I’ve been thinking about why the LOTR trilogy towers above most other filmed fantasy.

I think a big reason is that it rejects individualism. No prophecy or savior is responsible for the ending. It’s the result of flawed people pushing themselves to the limit to help each other.

Frodo isn’t the chosen one. Neither is Sam. None of the fellowship are “special”; even Aragorn has to earn his spot on the throne. It’s 10 hours of people throwing themselves at death and terror for the slim chance that maybe Frodo doesn’t fuck up. And then he does! Incredible!!!

The only equivalent to The Force in LOTR is a magical ring that slowly destroys you because that’s what power does. No one is born with it, no one is hierarchically better, no one gets away clean.

I don’t know any other movie fantasy that goes there.

There are no prophecies in Middle Earth. Just history. And you can keep making the same mistakes til you help wipe out everything you ever loved, or you can learn from it.

Anyway, it’s probably time to watch LOTR again.

This thread is beautiful and eloquent and says a lot I wish I could have verbalized! https://twitter.com/silent0siris/status/1350124929216372737