Fun fact: Legolas and Gimli friendship was so great that they continued having aventures together, and when they were old, Legolas had to take the trip to Aman (Heaven) like all elves, but he ask permission to the Valar (Angels) to let Gimli take the trip with him... so Gimli was the only dwarf in Aman were the fellowship reunited eventually. Awesome reaction :)

"you bow to no one" 20 years later and I still cry with this line 😭

I have watched this movie over a hundred times, both here in reactions and on DVD, and Sam's iconic line, "But I can carry you," brings me to tears each and every darned time!

A bit of a wrap up from the books; After many years and more adventures both Legolas and Gimli also sail to the Undying Lands, Gimli being the one and only dwarf in history given permission to do so. Merry and Pippin both led long and fulfilling lives before returning to Gondor to live out their days and after Aragorn's death their bodies were laid to rest beside his. Aragorn himself went on to become one of the greatest kings in the history of Gondor and rebuilt the realm after Sauron's demise and Sam went on to marry Rosie Cotton and have 13 children with her. He was elected the mayor of the Shire for seven consecutive 7 year terms and after Rosie passed away he also left for the Undying Lands, having earned a place for being, however briefly, a ring bearer.

Frodo's final words of "We set out to save the shire, Sam... and it has been saved... but not for me" is a line that always hits me the hardest out of the entire trilogy. I reflect on this sentiment in my own life frequently. I think it is a quote that really seals up Frodo's purpose to the story and displays sacrifice in a very powerful way. It goes a little deeper in the book: " 'So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them. But you are my heir: all that I had and might have had I leave to you. And also you have Rose, and Elanor; and Frodo-lad will come, and Rosie-lass, and Merry, and Goldilocks, and Pippin; and perhaps more that I cannot see. Your hands and your wits will be needed everywhere. You will be the Mayor, of course, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger, and so love their beloved land all the more. And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part in the Story goes on. "

One of the most moving parts of the book to me is in the appendix, where the full story of Aragorn & Arwen is told. They live happily ever after, except finally Aragorn grows old and dies at age 210. Arwen is still young beautiful Liv Tyler, and now she’s a distraught widow. Recall in the 2nd movie where Elrond foresees that moment. She leaves behind Gondor (and her son the new King), and goes to Lothlorien. But Galadriel and all the other elves had left long ago. She sits down by a tree all alone and dies.

Some of the things you felt were missing are actually in the extended versions. Great take on Boromir's and Faramir's father Denethor! Faramir's mother, whom Denethor adored, fell into poor health after Faramir's birth and eventually died. Sauron had been, for years, using the seeing stones to manipulate Denethor into hopelessness and despair. Denethor had actually been a formidable foe against Sauron, but by the time we see him in the movies he is a shell of his former self.

Fun fact about Liv Taylor, the acctress who plays Arwen. When she was filming the scene where she kisses Aaragon, Vigo Mortenson was rushed off to another area, and his stunt double was put in for her to kiss. She knew it would be her last scene in the movie and insisted on kissing Vigo himself for the scene haha, so he came back.

First of all, thank you for this , awesome reaction ! Also, a rare fan fact : When Aragorn says "For Frodo" and charges, the choir is actually singing the oath he gave to Frodo back in the Council of Elrond, but in the language of the Elves. Here it is : Sindarin Translation Ae na guil nín egor na ngurth nín Gerin le beriad Le beriathon Le annon vegil nín Cyll e-Gorv Le annon beth nín Ú-erir aen han risto Ú-erir aen han presto Rúvo i rym I aur hen ú bant! Isto Mordor han Elessar! Elessar! Tellin i Chîr Gondor! English Translation: If by my life or death I can protect you, I will I give you my sword Ringbearer, I give you my word, It cannot be broken. Nor turned aside, Let the horns sound, This day is not done! Let Mordor know this: Elessar! Elessar! The Lords of Gondor have come

This has got to be the most cathartic journey ever written. Words can't even do it enough justice. We are lucky we had this trilogy, things like this happen like once every 100 years. Glad you enjoyed it, as much as we did in the theaters.

Hey India, I still cry at what I call the best line in the trilogy, "My friends! You bow... to no one."

Fun detail:The reason why Sam was so hesitant to give Frodo the ring back was not because it had taken a hold of him. See the way he was looking at Frodo? He was concerned with how much it was torturing his best friend, and felt horrible about putting this heavy burden back on Frodo. He's a real one! - Sean Astin said so himself.

You have to watch the extended versions to learn the fate of Sauruman. It’s so worth it! Every added scene is important and not a throw away. Thanks for sharing your experience!

I watched it possibly a hundred times and I’m still ugly sobbing for the last hour of the movie❤

As others have mentioned, Denethor's mind was corrupted and clouded by Sauron because of access to a seeing stone like the one Pippen touched earlier in the movie. They cut that part from the movie, but it makes his behavior more understandable. To him, this was the end of days, and he had no hope left. Also, I've always seen Golem as mankinds' shared imperfection. No matter how hard we try, we always seem to have a part of us that is evil that we just can't get past. It's always there, a dark shadow haunting even our greatest triumphs.

Frodo's line about the Shire being saved but not for him reminds me of guys who served in Vietnam who couldn't return to the States and remained in Southeast Asia as American expatriates and guys like me who physically returned but couldn't fit back in psychologically. Some like me ended up homeless while some others managed to function better but still felt disconnected from the civilian society around them.

You may be interested to know, J R R Tolkien was a Lieutenant in the British Army during WW 1. It was traditional for officers to have a soldier assigned to them as an orderly, known as a "Batman." Bonds of mutual respect & friendship grew between officers & their Batmen that crossed the boundaries of rank, class & tradition. Tolkien's experience with his own Batman influenced his writing of Frodo & Sam's friendship. Furthermore, Tolkien always maintained that Sam was the true hero of the story.

I don't wish to spam with more lore, but I wanted to mention something because I love how faithful Peter Jackson was to the source material in making LOTR. At 42:40, you see Gandalf is wearing a ring. That is Narya, one of the three Great Elven Rings (Elrond and Galadriel have the other 2). Gandalf has had Narya since he arrived in Middle Earth, however, the Great Rings are invisible to everyone except fellow ring bearers (Galadrial shows Frodo her ring in the extended version of Fellowship), and we don't see it anywhere in the films before this. The reason it's visible now is that once the One Ring was destroyed, the others lost their power and became nothing more than standard bling. I love it, because it's just one of those tiny details most people will never appreciate but shows how much care he put into these movies.

I believe this to be the most epic and amazing story ever put on the silver screen. What is truly amazing, though, is how much was actually left out. Tolkien created a magnificently complex universe and the background stories are just as amazing.

If someone doesn't cry at Sam hauling Frodo and the fate of the entire world up a volcano of death, they aren't human.

The greatest movie in the greatest trilogy in film history. I adore all your reactions to the trilogy. I've watched countless reactions to LOTR over the years and your one of only a handful that not only genuinely "got it", but also felt it. Feeling it is just as important as understanding it in this trilogy. And yes, seeing these in the theater, especially as a fan of the books, was in experience like no other. Thank you for this reaction! Edit: Also there are answers to some of your questions in the Extended Editions!

The story to define all stories. i must watch it all 2-3 times a year, and it still brings me to tears without fail.

I didn't realise that the fate of Saruman was not featured in the theatrical version. I have always watched the extended version since seeing it in the cinema. Its a great shame that you were not advised to watch the extended versions. It makes a huge difference.

"I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil" - Gandalf

"You bow to no one" is like a punch in the feels, gets me every time.

I genuinely ADORE how you get totally into the film, caring so much for everything that happens in it. 03:16 Denethor has zero hope. He doesn't want the world to change. To him, Gondor changed is Gondor destroyed, so the coming of Aragorn is to him just another threat. More, he is correct in one important way--Mordor has put forth a fraction of its strength in this attack. Sauron has many, many more allies and armies to throw to Gondor. The next attack WILL overrun all of Gondor, and this has led to Denethor's deep despair. He would rather choose his death than see all he has loved destroyed first. He and Theoden are a study in opposites yet with many similarities--Theoden also lost his son, also faces what he sees as insurmountable odds, also faces the destruction of all he loves. But one of these does not give in to despair, even though of course he does feel it. 05:40 Theoden did EXACTLY the right thing! No time for complex tactics, just fearlessly meet this foe instantly and use all the advantages the Rohirrim have--namely far, far, far greater mobility coupled with far more actual soldiers (especially archers in this case). 24:47 In a story chock full of heroes, the greatest of these is always and forever SAMWISE THE BRAVE. 32:24 There is a song near the end of the book, about Frodo of the Nine Fingers and his companion Samwise the Brave, and the end of the Ring of Doom. 34:10 I always imagined that Frodo thinks this is what happens when you die--giant eagles come and bear you to the afterlife. But over time another question came up in my mind--why three eagles? Why did Gandalf bring three eagles? And the answer was simple. Gandalf did not know Smeagol was dead. He still hoped to save that wretched, twisted creature who did not deserve to be so cursed and turned into a monster against his will. 37:10 In the extended edition there are all sorts of neat little things, including Faramir and Eowyn falling in love. The story goes that Faramir was given the realm of Ithilien as his domain, which is the region where he met Frodo and Sam. Faramir and Eowyn turned it into a beautiful land full of life and families. I think Tolkien, who fought in WWI, sympathized a lot with her, since she in the end eagerly gives up weapons for peace. That is why she and Faramir make such a good pair. When they married, Aragorn thanked Eomer (now King of Rohan) for giving onto Gondor the most fair thing in all his land, i.e. his sister. 40:25 Pippin married a kinswoman of Merry. Their first son was named Faramir. When very old, Merry and Pippin returned to Gondor where they died and were buried with great honor among the mightiest heroes. When Aragorn died, he had their bed brought into the chamber with him. After his death, Arwen wandered alone to Lothlorien, which was now deserted, and lay down upon a hill side to die. Also after Aragorn died, Legolas built a ship and sailed to the West, to the Undying Lands, and brought with him Gimli, the only Dwarf to ever be so honored, who longed with all his heart to see the Lady Galadriel again. 42:07 Elrond's wife (who is Galadriel's daughter) awaits him in Valinor. I do not think he will enjoy telling her they will never see Arwen every again in the life of the world.

One of the better reaction videos that I have seen. I love your reactions they are so genuine. What I will say… And I’m fairly certain you’ve been hearing this in the comments on all of your videos so far is go back and watch the extended versions. There is so much more in them. That gives a great deal more context. Sadly, this also means you will probably be crying a whole lot more. And more importantly, if you have the time, please read the books. There is so much vital information in there that is not expressed in any of the movies. For instance, the fact that when the four hobbits returned to the Shire, they did not come back to, as the movie quotes, “a familiar sight”. The Shire had been taken over, plundered, and razed; and the four of them had to assemble the inhabitants, and turn them into an army to take it back. There’s also probably a century or twos worth of information of what happens afterwards listed in the appendices. Officially the fellowship actually ends when Legolas and Gimli set sail themselves more than a century after the events of the story.

When Galadriel said that destroying the ring would "destroy all evil forever", she meant that literally; Sauron's gone, the orcs are gone, the Black Gate is gone, etc.

Lovely reaction, we all felt exactly like you did going through it for our first, second, hundreth time ❤ The book is even more poignant when you learn of the fate of Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn. To know that Merry and Pippin were buried either side of Aragorn after living full and long lives makes me cry even today.

Wonderful reaction! Poor crying Aishwarya... Wish I could give you a hug. But, as Gandalf said and you agreed, all tears are not evil. There was such intensity of story and emotion and everything in these movies. I think that Peter Jackson, for all he had to change and to leave out altogether, was true to the heart of the stories. I grew up on these stories and I've seen these movies I don't know how many dozen times and I still wipe tears away on watching, every time. And I think we can all agree that Samwise Gamgee was low key the biggest damn hero in this movie of big damn heroes. He had so many great and momentous scenes in these movies. Also, mad mad props to Bernard King who brilliantly played the "secondary character" of King Theoden. His story was so amazing, from the withered and mindless old man that he was when we first met him, thanks to Saruman, to the amazing legendary heroic king he was at the end as his true self. He always rose to the call, whatever his doubts or his concerns to the contrary, and he rode and fought valiantly from the front. Any time I think of Aragorn now I picture Viggo Mortensen. He embodied the role and lived in the Aragorn gear off camera to feel as completely comfortable in it as Aragorn would have been. Brilliantly done. The Saruman-Gandalf confrontation in the extended edition is brilliant. Watching the extended edition for scenes that were cut out of the theatrical version is absolutely worth the time invested. Denethor, father of Boromir and Faramir, is given short shrift in these movies, but one can't put everything in or the three movies might have been sixty hours long or more. Anyway, Denethor had a Palantir, like the one Saruman had, and he tried to use it like Saruman did with his: to gain knowledge of what Sauron was up to. And, like Saruman, Denethor ended up twisted into how he appeared in this movie by the fact that Sauron had corrupted the Palantiri and used them to manipulate or control others by driving them mad. This was even referred to in the first movie when Gandalf asks Saruman, "When did Saruman the Wise abandon reason for madness?" If I remember correctly, in the books Denethor died in flames, screaming, holding the Palantir. In the future whenever someone tried to use his Palantir as a seeing stone all they saw were his hands clutching the stone as flames engulfed him and all they heard were his screams. Horrifying. From the book's appendices: The elven boat that took the Bagginses, Gandalf, and the elves away was not the last elven boat to leave for the Undying Lands. Many years later, after the children were grown and Rosie had died of old age, Samwise Gamgee, the last of the Ringbearers (however briefly) came to the harbor and found an elven ship waiting to take him to rejoin with his friends. And even that was not the last. Many many years later, after many adventures together, Gimli and Legolas came to the harbor and boarded the last elven boat to go and join the others of the Fellowship who were waiting for them in the Undying Lands.

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.

You asked if Eowyn was okay when she saw Aragorn snog Arwen. She had befriended and fallen in love with Faramir (and he with her), so she was fine lol. Her love story with Faramir in the book is very sweet.

This film has everything: The Ride of the Rohirrim “I am no man” Aragon’s speech at the Black Gate “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!” “For Frodo” The Destruction of the Ring/Sauron/Mordor “The End of All Things” Aragon’s coronation “You bow to no one” The Grey Havens Into the West

These movies are untouchable. The most consistent trio of movies ever produced. Perfect and epic.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this reaction. Watching this with you (my 20th time watching this trilogy) was glorious. Well Edited, well done, so charming, funny, emotional. Wonderful. Thank you!

Right before the Grey Havens scene: "I'm really trying to hold it in." Good luck, girl. Good luck. A noble effort. I had a wonderful time following your reactions to these movies. This was a fantastic trilogy to watch in the theaters. If you ever get a chance, definitely go for it! It remains my greatest cinematic experience. Definitely watch the extended editions! I knew from the start you will love them.

Denethor had a palantír (crystal ball) like Saruman.He used the Anor-stone to gain knowledge, but only saw what Sauron wished him to. Sauron convinced him that there was no hope.

As someone who did see all of LotR (and the Hobbit) in theaters as they came out, it was indeed something else! In particular, watching the Battle of Helm’s Deep on the big screen for the very first time when I was 13 remains, 21 years later, one of my alltime favorite movie-going experiences; I don’t know if anything else will ever really compare.

The scene where Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin sit around the table at the pub drinking and say not one word to each other, because they don't have to, they can read each other's thoughts... gets me every time. In the books, Merry becomes the Master of Brandy Hall, Pippin becomes the Thain of Tookbourough, and both Frodo and Sam serve terms as Mayor of Hobbiton. The yellow door at the end of the movie is the home he has with Rosie and his childfree, but after Frodo sails for the West, he leaves Bag End to Sam.

Just to expand upon the Palantir that others have mentioned in connection with Denethor, these stones were not inherently evil. They were originally all owned by the Numenoreans who founded Gondor and Arnor. They were very useful as a way for the peoples of the two kingdoms to communicate both within and between the two lands without having to send messengers on a days or weeks (or even months) long journey. Originally there were seven or eight of them, I don't remember for sure which. By the time the events of the movies take place most people (or anyway, most of the few people who knew anything at all about the Palantir) thought they had all been lost and/or destroyed. But one had been kept in Saruman's tower of Orthanc, and when he took over the tower Saruman apparently found it. Another had always been kept at Minas Tirith, and Denethor had that one. Unfortunately, Sauron had also obtained one of them - probably the Palantir of Minas Ithil, but there are other possibilities. Because Sauron was very powerful he was able to use his Palantir to control to some extent what the other remaining Palantir could see. He made sure that Saruman and Denethor only saw the things which would convince them that he was too powerful to be defeated. Once you know this it's interesting to think about how each of them responded to the information. Where Saruman essentially decided, "If you can't beat him, join him," Denethor continued to resist - but without hope. His despair eventually drove Denethor insane. He was already pretty far gone by the time we meet him in the movies, and he gets even worse when he thinks that Faramir, who he really did love even if he had forgotten it for a time, is dying. He was always a proud and rather prickly person and might well have had trouble accepting Aragorn as king even before he went insane, but he was mostly a good man and a good ruler for decades. He may be the most hated character in the Lord of the Rings, especially among those who have only seen the movies which don't provide any explanation of why he is so crazy and really lean into how badly he treats Faramir, but when you know the whole story he's more pitiable than hateful.

Tolkien was a soldier in WWI and saw a lot of really horrifying things during the many battles he was a part of. The Hobbits are representative of the everyday Brittish citizens who were good natured and just liked being at home and eating food, hanging out with friends etc. The 4 Hobbits are young British boys who are thrust into war and come back forever changed by what they saw/did. In the ending 20 minutes you see a lot of scenes simular to veterans who come home but never really feel at home anymore. For Sam, he is able to work through what happened, find love, and live a long life. For Frodo, the experience proved to be too scarring (both physically and spiritually) and he doesn't find peace until he takes the ship (goes to Heaven). Just an absolutely brilliant story.

What happened after: Frodo, Sam and Bilbo all went to the Undying Lands where they lived out their remaining days in bliss. They do die there, despite the name, as they were not immortal their souls eventually moved on to the next life. Sam however journeyed last, having lived a full life with his wife and children before travelling to Valinor. He was elected as mayor of the Shire repeatedly. Legolas and Gimli went on to have their own adventures. Founding a new Dwarven community at one point and even exploring the Glittering Caves before Legolas invited Gimli to the Undying Lands. Gimli is the only dwarf to ever see Valinor, his friendship with Legolas earning him that honour. He too would be laid to rest there. Merry and Pippin. Both of them got married and briefly Merry became chief commander for the Hobbit’s military. They were responsible for eventually killing Saruman and destroying the last remnants of Saruman’s armies. After that Merry became a historian for The Shire while Pippin became Thain. They both travelled to Gondor to die there and be buried with Aragorn. Aragorn and Arwen lived long lives as King and Queen of Gondor. Aragorn was said to have been just and noble in his reign. Guiding the Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor into a golden age. He ruled for 122 years until he was 210 and then laid himself to rest, determining it was his time to pass. Arwen died of heartbreak from his loss shortly afterwards, moving to Lothlorien before her death. They were reunited as mortal souls and passed together into the next life. Faramir and Eowyn got married and settled in Ithillen together. They had a son together who had a grandson named Barahir who wrote down the romantic legend of Aragorn and Arwen. The Elves left Middle Earth for the most part. Elrond, Galadriel and others all journeyed to the Undying Lands where they live eternally at peace. They stay there awaiting the end, when the world will be remade again in perfection without evil. Shelob crawled into a hole and died eventually. There are some tales that say she may have even eaten herself, much like her mother Ungoliant did. Sauron and Saruman were both reduced to formless spectres. Unable to regain enough power and strength to ever regain physicality. Tolkien does hint though that their evil isn’t gone, merely more subtle. Soft whispering in the shadows and easily resisted temptations to do evil. They aren’t gone, but they may as well be for all the power they have now. Gandalf and the other wizards. Gandalf returned to his home in Valinor, shedding his guise as Gandalf the White and becoming a a Maia once again. His name in this form in Olorin and he serves Manwe, King of Valinor and Lord of Air, Wind and Clouds. The other wizards however STAY in Middle Earth, choosing to remain in their mortal bodies. Radagast The Brown especially is mentioned as desiring to remain to protect nature. Any others I may have missed or corrections will surely be found in the comments below! :)

I remember watching this in the theatre when it was first released. It was such a huge event, and the long wait for the next subsequent Christmas period to see the second and third installment amped people up even more! It was fantastic!

To be honest, your reaction has been one of a few that accept or, should I say, understands why Frodo has to leave with Bilbo, Gandalf and the Elves. Great reaction and review, I was fortunate enough to see all three franchises in theatres and wish everyone could experience at least this movie. All the best to you and yours from me and mine in Aotearoa New Zealand aka Middle Earth 🔥🔥🔥

I always laughed at Sam's badassness of killing the orcs because I thought he said, "That's for Frodo! That's for the Shire! And that's for my own temper!" 😂

Firstly, I'm really glad that you liked the Trilogy. It was a great adventure for me as well, who loves the films & books and all Tolkien works :) Great hug to you. I write some things for correction! Don't worry about Eowyn. She married to Faramir. The book explains her goals/aims. Why she fights and after the great battle, her personality calms down and her love towards Aragorn too. Aragorn for Eowyn was a great-great warrior, and she followed/loved him for this, but after the battle, this deep love gone away. A little bit complicated. Arwen's father, Elrond didn't want to lose her daughter because the elves are immortals. And that is the reason why Elrond go away from Middle Earth. It was too deep pain for him to see Arwen's death. Because Arwen renounced eternal life. About Saruman... in the books he and Grima has other ending story. In the extended version Grima kills him with a knife. The Lotr movies are great, but if you watch once the extended versions, the original movies becames not so good. For me. And I really recommend to read the books.

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.

Now you understand that without Smeagol/Gollum, the quest would have failed, he was MEANT to play a role right through to the end. Fab reaction, IC. Looking forward to more movies to come!

"We set out to save [our home] and it has been saved, but not for me." -almost every veteran of war. Tolkien fought in WW1, and in that war everyone came back with PTSD.

Beautiful reaction! So glad to see a reactor fully understand the ending in the moment. It's a wonderfully bittersweet ending and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

That was sincerely a beautiful reaction. It actually made the movie like a first time watch again

Great reaction videos, thanks for making these, and for letting us enjoy the journey too. The last hour is the most perfect end to a movie, it's beautiful and so well made. It sucks us in and compells us to tear up with both joy and sadness...bring a tissue. Thanks again. Cheers.

I love in the books how the ring tries to tempt Sam. Showing him visions of him being able to make Middle Earth beautiful with his gardens...the greatest & most famous of gardeners. But Sam realizes that it would be too big of a garden for him so he lets the ring go. But in the end, Sam was a Ring Bearer which is why after he's lived his life and his wife has passed on he is able to take his own ship and join Frodo in the afterlife.

Denethor - the Steward of Gondor - was driven mad because he also had one of those seeing stones (remember the one that Pippin stole, and he saw Sauron.) What he didn't know is that the seeing stones were controlled by Sauron, and he was only being allowed to see bad news, things that would cause him to give up hope.

Almost everyone I know cried at the end of this movie. It was perfectly timed, just a combination of emotional blows. Great editing and pacing.

I loved your reaction! Full of heart and emotion. You made the right choice watching theatrical for the first time. You appreciate the extended scenes more that way, and comparing the two versions is fun. Gandalf and Saruman do have a confrontation in the extended edition, though his final fate in the movies is different than the books. The movies are masterpieces, but the books are on another level. Frodo, Faramir, and Denethor are all much better characters in the books. Denethor in the books was a skilled, competent, but proud ruler who did call Rohan and other towns of Gondor for aid, evacuated civilians and stocked up on supplies before Gandalf and Pippin arrived. He had his own Palantír which he used to see Sauron's armies, but unlike Saruman, who became "ensared by Sauron", Denethor was never corrupted, because of his willpower and rightful ownership of the Palantír. What drove him mad was seeing Faramir nearly dead, then looking in the Palantír and seeing the massive armies that Sauron had in reserve. He went mad from despair, thinking that all hope was lost. I also liked how you understood why Frodo had to leave. Nothing in Middle-earth can fully heal him or give him peace. He and Bilbo are sailing with the Elves to Tol Eressëa, an island in the Undying Lands, the Blessed Realm, a place that is completely free from evil. Only there can Frodo find peace and healing, but he and Bilbo will eventually die of old age there, unlike the Elves, who will live there forever. But Frodo and Bilbo's final days will be peaceful. Mortals normally are not allowed there, but the Ringbearers were granted the special grace to go because of their struggles from carrying the Ring. In the books, Sam becomes the Mayor of the Shire for 49 years, and he Merry, and Pippin become counsellors of Aragorn. Sam's daughter Elanor becomes Arwen's maid of honor. When Sam grew old and his wife died, he said goodbye to his family and he too sailed West to join Frodo. Merry and Pippin also have families, and they spend their final days in Gondor. When Aragorn dies later, Merry and Pippin are laid to rest beside him. After Aragorn's death, Legolas finally sailed to the West, and Galadriel called in a favor so he could bring Gimli with him, making him the first Dwarf to ever see the Undying Lands. So ended the Fellowship of the Ring in Middle-earth.

I remember going to see this in the theater. 20 years ago! Wow! It (and the previous two) was a special thing in the film industry. Kind of like when Jurassic Park came out in 1993. I was 20 when Return of the King came out and 10 when Jurassic Park came out. Crazy how time flies.

this is the first reaction to the LOTR that depicts the exact feelings at the end of it! I've seen this masterpiece (the movie) dozens of times, but no reaction channel can express the same devastation and joy as you did! thank you for this reaction!🥰

Without question the greatest trilogy put on film. I watched your tears as the film progressed I knew much more was to come. Both tears of sorrow and tears of joy. Near the end, the guy you thought was Smeagle, was the guy who played him also. He also did the voice over of Gollum. The great Andy Serkis.!! As we say in Texas; y'all be safe.

Great series, really enjoyed it. FYI: In the extended edition there is a confrontation between Gandalf and Sauruman - you're right, it's not super important to the plot but it felt weird to leave it out of the theatrical release. In the books, after Frodo and Sam return home they find that Saruman has taken over the Shire and they have to fight a battle with no help from the others (Gandalf, Aragorn, etc) to retake it. It kind of makes sense in the books because it's like them having gained the knowledge and confidence to fight on their own. But it was a good idea to leave it out of the movie - after the destruction of the Ring it would've felt like an annoying tacked-on anti-climax.

Cool reaction!! It's always nice to see how a classic like LOTR can still resonate with a new generation. It was quite an experience to see these films in the theater.. I clearly remember the anticipation for each movie. One great thing about LOTR was it combined old effects like model building and trick photography(hobbits interacting with people) with emerging effects like digital crowd simulations(for the battle sequences) and motion capture(for Gollum). Glad you enjoyed it!

I was a fan of Peter Jackson's earlier works as well, so you can imagine my surprise when I finally got to see these movies in the theaters and saw that it was him who directed them. Literally couldn't be anymore different from his previous movies whilst also being an amazing watching experience.

The Third Eagle was meant for Sméagol as Gandalf hoped the Smeagol would have been alive too.

Imagine a whole theater brought to tears! That was one of the reasons why this movie won so many awards and accolades! Sadly, the show and the Hobbit movies are mere shadows of this masterpiece trilogy! As for Sam: Having faced the army of orcs on several occasions, having been face to face with the Nazgul, having fought Shelob in the dark tunnels of the Dark Pass, having seen a Balrog and the Watcher in the Water in Moria, not to mention the goblin army... Asking Rose to marry him after all of that and more, was a piece of cake! Frodo had to leave. He was pained, still, by the wound, yes. But what was killing him more was the knowledge that in the end, he had been taken over by the ring. If not for Gollum, the fellowship and Middle Earth would have been doomed. This was too much for him to bear! Great reactions; I enjoyed this video tremendously! Looking forward to what's next!

Such a good journey! And thank you for recognizing that Merry was important in taking the Nazgûl down. “No man can kill me.” But a hobbit and a Rohan shield maiden can.

Thank you so much for these wonderful reactions! These movies mean so much to so many people it’s always great to get to share in new adventures into middle earth. Some of the questions you have might be answered in the extended edition with regards to Saruman. As for the Hobbit they are good movies and a fun trip back into that world but they are not on the level of Lord of the Rings (nothing is) so temper your expectations when you watch them but they are very fun movies nonetheless.

🐾 I'm with you in so many places, especially the oliphaunts. Though they were on the other side (and CGI 😏) I was still screaming: Oh, the poor animals!

you swearing and weeping at the "you bow to no one" line is SO RELATABLE

I watch this movie every winter. That was a great reaction. I'm glad it finally found it's way to you. Also want you to know the editing between your reaction and the movie scenes is done very well. Thank you for sharing your time with us. Means a lot!

Best three reactions that had me crying & laughing: the “eff” at “my friends you bow…”, the “eff off” at the dock, and my favouritest word now, “stupids” all the way through but especially at “the end’” Best lotr reaction, even if not extended versions. Top class work.

Even having seen this film nearly 100 times by now I cried each and everytime with you.. I doubt we will ever see a series of films so heartfelt.. much love from Texas..!

I was too young to see these in theatres when they first came out but a few years ago one of the theatres in my city just happened to show it on my birthday. Getting to watch it on the big screen with so many other people who loved it as much as I did was incredible, its a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life

That music track during the dock farewell scene near the end...its one of the most beautiful, moving pieces of film music ever written.

I start crying at about Rohans charge or Theoden's death and I pretty much don't stop tears until after its over.

I have a tattoo “His will was set, and only death could break it” (from the book) written in Elvish script in honor of Sam and my fire movie scene of all time.

This movies, this story of friendship, trust, love and dedication ... it's just pure emotion flooding all over my poor little soul, each and every time.

Denethor, Faramir's dad and steward of Gondor, has a Palantir stone which he has been using. Sauron used this (through his own) to filter what he see to only show Denethor doom, gloom and misrepresentations of a future where all is hopeless for men and there's no use resisting, just as he did with Sauruman. When he sees his son apparantly dead, Denethor finally snaps. He almost handed Sauron the victory by giving up. It drives home the message, "Don't give up. There's ALWAYS hope."

Just a classic of a masterpiece in film making. The combination of music, story and visual is just amazing and so emotional.

Denethor lost his mind because, while they don't show it, he used one of the Palantir seeing stones to spy on Sauron, but Sauron knew he was watching and sent him horrifying visions. Thinking Faramir dead was the final straw and his mind snapped.

It was amazing to see ROTK in the theater almost 19 years ago. The extended edition came out a year later. I got it on Christmas Eve and stayed up all night watching it. The confrontation with Saruman is in the extended edition.

The charge of the rohirrim will always bring a tear to my eye

That last Frodo and Sam destroys me every time. Something about the way they launch into the hug just ends me 😭😭😭

Fun fact, when Sam married Rosy, it is stated in the books that they would have up to 14 children. "Goodness gracious you have been productive." Bilbo Baggins

These movies are just filled with such love and passion from JRR Tolkien, through to Peter Jackson, the fantastic cast, and all of the people onscreen and offscreen who made it possible. I am brought to tears so frequently when watching these movies, and you sharing your emotion with us is another testament to the passion for these works. Thank you for your time watching, and editing these videos! I hope you at least find the Hobbit to be a fun series of movies. The bar was set far too high by The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I don't think anything could live up to the same standard.

It really brings out the emotions. My Wife, a US Marine bawled at, "You Bow to No One". JRR Tolkien said the chapters of the Hobbits returning to the Shire is the most important part of the story, but due to time and cost Peter Jackson left all the chapters out. You need to read the books to find out the real back story of Rosie and Sam, along with where Rosie and Sam actually wind up living. You also need to know how and where Saruman actually dies, he does not die at his tower as Peter Jackson showed, and Legolas does not kill Wormtail.

Love your reaction. It was great to see you really get immersed in the story. And thank you a lot for giving as long cuts of the movie so that we're able to see your reaction to so many scenes. Since you said you would have loved to see this in the theatre, I know that from time to time cinemas would show this trilogy. If I remember just a few months ago there was an event where theatres showed this trilogy again, just don't know which country. But it probably happens in the UK, especially since Tolkien is from there (If I'm not mistaken you're in UK).

Here I am watching for the 50th time and crying like a baby. These movies are timeless and perfect.

In extended edition you'll know Saruman's fate

It was so enjoyable watching this trilogy with you. Thank you for sharing your reactions and your emotions with us.

That was an incredible ride with you my dear! Your reactions were superb. You're so intelligent. You didn't miss anything. Even though I've seen this movie so many times when you cried I was bawling like a baby. I will watch your reactions many times in the future and do I need to say it? You're so beautiful!! Thank you so much!!

Such a wonderful reaction, thank you! I blubber at "you bow to no one" every single time I watch the movie or see a reaction. I saw ROTK on the day it came out - there was a special screening of all of the extended editions back-to-back-to-back and it was an unbelievable experience.

I think you are the first who recognized the actor Andy Serkis who played Smeagol as the one at the end with the pumpkin, when the 4 Hobbits sitting there and drink beer. He doesnt look alike, it was him! You really pay attention... ;-) i really enjoyed your reaction.

The "deal" with Denethor is that he has basically been battling mentally with Sauron for the last 30 years through the palantir (the giant rock that you can see things through), and has finally succumbed to hopelessness and madness.

Awesome and emotional reaction. One fact. When Sam gets old, after Rosie dies, he gives his possessions to his daughter Elanor, and goes to the havens and takes a ship into the West.

The cannon story of the characters doesn't actually stop at this point. I'm not one of the experts, but there are SOOOOOoooo... many KZfaq videos by people who are that explain what happened to all the players after the end of the book, as well as far more history of the world. Also, if you have access to the FULL special features that came out with the extended edition that are the best special features I've ever seen. So many behind the scenes topics to explore... it was an amazing production, from the tiniest details of props and costumes, cast stories, to the epic locations and combat sequences. Worth watching at least once, after you get around to the extended edition, which I can confidently say you will not regret watching.

A bit of context about the ring, in Mount Doom the ring was so powerful that not even Sauron himself could have cast the ring into the fire and destroyed it.

For Denothor (father of the year) Prior to the events of the movie, Minas Tirith had a second Palantir (the stones Saruman used to commune with Sauron), which is hinted at when he tells Gandalf that "the White Tower knows/sees much." Prolonged use of it, as well as Sauron's influence over what he was able to see (limited only to the destruction of the world of men), caused Denothor to truly believe there was no way for them to win. Likely too, the influence of Sauron took a toll on his mind and caused him to go mad.

Howard Shore's music is probably the greatest movie soundtrack of all time. I'm a musicologist, I teach music for Digital Media majors at the university and it's a core part of the curriculum. The movie version of Denethor is a lot worse than the book version. In Tolkien's story he is not a nice guy, but neither as bad as in the movie. Not even close. I think that you as a Hindu will understand this a bit better than most: in a deep symbolic sense Frodo, Sam and Gollum are one person essentially, they are avatars for the three sides of everyone's personality: the hero, the common man and the villain. We all have those inside of us. That's why they can only accomplish the task together. Also that's why in the end Frodo goes to "heaven" (or the closest thing to a heaven in Tolkien's universe), Gollum has to perish and Sam gets to stay in Middle Earth (at least until he is very old, at which time he is also taken to the Undying Lands, because for a short time he was also a ringbearer). "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" - nobody can really take away someone else's burden in life, but we can all help each other!

Thanks for taking us on the journey - quite the ride, huh? I've watched several reactions to these movies and one thing I notice is that Gimli sort of grows on people, and I think that's true for you as well. He's not pretty, he's got bad manners, he's grumpy... But then you slowly realize that he'll fight and die for those he loves, that he's a hard-ass with a soft heart. Thanks again.

Remember that Denethor was not actually a king but the king's steward. Denethor's role was to rule in the king's absence but he was unwilling to give up his authority to an outsider from a lineage whose claim to the throne had been rejected by the Council of Gondor centuries earlier. In addition, Denethor saw Aragorn (as Thorongil) as a rival back when the Ranger was in the service of Denethor's father Ecthelion II and likely had later guessed at his true identity. Aragorn rules the Reunited Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor for 120 years as King Elessar Telcontar with Arwen as his queen. Arwen dies one year after Aragorn. There are a couple of reasons for Denethor's antipathy towards his younger son. First, he might blame Faramir for his wife's death as her health steadily declined after his birth. Also, Faramir was more of a scholar than either his father or brother and he also got on well with Mithrandir (Gandalf) who Denethor did not trust. Eowyn and Eomer are the niece and nephew of King Theoden, not his children. However, they were raised alongside his own son after the deaths of their own parents. After the death of Theoden's own son, Eowyn was made his heir, though her brother was ultimately given the throne of Rohan while Eowyn went on to wed Faramir. The exact relationship between Smeagol and Deagol is uncertain. They might have just been friends. They might have been cousins or brothers. Gandalf never indicated that they were related.