What a glorious ride. These films will forever be dear to me and I'm so happy that I got to experience this piece of art with you ❤ Thank you so much for all your love.
Yes, we can never watch them again as a first time experience, but we can remember what it was like watching these reactions and Sophie did a great job of reminding us of how it felt
Agreed. I think she's the only one I've actually watched start to finish. Often I find myself skipping around to the "best parts", mainly to take the measure of the reactor, because all too often, during the "downtime" they really aren't worth watching. That was never true of Sofie. Throughout the entire movie, she was invested, paying attention, analysing, and most importantly, allowing herself to experience the movie moment by moment. Indeed, I suppose she is exactly the sort of film viewer all movie makers dream of having watch their movies.
She is an incredibly intelligent and insightful reactor. It's not easy to completely understand why Gandalf and Frodo sail away from this movie alone. Much easier to understand in the books. Anyway, it's there but you really have to be paying attention. She eats this stuff up. It's great.
One important note for Sofie that isn't mentioned at all in the movie: Sam does get to join Frodo, eventually. After living a very long life, acting as Mayor of the shire, he takes a ship into the West. Everyone who carried the ring, for however short a time, had to leave Middle Earth. Eventually Legolas goes as well, though much later. Gimli is also allowed to go with him because of his incredible friendship to Legolas, the only dwarf ever allowed into the undying lands.
If it's any consolation, in the books, the Ring tries to tempt Sam by showing him images of himself as a mythical gardener king. See, Sam not only is a gardener because it's his job, he's a gardener because of his utmost devotion to nature, to nurture and care for it and make sure it grows properly. Seeing the bleak wasteland that was Mordor broke his heart in a million pieces, and so the Ring tried to show him images of him making forests and fields of green and flowers growing under his touch, if he only accepted the Ring. Sam just chuckled and dismissed the notion, because Sam had no grand dreams of being a god of nature, he just wanted to be a gardener and help his friend Frodo. Sam is amazing in any and all iterations
"...deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden...The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
The ring itself is so creepy. It's like it has its own life, and knows that the bearer is trying to destroy it. So it tries to pull tricks on the bearer to steer them away.
@@brian19991 Exactly. It boggles my mind how Two Towers can be anyones favourite out of the 3. ROTK barely edges out FOTR for me but I'm a huge Boromir stan so I will always be biased towards FOTR, its so neck and neck with ROTK but for me Two Towers is the clear outlier in 3rd place.
@@patrickwoodlands4086 Really? I love the Two Towers. It was my favorite for a long long time. The Battle of Helms Deep is amazingly epic just by itself. Just the single moment when Theoden and Aragorn ride out together sends shivers down my spine. Plus 2 is where we get Aragorn Legolas and Gimli running to the EPIC soundtrack. All 3 are equals in my opinion, and I myself have fluctuated many times between which of the three is my favorite
I use it as a personal measure of people I know. If you're not hit with a bunch of emotions at that point in the trilogy, we can't be friends anymore, lol. 😂😭 I cry every time.
Pointing out that the ring didn't get destroyed until symbolically Frodo 'let go' by taking Sams hand is something I never thought of in my many many watches!!! Brilliant attention to detail by you and the film.
In fact, the original rough cut of this sequence had the ring melt and Sauron's eye blow up _before_ Frodo grabbed Sam's hand (among a handful of other significant differences that would have greatly undercut the version we have now). Peter Jackson and the editors realized that all the tension in the scene was completely gone, because the big bad had just been destroyed; Frodo dying would feel heroic and the audience would still be satisfied if he fell.
When Aragorn says "For Frodo" and goes to charge, the choir is singing on elvish his oath to Frodo from Fellowship of the Ring: "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will, you have my sword"
After Aragon says "For Frodo", Merry and Pippin are the second to charge. In the books, Aragorn - then king Elessar - died 120 years after the Wars of the Ring, and upon his death the bodies of Merry and Pippin - long since dead - were entombed with him in places of highest honour. Merry and Pippin were the tallest hobbits to ever live, having drunk the "ent-draught" while with Tree Beard, which gave them the fortitude of the ancient forest. Both also lived lives of joy and adventure and comfort, becoming well respected and treated as knights of their respective kingdoms, even though they would live much of their days in the Shire. Gimli loved the caves behind Helm's Deep so much that he eventually colonized them with the permission of Rohan, becoming the first Lord of the Glittering Caves and building a realm to rival any Dwarven hall. He and Legolas also explored the world as great friends, and when Gimli was old, he and legolas built a boat and sailed into the undying lands, so that he could see Galadriel again, and so the two never need be parted - the only Dwarf ever known to do so. His colony in the Glittering Caves also repaired much of the damage from the war, including building new gates for Minas Tirith out of steel and *mithril* After the Wars of the Ring, Legolas not only traveled with Gimli, but lingered in Middle-Earth, restoring the many forests ravaged by Sauron's evil. It was only after Aragorn's death that he built his boat and sailed to the Undying Lands with Gimli, and was among the very last elves to leave Middle-Earth, with only Cirdan, an Elvish shipwright who swore only to leave with the last ship, and Arwen commonly known to have likely remained after his departure. Gandalf, Frodo, and Sam all go to the Undying Lands. Sam becomes leader of the Shire, and has a large and prosperous family and a beautiful life with his wife - Rosy - only departing after her death. Eowyn and Faramir marry, and are prosperous. Gondor and Rohan enter a golden age as staunch friends. In the end, the ending is truely, beautifully, bountifully happy. And yet, for all of it, we will always carry the bitter-sweetness of ther trials they faced. The scars that they never heal in their selves. And that we as readers and watchers still carry those - that we get our happy endings, but still feel that sublime grief, is truly the mark of their story's greatness. I also like to think that Sam and Elrond bonded over their unique shared experiences of watching the ring corrupt the men they knew in the final moments, but that Elrond also takes solice in the outcome of Sam's story, and in seeing that Frodo is still a good man, if a flawed one.
Hugo Weaving’s performance as Elrond in the scene where he gives Arwen to Aragorn is so underappreciated. His face says more than a thousand words - the uncontainable joy of seeing his daughter find happiness, mixed with the unimaginable sorrow of knowing he will live on with the pain of her eventual death. It’s utterly heartbreaking and beautifully acted, a testament to his subtle brilliance.
Can you imagine him returning to Valinor and his wife beeing like: Where's Arwen? Hardly anyone of Tolkien's characters went through more than he did and yet it never broke him
@@MermaidMusings7 Oh it's much worse than that: He also lost his mother, his father, his capturers/adoptive fathers and his king. Not only did his brother die, but he also got to witness the decline and fall of his kingdom. Then the Númenóreans rebuild their realm and he got to witness their decline too. Then once victory was achieved, the power of his ring faded and he left Rivendell and middleearth behind - his home for the past millenia
You noted how Frodo still looked ill and damaged as they drove to the harbour. One of my favourite details is that when Frodo gets on the boat, and turns back, he's well again. His cheeks are rosy, his skin golden. It' s so subtle but it kills me every time. THANK YOU FOR THIS LOVELY VIEWING. You're incredible.
All the love and care that went into making this film... The people who crafted King Theoden's armor decorated the INSIDE, where only the actor and costumers would see it. Bernard Hill, who played Theoden said that it made him feel like a real king.
Your point about Frodo being able to bring the gray part of Gandalf back really amazed me. It takes something really special to be able to spot such a subtle and profound theme on the first watch. The best LOTR reaction out there and it's not even close.
"Oh, you did ? Good. Wait, what's that ? I can see a few more tears left in there, gotta get those out too ! And don't forget those ones either !" God I love this trilogy...
Superior reaction! Other reactors should truly take note. The way you paused the movie when you had to make a major point about a scene really keeps the viewer connected. So many reactors talk over most of the important scenes and never really get or understand what had just happened. Then later on they’ll question why something happened. I guess they’d rather hear themselves speak then watch the movie. All in all you nailed it I’m so glad you enjoyed it because this means so much to so many people. It was refreshing to see someone understand what’s going on throughout journey. You are now one of us. I thoroughly enjoyed it. God bless.
The reason Denethor is so crazy isn't fully explained in the movie. He had a palantir (one of the crystal balls like Saruman had) Sauron couldn't get Denethor to switch sides because he was so loyal to Gondor. Instead he showed him visions of the kingdom falling and drove him into despair and eventually madness. Before that he was very wise and a great military strategist, holding off Mordor's army for many years.
Also, Saruman got corrupted by Sauron by using a Palantir, and Saruman was a very powerful wizard. Saruman did not have the 'right' to use the Palantir. Denethor had, as the Steward of Gondor and current ruler, the right to use the Palantiri (they belonged to the house of Elendil, and came with them from Numenor, iirc) and he was therefore not as easily corrupted and it took years for Sauron to wear him down. And if I recall Sauron could not lie through the Palantir but he could twist the truth.
then what about Faramir's flashback with him and Boromir from Two Towers, where Denethor just sent Boromir for the ring? he was fine there despite his displeasure towards Faramir.
@@shokenhk Difficult to answer, because in the books, which is what is used as an expanded explanation for his behaviour here, he did not know about the ring and that was not why Boromir was sent to Rivendell. He went there for advice.
if you watch everyone else hold the palantir get instantly overwhelmed by souron. he contended with him for many years before falling. truly a great man. one of the last of numinor.
Fun book fact, in the moment Sam was struggling against the ring to give it back to frodo, it was basically telling him 'you can turn mordor into the sickest garden you've ever seen'
Sam, who also bore the ring for a time, is accorded the same honor as Bilbo and Frodo, and reunites with Frodo in the undying lands after the eventual death of his wife. Loved your reaction! This trilogy is among my all-time favorite films.
I genuinely can't stand the people who do the math and claim that Frodo would die before Sam reaches the undying lands. NO! Shut up! They see each other again!
@matthewarant377 Can you even die in the undying lands. Isn't that why men can't go there ,setting foot there would cause them to steal the gift of elves😂
No they wont. Tolkien wrote that any mortal that arrives in the undying lands will be healed in body and soul but will die within a year because their bodies cant handle the holy energy of the valar. Frodo sailed west several years after Bilbo and Gandalf, so Bilbo was already dead by the time he arrived. And Samwise did not sail west for another 61 years, after the death of his wife Rosie. Sailing west is not about living a long life for mortals, it is about resaving peace and rest from the wounds from the evil of the ring that nothing else could heal.
@@drrohanjacob Yes Frodo and Sam die and are buried there. The writers could not use the real name of the place so they called it the Undying Lands which is true if you are an elf. Mortal creatures such as hobbits and men will die eventually there. Think of it more as a place where magic is kept alive and not mortals.
I remember the exact moment I found out when Bernard Hill died this year. I was in my truck, just finished a shoot for a short film I was working on and I saw the headline. When I tell you I wept for an hour I'm not exaggerating. I was broken. Theoden is my favourite character in this story (which says a lot because I adore every character, with a particular love for Boromir, Sam and Gandalf) and Bernard Hill played him perfectly. When I finally made it home I put on two scenes to flush me through my grief. Theoden's "How did it come to this?" speech in the Two Towers and his death scene in this one. "I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed". I'm a big Star Wars fan and normally I do a binge of the OG trilogy every May 4,5,6 (may the fourth, revenge of the fifth, and the return of the sixth) but that May the 5th was for my King. Tomorrow would have been his 80th birthday. RIP
My wife and I lost our fourth daughter in 2020; she was stillborn. Theoden's line from the previous movie came to mind at the time: "No parent should have to bury their child."
47:00 And so just for a moment, four little hobbits stood taller than all the men of Gondor. This wasn't just a superb reaction Sophie - it was the most intelligent and sympathetic reaction I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Thankyou.
Boromir, Pippin, and Merry immediately became very close friends in the fellowship. They were always together. Boromir taught them swordsmanship and looked after them for the entire journey. Then, he died defending them from an overwhelming force. Pippin never forgot, and went on to dedicate his life in service to Boromir's father, and do everything he possibly could to protect Boromir's city and family. He literally jumped into a burning bonfire to save Faramir! I absolutely love Pippin's character arc and his unwavering loyalty to Boromir, one of his greatest friends.
22:19 for context: this is Eomer finding his sister, who looks for all the world like she could be dead. and as if that wasn't bad enough, the shock of seeing her in the first place, when until that point he had no reason to believe she wasn't safely back at the camp with the others who stayed behind, I'd that explains his blood-curdling scream. such a heart-wrenching delivery from Karl Urban
Huh... somehow, I didn't realize Eomer was Karl Urban - he's quite a bit younger than I'm used to here and that helmet & hair hide his features quite well.
"End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take and then you see it..." The lighting of the beacons...the speeches from King Théoden and King Aragorn...feeling the power of the Rohirrim charge, were some of the most epic theatrical experiences...Chills forever...I cried at the end the first time, I can't lie. You know it is a masterpiece when you don't want a 4 hour film to end...Legendary writing and filmmaking. I will love this story endlessly.
"End? No, the journey doesn't end here" is one of my all-time favourite quotes of anything. This paragraph from Gandalf perfectly encapsulates the Christian ethics that Tolkien built the whole story on.
I fell in love with the LotR books decades ago, and I fell just as much in love with the films back when they were released because of how wonderfully they work as films while adapting the source material. I've watched a lot of LotR reactions in the last few years, but I must say your LotR reactions are hands-down the best on youtube. The insight you brought to the films, the attention you paid, the willingness to engage with the material and interact with its core themes - it was truly a delight. I laughed and cried along with you. I hope you choose to read the books in your off time; given how much you enjoyed the films, I think you'll love them and get a lot out of them.
That book that Frodo handed to Sam was later known as the Red Book of Westmarch. It contained the writings of Bilbo's journey as well as Frodo's, with Sam writing what happened afterward. Tolkien wrote 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' as if he had found and translated that book and used it as the manuscript.
Ok. I`ve never commented on a UA-cam video before, but now i simply have to. This is the best reaction to the trilogy I`ve ever seen, and I`ve seen many. You` re observant, empathetic, witty and kind. You understand what the stories of Middle- Earth are really about: not flashy magic, epic battles or cool one liners, but sadness, compassion and finding bravery at dark and hopeless places. These three movies are brilliant, of course. Cinematic masterpieces no doubt. But now, you gotta take the next step. You have to read the source material. `Cause these films are great, but the stories of Arda, told by The Professor … will change your life forever. They changed mine.
Remember when Gandalf said "My heart tells me Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before the end, the pity of Bilbo may one day rule the fate of us all..."
Exactly. And I also like the theory that only in an act of 'randomness', like in a fight for it, could the ring be destroyed. That is because no one would have the strength of mind to willingly destroy the ring inside Mount Doom where the ring would be at its strongest. That was Gollum's part, being the random element.
@@BruceRKF its not a theory, Tolkien says right out that NO one could WILLINGLY throw it in the Fire, and as far as was ever recorded , Bilbo is the ONLY character in the history of the Ring to willingly give it up when he passed it to Frodo
Similarly, Aragorn sparing Wormtounge ends up paying dividends later. There are several instances where small acts of goodness/kindness/mercy have great impact later in the story.
I was crying there right along with you the whole time, wow. As others have said, easily the best LOTR reaction I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot. I almost want to not watch any more reactions and just leave it here, thank you so much for this and I’m so glad you enjoyed it the way you did. Well, now it’s time to pick up the Fellowship of the Ring and get to my second read-through, only thing to do after this amazing heartfelt video. Hope you read them as well, cheers! ❤️ - Andy
Oh girl I am dreading seeing your heart break several times while watching this, you reactions are some of the most engaged, and thoughtful, you allow yourself to get lost in the film/ tv show you are watching unlike some reactors who seem to watch and react for clicks without any consideration for the content they are seeing.
Today is my birthday. I spent two hours of it watching your reactions to this movie. Worth it. It's always good to see people getting emotional for the first time with this story. And don't worry about the "ugly crying". "I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."
8:00 - She is powerful. Very powerful. She is one of the greatest Elves in Middle-earth, she surpassed nearly all others in beauty, knowledge, and power. She bore Nenya, one of the three Elven rings of power. Her mother was a Elven princess. You can learn more about her, and others, in the book: The Silmarillion.
"Sam...I don't know how he can be brave and scared at the same time." Because bravery isn't a lack of fear, that's an all-too-common misconception. Bravery is doing what needs to be done in SPITE of your fear. Fearlessness in the face of danger is next of kin to foolishness and ignorance. That aside, yet another fantastic reaction and very cogent analysis. Subscribed!
I love it when Gimli causes Legolas's arrow to kill the Director on the boat at the start.... everyone on that ship are people getting their cameos in the film, they normally work behind the camera
I watched many reactions to the Trilogy before but honestly, yours is the most emotional, insightful and sensitive ever. Thank you for this experience!
How Tolkien wrote the LoTR stories is based a lot from his experience in World War 1. The ring and its effect on Frodo is similar to what soldiers with PTSD coming back home from war feels like, the fellowship of the ring is similar to what he experienced with his comrade in war and his childhood friends growing up in that era. Even Sam is based on the courage of the soldiers he witnessed during the war. If you have time, you can watch the Tolkien movie, it was great, and the Hobbit movies are a great sequel(prequel) to watch too.
Wow. I didn't know if I could agree with those saying your reactions were the greatest for these movies. I've seen some pretty great ones. But I do agree. Your reactions are wonderful! I love that you are so into it and pick up small details that others miss. Here's a little stocking stuffer for you. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Congrats for reaching the end Sofie, and thanks for allowing me to relive it with you, it was wonderful! Again your insight is nothing short of miraculous! If I may add a few clarifying notes here: 1. The Witch King breaking Gandalf's staff is purely a movie thing and one of the extremely few moments where the director departed from the source material in a way which I disagree with. The Witch King might be a powerful sorcerer, but Gandalf is a Maia spirit, an angel who literally participated in the creation of the world. They are simply not in the same league. 2. Faramir and Eowyn's relationship develops much slower and gradually in the book. 3. Tolkien made it clear that no living creature would have been able to willingly destroy the ring, especially there, where it was forged, because as they approached that place it became more and more powerful. Except one. Tolkien stated in a letter that the only person who could have conceivably do it was Smeagol, out of pure spite. If he were at a point where his Precious was taken from him by Sauron, there is a fair chance that he might have thrown it into the fire because on one hand he would have known that his life is over anyway, on the other hand he hated Sauron more than anything. And Gandalf knew very well that there is no chance of Frodo doing it. 4. Which begs the question: why did he let Frodo go on this mission? You remember him saying in Moria that "there are other powers at work here beside those of evil". There he also mentioned that Bilbo was meant to find the ring in which case Frodo is also meant to have it. In other words he realized that there is a higher power at work here and he decided to trust that power. It was the same power which sent him back after he died: the supreme God of this world, Eru Iluvatar. 5. Sam will rejoin Frodo after many decades, after being elected mayor seven times in a row and seeing his children grow up. After Rosie died, he too was admitted into the Undying Lands because he too was a ringbearer. 6. After doing much useful work and experiencing many things, Legolas built a ship and he too sailed to the West, and it is said that Gimli went wit him, being granted this unique favor for the love of the lady Galadriel. He would be the only dwarf ever permitted to set foot on the Blessed Realm. 7. In case you wonder, mortals don't become immortals if they go to the Undying lands. But that land is so pure, so sacred, hallowed by the presence of the Valar, that they can heal there and live out the rest of their years in peace and happiness.
Man, I love how smart u are! ♥ its really rare to see people like u, to see what this movies deliver. Its not overreacting, when i say, this movies saved my life. This movies tells me, there is hope in every situation, regardless how dark the times are. I transfered this message in my own life. And it has been true. In a moment where I almost give up, i repeatly saw this movies, and they give me strength because i remembered I have really good friends and family by my side.And I only have to open myself. This movies reminded me of this and dont let me do stupid things. I read all the books and saw all the movies and series. And im very impressed how u can read the messages in between the caracters and scenes and able to read the purposes of there behave. I think u are very intelligent of emotions. Tolkien and Peter Jackson saved my life and i mean it. And I cant get enough seeing people like you, that are empathic and see what they deliver. It gives me hope in humanity, regardless how stupid this sounds♥ :D
"I don't think there will be a return journey, Mr. Frodo." is my favorite line in the entire trilogy. Because right after, Sam extends his hand to help Frodo up. Therefore, acknowledging that this journey will mean the end of his life, yet he perseveres.
I watched many different reactions but this was something else. The way you understood the story and the characters… truly incredible and it was an honor and blast to follow your journey with these movies, thank you! I wished many times that I could experience these movies for the first time again but through your reaction it felt pretty close to that.
Galadriel had an influence on the insanity of the orcs in the tower. The look on Eomer’s face when his sister was being healed by Aragorn is rarely commented on but, wow! The ring tried to influence Sam after he took the ring from Frodo but the best it could do was to get Sam to imagine himself as the greatest Gardner in the Shire. And Gandalf brought 3 eagles to rescue Frodo and Sam in hopes that Sméagol had also been freed from the power of the ring. Such a great reaction from the absolute best I have seen. I adore you for this one ❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I have to echo what so many others have said-you have more insight than anyone I’ve ever seen react to this trilogy. You noticed things I never did, and I’ve been watching these films since they first came out in theaters. For example, your connection between Frodo leaving with the elves and Galadriel’s line about the quest claiming his life absolutely blew my mind. I’ve watched these movies countless times, but I never fully grasped that connection until you pointed it out. It’s like you’ve opened a new door to understanding a story I thought I already knew so well. Watching your reaction has been a gift-it feels like I got to experience this masterpiece again for the first time through your eyes. Thank you for sharing such a fresh, thoughtful perspective.
Its mindblowing how special this reaction felt for me, it was truly the closest i ever felt to watching the movies for the 1st time because of how many new insights she had. I would honestly watch the movies every year again with her if i could. And by the way, what an attractive personality does this lady have. I wish i could have her as my best lord of the rings friend.
You are the wisest of all reactors. You understand human storytelling and emotion and you didn't miss a single symbolic beat of what makes these stories great. Just know that there are others out here, like you, who UNDERSTAND.
Gimli is sitting on the throne of steward of Gondor where Denethor sat. The king of Gondor's throne is up the stairs visible in the same picture. Steward never sat on the king's throne but had their own beside it. Great job watching the series!
I've waited until the end (and to stop crying) to comment. These are my favorite movies, my husband and I waited in line to see all 3 midnight premieres. I have watched many, many reactions to them and without even a close second yours have been my favorite. Your attention to detail is outstanding and you show genuine empathy towards others. You'll love the books, happy reading and hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
As others have, and will say I am sure, a simple line is the most powerful in the entire series. "My friends...you bow to no one." And with that, four hobbits from the Shire stood taller than all the other people of a world that their friendship and bravery did save, even if only for a moment.
Awesome! Thank you for watching these with us. It pretty crazy just how well all the effects hold up. It's a classic. Favorite trilogy of anything ever.
“Nothing will ever compare.” Exactly right. Speaking as a lover of cinema in all its eras and genres Peter Jackson’s LOTR is the greatest achievement in the history of filmmaking. Once you consider what went into making this and the success it continues to achieve there really isn’t anything to compare it to.
22:43 Yes. Aragorn does. He learned Elvish medicine and healing from his foster father and many times great uncle, Elrond, though he is not as great as Elrond and most Elvish healers. It's also stated in a prophecy given to Aragorn that the hands of the King of Gondor and Arnor shall be the hands of a healer and a renewer of the land.
When Aragorn and the Captains of the West led their forces to Mordor, Faramir and Éowyn remained in Bair Nestedrui, where they fell in love. Éowyn continued to reside there for a time, even after recovering, as it was the place where she had found consolation.
Its not Aragon specific thing about being a healer i think the true King is just supposed to have some mystical healing ability (maybe due to their ancestry having an elf and even a maia) and the saying is Gondor is something like “Hands of the king are hands of a healer and thus is a rightful king known”
@@olorin3815 It's a Gondorian proverb if I recall correctly. But it is inspired by Jesus Christ and his healing touch of others when they believe in him and God. There's a lot of Messianic inspiration in the LOTR series, mainly due to Tolkien's devout belief in Catholicism. Though I recall it also calls back to the Royal Touch belief in the medieval period, where English and French Kings had the ability to heal people through touch.
Tolkien was a WW1 veteran. He got a lot of inspiration from his experience there. Frodo went to war and came back different, much like all of us who also went war and made it home, but we all have scars that will never heal. I think this is one of the reasons why this trilogy gets to me. I know I felt like Frodo and the gang when I came back home and nothing had changed. That one hobbit who gives them that look when they ride back into town, not knowing what they went through. I've gotten that "it's in the past, get over it already" from people who will never understand. Sorry, didn't mean to be such a downer. Great reaction to all three movies. I'd say it has to be the best film and book trilogy ever created. Just love these films so much.
Galadriel is the most powerful elf still living. Gandalf is on a different level. He is a Maier, sort of like an angel in the form of a man. The wizards tasks are to guide the people of Middle Earth.
As I understand it. The Maier aren't allwowed to use 100% of their power (or do not possess them in physical form). Thus Gandalf the Grey was weaker than Galadriel. On the other hand Gandalf the White is allowed to use his powers and is absolutely stronger than Galadriel. It's one of the things I hate about the extended edition. Because the Witchking of Angmar was the best human magically and continued it after the corruption. But in no way would he be able to best Gandalf the White a Maier.
@@Ri_Shin_Marco To clarify, only the Istari (i.e. Wizards) aren't allowed, or rather were diminished when they were sent to Middle Earth. This still applies to GtW, though he displays what power he has more overtly, as his role changed when he got sent back. As to Maiar in general, they aren't bound like this (e.g. Melian), but by this time are not present outside of Aman (excluding Sauron and balrogs), that we know of.
Technically almost all elves are still living they are just in Valinor, as for Middle Earth yeah she probably is one of the most powerful but idk if shes the most powerful, Cirdan for example is even older than her iirc but he never went to Valinor so who knows also Glorfindel is probably the single most powerful combatant in Middle Earth at the time other than like Sauron or Gandalf with his powers unleashed
Tho if by power it means strength of spirit or something of the sort i believe Galadriel is the most powerful just dont think she ever grabbed a sword and went on a killing spree no matter what Rings of Power tells you 😂
The Lord of the Rings is my all time favorite books and the movies were such a wonderful and faithful adaptation. I agree with the previous commenters who stated that yours was the best youtube reaction to the trilogy. I've seen so many different reactions to this and I have seen any non book reader show the level of insightfulness into the themes and the depth of the story like you have Sofie. It was a joy and a privilege to go on this journey with you. You are easily the most beautiful of all the reactors that I have seen. Your genuine sincerity, and the heartfelt connection to the heart of the story and the characters was even more beautiful. I wholeheartedly recommend you read the books. You will get an even greater fullness of Tolkien's beautiful and poetic writing. You will love the characters even more. I also recommend if you can to watch the extensive behind the scenes footage. You will be blown away. The level of devotion by all the cast and crew is truly worthy of Tolkien's great work. As was your reaction.
To answer your question if Galadriel is more powerful than Gandalf, that'll be a no. While Galadriel is the most powerful and wisest Elf that remains in middle earth, she isn't a match for a spirit like Gandalf. Even with Gandalf reduced in power so that he may be a source of courage and not a weapon for the people of middle earth, he is still a Maiar and is certainly a step above any Elf left alive. Some Elves of the past could however be compared to that kind of power, but those kinds of heroes died fighting Morgoth, Sauron's master.
you are forgetting Glorfindel. dude 1 v 1nd a balrog died and came back to help defeat Sauron. the 9 would not chase Frodo if he was present in the beginning. But yes if gandalf was allowed his full power he (like sarumon) would be even too suaron.
What is even more wonderous, in many ways is how many. . .chance happenings (much like in the story itself) lead to this movie: - Tolkien came up with Middle Earth while recovering from a wound in WWI, and treated it as a microcosm in which to study the evolution of language and meaning using languages and a pre-pre history of the world he made up). - In the 1920's, he began telling his children a story about a Hobbit to amuse them, it was only his son Christophers habit of correcting him when details when change between tellings that led him to start writing it down. - In mid 1930's, Tolkien was feeling unsatisfied with the Epic Poem style his 'Great Stories of the Elder Days' was taking and decided to see if he could write a full length story. - He chose The Hobbit, which was never intended as being part of his Legendarium, with only a few references thrown in to amuse himself. - The excellent sales and regard the book immediately gained (and still possesses) led publisher and friends to ask for a sequel, C.S. Lewis finally talked him into it. - By about the time Frodo reaches Rivendell, a sequel to The Hobbit began evolving into a beautifully elegiac and melancholic Final Chapter to his Legendarium (necessitating edits to The Hobbit to bring it fully into Middle Earth, and having Bilbo find the ring instead of winning it from Gollum who gives it freely in the first draft). - The Lord of the Rings did not sell nearly so well and was not nearly so well regarded in the very future and progress focused 1950's, but took off like a shot in the 1960's, gaining huge popularity and beginning to be regarded as the Masterpiece that it is. The entire Fantasy genre was reinvented by the book, which now looms large in virtually every work of fantasy since the 1960's, either through copy (not far of plagiaristic sometimes) or through what choices people avoid. - Peter Jackson asked for 100 million to make two 2-hour movies, New Line Cinema gave him 300 million to make three 3-hour movies. - Peter Jackson put together a cast and crew of people that were all perfect for their roles and massively dedicated to making the movie as great as it could be. Behind the scenes documentaries are full of stories of the lengths people went to in order to make it all work. So many pieces of random chance and unexpected developments lead to the creation of two Masterpieces, the book and the movie.
Your reaction to the trilogy has been so good-you should really be proud. A lot of reactions on UA-cam can feel vapid and shallow, but you engaged with the films in a thoughtful way, and it really adds something meaningful for longtime fans. It reminds us of what it felt like to see these movies for the first time ourselves. Thank you for sharing this experience with us
Yes SoFie: "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer"! And, no SoFie, Gimli is sitting on the Steward's chair, which is at the foot of the stairs up to the King's chair... Overall, the very best LOTR's reaction I've seen; thanx!!!
I have been incredibly stressed the last few weeks... and I'm so thankful I found these. I've gone with you all the way, and laughed and cried and then cried some more along side of you. These films are so beautiful and your soul, intellect, depth of understanding and utterly radiant empathy brought me such joy and greatly restored my heart. We are all carrying our own ring in a way... you just helped me carry mine a little further to Mordor. You became both my Sam and my Arwen. Thank you for letting us all experience this with you... “There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.” Thank you Sofie.
12:30 Short version: Both Saruman and Denethor had one of the Seven 'Seeing-stones' (Palantíri) and came under Saurons spell. 22:43 Merry and Éowyn were deadly wounded fighting the Witchking. But "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known."
I wonder why would Kings have some mystical healing ability wonder if its got anything to do with them being partly descended from elves and even a maia
@@olorin3815 It's actually inspired by Jesus Christ and his healing touch of healing others when they believe in him and in God. There's a lot of Messianic imagery and inspiration in the LOTR series, such as Aragorn healing others, Frodo sacrificing his being and self to deliver the One Ring to its ruin, Gandalf stoking the fire in the hearts of men, etc. Mainly due to Tolkien's Catholicism playing into his train of thought. Though I recall it also calls back to the Royal Touch belief in the medieval period, where English and French Kings had the ability to heal people through touch. But you're also right in that Aragorn and his line is descended from Thingol and Melian through Lúthien.
@@Torag55 yeah i mean i get that tolkein drew a lot from christianity was just wondering about in world reason for why he would have such power and where it comes from
Sophie understood these movies like almost no reactor I have ever seen and in each movie caught something I hadn't noticed after dozens, if not hundreds, of viewings. Amazing, fantastic job Sophie!
I needed this video today. About an hour ago I found out that my favourite UA-cam streamer, a lovely gentleman named Jeff passed away due to heart failure. He was ok yesterday, and today he's gone. He was the one who introduced me to The Lord of the Rings. Tho we never really knew each other, as I was just an audience member, I needed to somehow honour him today. And what better way to remember that kind, lovely old man, than shearing the joy of LOTR with another. Thank you. We will all meet in the Undying Lands.
I am in awe. Best reaction to LOTR I have ever seen, hands down. The arrival of the Rohirrim always brings me to tears. 20+ times I have read the books, and I still end up blubbering at this scene: “In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face. All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dínen. "You cannot enter here," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!" The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter. "Old fool!" he said. "Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade. Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the city, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of war nor of wizardry, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn. And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns, in dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the north wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.”
Cheer up, Frodo and Sam DO get reunited. 70 years after Frodo leaves, Rosie passes, and Sam retires from his Mayorship of Hobbiton, and sails to the west since HE was a Ringbearer as well
Bernard Hill's performance as Theoden in these films is one of the all time great performances, it's so underrated. The Ride of the Rohirrim never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
Your reactions are lovely to watch, thank you so much. You're attentive and analytical, and notice a lot of detail, which is very impressive! But first and foremost, you let yourself be emotionally open and vulnerable - and it's such a pleasure to watch you get swept up in the story.
I'm really impressed by the level of insight that Sophie displays as the movie progress; from recognizing that it was Gollum's love for the Ring that allowed it to be destroyed, to the fact that the Hobbits were changed by their journey and things would never be the same for them and especially Frodo. As Sophie was watching the movie, I was watching her and have to admit to now having a huge crush on her.. haha She's funny, sensitive, insightful and her humbleness made her say that she was ugly crying even though she looked beautiful doing so. Best LOTR reactor on UA-cam ever!
Congratulations on reaching the end of this epic story. Ive watched with delight as youve been drawn in to this exceptional story and your insight into the nuances of the writing and characters is a testimony to you. I noticed you didnt pick up on it, but on a rewatch count how many eagles were sent to save Frodo. For all the hatred towards Gollum they sent an eagle to save him too 😢 The Hobbit trillogy will keep you emersed.
So...the "spider" who's name is Shelob, is not actually a spider. She is a demon. The last child of the great Ungoliant. Ungoliant was a Primordial that came down from the darkness and took on the form of a gigantic spider. This was WAY WAY back in time, before the first age. Melkor (the first Dark Lord and Sauron's master until he died) at one point formed an alliance with Ungoliant, and at one time was thought to be more powerful than Melkor. Eventually Melkor was defeated and Ungoliant died as well...not mentioned how but thought to have died because her hunger grew so much (she ate light..the more she ate the more powerful she grew) that she consumed herself. Shelob here, though not as powerful as her mother, was still very powerful...and at the time Frodo and Sam encountered her she was at least 10,000 years old. So now...re-watch that scene where Sam fights Shelob and remember that Shelob is over 10,000 years old and one of the most powerful beings in middle earth!
I love how in the book, Shelob is described as no blade had ever touched her beloved flesh because of layers of evil growth. But when Sam stabs her with Sting, "so Shelob, with the driving force of her own cruel will, with strength greater than any warrior's hand, thrust herself upon a bitter spike. Deep, deep, it pricked, as Sam was crushed slowly to the ground. No such anguish had Shelob ever known, or dreamed of knowing, in all her long world of wickedness."
Wow! Thank you for your authentic, warm, emotional reaction! It gaves me goosbumps and tears! I was exactly crying on the same moments as you did. And I saw theese movies already, maybe, 10 times or more! All these emotional moments - "I am no man!", "I can't carry it for you - but I can carry you!", "You bow to no one!" - are get me every time I look these fantastic movies! And it's such a gift, that out there are so many people, who feel the same. I could feel it in your reaction. Think about: If there were a majority of people in our real world, which were such wise as Gandalf, such a humanistic leader as Aragorn, such brave and a real friend like Sam, with such a warm humour like Gimli - how would our world look like? I'm shure - we had peace and friendliness and no war, torture and slavery anymore! For me "The Lord Of The Rings" is a big message for peace!
-Remember what Gandalf said in the 1st movie: "My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before this is over." Gollum's greed for the Ring was what led to its destruction! -You're right that Sam is the heart and soul of the movies, and Sofie I'm glad you appreciate what Frodo's going through more than most reactors, but also the movie undersold Frodo's strengths. He is more clever in the books (which I'm GLAD you're reading!) and makes decisions that took a lot of intelligence and wisdom, all while bearing the full burden of the Ring. They really couldn't have done it without EACH OTHER. -Sofie, you will be happy to know that the books have MUCH more information, and that Sam joins Frodo in the Undying Lands after living a full life in the Shire! -The movies changed the structure of the books, probably better for the film medium. But the books spend hundreds of pages with Sam and Frodo before returning us to the events west of Mordor, and vice versa. This reflects that the heroes having NO idea how the others are faring, which magnifies their heroism. And so when Aragorn and Gandalf are shown Frodo's mithril cloak we along with the characters have NO idea Frodo and Sam are alive! Their journey through Mordor is even more heroic for a similar reason. -I would LOVE to see you post a video with your thoughts on the books at some point! Your observation that the movie seems to reflect a whole world full of lore is true. The books show this even more! You are my favorite reactor, Sofie! Thanks for sharing your experience with this wonderful trilogy with us!
Amazing reaction as always! Best on UA-cam, bar none. Very sympathetic and very quick to pick up on not only details, but themes/metaphor. Never seen anyone pick up on the subtleties of the the themes in a reaction, let alone their first time watching. Outstanding. Also, believe it or not, all of the big moments from this series hit harder the second time, and continue to hit the mark. It doesn't fade, no matter how many times you watch it. Truly unique. Keep it up!!
I watch any reactor who does LOTR and of all of them, you're the benchmark I'll have going forwards for the quality of the reactor. You got the right messages in every part, you were genuine in your reactions to pivotal scenes and you showed a love and commitment for the story I've not seen outside of full Scholars of the works of JRR Tolkien. Sofie, it has been an honour watching your reactions and I'm thrilled to have found your channel.
Thank you Sofie. For allowing us to re-experience our first time watching the LoTr Trilogy through your eyes. It made feel like “There and Back Again”. We cried with you. The most beautifully perfect reaction to these movies ever. Thank you.
I had been waiting for this reaction to ROTK for a while and started watching as soon as I saw it. I first read the books when I was 16, many years ago, and many times since, and I thoroughly enjoyed your comments and insights. The many comments below all say the same thing. Well Done! Great video/reaction! Totally on point, insightful and empathic. And reading through the many comments, I like to see that you have taken the time to react or reply as well. Greetings from South Africa and may you have a peaceful, blessed Festive Season.
I was VERY amused when I heard that an orc was modeled after Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein pressured Jackson to fit all 3 novels into a single film. A lot of people believe it was Gothmog, who was leading the orc army atMinas Tirith. But I've also heard it was the actually the half-blind orc that starts sniffing out Frodo and Sam when they are hiding in the troop of orcs. I think the second is more likely. Like the Hobbits, The Lord of the Rings barely escaped that monster.
You noticed things on your first watch that a lot of people never notice, even on repeat viewings. It was a pleasure to see somebody so deeply connect with the story and the themes presented in this trilogy. I hope you read the books -- Tolkien's writing is beautiful and poetic, and I think you would really enjoy them. Thank you for sharing your reaction and your intense emotions with us.
Thank you for recording such a wonderful reaction to these magnificent films. You clearly shared the same emotions we all had when watching for the first time, this time and every other time as well tbh. So many feels. You very much made the correct decision to watch the Extended versions, sadly a lot of reactors make the mistake of only doing the Theatrical versions. As you saw, the Extendeds really flesh out the world and the characters so brilliantly, especially with Saruman's final scene, and the finding of Eowyn (Eomer's scream is forever haunting to me, truly heartwrenching as he sees her seemingly dead before him) and Merry (by Pippin searching all night) on the battlefield. Plus the healing and meeting of Eowyn and Faramir. Can never go back to the Theatrical version!
The people who put these films together did an amazing job, from the actors, to the writers, the wardrobe, the special effects, the music, and the direction - it was all stunning. But the real star is the author, J R R Tolkien, who conceived the world, its people, its history, its languages, and told us stories of it with such a command of the language and such an understanding of its beauty. The parts of this series that really stirred us all were straight from Tolkien’s pen. He’s not the original and greatest fantasy author for no reason! Watching these films again through Sofie’s eyes, and seeing how much a great story, well told, can stir our emotions, brings into sharp relief how truly dreadful is the Amazon series (that shall not be named).
Hey Sofie, I just wanted to tell you that I fell in love with your reaction to the fellowship and have been waiting for you to complete the trilogy this whole time!. You are clearly versed in fantasy and other genera, your reactions are just as mine when I first watched these movies. I think that is why I hurried up to watch each video as soon as they came out and enjoyed all of them. If you'd like to understand a little bit more of the situation around middle earth during the whole trilogy I think you would enjoy this video called "Lord of the rings from sauron's perspective" by In Deep Geek, I watched it before my second rewatch of the trilogy and things that were previously unclear made sense, also, having the whole perspective of what is happening from both sides also allowed me to notice details and hints in the movies that I didn't catch previously.
Fantastic reaction Sofie, truly. Now that you’ve seen them all I’m sure you can appreciate Bilbo’s enormous act of willpower in relinquishing the ring in the first film. Thanks for this wonderful journey.
Thank you for these wonderfull reactions! You have been amazing, welcome to the Tolkien-club. I have read the books many times, they are so worth it! I think you will really appreciate the poetic artfull style of Tolkiens work. It's his life's work and you can feel how he put his soul in his writing. I would love to see a review from you after you read the books!
Sofie, I know that so many have said it before, I could just give them a (thumbs up, and I have), or I could comment on their comment. BUT, I have to use my own words, you deserve no less. I have watched nearly every LoTR reaction on UA-cam, I read the books when I was very young, and many times after that, I have watched this series more times than I care to mention, and I got very very far into gaining a degree on Tolkien. You, far and above, not only had the best reaction, but you understood all the subtleties of the films and even tapped into parts of the books that were only hinted at on screen. You sympathized, empathized, and BECAME so many characters in the moments needed to fulfill their part. There is a reason I watch reactions to these films and several others, and its to feel all the emotions of watching them for the first time again. You really really really gave that to me with your reaction. I wish for you continued success and growth in your channel and I hope you never stop. Thank you, never stop being a real human.
It's been 15 years since I first read the book and it's still my most favourite thing in the world😭this makes me super emotional and it's so nice to know that this beautiful story will continue to connect and impress people for decades to come 😊thank you for your precious reaction, Sofie=)
22:42 from the books 'The hands of the king are the hands of a healer.' or something to that effect. If he is a true king, he will have a way of healing people's afflictions. It's likely something that was passed down from his Numenorean roots.
So many comments in so little time.. Was going to fire off a poem in honour of this reaction in Samwise fashion, which will probably go completely unnoticed. It was a chance.. for a lowly fellow to show his quality 😁 Anyways, thanks a bunch for your splendid reactions Sofie. I imagined you having deceived them all with yet another master-ring that you forged in the Lands of Empathia. Far superior to most reactors whom above all else desire likes and engagement, yours were a joy to watch. Namárië!
![The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [EXTENDED CUT] | First Time Watching | REACTION](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6wMCAVwk0GQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring [EXTENDED CUT] | First Time Watching | REACTION](/img/tr.png)
What a glorious ride. These films will forever be dear to me and I'm so happy that I got to experience this piece of art with you ❤
Thank you so much for all your love.
You are amazing 👍
“It is precious to me…”
I have watched more reactions to this trilogy than i care to admit, but yours has been one of my favourites.
Gandalf said it in the 1st movie.... he felt gollum still had a part to play.....
Do you have a professional background in the humanities? You're so good as a "reactor" you must be a writer or creative.
I'm sayin it. Best LOTR reaction on UA-cam. 👌🏽
100% 💛
Indeed it is...
indeed
Yes, we can never watch them again as a first time experience, but we can remember what it was like watching these reactions and Sophie did a great job of reminding us of how it felt
Agreed. I think she's the only one I've actually watched start to finish. Often I find myself skipping around to the "best parts", mainly to take the measure of the reactor, because all too often, during the "downtime" they really aren't worth watching.
That was never true of Sofie. Throughout the entire movie, she was invested, paying attention, analysing, and most importantly, allowing herself to experience the movie moment by moment. Indeed, I suppose she is exactly the sort of film viewer all movie makers dream of having watch their movies.
Hands down, the greatest LotR reactor on YT. We thank you for the attention, care, respect, connection, and understanding you gave these films.
Yes. Thank you very much! It was a great journey and I was weeping with you. Your are the greatest LotR reactor on YT! No doubt.
One of the few reactors who understood why Frodo had to leave Middle Earth, beautiful reaction as always Sofie
She is an incredibly intelligent and insightful reactor. It's not easy to completely understand why Gandalf and Frodo sail away from this movie alone. Much easier to understand in the books. Anyway, it's there but you really have to be paying attention. She eats this stuff up. It's great.
Shit reaction
One important note for Sofie that isn't mentioned at all in the movie: Sam does get to join Frodo, eventually. After living a very long life, acting as Mayor of the shire, he takes a ship into the West. Everyone who carried the ring, for however short a time, had to leave Middle Earth.
Eventually Legolas goes as well, though much later. Gimli is also allowed to go with him because of his incredible friendship to Legolas, the only dwarf ever allowed into the undying lands.
@ Legolas and Gimli leave after Aragorn's passing. Arwen goes to Lothlorien, where she dies alone. 😞
@@MermaidMusings7And Merry and Pippin gets the honour to be buried besides Aragorn/ king Elessar
If it's any consolation, in the books, the Ring tries to tempt Sam by showing him images of himself as a mythical gardener king. See, Sam not only is a gardener because it's his job, he's a gardener because of his utmost devotion to nature, to nurture and care for it and make sure it grows properly. Seeing the bleak wasteland that was Mordor broke his heart in a million pieces, and so the Ring tried to show him images of him making forests and fields of green and flowers growing under his touch, if he only accepted the Ring. Sam just chuckled and dismissed the notion, because Sam had no grand dreams of being a god of nature, he just wanted to be a gardener and help his friend Frodo. Sam is amazing in any and all iterations
"...deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden...The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command."
@@JoeQuake Tolkien is the best. This simple pargraph is a whole statement about society and a fair way of living.
The ring itself is so creepy. It's like it has its own life, and knows that the bearer is trying to destroy it. So it tries to pull tricks on the bearer to steer them away.
I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again: These three films (extended editions) are the greatest films ever made.
Hard to argue - 1 and 3 especially are epic, 2nd is slightly under imo
@@brian19991 Exactly. It boggles my mind how Two Towers can be anyones favourite out of the 3. ROTK barely edges out FOTR for me but I'm a huge Boromir stan so I will always be biased towards FOTR, its so neck and neck with ROTK but for me Two Towers is the clear outlier in 3rd place.
My vote goes to the likes of Schindler's List & Shawshank Redemption.
@@brian19991 Really? The Battle of Helms Deep is amazing just by itself. I myself have fluctuated many times between which of the three is my favorite
@@patrickwoodlands4086 Really? I love the Two Towers. It was my favorite for a long long time. The Battle of Helms Deep is amazingly epic just by itself. Just the single moment when Theoden and Aragorn ride out together sends shivers down my spine. Plus 2 is where we get Aragorn Legolas and Gimli running to the EPIC soundtrack. All 3 are equals in my opinion, and I myself have fluctuated many times between which of the three is my favorite
"You bow to no one." A gut punch every single time.
And for that brief moment, Hobbits were the tallest in all Middle Earth
yes, every single time
Was waiting for that moment the whole video 😂
I use it as a personal measure of people I know. If you're not hit with a bunch of emotions at that point in the trilogy, we can't be friends anymore, lol. 😂😭 I cry every time.
@@labrynianrebel more like stood the highest 😂
Pointing out that the ring didn't get destroyed until symbolically Frodo 'let go' by taking Sams hand is something I never thought of in my many many watches!!! Brilliant attention to detail by you and the film.
In fact, the original rough cut of this sequence had the ring melt and Sauron's eye blow up _before_ Frodo grabbed Sam's hand (among a handful of other significant differences that would have greatly undercut the version we have now). Peter Jackson and the editors realized that all the tension in the scene was completely gone, because the big bad had just been destroyed; Frodo dying would feel heroic and the audience would still be satisfied if he fell.
When Aragorn says "For Frodo" and goes to charge, the choir is singing on elvish his oath to Frodo from Fellowship of the Ring: "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will, you have my sword"
what a great detail!
Damn nice detail, I've seen these films multiple times and I didn't know that
Always bugs me though, that it is not "for Frodo and Sam". He was equally important.
@@IslandpferdeHaukagilFrodo is the Ring Bearer.
Ae na guil nín egor na ngurth nín
Gerin le beriad
Le beriathon
Le annon vegil nín
After Aragon says "For Frodo", Merry and Pippin are the second to charge. In the books, Aragorn - then king Elessar - died 120 years after the Wars of the Ring, and upon his death the bodies of Merry and Pippin - long since dead - were entombed with him in places of highest honour. Merry and Pippin were the tallest hobbits to ever live, having drunk the "ent-draught" while with Tree Beard, which gave them the fortitude of the ancient forest. Both also lived lives of joy and adventure and comfort, becoming well respected and treated as knights of their respective kingdoms, even though they would live much of their days in the Shire.
Gimli loved the caves behind Helm's Deep so much that he eventually colonized them with the permission of Rohan, becoming the first Lord of the Glittering Caves and building a realm to rival any Dwarven hall. He and Legolas also explored the world as great friends, and when Gimli was old, he and legolas built a boat and sailed into the undying lands, so that he could see Galadriel again, and so the two never need be parted - the only Dwarf ever known to do so. His colony in the Glittering Caves also repaired much of the damage from the war, including building new gates for Minas Tirith out of steel and *mithril*
After the Wars of the Ring, Legolas not only traveled with Gimli, but lingered in Middle-Earth, restoring the many forests ravaged by Sauron's evil. It was only after Aragorn's death that he built his boat and sailed to the Undying Lands with Gimli, and was among the very last elves to leave Middle-Earth, with only Cirdan, an Elvish shipwright who swore only to leave with the last ship, and Arwen commonly known to have likely remained after his departure.
Gandalf, Frodo, and Sam all go to the Undying Lands. Sam becomes leader of the Shire, and has a large and prosperous family and a beautiful life with his wife - Rosy - only departing after her death.
Eowyn and Faramir marry, and are prosperous.
Gondor and Rohan enter a golden age as staunch friends.
In the end, the ending is truely, beautifully, bountifully happy. And yet, for all of it, we will always carry the bitter-sweetness of ther trials they faced. The scars that they never heal in their selves. And that we as readers and watchers still carry those - that we get our happy endings, but still feel that sublime grief, is truly the mark of their story's greatness.
I also like to think that Sam and Elrond bonded over their unique shared experiences of watching the ring corrupt the men they knew in the final moments, but that Elrond also takes solice in the outcome of Sam's story, and in seeing that Frodo is still a good man, if a flawed one.
Hugo Weaving’s performance as Elrond in the scene where he gives Arwen to Aragorn is so underappreciated. His face says more than a thousand words - the uncontainable joy of seeing his daughter find happiness, mixed with the unimaginable sorrow of knowing he will live on with the pain of her eventual death. It’s utterly heartbreaking and beautifully acted, a testament to his subtle brilliance.
He is a genuinely great actor.
It's a full-circle journey for Elrond, his brother's choice is now his daughter's.
Can you imagine him returning to Valinor and his wife beeing like: Where's Arwen?
Hardly anyone of Tolkien's characters went through more than he did and yet it never broke him
I feel so bad for Elrond. He lost his brother, his wife, and his daughter.
@@MermaidMusings7 Oh it's much worse than that: He also lost his mother, his father, his capturers/adoptive fathers and his king. Not only did his brother die, but he also got to witness the decline and fall of his kingdom. Then the Númenóreans rebuild their realm and he got to witness their decline too.
Then once victory was achieved, the power of his ring faded and he left Rivendell and middleearth behind - his home for the past millenia
You noted how Frodo still looked ill and damaged as they drove to the harbour. One of my favourite details is that when Frodo gets on the boat, and turns back, he's well again. His cheeks are rosy, his skin golden. It'
s so subtle but it kills me every time. THANK YOU FOR THIS LOVELY VIEWING. You're incredible.
And his smile reaches his eyes again
All the love and care that went into making this film... The people who crafted King Theoden's armor decorated the INSIDE, where only the actor and costumers would see it. Bernard Hill, who played Theoden said that it made him feel like a real king.
RIP Bernard Hill ❤
Never has this much effort been put into a film or a tv series. It's actually insane
Your point about Frodo being able to bring the gray part of Gandalf back really amazed me. It takes something really special to be able to spot such a subtle and profound theme on the first watch. The best LOTR reaction out there and it's not even close.
The ending is a collection of “did you cry yet? Here you go.”
yup!😂
and there's no single death in those moments. i really miss when movie touch your heart without relying on dark stuffs like death for example.
No, No, "My friends...You bow to no one." Ugly crying.
"Oh, you did ? Good. Wait, what's that ? I can see a few more tears left in there, gotta get those out too ! And don't forget those ones either !"
God I love this trilogy...
Superior reaction! Other reactors should truly take note. The way you paused the movie when you had to make a major point about a scene really keeps the viewer connected. So many reactors talk over most of the important scenes and never really get or understand what had just happened. Then later on they’ll question why something happened. I guess they’d rather hear themselves speak then watch the movie.
All in all you nailed it I’m so glad you enjoyed it because this means so much to so many people. It was refreshing to see someone understand what’s going on throughout journey. You are now one of us. I thoroughly enjoyed it. God bless.
There's a balance to that. Some reactors do that way too frequently and/or talk for too long. Pausing is also not ideal for group reactions.
One of us, one of us!!! 😂
The reason Denethor is so crazy isn't fully explained in the movie. He had a palantir (one of the crystal balls like Saruman had) Sauron couldn't get Denethor to switch sides because he was so loyal to Gondor. Instead he showed him visions of the kingdom falling and drove him into despair and eventually madness. Before that he was very wise and a great military strategist, holding off Mordor's army for many years.
Also, Saruman got corrupted by Sauron by using a Palantir, and Saruman was a very powerful wizard. Saruman did not have the 'right' to use the Palantir. Denethor had, as the Steward of Gondor and current ruler, the right to use the Palantiri (they belonged to the house of Elendil, and came with them from Numenor, iirc) and he was therefore not as easily corrupted and it took years for Sauron to wear him down. And if I recall Sauron could not lie through the Palantir but he could twist the truth.
then what about Faramir's flashback with him and Boromir from Two Towers, where Denethor just sent Boromir for the ring? he was fine there despite his displeasure towards Faramir.
@@shokenhk Difficult to answer, because in the books, which is what is used as an expanded explanation for his behaviour here, he did not know about the ring and that was not why Boromir was sent to Rivendell. He went there for advice.
if you watch everyone else hold the palantir get instantly overwhelmed by souron. he contended with him for many years before falling. truly a great man. one of the last of numinor.
@@chrislesperance2068 They completely ruined Denethor's character.
Fun book fact, in the moment Sam was struggling against the ring to give it back to frodo, it was basically telling him 'you can turn mordor into the sickest garden you've ever seen'
Sam, who also bore the ring for a time, is accorded the same honor as Bilbo and Frodo, and reunites with Frodo in the undying lands after the eventual death of his wife. Loved your reaction! This trilogy is among my all-time favorite films.
I genuinely can't stand the people who do the math and claim that Frodo would die before Sam reaches the undying lands. NO! Shut up! They see each other again!
@matthewarant377 Can you even die in the undying lands.
Isn't that why men can't go there ,setting foot there would cause them to steal the gift of elves😂
No they wont. Tolkien wrote that any mortal that arrives in the undying lands will be healed in body and soul but will die within a year because their bodies cant handle the holy energy of the valar. Frodo sailed west several years after Bilbo and Gandalf, so Bilbo was already dead by the time he arrived. And Samwise did not sail west for another 61 years, after the death of his wife Rosie. Sailing west is not about living a long life for mortals, it is about resaving peace and rest from the wounds from the evil of the ring that nothing else could heal.
Not only a ring bearer, but a ring bearer bearer.
@@drrohanjacob Yes Frodo and Sam die and are buried there. The writers could not use the real name of the place so they called it the Undying Lands which is true if you are an elf. Mortal creatures such as hobbits and men will die eventually there. Think of it more as a place where magic is kept alive and not mortals.
I remember the exact moment I found out when Bernard Hill died this year. I was in my truck, just finished a shoot for a short film I was working on and I saw the headline. When I tell you I wept for an hour I'm not exaggerating. I was broken. Theoden is my favourite character in this story (which says a lot because I adore every character, with a particular love for Boromir, Sam and Gandalf) and Bernard Hill played him perfectly. When I finally made it home I put on two scenes to flush me through my grief. Theoden's "How did it come to this?" speech in the Two Towers and his death scene in this one. "I go now to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed". I'm a big Star Wars fan and normally I do a binge of the OG trilogy every May 4,5,6 (may the fourth, revenge of the fifth, and the return of the sixth) but that May the 5th was for my King. Tomorrow would have been his 80th birthday. RIP
My wife and I lost our fourth daughter in 2020; she was stillborn. Theoden's line from the previous movie came to mind at the time: "No parent should have to bury their child."
47:00 And so just for a moment, four little hobbits stood taller than all the men of Gondor. This wasn't just a superb reaction Sophie - it was the most intelligent and sympathetic reaction I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Thankyou.
Boromir, Pippin, and Merry immediately became very close friends in the fellowship. They were always together. Boromir taught them swordsmanship and looked after them for the entire journey. Then, he died defending them from an overwhelming force. Pippin never forgot, and went on to dedicate his life in service to Boromir's father, and do everything he possibly could to protect Boromir's city and family. He literally jumped into a burning bonfire to save Faramir! I absolutely love Pippin's character arc and his unwavering loyalty to Boromir, one of his greatest friends.
"I cannot carry it for you, but I can carry you!" Leaves this 40 year old shedding a tear every time ❤
You will be shedding them with 45 too man.
Add another 14 years, ditto. :)
and the music swells
22:19 for context: this is Eomer finding his sister, who looks for all the world like she could be dead. and as if that wasn't bad enough, the shock of seeing her in the first place, when until that point he had no reason to believe she wasn't safely back at the camp with the others who stayed behind, I'd that explains his blood-curdling scream. such a heart-wrenching delivery from Karl Urban
Such an incredible shot. Right up there with Gandalf falling in Moria and the Fellowship's reaction to that.
Huh... somehow, I didn't realize Eomer was Karl Urban - he's quite a bit younger than I'm used to here and that helmet & hair hide his features quite well.
"End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take and then you see it..." The lighting of the beacons...the speeches from King Théoden and King Aragorn...feeling the power of the Rohirrim charge, were some of the most epic theatrical experiences...Chills forever...I cried at the end the first time, I can't lie. You know it is a masterpiece when you don't want a 4 hour film to end...Legendary writing and filmmaking. I will love this story endlessly.
I LOVE these phrases from Gandalf, it's absurdly beautiful.
"I cried at the end the first time"
First time? Try _every single damn time_ 🤭
"End? No, the journey doesn't end here" is one of my all-time favourite quotes of anything. This paragraph from Gandalf perfectly encapsulates the Christian ethics that Tolkien built the whole story on.
The extended edition is over 4 hours long and feels like 2. Titanic is over 3 hours long and feels like 6, but that's just me.
I fell in love with the LotR books decades ago, and I fell just as much in love with the films back when they were released because of how wonderfully they work as films while adapting the source material. I've watched a lot of LotR reactions in the last few years, but I must say your LotR reactions are hands-down the best on youtube. The insight you brought to the films, the attention you paid, the willingness to engage with the material and interact with its core themes - it was truly a delight. I laughed and cried along with you. I hope you choose to read the books in your off time; given how much you enjoyed the films, I think you'll love them and get a lot out of them.
Absolutely agree with everything you've said ... including falling in love with the books first (in the 1970s!) and then the film adaptations.
And when you do read the books, say hi to Tom for us.
You need to read the books to complete Merry and Pippin's character arcs.
That book that Frodo handed to Sam was later known as the Red Book of Westmarch.
It contained the writings of Bilbo's journey as well as Frodo's, with Sam writing what happened afterward.
Tolkien wrote 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' as if he had found and translated that book and used it as the manuscript.
Ok. I`ve never commented on a UA-cam video before, but now i simply have to. This is the best reaction to the trilogy I`ve ever seen, and I`ve seen many. You` re observant, empathetic, witty and kind. You understand what the stories of Middle- Earth are really about: not flashy magic, epic battles or cool one liners, but sadness, compassion and finding bravery at dark and hopeless places. These three movies are brilliant, of course. Cinematic masterpieces no doubt. But now, you gotta take the next step. You have to read the source material. `Cause these films are great, but the stories of Arda, told by The Professor … will change your life forever. They changed mine.
Remember when Gandalf said "My heart tells me Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before the end, the pity of Bilbo may one day rule the fate of us all..."
Exactly. And I also like the theory that only in an act of 'randomness', like in a fight for it, could the ring be destroyed. That is because no one would have the strength of mind to willingly destroy the ring inside Mount Doom where the ring would be at its strongest. That was Gollum's part, being the random element.
@@BruceRKF its not a theory, Tolkien says right out that NO one could WILLINGLY throw it in the Fire, and as far as was ever recorded , Bilbo is the ONLY character in the history of the Ring to willingly give it up when he passed it to Frodo
@@justinhephner2117 It's been a while since I read the books, so sorry for calling it a theory. The point stands though.
@@BruceRKF oh i was just elucidating your point, that its def a fact
Similarly, Aragorn sparing Wormtounge ends up paying dividends later. There are several instances where small acts of goodness/kindness/mercy have great impact later in the story.
I was crying there right along with you the whole time, wow. As others have said, easily the best LOTR reaction I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot. I almost want to not watch any more reactions and just leave it here, thank you so much for this and I’m so glad you enjoyed it the way you did. Well, now it’s time to pick up the Fellowship of the Ring and get to my second read-through, only thing to do after this amazing heartfelt video. Hope you read them as well, cheers! ❤️
- Andy
Oh girl I am dreading seeing your heart break several times while watching this, you reactions are some of the most engaged, and thoughtful, you allow yourself to get lost in the film/ tv show you are watching unlike some reactors who seem to watch and react for clicks without any consideration for the content they are seeing.
Today is my birthday. I spent two hours of it watching your reactions to this movie. Worth it. It's always good to see people getting emotional for the first time with this story. And don't worry about the "ugly crying".
"I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."
Happy birthday 🥳
"It's your birthday, and you wants it."
Your reaction to this trilogy has been the best I have seen. Thank you for taking us with you on the road.
8:00 - She is powerful. Very powerful. She is one of the greatest Elves in Middle-earth, she surpassed nearly all others in beauty, knowledge, and power. She bore Nenya, one of the three Elven rings of power. Her mother was a Elven princess. You can learn more about her, and others, in the book: The Silmarillion.
"Sam...I don't know how he can be brave and scared at the same time."
Because bravery isn't a lack of fear, that's an all-too-common misconception. Bravery is doing what needs to be done in SPITE of your fear. Fearlessness in the face of danger is next of kin to foolishness and ignorance.
That aside, yet another fantastic reaction and very cogent analysis. Subscribed!
Yes indeed ... you can only be brave if you are afraid first! And the hobbits epitomise this truth constantly 💖
“Bran thought about it. ‘Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?’
‘That is the only time a man can be brave,’ his father told him.”
I love it when Gimli causes Legolas's arrow to kill the Director on the boat at the start.... everyone on that ship are people getting their cameos in the film, they normally work behind the camera
I watched many reactions to the Trilogy before but honestly, yours is the most emotional, insightful and sensitive ever. Thank you for this experience!
How Tolkien wrote the LoTR stories is based a lot from his experience in World War 1. The ring and its effect on Frodo is similar to what soldiers with PTSD coming back home from war feels like, the fellowship of the ring is similar to what he experienced with his comrade in war and his childhood friends growing up in that era. Even Sam is based on the courage of the soldiers he witnessed during the war.
If you have time, you can watch the Tolkien movie, it was great, and the Hobbit movies are a great sequel(prequel) to watch too.
I have seen 20+ reactions of this trilogy and I can never get tired of it. Your reaction is my favourite by far. Thank you for this journey
Wow. I didn't know if I could agree with those saying your reactions were the greatest for these movies. I've seen some pretty great ones. But I do agree. Your reactions are wonderful! I love that you are so into it and pick up small details that others miss.
Here's a little stocking stuffer for you. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Congrats for reaching the end Sofie, and thanks for allowing me to relive it with you, it was wonderful! Again your insight is nothing short of miraculous!
If I may add a few clarifying notes here:
1. The Witch King breaking Gandalf's staff is purely a movie thing and one of the extremely few moments where the director departed from the source material in a way which I disagree with. The Witch King might be a powerful sorcerer, but Gandalf is a Maia spirit, an angel who literally participated in the creation of the world. They are simply not in the same league.
2. Faramir and Eowyn's relationship develops much slower and gradually in the book.
3. Tolkien made it clear that no living creature would have been able to willingly destroy the ring, especially there, where it was forged, because as they approached that place it became more and more powerful. Except one. Tolkien stated in a letter that the only person who could have conceivably do it was Smeagol, out of pure spite. If he were at a point where his Precious was taken from him by Sauron, there is a fair chance that he might have thrown it into the fire because on one hand he would have known that his life is over anyway, on the other hand he hated Sauron more than anything. And Gandalf knew very well that there is no chance of Frodo doing it.
4. Which begs the question: why did he let Frodo go on this mission? You remember him saying in Moria that "there are other powers at work here beside those of evil". There he also mentioned that Bilbo was meant to find the ring in which case Frodo is also meant to have it. In other words he realized that there is a higher power at work here and he decided to trust that power. It was the same power which sent him back after he died: the supreme God of this world, Eru Iluvatar.
5. Sam will rejoin Frodo after many decades, after being elected mayor seven times in a row and seeing his children grow up. After Rosie died, he too was admitted into the Undying Lands because he too was a ringbearer.
6. After doing much useful work and experiencing many things, Legolas built a ship and he too sailed to the West, and it is said that Gimli went wit him, being granted this unique favor for the love of the lady Galadriel. He would be the only dwarf ever permitted to set foot on the Blessed Realm.
7. In case you wonder, mortals don't become immortals if they go to the Undying lands. But that land is so pure, so sacred, hallowed by the presence of the Valar, that they can heal there and live out the rest of their years in peace and happiness.
Man, I love how smart u are! ♥ its really rare to see people like u, to see what this movies deliver. Its not overreacting, when i say, this movies saved my life. This movies tells me, there is hope in every situation, regardless how dark the times are. I transfered this message in my own life. And it has been true. In a moment where I almost give up, i repeatly saw this movies, and they give me strength because i remembered I have really good friends and family by my side.And I only have to open myself. This movies reminded me of this and dont let me do stupid things. I read all the books and saw all the movies and series. And im very impressed how u can read the messages in between the caracters and scenes and able to read the purposes of there behave. I think u are very intelligent of emotions. Tolkien and Peter Jackson saved my life and i mean it. And I cant get enough seeing people like you, that are empathic and see what they deliver. It gives me hope in humanity, regardless how stupid this sounds♥ :D
"I don't think there will be a return journey, Mr. Frodo." is my favorite line in the entire trilogy. Because right after, Sam extends his hand to help Frodo up. Therefore, acknowledging that this journey will mean the end of his life, yet he perseveres.
I watched many different reactions but this was something else. The way you understood the story and the characters… truly incredible and it was an honor and blast to follow your journey with these movies, thank you! I wished many times that I could experience these movies for the first time again but through your reaction it felt pretty close to that.
Galadriel had an influence on the insanity of the orcs in the tower.
The look on Eomer’s face when his sister was being healed by Aragorn is rarely commented on but, wow!
The ring tried to influence Sam after he took the ring from Frodo but the best it could do was to get Sam to imagine himself as the greatest Gardner in the Shire.
And Gandalf brought 3 eagles to rescue Frodo and Sam in hopes that Sméagol had also been freed from the power of the ring.
Such a great reaction from the absolute best I have seen.
I adore you for this one
❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I have to echo what so many others have said-you have more insight than anyone I’ve ever seen react to this trilogy. You noticed things I never did, and I’ve been watching these films since they first came out in theaters. For example, your connection between Frodo leaving with the elves and Galadriel’s line about the quest claiming his life absolutely blew my mind. I’ve watched these movies countless times, but I never fully grasped that connection until you pointed it out. It’s like you’ve opened a new door to understanding a story I thought I already knew so well. Watching your reaction has been a gift-it feels like I got to experience this masterpiece again for the first time through your eyes. Thank you for sharing such a fresh, thoughtful perspective.
Its mindblowing how special this reaction felt for me, it was truly the closest i ever felt to watching the movies for the 1st time because of how many new insights she had.
I would honestly watch the movies every year again with her if i could. And by the way, what an attractive personality does this lady have. I wish i could have her as my best lord of the rings friend.
@@wtfgebeurdmij2991 Agreed 100%. Give her some Elf ears and she'd look like a sister of Arwen, too. Elven vibes for sure :)
@@pyriph haha yeah now you mention it she does look a bit like her. Very elegant
You are the wisest of all reactors. You understand human storytelling and emotion and you didn't miss a single symbolic beat of what makes these stories great. Just know that there are others out here, like you, who UNDERSTAND.
Gimli is sitting on the throne of steward of Gondor where Denethor sat. The king of Gondor's throne is up the stairs visible in the same picture. Steward never sat on the king's throne but had their own beside it.
Great job watching the series!
BEST REACTION SO FAR! ❤CHANCE MY MIND!!!
You truly unterstand the movies. It was an honor for me to enjoy it with you together.
I've waited until the end (and to stop crying) to comment. These are my favorite movies, my husband and I waited in line to see all 3 midnight premieres. I have watched many, many reactions to them and without even a close second yours have been my favorite. Your attention to detail is outstanding and you show genuine empathy towards others. You'll love the books, happy reading and hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
As others have, and will say I am sure, a simple line is the most powerful in the entire series. "My friends...you bow to no one." And with that, four hobbits from the Shire stood taller than all the other people of a world that their friendship and bravery did save, even if only for a moment.
Awesome! Thank you for watching these with us. It pretty crazy just how well all the effects hold up. It's a classic. Favorite trilogy of anything ever.
"The world of men will fall."
'The Horns of Rohan sound.'
Perfect.
Theoden to Eowyn (The Two Towers):
"I know your face."
Me: 🥺❤️
Theoden to Eowyn (The Return of the King):
"I know your face."
Me: 😭💔
“Nothing will ever compare.” Exactly right. Speaking as a lover of cinema in all its eras and genres Peter Jackson’s LOTR is the greatest achievement in the history of filmmaking. Once you consider what went into making this and the success it continues to achieve there really isn’t anything to compare it to.
22:43 Yes. Aragorn does. He learned Elvish medicine and healing from his foster father and many times great uncle, Elrond, though he is not as great as Elrond and most Elvish healers. It's also stated in a prophecy given to Aragorn that the hands of the King of Gondor and Arnor shall be the hands of a healer and a renewer of the land.
When the people of Gondor heard that Aragorn went about treating and healing those injured in battle,they knew, the King had returned!
When Aragorn and the Captains of the West led their forces to Mordor, Faramir and Éowyn remained in Bair Nestedrui, where they fell in love. Éowyn continued to reside there for a time, even after recovering, as it was the place where she had found consolation.
Its not Aragon specific thing about being a healer i think the true King is just supposed to have some mystical healing ability (maybe due to their ancestry having an elf and even a maia) and the saying is Gondor is something like “Hands of the king are hands of a healer and thus is a rightful king known”
@@olorin3815 It's a Gondorian proverb if I recall correctly. But it is inspired by Jesus Christ and his healing touch of others when they believe in him and God. There's a lot of Messianic inspiration in the LOTR series, mainly due to Tolkien's devout belief in Catholicism. Though I recall it also calls back to the Royal Touch belief in the medieval period, where English and French Kings had the ability to heal people through touch.
Tolkien was a WW1 veteran. He got a lot of inspiration from his experience there. Frodo went to war and came back different, much like all of us who also went war and made it home, but we all have scars that will never heal. I think this is one of the reasons why this trilogy gets to me. I know I felt like Frodo and the gang when I came back home and nothing had changed. That one hobbit who gives them that look when they ride back into town, not knowing what they went through. I've gotten that "it's in the past, get over it already" from people who will never understand. Sorry, didn't mean to be such a downer. Great reaction to all three movies. I'd say it has to be the best film and book trilogy ever created. Just love these films so much.
Galadriel is the most powerful elf still living. Gandalf is on a different level. He is a Maier, sort of like an angel in the form of a man. The wizards tasks are to guide the people of Middle Earth.
As I understand it. The Maier aren't allwowed to use 100% of their power (or do not possess them in physical form). Thus Gandalf the Grey was weaker than Galadriel. On the other hand Gandalf the White is allowed to use his powers and is absolutely stronger than Galadriel.
It's one of the things I hate about the extended edition. Because the Witchking of Angmar was the best human magically and continued it after the corruption. But in no way would he be able to best Gandalf the White a Maier.
@@Ri_Shin_Marco To clarify, only the Istari (i.e. Wizards) aren't allowed, or rather were diminished when they were sent to Middle Earth. This still applies to GtW, though he displays what power he has more overtly, as his role changed when he got sent back.
As to Maiar in general, they aren't bound like this (e.g. Melian), but by this time are not present outside of Aman (excluding Sauron and balrogs), that we know of.
@@Ri_Shin_Marco true, but peter jackson knew that most people watching would not be so entrenched with the lore
it made for a fine cinematic moment
Technically almost all elves are still living they are just in Valinor, as for Middle Earth yeah she probably is one of the most powerful but idk if shes the most powerful, Cirdan for example is even older than her iirc but he never went to Valinor so who knows also Glorfindel is probably the single most powerful combatant in Middle Earth at the time other than like Sauron or Gandalf with his powers unleashed
Tho if by power it means strength of spirit or something of the sort i believe Galadriel is the most powerful just dont think she ever grabbed a sword and went on a killing spree no matter what Rings of Power tells you 😂
The Lord of the Rings is my all time favorite books and the movies were such a wonderful and faithful adaptation. I agree with the previous commenters who stated that yours was the best youtube reaction to the trilogy. I've seen so many different reactions to this and I have seen any non book reader show the level of insightfulness into the themes and the depth of the story like you have Sofie. It was a joy and a privilege to go on this journey with you. You are easily the most beautiful of all the reactors that I have seen. Your genuine sincerity, and the heartfelt connection to the heart of the story and the characters was even more beautiful. I wholeheartedly recommend you read the books. You will get an even greater fullness of Tolkien's beautiful and poetic writing. You will love the characters even more. I also recommend if you can to watch the extensive behind the scenes footage. You will be blown away. The level of devotion by all the cast and crew is truly worthy of Tolkien's great work. As was your reaction.
To answer your question if Galadriel is more powerful than Gandalf, that'll be a no. While Galadriel is the most powerful and wisest Elf that remains in middle earth, she isn't a match for a spirit like Gandalf. Even with Gandalf reduced in power so that he may be a source of courage and not a weapon for the people of middle earth, he is still a Maiar and is certainly a step above any Elf left alive. Some Elves of the past could however be compared to that kind of power, but those kinds of heroes died fighting Morgoth, Sauron's master.
To add: the greatest elf (as in most powerful, not so much personality-wise) that ever lived was Fëanor, who was Galadriel's uncle.
you are forgetting Glorfindel. dude 1 v 1nd a balrog died and came back to help defeat Sauron. the 9 would not chase Frodo if he was present in the beginning. But yes if gandalf was allowed his full power he (like sarumon) would be even too suaron.
In the Battle of Five Armies, in The Hobbit, there is an encounter that speaks to this question.
What is even more wonderous, in many ways is how many. . .chance happenings (much like in the story itself) lead to this movie:
- Tolkien came up with Middle Earth while recovering from a wound in WWI, and treated it as a microcosm in which to study the evolution of language and meaning using languages and a pre-pre history of the world he made up).
- In the 1920's, he began telling his children a story about a Hobbit to amuse them, it was only his son Christophers habit of correcting him when details when change between tellings that led him to start writing it down.
- In mid 1930's, Tolkien was feeling unsatisfied with the Epic Poem style his 'Great Stories of the Elder Days' was taking and decided to see if he could write a full length story.
- He chose The Hobbit, which was never intended as being part of his Legendarium, with only a few references thrown in to amuse himself.
- The excellent sales and regard the book immediately gained (and still possesses) led publisher and friends to ask for a sequel, C.S. Lewis finally talked him into it.
- By about the time Frodo reaches Rivendell, a sequel to The Hobbit began evolving into a beautifully elegiac and melancholic Final Chapter to his Legendarium (necessitating edits to The Hobbit to bring it fully into Middle Earth, and having Bilbo find the ring instead of winning it from Gollum who gives it freely in the first draft).
- The Lord of the Rings did not sell nearly so well and was not nearly so well regarded in the very future and progress focused 1950's, but took off like a shot in the 1960's, gaining huge popularity and beginning to be regarded as the Masterpiece that it is. The entire Fantasy genre was reinvented by the book, which now looms large in virtually every work of fantasy since the 1960's, either through copy (not far of plagiaristic sometimes) or through what choices people avoid.
- Peter Jackson asked for 100 million to make two 2-hour movies, New Line Cinema gave him 300 million to make three 3-hour movies.
- Peter Jackson put together a cast and crew of people that were all perfect for their roles and massively dedicated to making the movie as great as it could be. Behind the scenes documentaries are full of stories of the lengths people went to in order to make it all work.
So many pieces of random chance and unexpected developments lead to the creation of two Masterpieces, the book and the movie.
Peter Jackson spend those 300 million well, as he recorded over 1300 hours of footage!
Seeing these movies in theaters is something I’ll never forget, I’ve never experienced anything like it since
Yes. Right from seeing the first film in the theatres all those years ago, the whole trilogy was quite an *unexpected journey* in itself :-)
@ I’ve been chasing that lotr movie theater high ever since with no success 🤣
Your reaction to the trilogy has been so good-you should really be proud. A lot of reactions on UA-cam can feel vapid and shallow, but you engaged with the films in a thoughtful way, and it really adds something meaningful for longtime fans. It reminds us of what it felt like to see these movies for the first time ourselves. Thank you for sharing this experience with us
Yes SoFie: "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer"!
And, no SoFie, Gimli is sitting on the Steward's chair, which is at the foot of the stairs up to the King's chair...
Overall, the very best LOTR's reaction I've seen; thanx!!!
I have been incredibly stressed the last few weeks... and I'm so thankful I found these. I've gone with you all the way, and laughed and cried and then cried some more along side of you. These films are so beautiful and your soul, intellect, depth of understanding and utterly radiant empathy brought me such joy and greatly restored my heart. We are all carrying our own ring in a way... you just helped me carry mine a little further to Mordor. You became both my Sam and my Arwen. Thank you for letting us all experience this with you...
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
Thank you Sofie.
12:30 Short version: Both Saruman and Denethor had one of the Seven 'Seeing-stones' (Palantíri) and came under Saurons spell.
22:43 Merry and Éowyn were deadly wounded fighting the Witchking. But "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known."
Kingsfoil, a weed in any mans hands but the King himself.
@@peacemaker6662 Athelas.
I wonder why would Kings have some mystical healing ability wonder if its got anything to do with them being partly descended from elves and even a maia
@@olorin3815 It's actually inspired by Jesus Christ and his healing touch of healing others when they believe in him and in God. There's a lot of Messianic imagery and inspiration in the LOTR series, such as Aragorn healing others, Frodo sacrificing his being and self to deliver the One Ring to its ruin, Gandalf stoking the fire in the hearts of men, etc. Mainly due to Tolkien's Catholicism playing into his train of thought. Though I recall it also calls back to the Royal Touch belief in the medieval period, where English and French Kings had the ability to heal people through touch. But you're also right in that Aragorn and his line is descended from Thingol and Melian through Lúthien.
@@Torag55 yeah i mean i get that tolkein drew a lot from christianity was just wondering about in world reason for why he would have such power and where it comes from
Thank you, Sofie. You created something really special with this series.
21:05 that is so wonderful to hear. I love Theoden ❤
Sophie understood these movies like almost no reactor I have ever seen and in each movie caught something I hadn't noticed after dozens, if not hundreds, of viewings. Amazing, fantastic job Sophie!
I needed this video today.
About an hour ago I found out that my favourite UA-cam streamer, a lovely gentleman named Jeff passed away due to heart failure.
He was ok yesterday, and today he's gone.
He was the one who introduced me to The Lord of the Rings.
Tho we never really knew each other, as I was just an audience member, I needed to somehow honour him today.
And what better way to remember that kind, lovely old man, than shearing the joy of LOTR with another.
Thank you.
We will all meet in the Undying Lands.
I am in awe. Best reaction to LOTR I have ever seen, hands down. The arrival of the Rohirrim always brings me to tears. 20+ times I have read the books, and I still end up blubbering at this scene:
“In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.
All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dínen.
"You cannot enter here," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!"
The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.
"Old fool!" he said. "Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.
Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the city, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of war nor of wizardry, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.
And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns, in dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the north wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.”
Cheer up, Frodo and Sam DO get reunited. 70 years after Frodo leaves, Rosie passes, and Sam retires from his Mayorship of Hobbiton, and sails to the west since HE was a Ringbearer as well
Bernard Hill's performance as Theoden in these films is one of the all time great performances, it's so underrated. The Ride of the Rohirrim never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
I second that . R.I.P. Bernard Hill .
Your reactions are lovely to watch, thank you so much. You're attentive and analytical, and notice a lot of detail, which is very impressive! But first and foremost, you let yourself be emotionally open and vulnerable - and it's such a pleasure to watch you get swept up in the story.
This is the BEST lotr reaction I've seen yet on UA-cam Sofie! You REALLY get lotr and all the subtleties! Kudos to you!
I'm a 43-year-old man and I have watched this masterpiece countless times. Every time I try not to cry and every time I fail miserably.
I'm really impressed by the level of insight that Sophie displays as the movie progress; from recognizing that it was Gollum's love for the Ring that allowed it to be destroyed, to the fact that the Hobbits were changed by their journey and things would never be the same for them and especially Frodo.
As Sophie was watching the movie, I was watching her and have to admit to now having a huge crush on her.. haha She's funny, sensitive, insightful and her humbleness made her say that she was ugly crying even though she looked beautiful doing so.
Best LOTR reactor on UA-cam ever!
Congratulations on reaching the end of this epic story. Ive watched with delight as youve been drawn in to this exceptional story and your insight into the nuances of the writing and characters is a testimony to you. I noticed you didnt pick up on it, but on a rewatch count how many eagles were sent to save Frodo. For all the hatred towards Gollum they sent an eagle to save him too 😢
The Hobbit trillogy will keep you emersed.
Fun fact: the spider scenes were the only ones filmed here in Australia. The spider's name is Kylie, and she's gotten a lot bigger since then.
So...the "spider" who's name is Shelob, is not actually a spider. She is a demon. The last child of the great Ungoliant. Ungoliant was a Primordial that came down from the darkness and took on the form of a gigantic spider. This was WAY WAY back in time, before the first age. Melkor (the first Dark Lord and Sauron's master until he died) at one point formed an alliance with Ungoliant, and at one time was thought to be more powerful than Melkor.
Eventually Melkor was defeated and Ungoliant died as well...not mentioned how but thought to have died because her hunger grew so much (she ate light..the more she ate the more powerful she grew) that she consumed herself.
Shelob here, though not as powerful as her mother, was still very powerful...and at the time Frodo and Sam encountered her she was at least 10,000 years old.
So now...re-watch that scene where Sam fights Shelob and remember that Shelob is over 10,000 years old and one of the most powerful beings in middle earth!
I love how in the book, Shelob is described as no blade had ever touched her beloved flesh because of layers of evil growth. But when Sam stabs her with Sting, "so Shelob, with the driving force of her own cruel will, with strength greater than any warrior's hand, thrust herself upon a bitter spike. Deep, deep, it pricked, as Sam was crushed slowly to the ground. No such anguish had Shelob ever known, or dreamed of knowing, in all her long world of wickedness."
Wow! Thank you for your authentic, warm, emotional reaction! It gaves me goosbumps and tears! I was exactly crying on the same moments as you did. And I saw theese movies already, maybe, 10 times or more! All these emotional moments - "I am no man!", "I can't carry it for you - but I can carry you!", "You bow to no one!" - are get me every time I look these fantastic movies! And it's such a gift, that out there are so many people, who feel the same. I could feel it in your reaction. Think about: If there were a majority of people in our real world, which were such wise as Gandalf, such a humanistic leader as Aragorn, such brave and a real friend like Sam, with such a warm humour like Gimli - how would our world look like? I'm shure - we had peace and friendliness and no war, torture and slavery anymore! For me "The Lord Of The Rings" is a big message for peace!
-Remember what Gandalf said in the 1st movie: "My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill, before this is over." Gollum's greed for the Ring was what led to its destruction!
-You're right that Sam is the heart and soul of the movies, and Sofie I'm glad you appreciate what Frodo's going through more than most reactors, but also the movie undersold Frodo's strengths. He is more clever in the books (which I'm GLAD you're reading!) and makes decisions that took a lot of intelligence and wisdom, all while bearing the full burden of the Ring. They really couldn't have done it without EACH OTHER.
-Sofie, you will be happy to know that the books have MUCH more information, and that Sam joins Frodo in the Undying Lands after living a full life in the Shire!
-The movies changed the structure of the books, probably better for the film medium. But the books spend hundreds of pages with Sam and Frodo before returning us to the events west of Mordor, and vice versa. This reflects that the heroes having NO idea how the others are faring, which magnifies their heroism. And so when Aragorn and Gandalf are shown Frodo's mithril cloak we along with the characters have NO idea Frodo and Sam are alive! Their journey through Mordor is even more heroic for a similar reason.
-I would LOVE to see you post a video with your thoughts on the books at some point! Your observation that the movie seems to reflect a whole world full of lore is true. The books show this even more!
You are my favorite reactor, Sofie! Thanks for sharing your experience with this wonderful trilogy with us!
Amazing reaction as always! Best on UA-cam, bar none. Very sympathetic and very quick to pick up on not only details, but themes/metaphor. Never seen anyone pick up on the subtleties of the the themes in a reaction, let alone their first time watching. Outstanding.
Also, believe it or not, all of the big moments from this series hit harder the second time, and continue to hit the mark. It doesn't fade, no matter how many times you watch it. Truly unique.
Keep it up!!
I watch any reactor who does LOTR and of all of them, you're the benchmark I'll have going forwards for the quality of the reactor. You got the right messages in every part, you were genuine in your reactions to pivotal scenes and you showed a love and commitment for the story I've not seen outside of full Scholars of the works of JRR Tolkien.
Sofie, it has been an honour watching your reactions and I'm thrilled to have found your channel.
Thank you Sofie. For allowing us to re-experience our first time watching the LoTr Trilogy through your eyes. It made feel like “There and Back Again”. We cried with you. The most beautifully perfect reaction to these movies ever. Thank you.
I have watched, and loved, many Lord of the Rings reactions, but I've never seen any reactor understand the movies as well as you. Amazing!
I had been waiting for this reaction to ROTK for a while and started watching as soon as I saw it. I first read the books when I was 16, many years ago, and many times since, and I thoroughly enjoyed your comments and insights. The many comments below all say the same thing. Well Done! Great video/reaction! Totally on point, insightful and empathic. And reading through the many comments, I like to see that you have taken the time to react or reply as well. Greetings from South Africa and may you have a peaceful, blessed Festive Season.
I was VERY amused when I heard that an orc was modeled after Harvey Weinstein.
Weinstein pressured Jackson to fit all 3 novels into a single film.
A lot of people believe it was Gothmog, who was leading the orc army atMinas Tirith.
But I've also heard it was the actually the half-blind orc that starts sniffing out Frodo and Sam when they are hiding in the troop of orcs.
I think the second is more likely. Like the Hobbits, The Lord of the Rings barely escaped that monster.
You noticed things on your first watch that a lot of people never notice, even on repeat viewings. It was a pleasure to see somebody so deeply connect with the story and the themes presented in this trilogy. I hope you read the books -- Tolkien's writing is beautiful and poetic, and I think you would really enjoy them.
Thank you for sharing your reaction and your intense emotions with us.
"I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil."
Thank you for recording such a wonderful reaction to these magnificent films. You clearly shared the same emotions we all had when watching for the first time, this time and every other time as well tbh. So many feels.
You very much made the correct decision to watch the Extended versions, sadly a lot of reactors make the mistake of only doing the Theatrical versions. As you saw, the Extendeds really flesh out the world and the characters so brilliantly, especially with Saruman's final scene, and the finding of Eowyn (Eomer's scream is forever haunting to me, truly heartwrenching as he sees her seemingly dead before him) and Merry (by Pippin searching all night) on the battlefield. Plus the healing and meeting of Eowyn and Faramir. Can never go back to the Theatrical version!
The people who put these films together did an amazing job, from the actors, to the writers, the wardrobe, the special effects, the music, and the direction - it was all stunning. But the real star is the author, J R R Tolkien, who conceived the world, its people, its history, its languages, and told us stories of it with such a command of the language and such an understanding of its beauty. The parts of this series that really stirred us all were straight from Tolkien’s pen. He’s not the original and greatest fantasy author for no reason!
Watching these films again through Sofie’s eyes, and seeing how much a great story, well told, can stir our emotions, brings into sharp relief how truly dreadful is the Amazon series (that shall not be named).
Hey Sofie, I just wanted to tell you that I fell in love with your reaction to the fellowship and have been waiting for you to complete the trilogy this whole time!. You are clearly versed in fantasy and other genera, your reactions are just as mine when I first watched these movies. I think that is why I hurried up to watch each video as soon as they came out and enjoyed all of them. If you'd like to understand a little bit more of the situation around middle earth during the whole trilogy I think you would enjoy this video called "Lord of the rings from sauron's perspective" by In Deep Geek, I watched it before my second rewatch of the trilogy and things that were previously unclear made sense, also, having the whole perspective of what is happening from both sides also allowed me to notice details and hints in the movies that I didn't catch previously.
Fantastic reaction Sofie, truly.
Now that you’ve seen them all I’m sure you can appreciate Bilbo’s enormous act of willpower in relinquishing the ring in the first film.
Thanks for this wonderful journey.
Thank you for these wonderfull reactions! You have been amazing, welcome to the Tolkien-club. I have read the books many times, they are so worth it! I think you will really appreciate the poetic artfull style of Tolkiens work. It's his life's work and you can feel how he put his soul in his writing. I would love to see a review from you after you read the books!
16:01 I always felt a deep respect for the bravery of Rohan's soldiers, when they decided to charge at those massive creatures without hesitation.
Sofie, I know that so many have said it before, I could just give them a (thumbs up, and I have), or I could comment on their comment. BUT, I have to use my own words, you deserve no less. I have watched nearly every LoTR reaction on UA-cam, I read the books when I was very young, and many times after that, I have watched this series more times than I care to mention, and I got very very far into gaining a degree on Tolkien. You, far and above, not only had the best reaction, but you understood all the subtleties of the films and even tapped into parts of the books that were only hinted at on screen. You sympathized, empathized, and BECAME so many characters in the moments needed to fulfill their part. There is a reason I watch reactions to these films and several others, and its to feel all the emotions of watching them for the first time again. You really really really gave that to me with your reaction. I wish for you continued success and growth in your channel and I hope you never stop. Thank you, never stop being a real human.
It's been 15 years since I first read the book and it's still my most favourite thing in the world😭this makes me super emotional and it's so nice to know that this beautiful story will continue to connect and impress people for decades to come 😊thank you for your precious reaction, Sofie=)
22:42 from the books 'The hands of the king are the hands of a healer.' or something to that effect. If he is a true king, he will have a way of healing people's afflictions. It's likely something that was passed down from his Numenorean roots.
So many comments in so little time.. Was going to fire off a poem in honour of this reaction in Samwise fashion, which will probably go completely unnoticed. It was a chance.. for a lowly fellow to show his quality 😁
Anyways, thanks a bunch for your splendid reactions Sofie. I imagined you having deceived them all with yet another master-ring that you forged in the Lands of Empathia. Far superior to most reactors whom above all else desire likes and engagement, yours were a joy to watch. Namárië!