WHAT

So, I used to be that one person who never cried during movies. Ever. I took a lot of pride in it too; my cousins were bawling while I laughed my way through Dear John. I guess I just thought everything was so melodramatic, and I hadn't had any experiences deep enough to connect to feelsy movies like that.

And then everything changed when the Tumblr gifsets attacked.

If there is one thing I never expected to have, it would be Lord of the Rings feels. But dear lord, do I have a lot of them.

I read The Hobbit a few years back, and I'm going to be honest here, it took me forever to get through and by the time I was done with it I needed a break from Middle Earth. I just could not adjust to the writing style, and I guess the trolls and orcs and hobbits and elves and all of their various realms didn't grab my attention like Hogwarts or Narnia did. So I never really got around to reading the rest of the series, despite my friends telling me how legendary and gripping the tale would be.

But recently, the new Hobbit movie came out, so I went to see it with some friends, just as something to do. And it was incredible.

The Shire (and Rivendell and every other bit of scenery in the film) was absolutely gorgeous, and Martin Freeman (already a favorite of mine) was the perfect Bilbo. Not to mention the attractiveness of Kili and Thorin, and the hilarity of the dwarves and Gandalf. The Hobbit completely changed my mind.

So I borrowed the movies from various friends and over the past week I have managed to watch all 3 of them. Until tonight though, I had considered LotR to be a "feels-free" type of series. I mean, who gets emotional when a bunch of orcs are constantly attacking?

Me, apparently. As soon as Sam started telling Frodo about how beautiful the Shire used to be, and then decided to be completely incredible and carry his helpless friend up the side of FREAKING MOUNT DOOM, I lost it. Everyone needs a friend like Sam. He was literally the most genuine and caring friend I have ever seen. And then Gollum happened, and then I got really afraid for Aragorn and Frodo, and then Gandalf shed a tear and I knew I was past the point of no return.

And then they finally accomplished what they spent around 12 hours of film trying to do, and then it seemed so completely unfair that they would never go home to see their Shire safe and sound, and then BOOM GANDALF and then a scene that mirrored Harry Potter so much I was in shock for a moment, and then Aragorn got crowned and then everybody bowed and the music just aaaaah I could not. And then BOOM WEDDING and you expect a happily ever after but then NOPE

but I guess it's really a happy ending anyway. Just not what I expected. But man, I never thought I'd cry over short men with hairy feet.

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But what I really love about the end is when the four hobbits ride proudly back into the Shire, knowing that they just saved everyone there along with the rest of Middle Earth, and the people there just roll their eyes and carry on like they are nothing special. Like they are just a bunch of kids wandering off for an afternoon of rebellion. I just love it.