Nazgul (evil spirits) and rescuing people.
Emotionally, speaking, this was one of the most beautiful reactions I've seen. As other commenters have pointed out, the reason why Frodo left Middle Earth at the end was due to the fact that the quest had scarred him so badly that he would never have peace. Between being stabbed by the Witch-King, stung by Shelob, and ravaged inside and out by the will of the Ring, there was no healing and no escape from the pain. It's very much a message about PTSD. Tolkien was a practicing Christian, and I see Frodo as something of a Christ-like figure: he willingly completed the quest knowing that it was destroying him, but he made that sacrifice for the good of the world. Thus, the Elves honored him with a spot in the Undying lands, which can be seen as a metaphor for Heaven or Avalon. The real genius of Tolkien, though, was teaming him with Sam and Gollum. Sam was the hope and purity he needed to carry him through, and Gollum was the tragic figure through which the Ring's own evil undermined itself.
You reacted as the movies knew how you would react. Story telling in film form at it's very finest. The source material helps in that it's a book that half the world has read and the other half are going to.😄 I have read the Book many times and it doesn't get old. I was speechless after seeing part three in the theatre with my son. As was he. One film split into three parts just worked on every level didn't it? Great reaction but not surprising. The story and characters bring you in. The music, the settings, the contrasts between the races, the acting.
You're never "done" with Lord of The Rings. It's an unforgettable experience 😊 You are a beautiful human being, thank you for sharing your experience, without holding anything back ❤️
Great reaction and glad to see another fan of LOTR being born. But of all the parts to have audio completely muted, the coronation scene?? I still watched every second, but dang.
Frodo left because his wounds never really healed and the effect of the Ring had taken so much from him. Sam also left later having also held the Ring for some time. Pippin and Merry were laid to rest either side of Aragorns grave. Legolas and Gimli travelled for a while together, visiting Fangorn and the Glittering caves in Helms Deep. Then they set sail to the undying lands.
Alright, well I made it to just under 3 minutes before I started tearing up haha. Gandalf talking about death always gets me. As do countless other moments in these movies!
I’m just happy that more and more people are discovering how great this trilogy is. I watched all 3 movies when they came out in the theater and have the blu rays which I have watched hundreds of times. To this day I still do full marathons with the 3 movies from time to time instead of watching new movies that come out.
At the end, they went to Valinor, the land of the "gods". It's like if they were to heaven. It was promised to the Elves when their time ended. And Gandalf himself was a Maiar, a lesser god or angel so he was going back home. Bilbo and Frodo were honoured with a "ticket" to this heavenly land because they were ring bearers and also Frodo was wounded with a damn sword so they went there to heal and as a award for their role in the ring war. Many years after that, at last, Legolas went to Valinor and took Gimli with him. And after a long life, the death of his wife and being the Shire Mayor like 7 times, Sam, also, could travel to Valinor in order to meet his old friend Frodo.
However many hundreds of watches, and, "My friends! You bow to no one." Still kills me. The music swell and everything. I still can't even listen to the score without welling up at least a little. I'm happy to have gotten another opportunity to share this experience with a new friend. Thank you for sharing. I'm very glad you enjoyed it :)
Don't worry Stef. Few people really grasp why Frodo is leaving beyond that he doesn't look well when they are seeing Gandalf off. He has color in his cheeks again when he looks back at his friends. He seems to already be finding peace. Second viewing is even better when you have the context for many of the events that happen throughout.
What i love about Tolkien is that he uses death wisely, as a grand conclusion of a character arc, as an important and logical part of a character’s story. He doesn’t just throw death of lovable characters left and right just to get emotion out of consumer and/or make main character suffer Love that for us all with this trilogy☺️
The eye on the tower IS Sauron. Without the ring he doesn't have the power to take physical form. When Isildur cut the ring from his hand many years ago, he was banished to the spirit realm like the Nazgul. If you got close up, there is a man-shape in the center of the eye, but the rest of it is flames. You can think of it as a portal to the flames of Hell, one that slowly took form once Gollum started wearing the ring. But he couldn't come through until he got the ring itself. In the mean time he could influence people to turn evil.
I hope you watched on a TV! It’s an incredible series that is meant for a big screen because of the groundbreaking shots/cinematography. It’s beautiful. It’s not meant for a monitor
I really like how you try to always see the bigger picture and understand why things are portrayed the way they are. The world Tolkien has created is so vast, they still haven't published everything. It's amazing Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Stephen Sinclair managed to cram this story into three movies without it feeling rushed. And I love the portrayal of the heroes in these movies. They aren't macho, sexualised killing machines, they're caring, vulnerable, and couragous
Keep being like this! Your authenticity captivates your fans. I just saw this a couple days ago, and the feelings are mutual. (Even after watching this series multiple times. ) even grown men can cry. 😢❤
Bilbo's story next? As often happens...When you're craving some more Middle Earth... There is "The Hobbit" trilogy of movies, excellent to see what happened on Bilbo's adventures.
Well done Stef, very few (if any) reactors pick up on the importance of NOT killing Gollum earlier in the “Two Towers” movie. Although, Tolkien himself regarded Sam as the ultimate HERO, everyone played a significant role in helping Frodo get to Mt Doom in order to destroy the”One Ring” and save Middle Earth, including Gollum. It has been a pleasure watching people enjoy and react to these movies after 20 odd years. Noho ora mai ra (live well and farewell) 🔥🔥🔥
@@veiregormany fans including Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens have mentioned it often when asked however, you have a right to your opinion
The burden and despair that Frodo carries with him even though they've saved the shire is more than he can bare. I feel for him very much and by traveling to the undying lands he will be at peace until his last days. That's why he looks out into the distance and then looks back at his friends and smiles. It reminds me of the quotation by Martin Luther King Jr. on his head stone. The epitaph that says "free at last free at last my God almighty I am free at last". This statement has always resonated with me along with my struggle with severe depression. The scene with Frodo at the end sums it up for me and was an ultimate expression of what most people feel like when they know they've come to the end of their life. By leaving the reminders of the old world and THE WORLD ITSELF, and the burden that once laid heavy on them is now lifted. Thank you so much for this review.
Back in 1997 on the 'One Ring' website fans were asked how they wanted Sauron to be represented in the films. I remember choosing 'a flaming eye' from a list of about five choices and was pleased to see that most other fans agreed. I completed forgot about the poll until you said 'I don't get the eye'. I'm not sure that you meant that you didn't understand what it represented or was someone controlling it but I'm sure you can see that it is a visual representation of the power of Sauron. Something that was easy to understand in the books but harder to portray in a film. Another great reaction so thanks for sharing your emotional journey> Do please come to New Zealand and see the country!
One of the questions that often comes up after watching this great trilogy is the true nature of Sméagol/Gollum. People often consider the dilemma that Frodo posed: was there ever a chance to truly save him after the ring had "consumed" him for centuries? I think that the possibility of redeeming Sméagol is answered for us at the entrance to Mount Doom with the "Sméagol promised!" line from Frodo, and the response from Sméagol was very simple: "Sméagol lied." While Gollum may have appeared to the reader/viewer as the more evil and cruel of the two personalities, in the end we discover that Sméagol was the one who schemed, manipulated, misled, and gloated as he broke the oath that he swore. I think the fight with himself was real to an extent, because Sméagol obviously hated who he was and what he had become because of the ring, so his devotion to Frodo for a time was genuine, but that servitude wasn't a truly virtuous act. It was perhaps best described as something that allowed him to temporarily forget his past, and put aside his suffering by serving a different master apart from the ring, which helped to rekindle a spark of humanity within him for a time. But the motivation for that short respite from centuries of pain was more selfish than altruistic, so while it was a simulacrum of humanity that was reborn, it was only surface level, and it wasn't the best quality in a human being by an means. Whether it was "slinker" or "stinker" who was in charge (those were Sam's names for him from the book - which I quite like - depending on how Sméagol/Gollum was acting at the moment), I think neither personality was redeemable in the end. Sméagol/Gollum deserved pity, yes, but beyond that there was nothing left of him to save, unfortunately.
Tolkien didn't think so. In one of his letters he remarked how that little spark of humanity could have been rekindled, if it wasn't for Sam's harsh treatment. The passage when this happens it's really tragic. "so Gollum found them hours later, when he returned ... Sam sat propped against the stone, his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy. In his lap lay Frodo's head, drowned deep in sleep... Peace was in both their faces. Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo's knee - but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing. But at that touch Frodo stirred and cried out softly in his sleep, and immediately Sam was wide awake. The first thing he saw was Gollum - `pawing at master,' as he thought. `Hey you!' he said roughly. `What are you up to?' 'Nothing, nothing,' said Gollum softly. `Nice Master!' `I daresay,' said Sam. 'But where have you been to - sneaking off and sneaking back, you old villain? ' Gollum withdrew himself, and a green glint flickered under his heavy lids. Almost spider-like he looked now, crouched back on his bent limbs, with his protruding eyes. The fleeting moment had passed, beyond recall."
@@Laurelin70 I remember that passage, but it doesn't necessarily support what you assert about Tolkien's position on Gollum. That scene still works with my interpretation that Sméagol was able to temporarily forget about his pain, through serving another master (Frodo) instead of the ring. I mean, if all it takes is for a few harsh words from Sam to turn him "back" to evil, can it be said that he is rehabilitated in any meaningful way? No, I think the more reasonable interpretation is that he is only temporarily distracted from his need for the ring, and that his true nature is villainous and nothing more.
@@RoryMitchell00 No, it demostrates that his "true nature" is NOT ONLY villainous. That, with time and patience, he could be saved. That often, all it's needed for someone to be saved, is a good word or a kind attitude from other people. What Tolkien kept telling us in all the book is that NO ONE is totally evil or totally good. Maybe just Sauron, and maybe the orks (and about the latters he later had a LOT of problems to reconcile their treatment in the LOTR with what seemed the presence of a "soul" of sort, and then the possibility to be redeemed). There's no such thing as "the true nature" of anyone, in the LOTR. Tolkien himself, in his letters talked about this: "At any point any prudent person would have told Frodo that Gollum would certainly* (*Not quite 'certainly'. The clumsiness in fidelity of Sam was what finally pushed Gollum over the brink, when about to repent) betray him." , "For me perhaps the most tragic moment in the Tale comes in II 323 ff. when Sam fails to note the complete change in Gollum's tone and aspect... His repentance is blighted and all Frodo's pity is (in a sense ) wasted. Shelob's lair became inevitable.", "If he had [repented], what could then have happened? The course of the entry into Mordor and the struggle to reach Mount Doom would have been different, and so would the ending. The interest would have shifted to Gollum, I think, and the battle that would have gone on between his repentance and his new love on one side and the Ring. Though the love would have been strengthened daily it could not have wrested the mastery from the Ring. I think that in some queer twisted and pitiable way Gollum would have tried (not maybe with conscious design) to satisfy both. Certainly at some point not long before the end he would have stolen the Ring or taken it by violence (as he does in the actual Tale). But ‘possession' satisfied, I think he would then have sacrificed himself for Frodo's sake and have voluntarily cast himself into the fiery abyss."
@@Laurelin70I agree! 👍 The perspective that everybody is redeemable and can be "saved" also fits the Christian world view of Tolkien. As you point out Tolkien himself was conflicted with the role of the Orcs. Also note that the valar even gave Sauron another chance at the end of the first age, hence considered him to be redeemable...
These movies (this story) embody the fullness of the human experience in a way that will probably never be topped. It is the pinnacle of literature and cinema.
I've read these books multiple times since the 1970s, and even though I know exactly what happens, I still tear up over certain scenes. And yes, young Stef here, doesn't help matters, because I have a problem with being empathetic to her emotions.
The Nazgul wound Frodo had could not be fully healed in Middle Earth. He was allowed to go to the Undying Lands to get help. Bilbo was allowed to go as a ring-bearer.
One thing that I think is beautiful is the idea that Gandalf came with three eagles because he was expecting to have to rescue Gollum as well! I don't know if he brings three eagles in the books or not, though.
The trilogy came out when I was 18-20years old. AM turning 40 this year and til this very day they are THEE best movies I ever seen. Sheer epicness and scope and feel of them. MUsic, props, effects, acting, script. EVERY dam little thing is greatness. Love it! Cant wait til my daughter gets old enough to watch em with me!
"My friends; you bow to no one." I cry like a little baby every time I watch that scene. Heck, just thinking about it chokes me up a bit. It is just such a powerful scene.
I love the fact that even though it's been more than 20 years this movie still can make newer generations feel so much, I'm really glad that you watched, liked and even cried with this amazing story
What i love in the scene in Rivendell is reunion. A lot of people forgets that frodo and sam didnt know if anyone of the fellowship survived. You are watching a lot of pespectives and you know who is alive and who dont but frodo from second film cannot know. Every person who walks in that room is in Frodo's mind like "omg he lives, and him and him ... " Just imagine waking up after this horror in comfortable bed and experience this. Beautiful scene. And of course Sam enters last :)
In the books Frodo had the ring for over 17 years. This was compressed in the movies, but all that time the Ring's hold grew on him, though it did not overcome him until the end. In many ways the Ring had become part of Frodo and when it was destroyed, there was hole that could never be filled in his heart. Arwen specifically gave her seat on the last ship to Frodo, because she knew the pain and loss he would have to endure. The books also tell us this was not the "last ship". Sam, because he was a Ringbearer, although briefly, took a ship to Valinor after the death of Rosie.
Frodo's spirit was so damaged from the stab on weathertop, the stab from the troll in moria, the sting from shelob, and the incredible weight of the ring.. the light of his fea (spirit) was diminished. So he took the last ship west to the undying lands, where he could find respite from his suffering. It's the same reason bilbo went.. In the scene where gandalf rescues frodo and Sam from Mount dooms eruption afterthe ring is destroyed, there is an extra eagle gandalf brought for smeagle, hoping he would choose good and take the ship west to heal his spirit.. It's a wonderful story, and I liked your reactions ❤
Something about the rings corruption most people forget is that the reason why bilbo was able to hold on to it for decades without a mayor effect is because he was so far away from mordor. The closer to mount doom the stronger the effect. Even frodo says that the rings gets heavier every step. In the middle of mount doom the corruption is absolute.
Something that makes Gandalf's speech to Pippin, and his words of comfort to Theoden, hold even more weight? He's an angel in all but name, and knows first-hand that the paradise he promises to those grieving or those afraid is true. It's wonderful.
Though actually the “Doom of man” (which I’m pretty sure includes hobbits) is hidden from Gandalf and all the other Maiar and Valar except for Mandos and Manwe. He should not know the truth of it.
It has been wonderful to watch someone else's honest reaction to three movies that I have held so very dear since they were first released. I first read TLOTR back when I was a teenager, getting on for 40 years ago, and these films perfectly embodied my view of middle earth.i waited a looooong time for them! Thank you!!
That's a great reaction u had! Definitely hit them all again. I'm sure the comments will explain most of the lore that is this story, imo the best story ever written
I´ve that much tears like you every time. Saw this movie in a cinema triathlon with the first two parts I´ve already seen on that time with my friends in young age. The last one tears me up in every second. And Gandalfs words should be on my grave stone. For not all tears are an evil.
Frodo had to leave because, in his own words, "There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep." This was no ordinary PTSD. He was deeply, deeply traumatized, not only from his journey and the physical wounds, but mostly from the psychological hold that the ring had on him. Spending his last days with the Elves in Valinor (aka "The Undying Lands") was the only way he could have a modicum of happiness and healing.
And in the movie, not in the books I think, Galadriel says that the quest will claim his life.
Didn't Sam joined Frodo later on after the passing of his wife? I thought I heard it from somewhere.
@@mikef2811 yes she will die later on and Sam will be old and then travel to the undying land and join Frodo again
@@mikef2811 Yes, and then a bit later Legolas and Gimli - as the only dwarf ever - joined them as well.
I may be mistaken, but I think it also explained as a spiritual sort of wound as well, that is everlasting for people exposed to the ring like that. They become no longer wholly of the physical world, a piece of them is always in the world of the unseen. Something like that, this may even just be my own head canon.
When my mother watched these movies she got on a kick about how she wanted all of her kids to be like Sam, always doing the right thing without the need for recognition. She used to preach that to us all the time. When she died in 2016 from lupus, we found a box full of Samwise action figures in her closet, one for each of her six kids and their spouses, as reminders to always be each other's Sams.
That's so bittersweet. Oh my goodness.
Man, I thought he reactions were great, but this was tear jerking and I've seen this movie so many times. 😢😢😢 Samwise the brave
Amazing lady. What a great story.
It was always Sam's story. A swift sunrise.
I hope people would be more like Frodo. It's "easy" to fight for the ones you love, that's essentially what Sam did, but to volunteer on truly hard mission, continue it even after you have lost everything and know you are going to die, and still have mercy on Smeagol even after all he had done, now that's what we need more.
I don't want to make Sam any less of a hero that he was. Though I think his heroism is so easily recognized because people would like to have Sam in their life. Frodo's heroism is the of the opposite.
pretty much every actor in this trilogy deserved their own oscar
I absolutely agree. One of the very strong suit of this monument of a movie is the acting and acting direction. Why was Ian McKellen not awarded the academy for best actor? I still wonder....His telluric performance remains unequalled. We could say the same for Sean Astin and for the magnetic rendition of Aragorn by Viggo Mortensen. Breathtaking acting throughout the trilogy.
Sean Astin really should have been nominated and won for playing Sam. One of the all time biggest snubs for me.
Well except for the guy that played Tom Bombadil and that guy that played Glorfindel whose parts had to be cut because they didn't live up to the standards.
@@tigqc in fact they got one. All together. Surprised by PJ HIMSELF and others in the event management! Even brought up the best friends of Tolkien who were the artists who he approved of for his books and so forth. They all got to the stage. And in the behind the scenes documentary movie literally lined them up on the hotel room table, taking pictures of them etc and had a party.
Andy Serkis deserved an Oscar as well
Frodo never fully healed from his wounds, which means he could never stay happy in Middle-Earth. He, Gandalf, Bilbo, and the rest are going to the undying lands (Elf heaven essentially), where mortal beings usually aren't allowed. An exception is made for Frodo and Bilbo because they were ring bearers. In the appendices we learn that Sam becomes mayor of the Shire and lives a long and happy life. After his wife dies, he also sails west to the undying lands because he was briefly a ring bearer. So Frodo and Sam do meet again. Merry and Pippin spend their days with Aragorn in Gondor, and when they die they are buried next to Aragorn's grave. Legolas and Gimli remain friends, and their friendship heals the rift between Dwarf and Elf. When they reach their end, they also sail to the undying lands together. It's a massive honor for Gimli, being a dwarf, and never a ring bearer. Once they leave, the fellowship is gone from Middle Earth forever.
I didn’t notice this the first few times I watched LOTR… but I love the parallel from the first movie of Frodo grabbing Sam’s arm to pull him from the depths of water, then Sam pulling Frodo from the “depths” of fire after the ring is destroyed. Just speaks of their unfailing friendship!
Also, in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there's [spoilers ahead]
...
...
...
...
an almost identical moment at the end of the film with both Indiana and the German woman hanging off a cliff and reaching for the Holy Grail, and having to choose to let it go.
And the ring doesn't melt until Frodo makes the decision to let go and take Sam's hand. His look right before he makes the decision is him thinking that he can still save the ring, there's still a chance.....
And the parallel between Isildur cutting Sauron's finger off, and getting the ring at the beginning, and Gollum biting Frodo's finger off to get the ring at the end.
I noticed that this time for the first time as well.
ugh, I didn't even think about this 🥺
I saw it for the first time in 2002 or 2003, and since then I must have seen it countless times, but every time Aragorn says, "My friends you bow to no one," I can't stop crying from 14 to 35 years old
no one* sorry :D love that scene too
It came out December 2003 so you did not see it in 2002.
47 here and the onion ninjas just invaded my house again.
Came here to say the same thing! Out of every scene in the entire trilogy that line gets me every time!!!
Seriously every single time.!!!
“My friends … you bow to no one.”
Gets me every time.
Imagine that... Having the greatest living king in the world, a man whose lineage goes back thousands of years, who is, quite literally, superhuman, bow to you for your services. There can be no greater honor.
Me too! That's my favorite line in the series!
@@CristiNeagu not only that, it’s on the day of his coronation. Not only that, it’s one of the first things he does as king besides kiss his queen to be that he hadn’t seen in ages.
he saw her a couple weeks before this@@guccimain89
Every. Single. Time. 😢
I learn something new every time I watch these movies. Not just details in the movie but as you get older and mature you understand certain lessons in the story that you missed earlier in life. Tolkein stands the test of time and the movies stay as loyal as they can to the writing. We watch the trilogy every year around Christmas in my house going on 12 years now.
Agreed! Just by watching it once, I can tell there are certain lessons I've missed already and even then i've learned so much. Easily became my favorite movie!
I have a great appreciation for Tolkiens work. He's probably one of the greatest writers in the English language. And possibly well beyond that.
@@stefsolari its so good to see that ☺
To me Lord of the Rings is something that I can actually feel it, you know. I think only people like us, the fans that watch this over and over, can understand the meaning of this. This ain't just a movie, the word "masterpiece" is also not enough to describe it. Stef you were true and beautiful, thank you for this amazing reaction! You got a new fan!
I appreciate it! I can't believe I don't hear about this movie more often. No film comes close to this one in my honest opinion; it was incredible
@@stefsolari How do you feel about this trilogy 9 months later? I actually looked for a sort of “review” video from you after you had time to process everything. Cuz emotionally it’s A LOT of a lot lol
All ring bearers sail from Middle-earth to Valinor, the undying lands. Only in Valinor the pain and soul wounds inflicted by the ring's evil power can find relief. Years later Sam, who has worn the ring albeit briefly, will also sail to Valinor and be reunited with Frodo.
Thanks for your reaction. And don't worry about the tears. I'm 47 years old and I admit that when I see many scenes from this film again (Sam's strength when he loads Frodo on his shoulders or when the whole of Gondor bows down to the greatness of the little 4 hobbits) I can't hold back the tears.
Well, all ring bearers except for Gollum and Isildur, I suppose!
All the living ring bearers that is. Except for Tom Bombadill
@@enderjed Tom isn't a ringbearer- although he touched it (which is what I presume you mean), he is an avatar of older magic that the ring has no effect on. To Tom, it's just a worthless piece of metal.
@@cerisambrook7692 he's impervious to its effects because of his nature, but for me anyone who touches the thing is a ring bearer. Sam didn't put it on, but he held it
@@enderjed Did Sam ever actually touch it? He always held it by the chain, didn't he? Boromir also held it by the chain up in the mountains.
I’m not sure if many people know this but there are 3 eagles that go to mount doom, one is for Frodo, one is for Sam, and the third is meant for Sméagol, bc Gandalf wanted to be able to save him and heal him. It was so refreshing to rewatch these movies through your reactions, they’re were so pure and genuine, thank you!!
Was looking for this comment before I posted it myself lol.
Jeez, if you are right. That just must amazing then before😢
This makes that scene even better
@@EthernousNatsuDragneel Smeagol is a victim more than a villain. His mind has been controlled by One ring's power. It makes a lot of sense trying bring him back.
@@sollomom yeah that's right
Eomer finding Eowyn's seemingly lifeless body on the battlefield wasn't in the theatrical cut, and it must have just gutted Karl Urban (playing Eomer). It was just such a raw outpouring of utter grief and despair, and Karl really left nothing in the tank. In the actor's commentary on the Extended version DVD when the scene comes up, Miranda Otto (playing Eowyn) says very happily "oh this is back in!" and then something about how happy she is for Karl since he did such a great job with it.. or close anyway, it's been minute since I last sat through the DVD commentary. ;)
When Eomer finds Eowyn on the battlefield, seemingly dead from the effect of the black breath, the touch of the Witch-King incident to her assault on that undead monster, and from her injury, he gives way to grief and horror in the way that he had predicted that Merry would react if exposed to the savage cruelty of battle.
@@jonrolfson1686 and in the book that is only partway through the battle, not at the end. At the beginning of the battle the Rohirrim are singing. After seeing Eowyn and thinking her dead is when they cry out "death".
@@samswords9993 That's also after Theoden is dying, and passes the kingship of Rohan to Eomer, in the book. He is somber and accepts the responsibility from his uncle as he dies...but then seeing his sister, who he thinks is dead, drives him into a rage of utter destruction, and yes, rides off with his knights to bring more death to the forces of Mordor.
@@rikk319 Yes, and Theoden dies never knowing that Eowyn is near him.
@@jonrolfson1686He doesn't "give way" you fuck. He grieves more bitterly than a lesser man would be capable of. Part of the courage of battle is that you fight to protect people back home. She was the person for him who was supposed to be safe.
i always love the part when Sauron realizes. He feels Frodo put it on and knows where he is, as do the Nine. It takes knowing a little extra to feel the true weight of the scene. Sauron hasn't known about Frodo Sam and Gollum's quest this entire time. He's had glimpses from far away, but when Aragorn challenges him in the Palantir, then marches on him at the Black Gate with Gandalf, he thinks he knows they have the Ring. Because it's what he would do. He expects the puny MiddleEarthers to use his weapon against him, despite being unable to truly wield it, aside from maybe Gandalf. When Frodo puts it on, he realizes everything....that someone else has it, they're going to destroy it, they've deceived him and survived this whole time, and that his life is dangling over a cliff. It's the most visceral fear he's ever felt. And of course we see him die well enough and it's sort of set up for us in Fellowship, but this is at the tail end of an insanely long life of slow reduction in power....finally, by Lord of the Rings Sauron summons a magic so stupidly strong and archaic it only works if he pours nearly his entire soul and strength into this thing. The thing's primary goal to deceive and control doesn't work, save on the kings of Men, but it does make him absurdly strong in MiddleEarth. But it gets stripped from him, and finally the only thing tying him to the world is dissolved, so he's left with nothing but an insane sort of consciousness in the ether.
this^
would you then say that Sauron the Deceiver was... deceived lol
@@sanfander Precisely, i know it sounds funny, but i think that is exactly what Tolkien would have wanted to express with this, that in the end, evil, is going to get beaten, no matter how hard it try, no matter how clever or powerful it is, by itself ,because, in this case for example, Sauron the deciever, getting decieved, it is something that Sauron, with all of his hubris would not have considered even remotely to be possible.
Same thing as Gollum and Frodo actually destroying the ring...not because they want to destroy it, but because they want the ring for themselves.
beautifully said
*The Eight, but yes.
The scene in this that cuts through my heart is when Sam says "If ever I was to marry someone, it would've been her. It would've been her." and starts sobbing. Sam was Frodo's rock through this entire journey, and Frodo was preoccupied with the influence of the ring - but you can see how he suddenly realizes that his friend has given up so much too in order to be there for him. He sits up immediately to embrace Sam as they assume they're basically waiting to die.
Indeed
Only after the task is done, does Sam grieve for what could have been
22:11 The third eagle was for Gollum btw
What a beautiful, heartfelt, authentic and genuine reaction. I’m not crying, you’re crying 😢 There are lots of reactors out there, most talk too much and feel the need to crack stupid jokes every 8 seconds, whereas you are totally invested emotionally in the experience. More of the same please!
I agree with you! Too many reactors feel the need to insert themselves into the story, rather than let the story take them along and just mention to us how they are impacted.
Agreed
ahhh I appreciate it so much! I know I am a little new to the reaction world but I genuinely want to say thank you for being so kind. I'm so happy you enjoyed
@@stefsolari Sliced onions just out of camera. Im on to you...
@@seregrian5675 For real ! Thats the perfect react channel omg
How was Eowyn able to kill the Witch King when it was said that no man could kill him? It was Merry's dagger (Dúnedain dagger) that allowed this to happen. In the book it was forged by the smiths of Arthedain, the daggers were intended for use in the war between Arnor and Angmar. As such, they were enchanted with magic capable of harming the Witch-king. So, when Merry stabbed the Witch-king in the source material, he didn't merely distract the Lord of the Nazgûl. Instead, he dealt a great blow by breaking the spell that made the Witch-king near-immortal. To wit: Merry's blade broke "the spell that knit [the Witch-king's] unseen sinews to his will." Essentially, Merry's magic dagger opened the door for Éowyn to kill the Witch-king. It was a team effort.
It's so impressively incredible that this story -- perhaps the greatest fiction ever told -- was created and written by one man.
What I always wondered is how the spider pierced the Mithril
@@BuBbLeBaThJaKe Asking the right questions here :D
@@BuBbLeBaThJaKeshelob wasnt merely a spider. She was ancient creature. She was descendant of a primordial power that took form of a spider and likely more powerful than Sauron. So she is basically half demon
@@BuBbLeBaThJaKe Perhaps she simply stabbed Frodo below the mithril shirt?
@@effieknows the sting scar can be seen on his chest in the next scene where he's naked, so probably no.
"...you bow to no one" will have a tear in your eye the 20th time you see it. Thank you Stef.
So does "I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!". Every time.
100th*
Gets me every time and so does “Men of the west”!
That moment gets you, but I do also find it very funny the way the whole crowd internally reacts like "Oh whoa - the king is bowing to them!? Get down! GET DOWN!"
Only exstreme nerds will get a tear in the eye by that..........
Even after so many years this movie shows why it won so many awards. It stay mostly true to the writer's vision, and that's why it stands the test of time.
If you like movies, and you like stories, there are few that can compare to this trilogy.
Echiiro Oda's "One Piece."
Don't let the 1000+ chapters/episodes worry you. It's a true Epic on par with Lord of the Rings. It's a fun pirate tale, or a deep as heck pirate tale.
Well the extended edition of this film butchers it. The theartical cut was a better representation.
I personally think it’s the best trilogy ever made.
@@mesalgearsolid I know opinions can't be wrong, but somehow yours is.
In the places where it deviates, I feel like Peter Jackson's version just makes for a better movie and a better story. I prefer his vision to Tolkien's, to be honest.
My son grew up with this trilogy. I could say Gandalf was the closest thing he had to a father and Aragorn was the role model which set up his moral compass as a young man. My boy is now a classically trained actor. Years ago, when he was returning home, quite late at night, disheartened, after a grueling training session, he bumped into Sir Sir Ian Mckellen on the deserted platform of a London Underground station. He opened his heart to Sir Ian, both actor to actor and like a son would open his heart to a father. Sir Ian gave him the best words of wisdom and encouragement, the biggest of hugs and held him against his heart. I wish I could let him know what that meant for my son, and for me, as a mother. I wish I could explain why it meant so much and how very grateful I am. Your reactions to this story are so pure. Bless.
If it makes you feel any better, Tolkein wrote in a letter to a fan that the rings power would be so strong at the chasm of Mt Doom that he fears no one in middle earth would have had the willpower to throw it into the fire. So I think it speaks to Frodo's strength that he didn't fail until the very end.
No character willingly gave up the ring. Bilbo just let it drop from his hand, Frodo grabbed it from Sam in the tower, and Gullom bit it from Frodos hand, he didn't even let ig go when he was swallowed by the lava. The ring is truly powerful
@@prohiadam9 Tom Bombadil (book only) and Gandalf, both hold the ring and then hand it back to Frodo.
In the movie, Gandalf doesn't actually physically touch the ring, but holds it with the fire tongs.
But in the book he clearly holds it in his hand, before handing it back.
Bombadil even slips it onto the end of his finger, with no effect whatsoever.
@@Murdo2112 yes you are right, i meant in the movie and with bare hands
His strength but I think even more significantly other traits such as the goodness of his heart that made it more difficult for the ring to seduce him.
Notably in the books there is no squabble between Frodo and Sméagol. He wrests the ring from Frodo and while celebrating slips over the edge, I like this because it plays into Tolkien’s theme. While it was so evil that nobody in Middle Earth would have been able to destroy it, evil will always destroy itself, and so it was with the ring
Outstanding reaction. The best one I've seen. I first saw this when it came out. I joined the Army after and went on a few tours overseas. That feeling at the end when the four of them come back and sit at the table in the pub, wrapped in their own world based on a shared experience, really hit home and rung true for me.
It is a very important scene, not everyone understands the significance. It is linked to Frodo´s leaving of Middle Earth. The shire is saved, but not for him. He returned to the Shire, but it is not home anymore, because the trauma changed him.
Thank you for your service.
Frodo saying they had saved the Shire, but not for him, and leaving for the Undying Lands at the end is a metaphor and call out to all the men who came back from WW I and found that they no longer felt a part of the world they had left before the war. In the infancy of psychotherapy PTSD, what they called shell shock back then, was not fully understood, but it affected millions of men who felt disconnected from everything. Hemmingway called it the Lost Generation. Only in the Undying lands can Frodo fully heal.
You see a part of this when the 4 Hobbits are sitting in the inn drinking. They look around and realize they are no longer a part of the life they used to have and that none of their friends would ever understand what had happened to them.
Tolkien hated allegory. On record, he said that. Whether or not he was influenced by his experiences in WW1 was inconsequential (personally, to him, on record, probably even on video on TH-cam, literally stated by the guy) toward his legendarium. Please don't take this as some sort of internet weirdo attack, but also please stop propagating this very very cold take.
A snippet:
th-cam.com/video/y5UZ8UacJ5Q/w-d-xo.html
@@LyleAllbritton when Tolkein stated he hated allegory he was responding to a letter wherein someone asked him if lord of the rings was meant to be a metaphor for world war 2, he didn't necessarily mean that there aren't any parallels or influences he took from real life history and experience, yes its false to say Frodo's ptsd like symptoms were specifically a metaphor for ww1 ptsd, however i dont think its an entirely invalid interpretation as ww1 and the lost generation of which he was a member of likely did influence Frodo's story, Sam and Frodo's relationship directly mirrors many relationships during ww1 of an officer and his assistant of which Tolkein would have been a part of, so what im saying is you're correct that implying Tolkein wanted it to be read as ONLY a ptsd metaphor is wrong, but its also not wrong to believe it is a metaphor for that, i imagine however, Tolkein wanted it to be an allegory for multiple things at the same time, ptsd, addiction, trauma, general life changing experiences, and at the same time a metaphor for none of these at all, there really isn't a wrong way to see it and i think thats part of what makes it so relatable and what made Tolkein such a great writer
@@LyleAllbritton A lot of people like to cite Tolkien saying he disliked allegory as a reason why nothing in LOTR could represent something. Whether Tolkien intended it or not, it is clear that parts of the story were directly influenced by his war experiences. People don't have to admit to something out loud for it to be true.
@@joshuawiedenbeck6944 think about "application" instead of "allegory" and what those words mean.
What a journey! Thank you for taking the time to share your first experience with this trilogy with so much vulnerability and sincerity. ❤
The final lines of the book right after Frodo’s departure, leaving behind his friends and Middle-earth:
(...) But to Sam the evening deepened to darkness as he stood at the Haven; and as he looked at the grey sea he saw only a shadow on the waters that was soon lost in the West. There still he stood far into the night, hearing only the sigh and murmur of the waves on the shores of Middle-earth, and the sound of them sank deep into his heart. Beside him stood Merry and Pippin, and they were silent.
At last the three companions turned away, and never again looking back they rode slowly homewards; and they spoke no word to one another until they came back to the Shire, but each had great comfort in his friends on the long grey road.
At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland; and already they were singing again as they went. But Sam turned to Bywater, and so came back up the Hill, as day was ending once more. And he went on, and there was yellow light, and fire within; and the evening meal was ready, and he was expected. And Rose drew him in, and set him in his chair, and put little Elanor upon his lap.
He drew a deep breath. 'Well, I'm back,' he said.
The End.
It never fails. Every single time I watch Sam saying "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!!!" brings tears to my eyes. I mean, I've probably seen that several hundred times and it still gives me chills. Everyone needs a Sam in their life.
I think this is my favorite LOTR reaction on TH-cam. You truly understood the movie on emotional level on your first watch. Amazing.
Hiç izlememiş olmayı isterdim bu filmi, hafızamdan sildirip tekrar baştan izlemeyi o kadar çok isterdim ki. Reaksiyon videolarını izliyorum ve gerçekten benzer duygularımı hissettiğimi düşündüğüm kişilerin verdikleri reaksiyonlar için onlara teşekkür ediyorum. Bütün duyguları beraber yaşatıyor ve resmen abondane ediyor. Ağlaman için fırsat veriyor sonra tekrar aksiyon sonra tekrar ağlayabiliyorsun, gelmiş geçmiş en iyi film tartışmasız!!!
Short answer to why Frodo left is: he suffered so much on his journey and from having the ring as a constant burden that he was never fully able to heal and find peace in the Shire. So, since he was a ring bearer, he was allowed to take a ship to the land of the elves across the sea (a sort of heaven/afterlife/paradise type land) where he could finally heal.
Trauma is the reason why.
Some people experiance such traumatic experiences that they are unable to function at all, the soul never comes back.
When this happens death and the afterlife is their only hope of peace
"By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
Both Aragorn's and Theodin's rallying speeches make my hair stand up, lol.
@@marthapackard8649 THEY WERE BOTH WARRIORS ESPECIALLY THEODEN CUZ HE HAD NO PLOT ARMOUR
All from one sweet old man’s head and heart. You can see why we adore this story and it’s author so much.
Stef -
Don't know if you'll ever read this. But I just wanted to say that your reaction videos are some of the most genuine I've ever seen. Thank you for sharing them with us. It's very refreshing to re-live this masterpiece through fresh eyes. All the best to you.
I got to fulfill a lifelong LOTR fan wish this week for my birthday! My husband found a theater an hour away doing a 20th Anniversary showing of ROTK extended edition! It started at 7pm on a school night so we didn't get home until after midnight but it was the best ❤❤❤! I will say it also showed me things that in 20 years, I never have noticed watching the extended versions on smaller screens/lesser headphones etc. I picked up on CGI in places I never did before & different parts of the sound effects I never heard before!
Did the entire audience shout "DDEEEAAATTTHHHH!!!"?
@@robmartin525 everyone there was a fan from when the O.G. trilogy came out so any cheering or acting along was all done in pantomime 😅👍
I've seen this movie, and reactions to these scenes many, many times now. Even after all that, I usually get somewhat emotional on each one. But your halting, incomplete sentences and frequent shedding of tears here really moved the hell out of me more than usual. Thank you.
It was good to see you taking that jouney, Stef.
It's a long journey. It's an intensely emotional journey. It's a profound and meaningful journey.
And it's a journey that, I think, enhances your life when you take it.
Welcome to the 'Lord of the Rings' club.
There are a handful of films in our world that are worthy of the title Masterpiece. I sincerely believe Lord of the Rings to be one of them.
One little detail that always stuck out in my mind was hearing somewhere that Peter Jackson told his cast and crew not to treat their efforts like they were just making a movie, but as though they were reenacting historical events.
He also put them through wringer. He would often do dozens of takes. He likes having editing options... but also to push the actors to extremely emotional moments. The battle between Eowyn and the Witch King he did like 40+ takes and it was breaking her and she just lost it in what ended up being the final take and all that raw emotional amd fear and anger and pain just came crashing out. Peter often very calmly just says, "cut... that's great one more please." And imagine hearing that over and over and over. He was also known for frequently saying "pain is temporary, film is forever."
Tolkien's universe is described in great detail. This universe is so realistic that in some forums I saw a dispute about what stone the bridge was made of and from which quarry this stone was brought - the universe was described in such detail that people forgot that it was fiction and begin to argue that this is a real country and real characters. Several non-existent languages were invented in detail (among elves and dwarves). That is, my idea is that if you plunge into the world of Tolkien, you will no longer be able to live without him. I've read several books, sequels to Lord of the Rings by various authors, and they were all great. In this film, we see the sunset of Middle-earth, the elves leave this country, and all the time the characters here and there mention references to more ancient times, when this land was the heyday, the great kings of antiquity, and the ancient battles became legends. The film The Hobbit gives us one of the episodes of the not so distant past of Middle-earth (Bilbo, although old, is still alive). The best years of the Middle-earth of antiquity are no less exciting, they are still waiting for their authors, there are few such books and they are written by other authors. Some bloggers give a quick overview of Tolkien's idea. For example, who is Galadriel who appeared in the most ancient times and why is she so powerful. Who is Tom Bombadil (not in the movie) and why is this character important. It's not all that simple, there is a hidden meaning. All this is Tolkien's universe, which is worth exploring in more detail.
merry and pippen charging before the army might be a funny moment to some but imo its a really powerful shot
The more you watch this movies the more you grow to love them and pick up on more things, like when Galadriel says to Sam when they first met "Yet hope remains..." She saw through him how pure of soul he was. Also the main themes about mortality (Arwen, Gandalf, Theoden, etc)
Thank you for paying attention and giving the trilogy a chance. This story got me through my childhood. I didn't have an easy time with my parents, and every time I was down I would watch Lord of the Rings and I would find Hope. None of my friends ever care to listen to me or give Lord of the Rings a chance. So watching these reactions is always nice because I feel like I get to share something I love with someone else.
You're such a heartfelt person. Thank you for experiencing this story and sharing the same love for it that I too.
Okay here it goes, the moment I waited till now as to not spoil you or anyone else:
The story of the ring is a difficult one. But it basicially it boils down to:
There is no such thing as a pure soul. EVERONE is corruptable. Some might hold onto it longer than others, but in the end power corrupts.
That is just a fact.
This is why not even Frodo could cast it into the fire. He was barely able to hold onto the ring without going mad, but even that was VERY close sometimes and he was only able to fight it because of the friendship he had.
There is not a single person that would have cast the ring into the fire. NOT A SINGLE ONE. Sauron explicitly made the ring that way. (not explaining who sauron really is... or I'll be here 3 hours)
That is why he didn't put up guards at the tower of mount doom. Even if someone had made it there, they would not ever destroy the ring.
What destroyed the evil at the end?
Evil itself? The corruption.
The reasons most emperors or dictators fall is because they get killed for all the evil shit they did. Or because someone even more powerhungry tried to get the power.
On the one hand it is a dire message. A wake up call. If you think you are all good, you are blind. There is no such thing as pure good. (but on the same coin, there is no such thing as pure evil!) It serves as a warning to all. It could happen to you next! (maybe because of your fame? Maybe something else entirely)
But it is also a reassuring tale. That evil will not last. It can not last. Evil breeds evil. And evil destroys itself.
Be that the mongols, the nazis or anything. It WILL eventually collapse under its own evilness. There is just no other way around it.
The Lord of the Rings is a tale of a constant failing. Frodo's expedition is a failure. He almost did not even manage to throw the ring and Sauron got defeated just for a pure kick of luck of Smeagol falling by himself into the pit. Aragorn almost destroyed entirely his Grey Company leading to death almost all the Dunedain remaining (in the books that is explained very well). Smeagol fell under the burden of his own evil.
The story has not a good end and it is not meant to have. But still it leaves us with peace and goodness. Still it looks like a very good ending story while it's not.
That is in fact the fascination of life. We are in it, nonetheless. All with our burdens, all with our banes, our maleidctions, our monsters. With our failing fellowship of outcast friends. But still we stand.
And that is encouraging, isn't it? All we still stay here even everything we went through.
Lords of the Rings is the story of our life, and the realization that we all can fight against our banes is sufficient to think that our life is a good-ending story, after all
Nah, I bet an elf would have thrown it into the fire. And there is no such thing as pure evil? So you think Nazis were just misunderstood? 🤔
@@Cliffster420 You must be young.
If you think that every german in Nazigermany was evil.
I re-HEALLY don't want to start such a deep philosophical debate in the youtube comments, because it is more complex than I can make it justice, but I just want to say:
Even Hitler was once an innocent baby. But then things happened.
And so was every Nazi general. Every Nazi soldier.
Was Frodo evil because he wanted the ring for himself? Do you relaly think that?
And no. The elves were not immune to it either. (Did you listen to what galadriel said? "EVERYONE SHALL LOVE ME AND DISPAIR!!!")
Sure, they were wiser than men or dwarves, because they were created less emotional and were much much older... (its like toddlers and elders.. .of couse the elder can see that the van with 'fReE CanDy' on it is a trap...) so they knew not to use their rings until sauron was defeated.
I really hope you can take something from this.
There is no such thing as pure evil.
Most people are either misunderstood or corrupted.
Even Grima Wormtongue shed a tear when he realized what he had done.
That is one of the biggest lessons in Tolkiens works.You need to stand up for what is right. But do not hate those that got corrupted, as they were once just like you. Even the orcs were once just elves. If that doesnt tell you something about corruption... I don't know what will.
The eagles are the Heralds of Manwe, Chief of the Valar (essentially archangels) When they help out its never a minor event. Frodo leaves because his soul was damaged beyond repair by the ring and the when the witch king stabbed him on Weathertop. Only living near to the grace of the Valar in the Undying Lands will he ever be able to find peace again.
Hi Stef, I'm one of those YT viewers that's usually content to watch videos and like/sub while remaining quietly anonymous, but I felt like I wanted to leave a personal comment to thank you for sharing your first time experience with this amazing trilogy. I've seen these films and other reactors to it many times over the years but yours was something really special and gave me another newfound appreciation for the LOTR as well as reaction vids like this in general. So thank you once again and bless your kind heart.
My mom watched these movies for the first time in her 60's as someone who never had any interest in the fantasy genre or even fiction in general. They are now her favorite movies, took years to get her to watch them but now she rewatches them all the time whether or not I'm visiting and she got all the books set in middle earth too.
Next Trilogy The Hobbit Extended Edition Of The Adventures Of Bilbo Baggin:
(1) An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
(2) The Desolation Of Smaug Extended Edition
(3) The Battle Five Armie Extended Edition
Gandalf's "Far Green Country" speech to Pippin in the book comes from a dream Frodo has while staying in the house of Tom Bombadil, who does not appear in the movie: “Frodo heard a sweet singing running in his mind: a song that seemed to come like a pale light behind a grey rain-curtain, and growing stronger to turn the veil all to glass and silver, until at last it was all rolled back, and a far green country opened before him under a swift sunrise.” It''s not describing heaven, but the Undying Lands. Death is called the Gift of Men by the elves because when men die, they go to spend eternity with Eru Illuvatar, the One Father.
Great reaction to these incredible films!
Some questions you asked:
. The physical eye was an addition to the films and not in the books (In the books the “Eye of Sauron” is only mentioned figuratively or in visions)
. The Eagles are servants of Manwë, the leader of the Valar (Valar being kind of analogous of “demigods”) Gandalf has arguably a special relationship with the Eagles. It’s pretty special that the eagles helped, as the Valar aren’t allowed to intervene directly with events (They’re so powerful that they risk doing more harm than good, the same reason the Wizards are “advisors” and don’t use their full power) The eagles getting involved can therefore be seen as exceptional/divine intervention
. Frodo left Middle Earth because his wounds from The Witch King and Shelob never fully healed, that and for playing his part in destroying the ring, he was afforded the rare honour along with Bilbo of being given a place in Aman (a divine realm where the Valar, Maiar/Wizards and some elves reside. Usually only afore mentioned beings are even allowed to enter Aman, there Frodo can live out the rest of his life free from pain and trauma)
im a 36 year old man, I saw all these in the theaters when they came out. I cannot watch these without getting a lump in my throat every 5 minutes lol. Best trilogy ever.
You are now one of us, and will find yourself trying to persuade people to watch this epic saga and follow the same roller coaster of emotions.
Without doubt one of the best series of films ever made, and needs to be enjoyed by many more.
The great thing about Frodo is that while he arguably one of the greatest heroes, with him carrying the ring all the way to Mount Doom, the journey broke him. He's a fallible being. He wasn't special in that he was incorruptible. He simply did his best, and while it was enough to accomplish the goal, it wasn't enough for him to come out in a way that he could recover. A lot of fantasy has heroes that come out just fine or perfect at the end, and I think Frodo is the perfect example that even if one is broken from being the hero, one is still a hero at the end. And it's okay. Sometimes the challenges we go through break us, but we can still be great in the end.
Look at the way that Frodo smiles back at the others, as he boards the ship to Valinor. Just for a brief moment that is the Frodo that we first saw, reading a book under a tree. That is what he would find in Valinor... his old self and at peace, healing.
19:03 Maybe without Gollum at the end, the ring would not have been destroyed. Gandalf said in the 1st movie: "Gollum will still have his (important) part to play" in the story.
This reaction is beyond any of you. Run!
Only found this today. The realization of this story through the eyes and hands of so many dedicated artists who shared the same vision was an accomplishment that you don't see too many times in a lifetime. Glad that it had such an emotional effect on you. The epitome of excellence in film. We dedicated New Years, for three years in a row, to indulge in the spectacle of this trilogy. So worth it. Thanks for sharing.
If you watched Fellowship of the Ring, you’d know where the eagles are from - when the moth shows up for Gandalf, basically the eagles are coming, he sends a message of sorts. He did it in that movie to escape Saruman.
Basically Gandalf's friend the moth came and brought the eagles to Gandalf's aid again - but this time on its own.
She did..... but it's a pot of detail 😊
And BTW Eagles embody Manwe's power (or even Eru's) and they are here just to rebalance the fight between the Evil Maiar (Sauron) and Men. Notice that Gandalf as a servant of the Eternal Fire uses power versy sparingly. Eagles help saving him, staving off Nazgul (evil spirits) and rescuing people.
Emotionally, speaking, this was one of the most beautiful reactions I've seen.
As other commenters have pointed out, the reason why Frodo left Middle Earth at the end was due to the fact that the quest had scarred him so badly that he would never have peace. Between being stabbed by the Witch-King, stung by Shelob, and ravaged inside and out by the will of the Ring, there was no healing and no escape from the pain. It's very much a message about PTSD. Tolkien was a practicing Christian, and I see Frodo as something of a Christ-like figure: he willingly completed the quest knowing that it was destroying him, but he made that sacrifice for the good of the world. Thus, the Elves honored him with a spot in the Undying lands, which can be seen as a metaphor for Heaven or Avalon. The real genius of Tolkien, though, was teaming him with Sam and Gollum. Sam was the hope and purity he needed to carry him through, and Gollum was the tragic figure through which the Ring's own evil undermined itself.
You reacted as the movies knew how you would react. Story telling in film form at it's very finest. The source material helps in that it's a book that half the world has read and the other half are going to.😄 I have read the Book many times and it doesn't get old.
I was speechless after seeing part three in the theatre with my son. As was he. One film split into three parts just worked on every level didn't it? Great reaction but not surprising. The story and characters bring you in. The music, the settings, the contrasts between the races, the acting.
You're never "done" with Lord of The Rings. It's an unforgettable experience 😊
You are a beautiful human being, thank you for sharing your experience, without holding anything back ❤️
And now you understand why we love these movies so SO much. This story hasn't just changed my life, but defined it.
Great reaction and glad to see another fan of LOTR being born. But of all the parts to have audio completely muted, the coronation scene?? I still watched every second, but dang.
I'm so glad that after 20 years this trilogy is still finding new fans. There is no perfect story but this trilogy is damn close being one. 😊
Frodo left because his wounds never really healed and the effect of the Ring had taken so much from him. Sam also left later having also held the Ring for some time. Pippin and Merry were laid to rest either side of Aragorns grave. Legolas and Gimli travelled for a while together, visiting Fangorn and the Glittering caves in Helms Deep. Then they set sail to the undying lands.
Alright, well I made it to just under 3 minutes before I started tearing up haha. Gandalf talking about death always gets me. As do countless other moments in these movies!
I’m just happy that more and more people are discovering how great this trilogy is. I watched all 3 movies when they came out in the theater and have the blu rays which I have watched hundreds of times. To this day I still do full marathons with the 3 movies from time to time instead of watching new movies that come out.
At the end, they went to Valinor, the land of the "gods". It's like if they were to heaven. It was promised to the Elves when their time ended. And Gandalf himself was a Maiar, a lesser god or angel so he was going back home. Bilbo and Frodo were honoured with a "ticket" to this heavenly land because they were ring bearers and also Frodo was wounded with a damn sword so they went there to heal and as a award for their role in the ring war.
Many years after that, at last, Legolas went to Valinor and took Gimli with him. And after a long life, the death of his wife and being the Shire Mayor like 7 times, Sam, also, could travel to Valinor in order to meet his old friend Frodo.
However many hundreds of watches, and, "My friends! You bow to no one." Still kills me. The music swell and everything. I still can't even listen to the score without welling up at least a little.
I'm happy to have gotten another opportunity to share this experience with a new friend. Thank you for sharing. I'm very glad you enjoyed it :)
Don't worry Stef. Few people really grasp why Frodo is leaving beyond that he doesn't look well when they are seeing Gandalf off. He has color in his cheeks again when he looks back at his friends. He seems to already be finding peace. Second viewing is even better when you have the context for many of the events that happen throughout.
What i love about Tolkien is that he uses death wisely, as a grand conclusion of a character arc, as an important and logical part of a character’s story. He doesn’t just throw death of lovable characters left and right just to get emotion out of consumer and/or make main character suffer
Love that for us all with this trilogy☺️
The eye on the tower IS Sauron. Without the ring he doesn't have the power to take physical form. When Isildur cut the ring from his hand many years ago, he was banished to the spirit realm like the Nazgul. If you got close up, there is a man-shape in the center of the eye, but the rest of it is flames. You can think of it as a portal to the flames of Hell, one that slowly took form once Gollum started wearing the ring. But he couldn't come through until he got the ring itself. In the mean time he could influence people to turn evil.
I hope you watched on a TV! It’s an incredible series that is meant for a big screen because of the groundbreaking shots/cinematography. It’s beautiful. It’s not meant for a monitor
I really like how you try to always see the bigger picture and understand why things are portrayed the way they are. The world Tolkien has created is so vast, they still haven't published everything. It's amazing Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Stephen Sinclair managed to cram this story into three movies without it feeling rushed. And I love the portrayal of the heroes in these movies. They aren't macho, sexualised killing machines, they're caring, vulnerable, and couragous
24:44 that sad " I love them " with the hand gesture made me laugh so hard. That scene makes me tear up every time I watch it.
Keep being like this! Your authenticity captivates your fans. I just saw this a couple days ago, and the feelings are mutual. (Even after watching this series multiple times. ) even grown men can cry. 😢❤
Poor Stef. Her heart was put through the wringer.
Bilbo's story next? As often happens...When you're craving some more Middle Earth... There is "The Hobbit" trilogy of movies, excellent to see what happened on Bilbo's adventures.
Well done Stef, very few (if any) reactors pick up on the importance of NOT killing Gollum earlier in the “Two Towers” movie. Although, Tolkien himself regarded Sam as the ultimate HERO, everyone played a significant role in helping Frodo get to Mt Doom in order to destroy the”One Ring” and save Middle Earth, including Gollum. It has been a pleasure watching people enjoy and react to these movies after 20 odd years. Noho ora mai ra (live well and farewell) 🔥🔥🔥
There was more than one hero in LOTR, that was Tolkien said.
"My heart tells me that Gollum still has a part to play in this for good or evil." -Gandalf
Tolkien never said that Sam is the ultimate hero
@@veiregormany fans including Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens have mentioned it often when asked however, you have a right to your opinion
Tolkien didn't say that Sam was the ultimate hero
And thank you for having the exact same reaction I did (and do) at the "You bow to no one" line!
She looks so young, but her emotional maturity is huge! I didn't cry when watching these movies, but I teared up from watching this reaction.
The burden and despair that Frodo carries with him even though they've saved the shire is more than he can bare. I feel for him very much and by traveling to the undying lands he will be at peace until his last days. That's why he looks out into the distance and then looks back at his friends and smiles. It reminds me of the quotation by Martin Luther King Jr. on his head stone. The epitaph that says "free at last free at last my God almighty I am free at last". This statement has always resonated with me along with my struggle with severe depression. The scene with Frodo at the end sums it up for me and was an ultimate expression of what most people feel like when they know they've come to the end of their life. By leaving the reminders of the old world and THE WORLD ITSELF, and the burden that once laid heavy on them is now lifted. Thank you so much for this review.
Best. Trilogy. Ever.
Best epic story ever filmed.
Back in 1997 on the 'One Ring' website fans were asked how they wanted Sauron to be represented in the films. I remember choosing 'a flaming eye' from a list of about five choices and was pleased to see that most other fans agreed. I completed forgot about the poll until you said 'I don't get the eye'. I'm not sure that you meant that you didn't understand what it represented or was someone controlling it but I'm sure you can see that it is a visual representation of the power of Sauron. Something that was easy to understand in the books but harder to portray in a film. Another great reaction so thanks for sharing your emotional journey> Do please come to New Zealand and see the country!
One of the questions that often comes up after watching this great trilogy is the true nature of Sméagol/Gollum. People often consider the dilemma that Frodo posed: was there ever a chance to truly save him after the ring had "consumed" him for centuries? I think that the possibility of redeeming Sméagol is answered for us at the entrance to Mount Doom with the "Sméagol promised!" line from Frodo, and the response from Sméagol was very simple: "Sméagol lied." While Gollum may have appeared to the reader/viewer as the more evil and cruel of the two personalities, in the end we discover that Sméagol was the one who schemed, manipulated, misled, and gloated as he broke the oath that he swore. I think the fight with himself was real to an extent, because Sméagol obviously hated who he was and what he had become because of the ring, so his devotion to Frodo for a time was genuine, but that servitude wasn't a truly virtuous act. It was perhaps best described as something that allowed him to temporarily forget his past, and put aside his suffering by serving a different master apart from the ring, which helped to rekindle a spark of humanity within him for a time. But the motivation for that short respite from centuries of pain was more selfish than altruistic, so while it was a simulacrum of humanity that was reborn, it was only surface level, and it wasn't the best quality in a human being by an means.
Whether it was "slinker" or "stinker" who was in charge (those were Sam's names for him from the book - which I quite like - depending on how Sméagol/Gollum was acting at the moment), I think neither personality was redeemable in the end. Sméagol/Gollum deserved pity, yes, but beyond that there was nothing left of him to save, unfortunately.
Tolkien didn't think so. In one of his letters he remarked how that little spark of humanity could have been rekindled, if it wasn't for Sam's harsh treatment. The passage when this happens it's really tragic.
"so Gollum found them hours later, when he returned ... Sam sat propped against the stone, his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy. In his lap lay Frodo's head, drowned deep in sleep... Peace was in both their faces.
Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo's knee - but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing.
But at that touch Frodo stirred and cried out softly in his sleep, and immediately Sam was wide awake. The first thing he saw was Gollum - `pawing at master,' as he thought.
`Hey you!' he said roughly. `What are you up to?'
'Nothing, nothing,' said Gollum softly. `Nice Master!'
`I daresay,' said Sam. 'But where have you been to - sneaking off and sneaking back, you old villain? '
Gollum withdrew himself, and a green glint flickered under his heavy lids. Almost spider-like he looked now, crouched back on his bent limbs, with his protruding eyes. The fleeting moment had passed, beyond recall."
@@Laurelin70 I remember that passage, but it doesn't necessarily support what you assert about Tolkien's position on Gollum. That scene still works with my interpretation that Sméagol was able to temporarily forget about his pain, through serving another master (Frodo) instead of the ring. I mean, if all it takes is for a few harsh words from Sam to turn him "back" to evil, can it be said that he is rehabilitated in any meaningful way? No, I think the more reasonable interpretation is that he is only temporarily distracted from his need for the ring, and that his true nature is villainous and nothing more.
@@RoryMitchell00 No, it demostrates that his "true nature" is NOT ONLY villainous. That, with time and patience, he could be saved. That often, all it's needed for someone to be saved, is a good word or a kind attitude from other people. What Tolkien kept telling us in all the book is that NO ONE is totally evil or totally good. Maybe just Sauron, and maybe the orks (and about the latters he later had a LOT of problems to reconcile their treatment in the LOTR with what seemed the presence of a "soul" of sort, and then the possibility to be redeemed). There's no such thing as "the true nature" of anyone, in the LOTR.
Tolkien himself, in his letters talked about this: "At any point any prudent person would have told Frodo that Gollum would certainly* (*Not quite 'certainly'. The clumsiness in fidelity of Sam was what finally pushed Gollum over the brink, when about to repent) betray him." , "For me perhaps the most tragic moment in the Tale comes in II 323 ff. when Sam fails to note the complete change in Gollum's tone and aspect... His repentance is blighted and all Frodo's pity is (in a sense ) wasted. Shelob's lair became inevitable.", "If he had [repented], what could then have happened?
The course of the entry into Mordor and the struggle to reach Mount Doom would have been different, and so would the ending. The interest would have shifted to Gollum, I think, and the battle that would have gone on between his repentance and his new love on one side and the Ring. Though the love would have been strengthened daily it could not have wrested the mastery from the Ring. I think that in some queer twisted and pitiable way Gollum would have tried (not maybe with conscious design) to satisfy both. Certainly at some point not long before the end he would have stolen the Ring or taken it by violence (as he does in the actual Tale). But ‘possession' satisfied, I think he would then have sacrificed himself for Frodo's sake and have voluntarily cast himself into the fiery abyss."
@@Laurelin70I agree! 👍 The perspective that everybody is redeemable and can be "saved" also fits the Christian world view of Tolkien. As you point out Tolkien himself was conflicted with the role of the Orcs. Also note that the valar even gave Sauron another chance at the end of the first age, hence considered him to be redeemable...
These movies (this story) embody the fullness of the human experience in a way that will probably never be topped. It is the pinnacle of literature and cinema.
I've read these books multiple times since the 1970s, and even though I know exactly what happens, I still tear up over certain scenes. And yes, young Stef here, doesn't help matters, because I have a problem with being empathetic to her emotions.
Same😊
The Nazgul wound Frodo had could not be fully healed in Middle Earth. He was allowed to go to the Undying Lands to get help. Bilbo was allowed to go as a ring-bearer.
One thing that I think is beautiful is the idea that Gandalf came with three eagles because he was expecting to have to rescue Gollum as well! I don't know if he brings three eagles in the books or not, though.
Yes, there were 3 eagles going to Mount Doom.
The trilogy came out when I was 18-20years old. AM turning 40 this year and til this very day they are THEE best movies I ever seen. Sheer epicness and scope and feel of them. MUsic, props, effects, acting, script. EVERY dam little thing is greatness. Love it! Cant wait til my daughter gets old enough to watch em with me!
"My friends; you bow to no one." I cry like a little baby every time I watch that scene. Heck, just thinking about it chokes me up a bit. It is just such a powerful scene.
Yes but it is also amusing to watch Pippin's expression, like "oh finally what I deserve" 😅
I love the fact that even though it's been more than 20 years this movie still can make newer generations feel so much, I'm really glad that you watched, liked and even cried with this amazing story
What i love in the scene in Rivendell is reunion. A lot of people forgets that frodo and sam didnt know if anyone of the fellowship survived. You are watching a lot of pespectives and you know who is alive and who dont but frodo from second film cannot know. Every person who walks in that room is in Frodo's mind like "omg he lives, and him and him ... " Just imagine waking up after this horror in comfortable bed and experience this. Beautiful scene. And of course Sam enters last :)
It was not Rivendell tho? Wasn't it still Minas Tirith? Why would they travel back and forth for the coronation, especially Aragorn?
In the books Frodo had the ring for over 17 years. This was compressed in the movies, but all that time the Ring's hold grew on him, though it did not overcome him until the end. In many ways the Ring had become part of Frodo and when it was destroyed, there was hole that could never be filled in his heart. Arwen specifically gave her seat on the last ship to Frodo, because she knew the pain and loss he would have to endure. The books also tell us this was not the "last ship". Sam, because he was a Ringbearer, although briefly, took a ship to Valinor after the death of Rosie.
Beautiful, Stef! You put every bit of your emotional strength into this viewing and it has been a privilege to watch. Thank you.
Frodo's spirit was so damaged from the stab on weathertop, the stab from the troll in moria, the sting from shelob, and the incredible weight of the ring.. the light of his fea (spirit) was diminished. So he took the last ship west to the undying lands, where he could find respite from his suffering. It's the same reason bilbo went..
In the scene where gandalf rescues frodo and Sam from Mount dooms eruption afterthe ring is destroyed, there is an extra eagle gandalf brought for smeagle, hoping he would choose good and take the ship west to heal his spirit..
It's a wonderful story, and I liked your reactions ❤
“ You bow to no one “ … Perfect reaction !
Something about the rings corruption most people forget is that the reason why bilbo was able to hold on to it for decades without a mayor effect is because he was so far away from mordor. The closer to mount doom the stronger the effect. Even frodo says that the rings gets heavier every step. In the middle of mount doom the corruption is absolute.
Something that makes Gandalf's speech to Pippin, and his words of comfort to Theoden, hold even more weight? He's an angel in all but name, and knows first-hand that the paradise he promises to those grieving or those afraid is true. It's wonderful.
Though actually the “Doom of man” (which I’m pretty sure includes hobbits) is hidden from Gandalf and all the other Maiar and Valar except for Mandos and Manwe. He should not know the truth of it.
Illuvatar's gift. Elves and all the Ainur get it too, but not until Arda is destroyed in Dagor Dagorath. @@Big_Tex
It has been wonderful to watch someone else's honest reaction to three movies that I have held so very dear since they were first released. I first read TLOTR back when I was a teenager, getting on for 40 years ago, and these films perfectly embodied my view of middle earth.i waited a looooong time for them!
Thank you!!
That's a great reaction u had! Definitely hit them all again. I'm sure the comments will explain most of the lore that is this story, imo the best story ever written
I´ve that much tears like you every time. Saw this movie in a cinema triathlon with the first two parts I´ve already seen on that time with my friends in young age. The last one tears me up in every second. And Gandalfs words should be on my grave stone. For not all tears are an evil.